Sending Mail to Winnebago County Jail: Phoenix P.O. Box, Tablet Delivery, and What Not to Send
Mail for someone at Winnebago County Jail works differently than you might expect. Here's the exact address to use, what gets rejected, and how delivery works now that personal mail is scanned and delivered to tablets.
Since May 15, 2023, all personal mail sent to someone at Winnebago County Jail is digitally delivered through the inmate's tablet. Letters, pictures, drawings: everything gets scanned and shows up electronically rather than as paper in housing. So don't be caught off guard if your handwritten letter arrives on a screen.
Note: Attorney-client privileged mail is handled separately and is not part of the tablet/digital delivery process.
Use this address exactly as written (line by line): Winnebago County Jail, Rockford IL Inmate's name, MID# P.O. Box 247 Phoenix, MD 21131
Two details matter most. First, the envelope must include the inmate's full name and MID#. If either is missing, the mail gets returned to you. Second, your full name and physical address need to be clearly written in the top-left corner. No return address? Also returned.
Don't know the MID#? You can look it up using the public inmate search at inmates.winnebagosheriff.com.
Prohibited Items
- ✓ Glitter
- ✓ Lipstick
- ✓ Glued or loose stones
- ✓ Staples
- ✓ Glued pages
- ✓ Jewelry
- ✓ Stickers
- ✓ Books or magazines
- ✓ Labels
- ✓ Checks, cash, or money orders
- ✓ Oversized mail
- ✓ Envelopes or stamps
Be thoughtful about photo mail. Inmates are limited to 10 photographs in their possession at one time. Sending a large batch can create problems if they're already at the limit.
Legal mail has a page limit: incoming privileged (legal) mail can't exceed 25 sheets of paper per envelope. If you need to send more, split it across multiple envelopes.
Build in extra time. Mail is not delivered on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays, so delays around weekends and holiday closures are normal.
If mail doesn't show up, start with the basics. The address should read exactly: "Winnebago County Jail, Rockford IL" followed by the inmate's name and MID#, then "P.O. Box 247, Phoenix, MD 21131." Make sure you included your full name and physical return address in the top-left corner. A missing MID# or missing sender info will trigger a return. If everything checks out and you're still having problems, contact TextBehind support at info@TextBehind.com.
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