To send photos to someone in a San Diego County jail, mail them to the Sheriff's Mail Processing Center, 451 Riverview Parkway, Building C, Santee, CA 92071, with the person's name, booking number and facility. Since September 1, 2022, mail addressed directly to six of the county's detention facilities has been rejected and returned to the sender.
That one address covers the whole San Diego County jail system, from San Diego Central Jail downtown to Vista and Las Colinas. Below is the format to use, how to find the booking number, the photo rules and what to do so your envelope isn't sent back.
Mailing address for photos
The San Diego County Sheriff's Office says mail must include the person's name, booking number and facility, as well as the sender's name and return address. Its Sending Mail and Packages page gives one central address for all of its jails:
[Full name] [Booking Number]
[Facility name]
Mail Processing Center
451 Riverview Parkway, Building C
Santee, CA 92071
Replace [Facility name] with the jail your loved one is in, such as San Diego Central Jail or Vista Detention Facility.
The sheriff's office is clear that mail sent directly to six of its detention facilities is rejected and returned to the sender, so use the Mail Processing Center even if you know the jail's street address.
The Sheriff's Office runs several jails. Our facility pages show the latest details we have for each:
- San Diego Central Jail (downtown San Diego)
- George F. Bailey Detention Facility (San Diego)
- Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility (Santee)
- Vista Detention Facility (Vista)
- South Bay Detention Facility (Chula Vista)
- East Mesa Reentry Facility and Facility 8 Detention Facility (San Diego)
San Diego also has federal and immigration facilities, and a state prison, that the Sheriff doesn't run and that have their own mail rules. You'll find them on our California page.
The ID number you need
The sheriff's office asks for the person's booking number on all mail. If you don't know it, the sheriff's office points families to its Who's In Jail search on the Sheriff's website.
Tips for using it:
- Search with your loved one's full legal name.
- Note the booking number and the facility listed for them, since you'll need both.
- Check again right before you mail. People move between San Diego jails and are released often.
Our guide on how to find an inmate ID number explains official jail and prison searches step by step.
Photo rules
The sheriff's office says there's no limit on the amount of mail a person in custody may send or receive, and it lists general correspondence among the acceptable items. All mail entering a jail is opened, inspected and searched for contraband.
The sheriff's public mail page doesn't list photo sizes or a per-envelope count, and it links to its detention policies for the detailed list of unacceptable items. Rules can change, so we keep the details we use on our facility pages. These are the basics:
- Size: Standard 4x6 prints.
- Number: Our facility pages list up to 10 photos per envelope. We split bigger orders into more envelopes.
- Content: No nudity or sexual content, gang signs, weapons, drugs or money.
- Plain prints. Send standard photo prints, not instant photos, with nothing glued, taped or stuck on.
Everyday moments make the best pictures: the kids after school, a family barbecue, the dog, a new apartment, a sunset at the beach.
What your loved one receives
The sheriff's office says all mail is opened and searched for contraband, and that the writing is scanned for safety and security reasons. Its public mail page doesn't say that photos are replaced with copies or shown only on a tablet.
Before you pay, our checkout shows what your loved one will receive at their San Diego facility, based on what we have on file, and we update our facility pages as rules change.
Step by step
- Look up your loved one on Who's In Jail and write down their booking number and facility.
- Choose your photos. Clear, appropriate pictures of family, friends, pets and home.
- Crop them to 4x6.
- Address the envelope with their name and booking number, the facility name, then Mail Processing Center, 451 Riverview Parkway, Building C, Santee, CA 92071.
- Add your name and return address. The sheriff's office requires it.
- Mail it by U.S. Postal Service.
Or let us handle it. With InmatePics, you upload photos from your phone, choose your loved one's San Diego County facility and enter their booking number. Our printing and mailing partners print real 4x6 photos, and every order is addressed and packed the way the facility requires and split into envelopes it accepts. It's $0.99 per print plus $4.99 per envelope, with no subscription: 10 photos in one envelope cost $14.89. We remove location data from your photos and delete them once your order is done.
Tips to avoid returned mail
- Never mail directly to a jail. Use the Mail Processing Center in Santee.
- Include all three: name, booking number and facility.
- Always include a return address with your name.
- Keep the envelope plain. Decorations only give a mailroom a reason to look twice.
- Leave out risky content. Photos showing gangs, weapons, drugs, nudity or illegal activity can be refused.
- Check custody first. If your loved one was moved to state prison or released, the envelope won't reach them.
For more, read why prison mail gets returned or our Los Angeles County Jail guide if you also write to someone held in L.A.
Frequently asked questions
What is the mailing address for San Diego Central Jail?
Use the Sheriff's central address, not the jail's street address: the person's name and booking number, "San Diego Central Jail," then Mail Processing Center, 451 Riverview Parkway, Building C, Santee, CA 92071.
Can you send photos to someone in a San Diego County jail?
Yes. Photos go to the Mail Processing Center in Santee like any other personal mail. Include the person's name, booking number and facility, plus your return address.
Is there a limit on mail to San Diego jails?
The sheriff's office says there's no limit on the amount of mail a person in custody may send or receive. Each envelope still has to meet the facility's rules, and we split orders into envelopes the facility accepts.
What if my photos are returned?
If you send with InmatePics and the facility returns your order, you get a full refund or a free reprint, your choice.
Ready to send? Check the latest details on our San Diego Central Jail page, then send your photos with InmatePics.
