Putting money on a loved one's books is one of the most direct ways to improve their daily life inside. Commissary funds cover phone calls, food supplements, personal care, and the small daily necessities that make incarceration more bearable. But every facility uses specific approved money transfer services and sending money through an unapproved channel means delays, fees, or the money not arriving at all. This section covers which money transfer services are approved at federal and state facilities, how to find the right service for a specific institution, how long transfers take to post, deposit limits and frequency restrictions, how to send money from outside the United States, and what to do when a transfer does not post as expected. The practical guidance here is built around getting money where it needs to go efficiently and without unnecessary fees. See also our sections on Commissary, Money Transfer, and Inmate Phone Calls.
Related InmateAid Services
Subject: Send inmate money
On the commissary question first: InmateAid does not handle commissary or trust account deposits directly. That is a separate service from what InmateAid offers. InmateAid's services cover phone savings, mail, letters, photos, postcards, greeting cards, and magazine subscriptions. For putting money on your inmate's books you will need to use a dedicated deposit service.
On JPay versus MoneyGram, both are legitimate and widely used but they work differently and are not available at every facility.
JPay is a platform specifically built for...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
Try MoneyGram. They are the oldest and most trusted of all the money transfer companies. You'll have to go their site and scroll through the selections. If you run into any issues, email us and we'll help you with step-by-step instructional screenshots.
Subject: Send inmate money
Most facilities take MoneyGram. Click and check the list of facilities where MoneyGram is accepted. When searching, keep in mind that there are 200 federal facilities but the User goes to one place for all, "FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS (7932)" on their site. Same with state prison systems. For instance, one state system looks like this: IOWA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS (6185). Find your inmate's facility and you'll be able to get money to them instantly.
Subject: Send inmate money
In virtually every facility we are aware of, personal checks are not accepted for inmate accounts. The reasons are practical ones. Personal checks can bounce, can be fraudulent, and create administrative headaches that understaffed mailrooms and finance offices are not equipped to handle. Facilities moved away from accepting them years ago as electronic payment options became available.
The good news is that putting money on an inmate's books is easier now than it has ever been, and there are several reliable...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
They know the last name of the sender.
Subject: Send inmate money
In most state and federal facilities, inmates have access to a system that lets them check their account balances without needing someone on the outside to tell them. At the federal level, the Trust Fund system allows inmates to check their account through the TRULINCS terminals available in many units. State systems typically have a similar kiosk or terminal setup where inmates can view their trust account balance, which includes phone funds depending on how the facility structures its accounts.
That...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
Send what you can genuinely afford without creating a hardship for yourself first. That is the only rule that actually matters here. Inmates are fed three meals a day regardless of what is on their books. Nobody goes hungry because their account is empty. What commissary money buys is comfort and small pleasures above the baseline: snacks, hygiene items beyond the basics, phone time, postage for letters, and in some facilities access to email.
Most facilities cap monthly spending somewhere in...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
No. An inmate's account balance is treated as private financial information, the same way any person's bank account would be. Facilities do not make that information available to outside parties, including family members and significant others, without the inmate's explicit authorization.
The only person who can check the balance is the inmate themselves, and they can do so through whatever account access system the facility provides, typically at a kiosk, through their housing unit officer, or during commissary processing.
If you want...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
There are no online methods of money transfer available for the San Joaquin County Honor Farm. You may deposit money in the lobby kiosk at the facility or send a POSTAL money order through US Mail. Money orders must have the inmate's name, booking number and the return address of the sender.
Subject: Send inmate money
Internet Payments (credit cards via http://www.jailatm.com/)
Mail (money orders only - must have inmate name) addressed to Washoe County Jail, ATTN: Inmate Accounting
Subject: Send inmate money
They want you to use [Western Union](https://www.westernunion.com/us/en/send-to-inmate.html?src=aff_cj_mt_Inmate+Aid%252C+LLC_6191743_SENDMONEYPAGETEXT) have money on their books immediately so that they may use the money to shop at the commissary or to buy phone time.
Subject: Send inmate money
Yes, and setting up separate accounts is actually the cleaner way to handle it when multiple parties want to support the same inmate independently.
On the InmateAid side, each account is tied to a unique email address. If both families want their own separate accounts, they simply need different email addresses to register with. That keeps everything distinct, gives each party their own transaction history to review, and ensures that letters and postcards sent through the service show as coming from...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
It depends entirely on how that specific facility processes incoming money orders, and there is no way to know from the outside without checking. Some smaller county jails will process a deposit by name alone if there is no other inmate there with the same name. Others require the inmate ID number and will hold or return anything that arrives without it.
Call Gonzales County Jail directly and let them know you sent a money order with just his name on...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
Sending money into the Contra Costa County-Martinez Detention Facility will only be accepted in the following forms: Money Orders, Cashier's Checks, Local, State, and Federal government checks, including checks from other detention and prison authorities, Traveler's Checks, Personal checks, or cash. Envelopes and all their contents will be returned to the sender. Money Orders, Cashier's Checks, and Traveler's Checks must be made out to the inmate. The inmate's name and booking number must be on the front of the check....
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
Click on www.accesscorrections.com to send money to your loved one. Access Secure Deposits takes all MasterCard and Visa debit and credit cards. Additional information is also located under Frequently Asked Questions.
