If someone you love is locked up in Alabama, putting money in their account is one of the most direct ways you can support them. It covers commissary - food, hygiene, stamps, phone minutes - and keeps them connected to the outside. But how you send it, and through which platform, depends entirely on where they're housed. State prison and county jail are different systems with different vendors. Get that straight first, because money sent through the wrong channel doesn't reach the right account.
Alabama has three main custody buckets: the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) for state prison sentences, county jails run by county sheriffs for pretrial detainees and shorter sentences, and federal or immigration custody with its own rules. Confirm which one your person is in before you do anything else.
State prisons: Alabama DOC and Access Corrections
If your person is in an Alabama Department of Corrections facility - one of the state prisons - the deposit vendor is Access Corrections. ADOC has partnered with Access Corrections (also known as Access Secure Deposits) as the platform for sending money to state inmate accounts. There are several ways to do it.
Online is the fastest method. Create an account at accesscorrections.com or call (866) 345-1884 to get started. Deposits by debit or credit card (Visa or Mastercard) can process within minutes and funds reach the account quickly. Fees apply to electronic deposits.
Cash at retail locations is available through CashPayToday, which has more than 800 locations statewide at stores including Dollar General, Family Dollar, CVS, and 7-Eleven. You bring cash to a participating location and the funds are deposited to the inmate's account. This is useful if you don't have a debit or credit card or prefer to pay in person without driving to the facility.
Lobby kiosks at ADOC facilities accept deposits as well. Check the specific facility for kiosk availability and accepted payment types.
By money order is the lowest-electronic-fee option for sending funds by mail. Fill out the Access Corrections money order deposit form (available on the ADOC website or the Access Corrections website). The daily deposit limit by money order is $900. Include the recipient's ID number and full name, along with your own name. Mail the completed form and money order to:
Access Corrections - Alabama DOC
PO Box 12486
St. Louis, MO 63132
Money orders sent by mail take up to one week to process after Access Corrections receives them. Build that into your timeline. Money orders must be issued in U.S. funds.
For questions about a state prison deposit, contact Access Corrections at (866) 345-1884 or the ADOC main line in Montgomery at (334) 353-3883.
The inmate ID number matters. Every ADOC deposit method requires the inmate's ID number - the unique number assigned to your person at intake into the state system. If you don't have it, look it up through the ADOC inmate search on the department's website. Depositing without the correct ID risks the funds going to the wrong account.
Funds can be reduced by debts. Alabama state prison inmates' accounts can be tapped for court costs, fines, restitution, medical co-pays, and disciplinary fines. Your deposit may not reach the full spending balance if outstanding obligations are deducted first.
County jails: vendor varies by county
Alabama has 67 counties, each with its own jail or detention facility run by the county sheriff. Every county picks its own deposit vendor - there is no single statewide platform for county jails. The vendor that works for Jefferson County may be completely different from the vendor for Montgomery or Mobile.
Some examples of how this varies:
Jefferson County Jail (Birmingham) handles phone deposits through NCIC. For commissary and general account deposits, check the Jefferson County Sheriff's website for the current platform and instructions.
Lee County uses team3.inmatecanteen.com for commissary deposits, with web deposits and lobby kiosks. Commissary is typically distributed once per week.
Some other counties use platforms like CorrectPay (also called JailFunds), JailATM, or county-specific systems. These platforms let you select the state, choose the specific jail, and deposit by card or kiosk.
The only reliable way to know the correct vendor for a specific Alabama county jail is to check that county sheriff's website or call the jail directly. Do not assume Access Corrections or any other platform works for a county jail - it may not.
Accounts do not transfer between vendors. If your person moves from a county jail using one platform to a different facility using another - or transfers from a county jail into the state prison system - your account balance and the account itself stay with the original vendor. You set up a new account with the new vendor. This is one of the most common sources of lost deposits.
Do not send money orders directly to the jail's street address unless the jail's own instructions say to. Many jails route payments through a vendor's PO Box, not the facility itself. Always follow the specific deposit instructions from that jail.
Federal custody
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody at an Alabama federal facility - including FCI Talladega or the federal prison camp at FPC Montgomery - deposits go through the BOP Trust Fund, not through Access Corrections or any state platform. The primary methods are Western Union, MoneyGram at retail locations, or online through the BOP's deposit page at bop.gov. You need the eight-digit BOP register number, which is different from any state ID. Find the facility and register number using the BOP inmate locator.
Do not send money to a federal prison using Access Corrections, JPay, or any state/county platform - it will not reach the right account.
A note on staying connected
Money in the account matters most for day-to-day life: commissary, phone time, hygiene. But don't let the deposit process replace the things that carry more weight - a letter your person can read again, a visit when it's possible. Build your routine around all of it together, not just the account balance.
Related pages:
/prisons/alabama
How to write a letter to someone in an Alabama facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
What vendor does Alabama DOC use for inmate deposits?
Access Corrections (Access Secure Deposits). All deposits to Alabama state prison inmate accounts go through Access Corrections - online at accesscorrections.com, by phone at (866) 345-1884, at CashPayToday retail locations, by lobby kiosk, or by money order.
Where do I mail a money order for an Alabama state prison inmate?
Access Corrections - Alabama DOC, PO Box 12486, St. Louis MO 63132. Fill out the Access Corrections money order deposit form. The daily limit is $900. Processing takes up to one week after Access Corrections receives it.
What stores can I use to deposit cash for an Alabama state prison inmate?
CashPayToday locations including Dollar General, Family Dollar, CVS, and 7-Eleven statewide - more than 800 locations across Alabama. You pay cash at the store and funds are deposited to the account.
What is the daily money order limit for Alabama DOC?
$900 per day by money order. Check current limits with Access Corrections at publish, as limits can change.
What ID number do I need to deposit money for an Alabama state prison inmate?
The inmate's ADOC ID number, assigned at intake. Find it through the ADOC inmate search on the department's website. All deposit methods require this number.
What vendor do Alabama county jails use?
It varies by county. Jefferson County Jail uses NCIC for phone deposits. Lee County uses team3.inmatecanteen.com. Other counties use CorrectPay/JailFunds, JailATM, or their own systems. Always check the specific county sheriff's website or call the jail.
Do accounts transfer if someone moves between facilities?
No. Vendor accounts and balances don't follow your person to a new facility using a different vendor. You set up a new account with the new vendor, including when someone moves from county jail to state prison.
Can funds in an Alabama inmate's account be taken for debts?
Yes. ADOC applies outstanding debts - court costs, fines, restitution, medical co-pays, disciplinary fines - against the inmate account before the balance is available for spending.
How do I send money to someone in federal prison in Alabama?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram at retail, or online at bop.gov. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Do not use Access Corrections or state platforms for federal inmates.
How long does a money order take to process for Alabama DOC?
Up to one week after Access Corrections receives it. Allow additional time for mail transit.
Who do I call for help with an Alabama DOC deposit?
Access Corrections at (866) 345-1884 or the ADOC main line at (334) 353-3883. ====================================================================