If someone you love is locked up in Ohio, getting money into their account covers commissary - food, hygiene, phone time, writing supplies - and keeps the connection alive. Ohio's state prison system completed a full vendor transition in July 2023, moving away from JPay/Securus to ViaPath Technologies, accessed through ConnectNetwork. Older guides and websites still reference JPay for Ohio state prisons - that system is no longer in use.
Before you can send money to an ODRC state prison inmate, there is a requirement: only approved or tentatively approved visitors may send funds. That approval process can take 30 to 60 days, so start it before you try to deposit anything.
Ohio splits adult custody into two systems: the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) for state sentences, and county jails operated by county governments. ODRC operates 27 adult prisons with roughly 45,000 people in custody. Ohio has 88 counties, each with its own jail.
Step one: get on the approved visitor list
ODRC policy requires that only approved or tentatively approved visitors may send funds to an incarcerated person - through any method, including money orders, online, and phone. Funds from an unapproved source will not be accepted. The application and approval process requires the incarcerated person's consent and must comply with ODRC visitation policy. The process can take 30 to 60 days. Download the visitor application from drc.ohio.gov/visitation/visitation.
State prisons: ODRC and ConnectNetwork/ViaPath
If your person is in an ODRC state facility, all deposits go through ConnectNetwork, operated by ViaPath Technologies. ODRC transitioned from Securus Technologies (formerly JPay) to ViaPath in 2023; the Securus/JPay contract ended July 31, 2023. ODRC receives no monetary fees from any ViaPath services.
Online through ConnectNetwork - go to ConnectNetwork.com, create or log in to your account, add Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction as the facility, find your person, and deposit by credit or debit card. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Fees apply.
By the ConnectNetwork mobile app - same process as online via Android or iOS. Fees apply.
By phone - call 1-888-988-4768, the 24/7 automated line. Credit or debit card required. When calling, have your account number, the facility name, the incarcerated person's name, and your payment information ready. The ODRC Facility Site ID is 86 - you may need this when prompted by the automated system. Fees apply.
At retail locations - cash deposits can be made at more than 26,000 retail locations nationwide, including Walmart, Kmart, and Kroger stores. Find participating locations at web.connectnetwork.com/odrc. A $3.00 fee applies per kiosk transaction. The cash maximum per kiosk transaction is $100.
By money order through the mail - download the Money Order Deposit Form from ConnectNetwork's Ways to Pay page (connectnetwork.com). Your name on the money order must exactly match your name on the approved visitor list - any mismatch will cause a problem. Money orders may not exceed $200 per transaction (above $200 requires advance approval from the facility Warden). Do not include any letters with the money order; they will be discarded, not forwarded to the incarcerated person.
Deposit limits
Up to $200 per transaction. Maximum $400 per calendar month per approved visitor. These limits apply across all deposit methods.
Court-ordered debts
Under Ohio Revised Code section 5120.133, deposits to an incarcerated person's personal account are subject to collection for debts the person may owe. Debt obligations are applied from incoming funds before the balance is available for commissary spending.
Telephone debit accounts
Incarcerated persons in ODRC facilities receive three free 15-minute phone calls per week through ConnectNetwork. Beyond that, they can purchase phone debit credits at the prison commissary using funds from their trust account. Families can also fund a phone AdvancePay or PIN Debit account through ConnectNetwork to cover call costs from their end.
What JPay guides get wrong about Ohio
A large number of websites still list JPay or Securus as the ODRC deposit vendor. Both are incorrect for state prison deposits as of August 2023. ConnectNetwork/ViaPath is the current and only authorized ODRC deposit platform. If someone directs you to a JPay or Securus link for an Ohio state prison deposit, that information is outdated.
The inmate ID is required
The ODRC incarcerated person ID number is required for all ConnectNetwork deposits. Find it using the ODRC Offender Search at appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch.
Personal mail goes to a central processing center
Since a recent change, all incoming personal letters and cards for ODRC state prison inmates are processed through the ODRC Mail Processing Center in Youngstown, not mailed directly to the facility. Mail is scanned and delivered electronically to the person's ViaPath tablet. The mail processing address is:
[Incarcerated person's name and ID]
ODRC Mail Processing Center
884 Coitsville-Hubbard Road
Youngstown, OH 44505
This address is for personal mail only - not for money orders. Money orders go through ConnectNetwork's mail deposit process.
ODRC contact
Operation Support Center
P.O. Box 430
Columbus, OH 43216
drc.ohio.gov
ViaPath/ConnectNetwork customer service: 877-650-4249
County jails: vendor varies by county
Ohio has 88 counties, each with its own jail or justice center operated by the county sheriff. County jails set their own deposit vendors independently of ODRC.
Cuyahoga County Corrections Center (Cleveland), at 1215 West 3rd Street, uses Access Corrections for commissary deposits. For questions call 216-698-6244. The official Cuyahoga County government page directs families to accesscorrections.com for deposits.
Hamilton County Justice Center (Cincinnati), at 1000 Sycamore Street, uses Securus Technologies as its communications and deposit platform. For questions call 513-946-6400.
Summit County Jail (Akron), at 205 East Crosier Street, uses ICSolutions for phone and deposit services. ICSolutions customer support: 888-506-8407. Jail inmate services: 330-643-2177.
Across Ohio's 88 county jails, ViaPath/ConnectNetwork, Securus, ICSolutions, and Access Corrections are all represented. The only reliable way to find the current deposit vendor for a specific Ohio county jail is to check that county sheriff's website or call the facility directly.
Accounts do not transfer between vendors. When your person moves from a county jail to an ODRC state prison, the county account stays with the county vendor. You set up new deposits through ConnectNetwork using the ODRC inmate ID - after getting on the approved visitor list.
Federal custody in Ohio
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody in Ohio - including FCI Elkton, FCI Lorain, FCI Milan, or the federal detention centers in Toledo or Cleveland - 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 ODRC methods for federal inmates.
What to know before you send anything
JPay and Securus are no longer the ODRC deposit vendor. The current vendor is ConnectNetwork/ViaPath. JPay ended for ODRC in July 2023.
Get on the approved visitor list first. ODRC will not accept deposits from unapproved sources. The approval process takes 30 to 60 days.
The $200 per transaction and $400 per month caps are firm ODRC limits. Plan deposits around them.
You need the ODRC Facility Site ID 86 for automated phone deposits.
Your name on a mailed money order must exactly match your name on the approved visitor list.
Do not include letters with mailed money orders. They will be discarded.
Personal mail goes to Youngstown, not to the facility.
County jails use different vendors. Cuyahoga County uses Access Corrections; Hamilton County uses Securus; Summit County uses ICSolutions.
Related pages:
/prisons/ohio
How to write a letter to someone in an Ohio facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
What vendor does Ohio ODRC use for inmate deposits?
ConnectNetwork, operated by ViaPath Technologies. Online at ConnectNetwork.com, mobile app, phone at 1-888-988-4768, retail kiosks at 26,000+ stores, or money orders by mail. JPay and Securus ended for ODRC in July 2023.
Do I need to be on the approved visitor list to send money?
Yes. Only approved or tentatively approved visitors may deposit funds. Funds from unapproved sources will not be accepted. The approval process takes 30 to 60 days.
What are the deposit limits for ODRC?
Up to $200 per transaction. Maximum $400 per calendar month per approved visitor. Applies to all deposit methods.
What is the ODRC Facility Site ID?
86. Required when using the ConnectNetwork automated phone deposit line.
Why do so many websites still list JPay for Ohio?
JPay (later Securus Technologies) was the previous ODRC vendor. The transition to ViaPath/ConnectNetwork completed July 2023, but many third-party sites have not updated. ConnectNetwork is the current and only authorized ODRC deposit platform.
Can I include a letter with a mailed money order?
No. Any letters included with a money order deposit will be discarded. Use the ODRC Mail Processing Center address in Youngstown for personal correspondence.
Where does personal mail go for ODRC inmates?
To the ODRC Mail Processing Center, 884 Coitsville-Hubbard Road, Youngstown OH 44505 - not to the facility. Mail is scanned and delivered electronically to the person's ViaPath tablet.
What vendor does Cuyahoga County use?
Access Corrections. Contact: 216-698-6244.
What vendor does Hamilton County Justice Center use?
Securus Technologies. Contact: 513-946-6400.
What vendor does Summit County Jail use?
ICSolutions. Contact: 330-643-2177; ICSolutions support: 888-506-8407.
How do I send money to someone in federal prison in Ohio?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram, or bop.gov. Ohio federal facilities include FCI Elkton, FCI Lorain, FCI Milan. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. ====================================================================
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