Can You Send Pictures to Inmates in Jail?

iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help.

Can You Send Pictures to Inmates in Jail? We Have the Answer!

When someone is in prison, even for a short time, they can easily forget about their life on the outside. This is why contact with friends and family is so important. Contact with inmates—although limited—comes in many shapes and forms.

Sometimes, a visit is what inmates crave the most. Other times, it’s the sound of their loved one’s voice over the phone or an anecdote written in a letter. Aside from these, if you send an inmate a picture, it can become the most valuable item in their possession—motivation to keep going.

But, can you send a picture to an inmate? Yes, you can, with certain restrictions.

We will answer all of your questions regarding sending pictures to prison and guide you through the process!

The Rules of Sending Pictures to Inmates

In terms of inmate mail rules and regulations about pictures, they vary in different correctional facilities. There are some universal ground rules, but we advise you to check with the prison your loved one is located in. Every piece of mail is checked and inspected, so you should take these rules seriously. Here are some general guidelines to pay attention to:

AllowedNot Allowed
  • Three to five pictures per letter
  • Photos of friends, family, pets, etc.
  • Pictures not exceeding 4x6 or 5x8 inches
  • Nude, violent, or explicit images
  • Photos showing tattoos, drugs, alcohol, or weapons
  • Pictures larger than 5x8 inches
  • Polaroids

Can I Send Drawings To Someone in Jail?

Besides pictures, you can also send drawings to a loved one in prison. The restrictions for drawings are the following:

  • Cannot be larger than 9x12 inches
  • Must be drawn with ink, a colored pencil, crayon, charcoal, or watercolor
  • Shouldn’t depict sexual or violent acts

Can I send Pictures to an Inmate?

If you want to send pictures to someone in prison, you need to be on this inmate’s approved contact list. People on this list—typically ten to fifteen people—can visit, send letters, packages, and take a call from the prisoner.

The inmate chooses the people who they want to maintain contact with, and the correctional facility needs to approve them. Check out who can and cannot be in contact with an inmate:

People Who Can Contact InmatesPeople Who Cannot Contact Inmates
  • Friends
  • Inmate’s lawyers
  • Support groups
  • Family members
  • Jurors
  • Judges
  • Crime partners
  • Victims or witnesses
  • People that aren’t on the approved list

How To Send Pictures to Inmates?

Before you learn how to send pictures to an inmate, you may need to consider different ways of printing them. Aside from going to a photo store, using some apps that offer photo printing—such as FreePrints and Walmart Photo—is also an option.

Once you have your pictures ready to go, you have a few options. You can send out the pictures only or include them in a letter or a package.

Write down the inmate’s name and address on the back of the pictures just in case. Since the prison staff needs to open the envelopes and inspect the pictures, they could get mixed up with someone else’s or get lost. Addressing the pictures, not only the envelopes or packages, helps deliver them to your loved one.

How To Address an Inmate Letter or Package

When addressing your letter or package, don’t forget to write down:

  • The inmate’s full name
  • Their Booking number or Inmate ID
  • The prison’s address
  • The prison’s unit the inmate is located in

With DoNotPay, you can skip the hassle of printing out the pictures and worrying about addressing your letter! DoNotPay lets you write a letter and add photos at the same time, and will send them out for you!

Send Both a Letter and a Picture to a Prisoner Using DoNotPay

DoNotPay’s AI-powered technology makes exchanging letters with and sending pictures to an inmate effortless and enjoyable. With a few clicks, you’ll be able to:

  • Choose an appropriate template
  • Add a personal touch for holidays and special occasions
  • Include pictures
  • Start writing your personalized letter

We’ll worry about addressing the letter and delivering it so that you can focus on the content and the best photos to include.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Open DoNotPay in a
  2. Click on Connect With an Inmate
  3. Select Send a Personalized Letter
  4. Fill in the name and Inmate ID of your incarcerated loved one
  5. Compose your letter
  6. Add a picture

DoNotPay has a Virtual Mailbox feature where you can access the letters an inmate has sent you.

An inmate can write a letter and send it to DoNotPay. Then, we digitize the letter and upload it to your virtual mailbox.

Find Your Incarcerated Loved One’s Address Using DoNotPay

Before you send any items to prison, you need to know the exact address. For example, a prison may have numerous units, so you’d have to include the unit’s number along with the whole facility’s address.

You don’t have to waste time searching—DoNotPay can do it for you! We can find an inmate in the following way:

  1. Access DoNotPay from a
  2. Select Connect With an Inmate
  3. Tap on Locate Someone
  4. Enter the prisoner’s full name and the U.S. state they are in
  5. Answer a few questions
  6. Tap on Submit

What Else Can I Send to an Inmate?

It’s nice to surprise your incarcerated friend or family member once in a while with a different package. Apart from a package you can set up on your own, you can use services such as iCare. They have various packages you can choose from—snacks, writing materials, hygiene items, etc.

Here are other items besides pictures that you can send to someone in a correctional facility:

Items You Can SendItems You Cannot Send
  • Care packages
  • Paperback books
  • Newspaper snippets
  • Magazine clippings
  • Plain postcards or greeting cards
  • Clothes for court appearances
  • Pens
  • Drugs
  • Money
  • Jewelry
  • Weapons
  • Cigarettes
  • Cosmetics
  • Hardback books

DoNotPay Is Your Go-To for Other Questions and Issues

If you have any more questions about inmates and prison rules, we can help! Get informed about apps like PrisonPenPals and Write A Prisoner, inmate love letters, federal inmate phone calls, and how to marry an inmate in county jail.

If a prison requires you to create an account with a telecommunications company to receive inmate phone calls, we can guide you through it. Check out our guides for Securus, IC Solutions, and Global Tel Link.

When a loved one is in prison, you may need help covering water, electric, or medical bills.

Open DoNotPay in your and find answers not only about inmates but about numerous administrative and problems. Turn to DoNotPay the next time you want to:

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