If someone you love is locked up in Maryland, getting money into their account covers commissary - food, hygiene, phone time, writing supplies - and keeps the connection alive. Maryland's state prison system uses a two-track deposit approach: a centralized state Lockbox for money orders and paper deposits, and Access Corrections for electronic transfers. Phone accounts at state facilities are handled separately through ConnectNetwork/ViaPath. Knowing which system handles which purpose prevents money from going to the wrong place.
Maryland splits custody into the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) for state sentences, and local jails for pretrial detainees and shorter sentences. Baltimore City Detention Center is a state-operated DPSCS facility, not a city-run jail - it uses the same DPSCS deposit system as all other state prisons.
State prisons: DPSCS's two deposit systems
The DPSCS uses the Maryland Offender Banking System to process all funds sent to incarcerated individuals at Maryland correctional institutions. There are two ways to deposit.
System 1: The Lockbox - money orders and checks by mail
The Lockbox is DPSCS's centralized banking depository for paper deposits. All money orders and approved checks go through the Lockbox - not to the individual facility.
The Lockbox accepts: money orders, approved vendor checks, and official business checks only. It does not accept personal checks, cash, cards, letters, cards, magazines, notes, or packages. Do not include any other items in the envelope - they will not be forwarded.
Make the money order or check payable to the incarcerated individual. Use the person's name exactly as it appears in the DPSCS system - no AKAs or nicknames accepted. Print in black or blue ink only.
Include on the money order or check: the incarcerated individual's full name, the facility name or abbreviation, the SID number (State Identification Number), and the sender's full name and address.
You may send multiple money orders in the same envelope.
Mail to:
Maryland DPSCS Lockbox
P.O. Box 17111
Baltimore, MD 21297-0382
Processing takes 2 to 7 business days after receipt and processing by the Lockbox, assuming all information is correct. Add mail delivery time - the total may reach up to 10 days. Money orders are non-refundable once deposited.
Important: if the deposit is $250.00 or more, it is placed in a hold status for 30 days before the funds are available for spending.
For money order status inquiries, first contact the issuer of the money order for the date it was cashed, then contact DPSCS Lockbox at 410-540-6221, 410-540-6222, or 410-540-6223, or email lockbox@maryland.gov with the incarcerated individual's name and SID number in the subject line. Common money order issuers and their numbers: Fidelity 1-800-621-8030, Global Express 1-800-394-4525, MoneyGram 1-800-542-3590, US Postal Service 1-866-459-7822, Wells Fargo 1-800-869-3557, Western Union 1-800-999-9660.
System 2: Access Corrections - electronic deposits
Access Corrections handles all electronic deposits into DPSCS incarcerated individual trust accounts.
Online at accesscorrections.com - starting at $2.95. Mastercard or Visa debit or credit card.
By phone at 1-866-345-1884 - starting at $3.95. Mastercard or Visa.
Electronic deposits post significantly faster than the Lockbox. If speed matters, use Access Corrections.
Phone accounts are separate
Phone calls at DPSCS state facilities are handled through ConnectNetwork (operated by GTL/ViaPath Technologies). ConnectNetwork provides AdvancePay prepaid accounts (fund your phone number so the person can call you) and PIN Debit accounts (funds deposited to the person's phone account). These are entirely separate from the commissary/trust account deposit process above. Funding Access Corrections does not credit phone time, and funding ConnectNetwork does not credit commissary.
To set up a phone account, go to ConnectNetwork.com or use the ConnectNetwork app.
The SID number is required
The SID (State Identification Number) is the identification number assigned to every DPSCS incarcerated individual. It is required for all deposit methods - Lockbox and Access Corrections. Find it using the DPSCS Incarcerated Individual Locator at dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml.
Facility-specific account email contacts
DPSCS provides specific email contacts for account questions by facility:
patx.inmateaccounts@maryland.gov - for PATX, JCI, MCIJ, MCIW, DRCF, CMCF, BCCC
mrdcc.inmateaccounts@maryland.gov - for CDF, BCBIC, YDC, MRDCC, MTC
eci.inmateaccounts@maryland.gov - for ECI
wci.inmateaccounts@maryland.gov - for WCI, NBCI
mcih.inmateaccounts@maryland.gov - for MCIH, MCTC, RCI
If you have a question about a specific person's account, email the appropriate address with the person's name and SID number.
Local jails: vendor varies by jurisdiction
Maryland has 23 counties plus Baltimore City. Local jails are operated by county sheriff's offices or county departments of corrections. They set their own deposit vendors independently of DPSCS.
Baltimore County Detention Center (Towson), at 720 Bosley Avenue, uses TouchPay for online deposits. A lobby kiosk is also available in the facility accepting cash, Visa, and Mastercard. Money orders can also be mailed directly to the facility at 720 Bosley Avenue, Towson MD 21204 (attention: Inmate Deposit). For questions call 410-512-3200. Weekly commissary purchases are capped at $75.
Some other Maryland county jails use Access Corrections - online at accesscorrections.com, by app, or by phone at 866-345-1884. Money orders for these facilities may be limited (some jurisdictions cap money orders at $150) and must be made payable to the inmate. Check the specific facility's instructions.
Some Maryland county jails use JPay. Confirm with the specific facility.
The only reliable way to find the current vendor for a specific Maryland county jail is to check that county's website or call the facility directly.
Accounts do not transfer between systems. When your person moves from a local jail to a DPSCS state prison, the local jail account stays with the local system. You set up deposits through DPSCS Lockbox or Access Corrections using the SID number.
Federal custody in Maryland
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody in Maryland - including FCI Cumberland, FCI Havre de Grace, or the federal detention center in Baltimore - 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 DPSCS systems for federal inmates.
DPSCS contact
6776 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore MD 21215
6852 4th Street, Sykesville MD 21784
877-379-8636 / 410-585-3300
What to know before you send anything
Get the SID number first. Required for all DPSCS deposit methods. Find it at dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml.
$250 or more triggers a 30-day hold. If you need funds available quickly, keep Lockbox deposits under $250. Electronic deposits through Access Corrections are not subject to this hold.
No nicknames on money orders. The Lockbox requires the person's legal name exactly as it appears in the DPSCS system. AKAs are rejected.
Phone accounts and commissary accounts are separate. Access Corrections handles commissary/trust; ConnectNetwork handles phone. They do not cross-credit.
Do not include anything else in the Lockbox envelope. Cards, letters, notes, packages will not be forwarded and should be sent directly to the facility.
Related pages:
/prisons/maryland
How to write a letter to someone in a Maryland facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
What are the two ways to send money to a Maryland state prison inmate?
The Lockbox - mail money orders or approved checks to P.O. Box 17111, Baltimore MD 21297-0382 (2-7 business days, 30-day hold on $250+). Or Access Corrections - electronic deposits online at accesscorrections.com or by phone at 1-866-345-1884 (faster).
What is the Lockbox address for Maryland DPSCS?
P.O. Box 17111, Baltimore MD 21297-0382. Do not mail to the facility - all paper deposits go to this centralized address.
What information goes on the money order for Maryland DPSCS?
The incarcerated individual's full legal name (no AKAs), facility name or abbreviation, SID number, and the sender's full name and address. Payable to the incarcerated individual. Black or blue ink, printed.
What is the $250 hold rule?
Any Lockbox deposit of $250 or more is placed in a 30-day hold before funds are available. Keep deposits under $250 if you need the funds to post promptly. Electronic deposits via Access Corrections are not subject to this hold.
What is the SID number and where do I find it?
The SID (State Identification Number) is DPSCS's unique ID for each incarcerated individual. Required for all deposit methods. Find it at dpscs.maryland.gov/services/ii-locator.shtml.
How do I set up phone account funding for a Maryland state prison inmate?
Through ConnectNetwork (GTL/ViaPath) - at connectnetwork.com or the ConnectNetwork app. Phone accounts are separate from the commissary/trust account.
Who do I call for a Lockbox money order inquiry?
410-540-6221, 410-540-6222, or 410-540-6223. Or email lockbox@maryland.gov with the person's name and SID in the subject line.
What vendor does Baltimore County Detention Center use?
TouchPay for online deposits, plus a lobby kiosk (cash/Visa/Mastercard) and money order by mail. Address: 720 Bosley Avenue, Towson MD 21204. Phone: 410-512-3200. Weekly commissary cap: $75.
Is Baltimore City Detention Center a city or state facility?
State. BCDC (401 E. Eager Street) is a DPSCS-operated state facility and uses the same DPSCS Lockbox and Access Corrections deposit systems as all other Maryland state prisons.
Do accounts transfer between vendors?
No. When your person moves from a local jail to a DPSCS state prison, you set up new deposits through DPSCS systems using the SID number.
How do I send money to someone in federal prison in Maryland?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram, or bop.gov. Maryland federal facilities include FCI Cumberland. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. ====================================================================
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