Why Your Greeting Card Got Returned by Vermilion County Jail (What Cards Are Allowed)
If your greeting card came back in the mail, it's probably not about what you wrote — it's about whether the card can be scanned through the jail's digital mail system.
At Vermilion County Jail, the most common reason a greeting card gets rejected is straightforward: if it can't be scanned, it gets returned. That rule eliminates a lot of popular card styles - especially anything that isn't flat and smooth. Die-cuts and pop-out designs trip people up often. Cards with cut-out windows, layered shapes, or 3D pop-ups inside won't make it through. Glitter and sparkly finishes are also automatic returns. Even if your card looks normal at first glance, check for anything attached to it. Staples, clips, tape, adhesives, and paperclips all disqualify a piece of mail. That includes those little extras people add without thinking - like a Post-it stuck inside or a note taped to the page.
Watch for attachments: Post-it notes and anything attached with tape or other adhesives aren’t accepted - even if it’s “just a quick note” stuck inside the card.
One more category that can't go through standard scanning: legal and privileged mail. Correspondence from attorneys or law firms - plus privileged medical and financial mail - follows a different process. If you're sending something in one of those categories, use the jail's legal/privileged mail procedures instead of treating it like a regular greeting card.
Size matters too. Paper larger than 8.5 x 14 inches can't be scanned and will be sent back. Too small is also a problem. Items under 4 x 6 inches get returned unless they're scanned and printed onto an 8.5 x 11 sheet. Tiny notes, mini-cards, and small cutouts are risky - they may not make it through as-is.
Bottom line: If it can’t go through a scanner cleanly - because it’s too big, too small, or not flat - it’s likely to be returned to you.
- Choose a flat, simple card - Skip pop-outs and die-cuts so the card can be scanned.
- Avoid glitter or sparkly finishes - Any “sparkles or glitter” style is likely to be returned.
- Keep everything loose and unbound - Don’t staple pages together, don’t use paperclips, and don’t bind the card or letter with any adhesive or binding agent.
- Don’t attach extra notes - Leave out Post-its and anything taped or stuck on with adhesives.
Want to send a newspaper article? Don't mail the original clipping. Vermilion County's instructions say to make a scanned copy of the article and include that instead. For your actual writing, stick to something that scans cleanly. The jail says to avoid felt-tip pens, markers, Sharpies, and wax- or oil-based mediums like crayons and art supplies.
Practical swap: Send a scanned copy of a newspaper article (not the original clipping), and write with something other than felt-tip pens, markers, Sharpies, or crayons so it reproduces clearly when scanned.
S4
- ✓ No sparkles or glitter anywhere on the card
- ✓ No staples, paperclips, adhesives, or any other binding agent
- ✓ No Post-it notes, and nothing attached with tape or other adhesives
- ✓ Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want personal mail returned to you
Not sure if your card will pass the scanner test? Go plain and flat. A simple card or letter-sized sheet without any attachments is your safest bet.
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