# How to Send Photos to Cook County Jail > How to send photos to Cook County Jail in Chicago: the mailing address, booking number, Sheriff's photo rules, and tips to keep your envelope from coming back. Published October 10, 2026 in Mail & Facility Rules You can send photos to someone at Cook County Jail by mailing them to 2700 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608, with the person's full name and booking number on the envelope. Stick to real photo prints, leave out anything showing weapons, money or gang signs, and skip Polaroids with a double backing. Cook County Jail is a big place with a busy mailroom. Getting the small details right is what makes the difference between photos that reach your loved one and an envelope that comes back. Here's what the Cook County Sheriff's Office asks for, and how to make it easy. ## Mailing address for photos The Cook County Sheriff's Office uses one mailing address for letters to people in custody at the jail. Write it like this: ``` [Full name] [Booking Number] COOK COUNTY JAILS 2700 SOUTH CALIFORNIA AVENUE CHICAGO IL 60608 ``` The Sheriff's Office asks that you include the person's name and their I.D. number, which it also calls the booking number, with the address. Put your own full name and return address in the top left corner of the envelope too, so the mail can come back to you if there's a problem. You can read the official instructions on the Sheriff's [Sending Mail to an Individual in Custody](https://cookcountysheriffil.gov/departments/cook-county-department-of-corrections/individual-in-custody-mail-faq/) page. We also keep our [Cook County Jails facility page](https://inmatepics.com/facilities/illinois/cook-county-jails) up to date with the address format we use. ## The ID number you need Cook County uses a **booking number** to identify each person in custody. It's the most important line on the envelope, because it's how the mailroom matches your photos to the right person. Two people in custody can share the same name. If you don't know the booking number, the Sheriff's Office gives two ways to find it: - Search the Sheriff's **Individual in Custody Locator** online. - Call the Sheriff's automated information line at 773-674-5245. A booking number belongs to one stay in jail. If your loved one was released and later booked again, they'll have a new number, so check it again rather than reusing an old one. Our guide on [finding someone's inmate ID number](https://inmatepics.com/blog/how-to-find-an-inmate-id-number) walks through how jail, prison and federal numbers differ. ## Photo rules The Cook County Department of Corrections publishes a [list of items that cannot be mailed](https://cookcountysheriffil.gov/departments/cook-county-department-of-corrections/individual-in-custody-mail-faq/items-cannot-mailed-individual-in-custody/) to someone in custody. For photos, the items that matter most are: - **Pictures showing weapons, money or gang signs.** These are on the prohibited list. That includes photos where someone is holding cash or making hand signs, even as a joke. - **Polaroid instant pictures with double backing.** Use regular photo prints instead. - **Posters, stickers, decals and patches.** Don't decorate photos or the envelope. - **Anything sprayed or scented.** Mail covered or sprayed with perfume, cologne or any other substance is treated as contraband and is not returned. The list is a guideline, and the Sheriff's Office says staff can still confiscate anything they consider a threat to safety or security. Our facility page also lists nudity and sexual content as not allowed, so keep photos family-friendly. The Sheriff's published list doesn't set a photo size or a number of photos per envelope. We print every photo as a standard **4x6** and pack **up to 10 photos per envelope**, and split bigger orders into separate envelopes. One more rule worth knowing: **if any part of a package is prohibited, the Sheriff's Office returns the entire package**. One problem photo can send back every photo in that envelope, so it pays to check each picture before you send. Our post on [what photos are allowed in prison and jail](https://inmatepics.com/blog/what-photos-are-allowed-in-prison) has more on the kinds of images mailrooms reject. ## What your loved one receives The Sheriff's mail pages describe what can and can't be sent, but they don't say whether incoming photos are handed over as prints, copied or scanned. Our facility page notes that the person usually receives the photo prints themselves, and we're still confirming that for Cook County. Mail rules at large jails can change, which is why we show you what the person will receive before you pay. If that changes for Cook County, our facility page and checkout will reflect it. ## Step by step 1. **Confirm where they are.** Use the Sheriff's Individual in Custody Locator to make sure your loved one is still at Cook County Jail and not released or moved to another facility. 2. **Get the booking number.** Write it down exactly as the locator shows it. 3. **Choose your photos.** Pick clear, family-friendly pictures. Leave out anything showing money, weapons, hand signs, nudity or alcohol and drugs. 4. **Print them as real photos.** Use standard 4x6 photo prints, not Polaroids or anything with a sticky or double backing. 5. **Address the envelope.** Name and booking number on the first line, then the jail's address, plus your return address. 6. **Mail it, or let us do it.** With [InmatePics](https://inmatepics.com/send), you upload your photos, pick Cook County Jails, enter the booking number, and we print real 4x6 photos and mail them addressed the facility's way. ## Tips to avoid returned mail - **Double-check the booking number.** A wrong or missing number can get mail delayed or returned. - **Send photos on their own.** Don't tuck in stamps, stickers, cards with music chips, or anything glued on. Those items are on the prohibited list, and one of them can get the whole envelope sent back. - **No perfume or lipstick kisses.** Mail with any odor or substance on it is removed as contraband and is not returned to you. - **Check custody before you send.** People in county jail are often moved to court, to another facility, or released. A quick look at the locator saves a wasted envelope. - **Keep the background in mind.** A happy photo can still be rejected because of what's in the corner, like cash on a table or a hand sign from a friend. If something is returned, the Sheriff's Office sends a Notice of Returned Mail explaining why. You can ask for a review by writing to the Department of Corrections, Mail Rejection, at the same 2700 S. California Ave. address within 10 days of receiving that notice. For more ways to avoid this, see [why prison mail gets returned](https://inmatepics.com/blog/why-prison-mail-gets-returned). ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I send photos to Cook County Jail? Yes. Photos can be mailed to people in custody at Cook County Jail as long as they follow the Sheriff's Office rules. Use real photo prints, include the booking number, and avoid prohibited content such as weapons, money or gang signs. ### What is the Cook County Jail mailing address? Mail goes to the person's name and booking number, followed by 2700 S. California Ave., Chicago, IL 60608. This is the address the Cook County Sheriff's Office gives for letters to individuals in custody. ### How do I find a Cook County Jail inmate's booking number? Search the Sheriff's Individual in Custody Locator online, or call the automated line at 773-674-5245. The Sheriff's Office calls this number the I.D. number or booking number. ### Are Polaroids allowed at Cook County Jail? Polaroid instant pictures with double backing are on the Sheriff's prohibited list. Standard 4x6 photo prints are the safer choice, and that's what we send. ### How much does it cost to send photos with InmatePics? It's $0.99 per 4x6 print plus $4.99 per envelope, with no subscription. Ten photos in one envelope cost $14.89. If the facility returns your photos, you get a full refund or a free reprint, as explained in our [refund policy](https://inmatepics.com/refund-policy). Ready to send? Check the latest details on our [Cook County Jails page](https://inmatepics.com/facilities/illinois/cook-county-jails), browse other [Illinois facilities](https://inmatepics.com/facilities/illinois), or [start your order](https://inmatepics.com/send) and we'll print and mail your photos the way the jail requires.