Send Mail and Photos to Rowan County Detention Center. Address and Rules

Mailing Address

Send all mail for inmates at the Rowan County Detention Center to:

[Full Legal Name, Inmate ID Number]
Rowan County Detention Center
115 W Liberty Street
Salisbury, NC 28144

This address applies to all inmates, including those housed at the Annex on Grace Church Road. Do not send mail to the Annex address. All inmate mail is processed at the main jail address.

Return Address Requirements

Your return address must be a physical street address. A P.O. Box alone is not accepted. Write or type your return address directly on the envelope. Do not use pre-printed sticker address labels for the return address. The facility will reject envelopes with sticker labels.

Letter Rules

Letters must meet all of the following:

• Maximum 10 pages per letter, including any printed materials from the internet
• Written or typed on standard paper
• No perfume sprayed on the letter
• No lipstick on the letter or envelope
• No gang-related content, threats, or obscene material
• No additional items enclosed

Some of these rules catch families off guard. Spraying a letter with your perfume or pressing your lips to the envelope is a natural way to send warmth, but both will get the letter rejected at this facility.

Photo Rules

You may include photos in your letter under these conditions:

• Maximum 10 photos per envelope
• Each photo must be 4 inches by 6 inches or smaller
• No Polaroid photos
• No sexually explicit or offensive content
• No photos depicting weapons, gang symbols, or illegal activity

Photos and cards also must not exceed 4 inches by 6 inches. Larger cards or photos will be rejected.

Prohibited Items Inside the Envelope

Do not include any of the following inside the envelope:

• Stamps
• Blank paper beyond your letter pages
• Extra envelopes
• Paperclips or staples
• Stickers
• Tape
• Cash or coins

Any item on this list, even something as small as a spare stamp or a paperclip, can cause the entire piece of mail to be rejected.

Prohibited Envelope Types

• No bubble envelopes (padded mailers)
• No oversized envelopes beyond standard letter size

Use a standard white or manila envelope.

Prohibited Content

Mail with any of the following will be rejected and may be reported to law enforcement:

• Gang-related materials or symbols
• Threats of any kind
• Obscene or explicit sexual content
• Coded or suspected coded language intended to convey contraband requests

What Happens to Rejected Mail

If your letter is rejected, the facility will typically return it to your return address or dispose of it. You may not be notified immediately. If the person says they did not receive a letter you sent, check whether any of the rules above may have applied. Ask the person to check with their housing unit if they expect a piece of mail.

Books and Publications

Contact the facility at (704) 216-8770 before sending books or magazines. Policies on printed materials can vary and may include restrictions on condition (new vs. used), publisher, or content. Verify before you send.

Legal Mail

Mark legal mail clearly as “Legal Mail” on the outside of the envelope. Legal mail has different handling procedures. If you are an attorney sending correspondence, note your bar number and contact information clearly on the envelope.

How Long Does Mail Take?

Physical mail is delivered after staff inspection. Allow several business days for delivery after mailing. The facility does not publish a specific processing timeline. If a letter seems delayed, the person can check with their housing unit.

Tips to Avoid Rejected Mail

The Rowan County Detention Center has more detailed mail rules than many county jails. These are the mistakes families make most often:

• Sticker return address labels: Write or type your address directly on the envelope. No peel-and-stick labels.
• Perfume or lipstick: Do not spray the letter or press your lips to the envelope or page.
• Bubble envelopes: Use a standard flat envelope only.
• Extra stamps or blank paper: Do not add anything extra inside.
• Paperclips or staples: Remove them. All pages loose only.
• Photos larger than 4x6: Measure before you send.
• More than 10 pages or 10 photos: Count before you seal the envelope.

Following these rules on the first try saves time and keeps communication flowing without interruption.

Stay Connected Other Ways

Mail is not the only way to stay in touch. Phone calls go through PayTel at paytel.com, and video visits go through HomeWav. See the phone calls guide and visitation guide for details.

Send Photos and Letters with Pigeonly

The easiest way to send photos and letters to someone at Rowan 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.