How does the inmate load money on the prepaid card from his commissary account?

Money cannot be loaded onto a prepaid card directly by the inmate from inside. Funds must be added from the outside — by a family member or friend — using an approved money transfer service such as JPay, Access Corrections, or MoneyGram, depending on the facility.

Inmates can also earn money through prison work assignments, however the wages are extremely low — typically between $0.12 and $0.40 per hour at the federal level, and even less in some state systems. It can take weeks or months of work to accumulate a meaningful balance.

The fastest and most reliable way to make sure your loved one has money available is to send it directly from the outside. InmateAid can help you find the approved money transfer method for your specific facility.