If someone you love is locked up in Illinois, getting money into their account covers commissary - food, hygiene, phone time, writing supplies - and keeps the connection alive. Illinois has two separate deposit systems: the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) for state prison sentences, and county jails run by county sheriffs for pretrial detainees and shorter sentences. The vendors and rules are different for each, and one important change is worth knowing upfront - IDOC no longer uses GTL (ConnectNetwork/ViaPath) for deposit services, even though GTL still appears on older websites and at some county jails.
State prisons: IDOC and three deposit options
If your person is in an IDOC state prison facility, there are three ways to send money electronically plus a money order option by mail. All electronic transfers require the individual in custody's IDOC number and their last name as it appears in the IDOC system.
JPay - online at jpay.com, by mobile app, or by phone. Fees apply. Funds are anticipated to post within 24 to 48 business hours. The maximum per transaction via most electronic methods is $5,000.
Western Union - online at westernunion.com, or in person at Western Union locations using the Quick Collect form. When using the Quick Collect form, the code city is ILDOC and the state is IL. Fees apply. Funds anticipated to post within 24 to 48 business hours.
MoneyGram - available at MoneyGram locations. The maximum for any MoneyGram transaction is $3,000. Funds sent via MoneyGram are anticipated to post within 72 to 96 business hours - slower than JPay or Western Union. Fees apply.
A note on GTL: IDOC explicitly states that it no longer uses GTL (ConnectNetwork/ViaPath) for deposit services. Some older resources still list GTL as an option for Illinois state prisons - that information is outdated. The current vendors are JPay, Western Union, and MoneyGram.
Money orders by mail - the lockbox method
Money orders can also be mailed to a centralized lockbox - not to the facility. This is an important rule: do not mail money orders to the prison. They must go to the lockbox address.
Money orders must be made payable to JPay. The maximum per money order is $999.99. A lockbox deposit slip is required and must be included with the money order. The deposit slip must include the individual in custody's full name, IDOC number, and the sender's name and address. Deposit slips can be obtained at each facility or printed from the JPay website.
Mail the completed deposit slip and money order together to:
JPay
PO Box 260250
Hollywood, FL 33026
Funds sent during a transfer between facilities may take longer than the standard 24 to 96 business hours to post.
The IDOC number is required for all deposits
The IDOC number is the identification number assigned to every Illinois state prison individual in custody. It is required for every deposit method - electronic and mail. Find it using the IDOC Offender Search on the Illinois DOC website at idoc.illinois.gov.
County jails: vendor varies by county
Illinois has 102 counties. County jails operate independently from IDOC and use their own deposit vendors. The vendor that works for Cook County will not work for DuPage County or Sangamon County.
Cook County Jail (Chicago) - one of the largest single-site jails in the United States, located at 2700 S. California Avenue, Chicago IL 60608 - offers three deposit vendors: Western Union, MoneyGram, or JailATM.com. Funds take one to two business days to post. You need the exact spelling of the individual in custody's name and their Booking Number, which can be found through the Cook County inmate locator or by calling the Records Office at 773-674-2390. Weekly commissary spending is limited to $100. For trust account questions or to forward funds, call the Trust/Finance Office at 773-674-6864.
Note that Cook County Jail uses GettingOut (a TouchPay/GTL platform) for phone services - this is separate from the trust account deposit vendors above. While IDOC state prisons no longer use GTL for deposits, Cook County Jail's phone system runs through the GTL family of products; those are different services for different purposes.
Other Illinois county jails vary in their deposit vendors. Some use Access Corrections, JailATM, CorrectPay, or their own money order process. The only reliable way to find the current vendor for a specific Illinois county jail is to check that county sheriff's website or call the jail directly.
Accounts do not transfer between vendors. When your person moves from a county jail to an IDOC state prison - or between county jails using different vendors - the account and balance stay with the original vendor. You set up a new account with the new provider.
Federal custody in Illinois
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody in Illinois - including FCI Pekin, FCI Greenville, MCC Chicago, or other BOP facilities - deposits go through the BOP Trust Fund via Western Union, MoneyGram at retail, or online at bop.gov. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Do not use IDOC deposit methods for federal inmates.
Illinois also has an ICE detention presence - the most significant is the Pulaski County Detention Facility and various county jails holding ICE detainees. Confirm current vendors directly with the facility for ICE detainee deposits.
What to know before you send anything
Get the IDOC number first. Every state prison deposit method requires it, along with the last name. Find it through the IDOC Offender Search at idoc.illinois.gov.
GTL no longer works for IDOC state prison deposits. IDOC dropped GTL/ConnectNetwork/ViaPath as a deposit vendor. Use JPay, Western Union, or MoneyGram for state prisons.
Do not mail money orders to the facility. For IDOC state prison deposits, money orders go to the JPay lockbox at PO Box 260250, Hollywood FL 33026 - not to the prison directly.
Include the lockbox deposit slip. The deposit slip is required with every mailed money order. Without it, the money order cannot be processed correctly. Get it at the facility or at jpay.com.
For Cook County Jail, use Western Union, MoneyGram, or JailATM. IDOC vendors (JPay, Western Union, MoneyGram) are for state prisons - the Cook County trust account system is separate.
Funds can be applied to debts. IDOC may deduct outstanding court costs, fines, restitution, and other obligations before funds reach the spending balance.
Related pages:
/prisons/illinois
How to write a letter to someone in an Illinois facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
What vendors does Illinois DOC use for inmate deposits?
JPay, Western Union, and MoneyGram. IDOC no longer uses GTL (ConnectNetwork/ViaPath) for deposit services, despite what some older resources say.
Does GTL still work for Illinois state prison deposits?
No. IDOC explicitly states it no longer uses GTL (ConnectNetwork/ViaPath) for deposit services. The current options are JPay, Western Union, and MoneyGram.
What is the IDOC number and where do I find it?
The IDOC number is the identification number assigned to every Illinois state prison individual in custody. Required for all deposit methods along with the last name. Find it using the IDOC Offender Search at idoc.illinois.gov.
How do I send a money order to an Illinois state prison individual in custody?
Make it payable to JPay. Complete a lockbox deposit slip (available at the facility or at jpay.com). Mail the slip and money order together to JPay, PO Box 260250, Hollywood FL 33026. Do not mail to the facility. Maximum $999.99 per money order.
What is the Western Union Quick Collect code for IDOC?
Code city: ILDOC. State: IL. Use this when sending via Western Union's Quick Collect form at retail locations.
What is the MoneyGram limit for Illinois DOC?
$3,000 maximum per MoneyGram transaction. Funds from MoneyGram post within 72 to 96 business hours - slower than JPay or Western Union (24 to 48 business hours).
What vendors does Cook County Jail use?
Western Union, MoneyGram, or JailATM.com. Funds post within 1 to 2 business days. You need the exact spelling of the person's name and their Booking Number. Call 773-674-2390 (Records) for the Booking Number.
Is there a commissary spending limit at Cook County Jail?
Yes - $100 per week.
What vendor do other Illinois county jails use?
It varies by county. Check the specific county sheriff's website or call the jail directly.
How long does a deposit take to post to an IDOC account?
JPay and Western Union: 24 to 48 business hours. MoneyGram: 72 to 96 business hours. Funds may take longer during facility transfers.
How do I send money to someone in federal prison in Illinois?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram, or bop.gov online. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Federal facilities in Illinois include FCI Pekin, FCI Greenville, and MCC Chicago. ====================================================================
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