If someone you love is locked up in Arizona, getting money into their account covers commissary, phone calls, and digital messaging - the things that keep the connection alive. But Arizona's deposit system has one feature that catches families off guard: if your person is in a state prison, money orders and paper checks are not accepted. Arizona requires electronic deposits for state prison inmate accounts, period. Knowing that upfront saves a returned payment and a week of delay.
Arizona has two main custody types for this purpose: the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry (ADCRR) for state prison sentences, and county jails run by county sheriffs for pretrial detainees and shorter sentences. Federal and immigration custody follow their own rules.
State prisons: ADCRR and three electronic vendors
If your person is in an ADCRR state prison facility, you must deposit electronically. Since October 2014, ADCRR no longer accepts money orders or cashier's checks for inmate trust account deposits. Since February 2022, this was extended - no checks of any kind are accepted at Arizona state prison complexes for trust account deposits, including government checks, VA checks, and tribal per capita checks.
ADCRR offers three approved electronic vendors. You can use whichever is most convenient:
JPay - available online at jpay.com, by mobile app, by phone, or by walk-up at storefront locations. JPay also handles payment of the visitation background check fee.
Keefe - available online, by mobile app, by phone, or by walk-up at Keefe storefront locations.
GTL (ConnectNetwork) - available online at ConnectNetwork.com, by mobile app, by phone, or at ConnectNetwork-serviced kiosks across Arizona including at county facilities.
All three vendors accept debit and credit cards. Walk-up storefronts at some locations also accept cash. The deposit methods - internet, mobile app, phone, storefront - are the same across all three vendors.
To make a deposit, you need the inmate's ADC number, which is the identification number assigned to every ADCRR inmate. Find it through the ADCRR Inmate Data Search on the department's website. Without the correct ADC number, the deposit cannot be directed to the right account.
For help or questions, contact ADCRR Constituent Services at (602) 364-3945 or toll-free in-state at (866) 333-2039. The Constituent Services Informational Handbook for 2025-2026 is available on the ADCRR website.
Exceptions: what paper payments are still accepted
The no-paper-payments rule has two narrow exceptions for ADCRR:
Compassionate Leave payments - specific payment type with its own process.
Visitation background check fees - paid through JPay, not through a paper payment sent to the facility.
For all other deposit purposes, electronic is the only option at ADCRR state prisons.
Community reentry fees
If your person is on community supervision and owes community reentry fees, those are also paid electronically through JPay, Keefe, or GTL - the same three vendors used for inmate trust accounts. No money orders or checks are accepted for community corrections fees either.
County jails: vendor varies by county
Arizona has 15 counties, each with its own jail or detention system operated by the county sheriff. County jails have their own vendor arrangements, and they are not bound by ADCRR's electronic-only rule - many county jails still accept money orders.
Some examples of how the vendor situation plays out across Arizona:
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office (Phoenix area) - the largest county detention system in Arizona - uses TouchPay for online deposits. The website is the primary method, and lobby kiosks are also available. The county also accepts money orders by mail for some deposit purposes; check the MCSO Inmate Accounts page for current instructions including the mailing address. Phone: (602) 876-0322.
Pima County Adult Detention Complex (Tucson) at 1270 W. Silverlake Road uses ConnectNetwork (GTL) for electronic deposits. The inmate account counter is open Sunday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Coconino County Jail (Flagstaff) at 951 E. Sawmill Road uses Telmate for deposits.
The vendor is county-specific - the platform for Maricopa County will not work for Pima County, and vice versa. The only reliable way to know the correct vendor for a specific Arizona county jail is to check that county sheriff's website directly or call the facility.
Accounts do not transfer between vendors. When someone moves from a county jail to an ADCRR state prison - or between county jails using different vendors - their account balance and account registration stay with the original vendor. You set up a new account with the new vendor.
Digital mail in Arizona state prisons
Since late 2025, all personal mail to ADCRR state prison inmates is processed digitally. Personal letters must be sent to ADCRR's Digital Processing Center in Texas, where they are scanned and uploaded to the inmate's tablet. Mail sent directly to the prison complex will be returned. This does not affect money deposits, which go through electronic vendors regardless - but it is useful context for keeping in touch overall.
Federal custody
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody in Arizona - including FCI Phoenix, FCI Safford, USP Tucson, or other BOP facilities - deposits go through the BOP Trust Fund, not through ADCRR vendors. Use Western Union, MoneyGram at retail locations, or the BOP's online deposit page at bop.gov. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Find the current facility using the BOP inmate locator.
Do not use JPay, Keefe, GTL, or any ADCRR vendor for federal inmates - the deposit will not reach the right account.
What to know before you send anything
Get the ADC number first. For ADCRR state prisons, the ADC number is required for every deposit. For county jails, use the booking number or the jail's own inmate ID. Find the ADC number through the ADCRR Inmate Data Search.
Electronic only for state prisons. Do not mail a money order or check to an ADCRR state prison expecting it to credit the inmate's trust account. It will be returned or processed through the central office rather than credited normally.
Fees vary by vendor and method. All three ADCRR vendors charge fees for electronic deposits. The fee structure varies by vendor and method. Check the current fee schedule on each vendor's website before depositing - the ADCRR Inmate Deposits page lists the rate information for each.
Funds can be applied to debts. ADCRR may deduct outstanding fines, restitution, medical co-pays, and other obligations from the inmate trust account before funds are available for spending.
Related pages:
/prisons/arizona
How to write a letter to someone in an Arizona facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Can I send a money order to an Arizona state prison?
No. ADCRR has not accepted money orders for inmate trust account deposits since October 2014. Since February 2022, no paper payments of any kind - including cashier's checks, government checks, and tribal per capita checks - are accepted at Arizona state prison complexes for trust account deposits. You must use one of the three electronic vendors: JPay, Keefe, or GTL.
What three vendors does Arizona DOC use for deposits?
JPay, Keefe, and GTL (ConnectNetwork). You can use any of the three - by online portal, mobile app, phone, or walk-up storefront. All accept debit and credit cards; some storefronts accept cash.
What information do I need to deposit money for an ADCRR inmate?
The inmate's ADC number - the identification number assigned at intake into the state prison system. Find it through the ADCRR Inmate Data Search on the department's website.
Who do I contact for ADCRR deposit questions?
ADCRR Constituent Services at (602) 364-3945 or toll-free in-state at (866) 333-2039.
What vendor does Maricopa County Jail use?
TouchPay for online deposits, with lobby kiosks also available. The county also accepts money orders by mail for some purposes - check the MCSO website for current instructions and the mailing address. Call (602) 876-0322.
What vendor does Pima County Jail use?
ConnectNetwork (GTL). The inmate account counter in Tucson is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
What vendor does Coconino County Jail use?
Telmate.
Do county jail accounts transfer to state prison accounts?
No. When someone transfers from a county jail into ADCRR state prison, their county jail account stays with the county jail vendor. You set up a new deposit using one of the three ADCRR vendors with the inmate's ADC number.
Are there any paper payment exceptions for ADCRR?
Yes, two narrow exceptions: Compassionate Leave payments and visitation background check fees (paid through JPay). All other trust account deposits must be electronic.
How do I pay the visitation background check fee?
Through JPay - online at jpay.com or by phone at 1-800-574-5729. Select the inmate and choose "Pay Visitor Background Check fee."
How do I send money to a federal prison in Arizona?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram, or bop.gov online. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Do not use ADCRR vendors for federal inmates.
Can funds be taken from an Arizona inmate's account?
Yes. ADCRR may apply outstanding fines, restitution, co-pays, and other obligations against the trust account before funds are available for spending. ====================================================================
Discovery Offer - Silos 1-2
Search arrest records and find out where they are
If you're trying to locate someone who was arrested or find out where they are being held, TruthFinder searches arrest records, court records, and custody status across all 50 states.