California has two separate phone systems. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) operates all state prisons. Since January 1, 2023, CDCR pays for all telephone audio calls - meaning those calls are completely free to incarcerated people and their families. California is one of only five states in the country to provide free calls from state prisons.
California's 58 counties each operate their own jails and contract phone services independently. County jail calls are not free, though some individual counties have chosen to fund free calls from their local budgets.
CDCR uses "incarcerated people" and "incarcerated person" in its materials.
PART 1 - CALIFORNIA STATE PRISONS (CDCR)
Phone calls from CDCR state prisons are free
Since January 1, 2023, all telephone audio calls from California state prisons are free. CDCR pays the cost; families and the incarcerated person pay nothing for voice calls.
You do not need to set up a paid phone account to receive calls from a CDCR state prison. You do not need to fund a balance. The incarcerated person simply places the call from a facility phone and the call connects at no charge.
15-minute call limit per call applies at CDCR facilities.
The ViaPath to Securus transition (February 2026 onward)
CDCR is in the middle of transitioning its telecommunications platform from ViaPath Technologies to Securus Technologies. A new contract was awarded to Securus on February 21, 2025, after a court ruling vacated the prior ViaPath contract.
What this means for families:
- Some facilities have already transitioned to Securus; many are still on ViaPath as of June 2026
- If your loved one's institution has transitioned: use Securus (securustech.net/cdcr/)
- If your loved one's institution is still on ViaPath: use ViaPath
- If your loved one transfers to a facility using a different platform, switch to that platform
Phone calls remain free regardless of which platform is in use.
Transition timeline (as of the March 10, 2026 CDCR rollout schedule):
Completed transitions:
- All fire camps: complete
- California Institution for Women: phone transition February 2, 2026; tablets February 5-13
- Central California Women's Facility: phone March 2, 2026; tablets March 3-6
- Sierra Conservation Center: phone March 9, 2026; tablets March 10-13
Still TBD (most state prisons): Cal State Prison/Solano, Cal State Prison/Sacramento, California Medical Facility, San Quentin, Mule Creek, North Kern, High Desert, Avenal, Cal State Prison/LA County, Corcoran, Folsom, Pleasant Valley, Salinas Valley, Wasco, California Health Care Facility, Centinela, Kern Valley, Correctional Training Facility, Pelican Bay, Ironwood, Calipatria, RJ Donovan, Valley State Prison, Cuesta Camp, California Men's Colony, California Institution for Men, Cal Correctional Institution.
The full and updated schedule is at cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources/tablets/
Important: Intermittent outages are expected at each institution during its transition.
ViaPath content does not transfer: Photos, e-messages, and media purchased through ViaPath cannot be moved to Securus tablets. Incarcerated individuals should print any messages or photos from their ViaPath tablet or a kiosk before their institution's transition date. Families cannot request prints on behalf of an incarcerated person.
Securus overcharge issue (resolved March 2026)
After the early Securus transitions, some families and incarcerated individuals were charged more than the correct rate for e-messages. CDCR identified the problem and corrected it. Credits were issued by March 20, 2026 - stamps returned to family Securus accounts; Securus Debit credits added for incarcerated individuals. The issue was fixed; the correct rates apply going forward.
Rates for non-phone services (charged to families or incarcerated individuals)
While voice calls are free, other services through the tablet platform carry charges:
Under Securus:
- Video calls: $0.10 per minute (down from $0.16 under ViaPath)
- E-messages: $0.03 per message (down from $0.05 under ViaPath)
- Photos (inbound only): $0.03 per photo (down from $0.05)
- Free video calls: 30 minutes per month (up from 15 min per two weeks under ViaPath)
- Free e-messages: 20 per month (up from 5 per week under ViaPath)
- Internet radio: $5.49/month
- Games: $0.99
- Music subscription: $5.49/month
- Movie/TV subscription: $1.99/month
- E-book and audio book subscriptions: free
- Podcast subscription: free
For the full comparison chart between ViaPath and Securus rates, see cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources/tablets/
Setting up a Securus account (for video calls and e-messages)
For facilities that have transitioned to Securus: securustech.net/cdcr/
Securus support: 972-734-1111 (mobile) / 1-800-844-6591 (landline or international)
Securus general correspondence: PO Box 1109, Dallas TX 75001
Securus billing/check payments: PO Box 650757, Dallas TX 75265-0757
Legal calls
Attorney calls are handled separately from general calls. Contact the specific CDCR facility for current attorney call procedures.
Find an incarcerated person (CIRIS)
California Incarcerated Records and Information Search (CIRIS): ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov/
CDCR Public Information: 916-324-7308
If you don't know where someone is housed and they have a common name: call the CDCR ID Unit at 916-445-6713 (date of birth required)
CDCR contact
Family and Friends Services: cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources/
CDCR main: 916-324-7308
Contact form: cdcr.ca.gov/contactus/
PART 2 - CALIFORNIA COUNTY JAILS (58 counties)
California's 58 counties each operate their own jail systems and contract phone services independently. County jail calls are NOT automatically free. The vendor, rates, and setup process at a county jail are completely separate from the CDCR state prison system.
CPUC permanent rate cap (April 9, 2026)
On April 9, 2026, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) established a permanent intrastate rate cap of $0.045 per minute for all California incarcerated persons calling services at facilities not covered by a free call policy. This cap applies to county jails. No ancillary fees beyond government taxes and limited third-party transaction fees (capped at $6.95 per transaction) are permitted.
This CPUC cap is lower than the federal FCC 2025 IPCS Order ceiling, giving California families additional protection.
Free calls at some county jails
Some California counties have independently chosen to fund free calls:
Los Angeles County: Free calls since December 1, 2023. The Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to fund calls from the county's Inmate Welfare Fund. Approximately 12,000 detainees in LA County jails benefit. The contracted phone vendor is ViaPath/GTL. LA County Inmate Information: 213-473-6100.
Other counties may have established similar programs; check your specific county's official website.
Major vendors at California county jails
ViaPath / ConnectNetwork (formerly GTL): Used at Los Angeles County, Orange County, and others. Setup at connectnetwork.com. Customer service: 800-483-8314.
Securus Technologies: Used at some California county jails. Setup at securustech.net; 800-844-6591.
ICSolutions: Used at some California county jails. Setup at icsolutions.com; 888-506-8407.
Smart Communications: Note - Smart Communications filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2025. San Diego County jails previously used Smart Communications. Verify the current vendor before attempting to set up an account or deposit funds. San Diego main line: 619-409-5000.
Notable county examples (verify before relying on this information)
Los Angeles County (Twin Towers, IRC, other facilities):
450 Bauchet St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 | 213-473-6100
Vendor: ViaPath/GTL; calls are FREE (funded by county)
Orange County (Central Men's Jail, Central Women's Jail):
Vendor: ViaPath/GTL
Warning from OC Sheriff: Do NOT use a GettingOut account. Set up through ViaPath directly.
Attorney calls require number vetting - if you fail to have the number approved, the call will be recorded.
San Diego County (Central Jail):
619-409-5000
Vendor: previously Smart Communications; verify current vendor due to Smart Communications December 2025 bankruptcy filing.
San Francisco County Jail:
425 7th St., San Francisco, CA 94103 | 415-554-7225
Verify current vendor directly.
All other counties: Check the county sheriff's official website for the current phone vendor, rates, and setup instructions. Contracts change; always verify before setting up an account or depositing funds.
What to do for a CDCR state prison
1. Find the incarcerated person's CDCR number and current institution at ciris.mt.cdcr.ca.gov/
2. Check cdcr.ca.gov/family-resources/tablets/ to confirm whether that institution has transitioned to Securus or is still on ViaPath
3. If Securus: sign up at securustech.net/cdcr/
4. If ViaPath: use ViaPath
5. Phone calls are free - no account or payment needed to receive voice calls
6. For video calls and e-messages: fund the appropriate platform account
What to do for a California county jail
1. Find the incarcerated person through the county jail's inmate search or the county sheriff's website
2. Identify the current phone vendor from the jail's official website
3. Create an account with that specific vendor
4. Add funds if calls are not free at that jail
5. Wait for the incarcerated person to call
Frequently asked questions
Are calls from California state prisons really free?
Yes. Since January 1, 2023, CDCR pays for all telephone audio calls from state prisons. No account or payment is required to receive a voice call.
Why is my loved one switching from ViaPath to Securus?
CDCR awarded a new contract to Securus in February 2025 after a court ruling vacated the ViaPath contract. The rollout to individual institutions started February 2026 and is ongoing.
Can I keep my ViaPath account?
Keep it until your loved one's institution transitions to Securus. Once the institution has transitioned, use Securus. If they transfer to a facility that still uses ViaPath, return to ViaPath.
Will I lose the content I purchased through ViaPath?
Content purchased through ViaPath - photos, e-messages, media - cannot be transferred to the Securus platform. The incarcerated person should print any important content before their facility's transition date.
I was overcharged on Securus e-messages. What happened?
Securus overcharged e-messages during the early transition period. CDCR identified and fixed the problem in March 2026. Credits were issued by March 20, 2026. If you still have questions, contact Securus at 800-844-6591.
Are county jail calls free like state prison calls?
Not automatically. LA County funds free calls; other counties may too. Most county jails charge per minute. The CPUC permanent rate cap of $0.045/min took effect April 9, 2026 for all California jails.
What is the CPUC rate cap?
The California Public Utilities Commission set a permanent intrastate rate cap of $0.045/min for incarcerated persons calling services at all California facilities not covered by a free call policy. This applies to county jails. It took effect April 9, 2026. ====================================================================
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