Mail & Photos to Cleveland County Detention Center. Address and Rules

Confirm the Mailing Address First

A new consolidated 460-bed Justice Center was expected to open in Shelby in 2025 or 2026. The mailing address listed on the official CCSO website is 100 Justice Place. If the facility has moved operations or consolidated both locations, the mailing address may have changed.

Call (704) 669-3001 before mailing anything for the first time to confirm the current address. Mail sent to the wrong address may be delayed or returned.

Mailing Address

Once you confirm the address is current, use this format for all mail:

[Inmate's Full Legal Name]
Cleveland County Detention Center
100 Justice Place
Shelby, NC 28151

Put your full name and return address in the upper left corner of every envelope. Mail without a return address may be rejected.

What You Can Send

Personal letters: You can send handwritten or typed letters. Write on standard white paper. Do not use envelopes with padding or special materials. Keep letters appropriate: no threats, explicit content, coded language, or anything that looks like it could be used to plan illegal activity. All mail is read and inspected before it reaches the person inside.

Photos: Photos are allowed as long as they are not obscene or violent. Standard photo prints are accepted. Do not send Polaroids or photos with adhesive backing. If you are unsure whether a photo will be approved, call (704) 669-3001 to ask before sending.

Pre-metered postcards: Postcards are accepted. A pre-metered postcard is one that already has a stamp or postage mark printed on it (like a postcard from the post office or a printed postcard service). Standard greeting card-style postcards are generally fine.

Books: Books are allowed, but they must ship directly from an approved retailer. You cannot send books from home.

Approved book retailers:

• Amazon (amazon.com)
• Barnes & Noble (barnesandnoble.com)
• Books-A-Million (booksamillion.com)

No hardcover books. Paperbacks only. Do not wrap books or include additional items in the package.

Magazines and newspapers: These must ship directly from the publisher or an authorized subscription service. No adult content is allowed. Contact the publisher to set up a subscription sent directly to the facility at the 100 Justice Place address.

What You Cannot Send

Do not send any of the following:

• Cash or checks in any form
• Gift cards or prepaid cards
• Hardcover books
• Books shipped from home
• Magazines from home (must ship from publisher)
• Adult or sexually explicit content
• Photos depicting violence, weapons, or illegal activity
• Envelopes with stickers, glitter, perfume, or any additive on the pages or envelope
• Items with metallic or foil components
• Packages of any other kind (food, clothing, personal items from home)

Sending contraband through the mail to a county detention facility is a crime.

Legal Mail

Legal mail from an attorney or court goes to the same facility address but is handled differently. Legal mail must be clearly marked as “Legal Mail” or “Attorney-Client Communication” on the outside of the envelope. Staff may open legal mail in the presence of the inmate to check for contraband, but they cannot read the contents. If you are an attorney mailing to a client at Cleveland County, call (704) 669-3001 to confirm the current legal mail procedure.

Mail Processing and Delivery Time

All mail received at the facility goes through an inspection process before it is delivered to the inmate. This can take one to several business days depending on volume. If mail sent more than two weeks ago has not been received, call (704) 669-3001 to check.

Rejected Mail

Mail that violates facility rules will be rejected and may be returned to you or held at the facility. If you receive mail back or the person tells you mail was rejected, call (704) 669-3001 to ask why and whether it can be resubmitted. Common reasons for rejection include missing return address, prohibited content, hardcover books, and books or magazines shipped from home rather than from an approved retailer.

Sending Books as a Gift

Ordering a book directly from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Books-A-Million is one of the most practical ways to support someone’s mental engagement during a long stay. During checkout, enter the inmate’s full name and the facility mailing address as the shipping address. Choose the paperback version of the book. Do not add a gift message that instructs staff to pass additional items, and do not ship multiple non-book items in the same order.

Cleveland County allows books from these three major retailers, which means you can find fiction, nonfiction, educational materials, and religious texts to send.

Stay Connected Between Visits

Since visitation at Cleveland County is limited to two days per week, mail is one of the best ways to stay in regular contact. A letter sent on Monday can arrive before Wednesday’s visit window closes. Combine mail with Securus phone calls (see the phone calls guide) and JailPackStore deposits (see the send money guide) to keep communication consistent.

Send Photos and Letters with Pigeonly

The easiest way to send photos and letters to someone at Cleveland County Detention Center is through Pigeonly. Upload your photos or write your letter online, and Pigeonly prints and mails everything to the facility for you, following the mail rules listed above.