If someone you love is locked up in Pennsylvania, getting money into their account covers commissary - food, hygiene, phone time, writing supplies - and keeps the connection alive. Pennsylvania's state prison system uses JPay for all deposits. One warning the state DOC posts publicly: do not send money to any other individual, website, or email account. Scams targeting families of incarcerated people are common, and JPay is the only authorized channel for PA state prison deposits.
Pennsylvania splits adult corrections into distinct systems. The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) runs all state prisons - 26 State Correctional Institutions (SCIs) and related facilities. Philadelphia operates its own jail system, the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, which is a city agency entirely separate from the state DOC. Pennsylvania also has 67 counties, each with its own county jail.
State prisons: PA DOC and JPay
If your person is in a PA DOC state prison, the deposit vendor is JPay. JPay processes all money orders, online and phone credit card transactions, and kiosk deposits for PA DOC on behalf of the state.
Online - go to jpay.com, create or log in to your account, search for the inmate by name and ID number, and deposit using a credit or debit card. Available 24 hours a day. Fees apply.
By phone - call JPay at 1-800-574-5729. Deposit by credit or debit card. Fees apply.
Lobby kiosks - every PA DOC state prison has a kiosk in the lobby where visitors can deposit funds directly. Fees apply.
Money orders - the lowest-fee option. Money orders are NOT accepted directly at state correctional institutions. They must be mailed to JPay. A deposit slip must accompany every money order - no exceptions.
Download the deposit slip in English or Spanish from the JPay website (jpay.com). Complete it with the following information, clearly typed - handwritten forms are subject to delay:
- Inmate ID number
- Inmate name
- Sender's name and address
Make the money order payable to JPay. Do not include personal items, letters, or anything other than the money order and deposit slip - these will be discarded.
Mail to the JPay lockbox address shown on the deposit slip. Confirm the current JPay lockbox address for Pennsylvania at jpay.com before mailing.
Deposit limits
Credit or debit card: up to $300 per card every 72 hours. Money orders: up to $999.99 per money order; multiple money orders may be sent at the same time. MoneyGram cash transactions: up to $5,000 per transaction.
Anonymous deposits not accepted
PA DOC requires JPay to provide a sender name for every transaction. You cannot fund an inmate's account anonymously.
Fines, costs, and restitution
If the inmate owes court-imposed fines, costs, or restitution, a percentage of incoming deposits may be applied to those obligations before the balance is available for commissary spending.
The inmate ID is required
Every PA DOC inmate has an assigned ID number. Required for all JPay deposits and for the deposit slip. Find it using the PA DOC Inmate/Parolee Locator at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov.
Receipts and statements
The inmate receives an individual receipt each time funds are posted from JPay. They also receive a monthly account statement listing all transactions and deposits.
PA DOC contact
cor.pa.gov
Inmate Locator: inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov
JPay: 1-800-574-5729
Philadelphia jails: separate city system
If your person is in a Philadelphia Department of Prisons facility - such as CFCF, the House of Correction, or the Detention Center - they are in the Philadelphia city jail system, which is entirely separate from the state PA DOC. State DOC methods do not apply.
Philadelphia uses two separate platforms depending on what you need to fund:
Access Corrections (accesscorrections.com) - for commissary deposits. Go to accesscorrections.com, create or log in, find the person, and deposit by credit or debit card.
GettingOut (gettingout.com/deposit) - for phone calls, video visits, tablet entertainment, and messaging. This is a ViaPath Technologies platform. Deposit here to fund communication services.
Both accounts exist separately. Funding one does not fund the other.
Money orders and certified checks for Philadelphia jails must be mailed directly to the incarcerated person's facility - not to a central vendor lockbox. Personal mail goes to Smart Communications (PO Box 247, Phoenix MD 21131), but money orders or certified checks sent to that address will be returned to the sender. Use the facility address instead.
Address format for Philadelphia jail money orders and certified checks:
I/P [Name], PPN# [number]
[Facility Name]
[Facility Address]
Philadelphia, PA [Zip Code]
Example:
John Doe PPN#123456
CFCF
7901 State Rd.
Philadelphia, PA 19136
Personal checks and cash are not accepted at Philadelphia jails.
The PPN# (Philadelphia Prison Number) is the inmate identifier for the city jail system - different from the PA DOC ID number used for state prisons.
For refund requests on Philadelphia jail deposits, write to: ViaPath Technologies, Attn: Refund Request, PO Box 95, Lake Butler FL 32054-9901. Phone: 866-640-5445, Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
For questions about Philadelphia jail funds, contact the Office of Community Justice and Outreach at 215-685-8909 or 215-685-7288.
County jails: vendor varies by county
Pennsylvania has 67 counties, each with its own jail operated independently of the state DOC and the city of Philadelphia.
Allegheny County Jail (Pittsburgh), at 950 Second Avenue, uses a lobby kiosk for deposits and accepts money orders by mail payable to the inmate or facility. For questions call 412-350-2000.
Across Pennsylvania's 67 counties, JPay, Access Corrections, and other vendors are used in varying combinations. The only reliable way to find the current deposit vendor for a specific Pennsylvania 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 county jail to a PA DOC state prison, you set up new deposits through JPay using the inmate ID number.
Federal custody in Pennsylvania
Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities in Pennsylvania include FDC Philadelphia (700 Arch Street, Philadelphia - also used as a federal detention center), USP Lewisburg, FCI Schuylkill, FCI Loretto, FCI McKean, and several others. Federal 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. BOP mail for money orders goes to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa - not to the facility address. Do not use PA DOC or Philadelphia city methods for federal inmates.
What to know before you send anything
JPay is the only authorized channel for PA DOC state prison deposits. Do not send money to any other website, individual, or email account.
Money orders do NOT go to the prison. They go to JPay's lockbox. A typed deposit slip must accompany every money order.
The deposit slip is required and must be clearly typed. Handwritten forms are subject to delay.
Philadelphia jails are a separate system from PA DOC. Different IDs, different vendors, different rules. Funding one system does not fund the other.
Philadelphia uses Access Corrections for commissary and GettingOut for phone/communication - two separate platforms with separate accounts.
County jails use their own vendors - check the specific county before sending anything.
Related pages:
/prisons/pennsylvania
How to write a letter to someone in a Pennsylvania facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
What vendor does Pennsylvania DOC use for state prison deposits?
JPay. Online at jpay.com, phone at 1-800-574-5729, lobby kiosks at each state prison, and money orders mailed to JPay's lockbox with a completed deposit slip.
Are money orders accepted at Pennsylvania state prisons?
No. Money orders must be mailed to JPay's lockbox - not to the prison. A deposit slip must accompany every money order and must be clearly typed.
What is the deposit limit per credit card for PA DOC?
$300 per card every 72 hours. Money orders: $999.99 each (multiple allowed). MoneyGram cash: $5,000 per transaction.
Can I send money anonymously to a PA DOC inmate?
No. PA DOC requires JPay to provide a sender name for every transaction.
What is the inmate ID and where do I find it?
The PA DOC assigned inmate identification number. Required for all deposits and the deposit slip. Find it at inmatelocator.cor.pa.gov.
Is Philadelphia a separate system from PA DOC?
Yes. The Philadelphia Department of Prisons is a city agency. PA DOC methods do not apply. Philadelphia uses Access Corrections for commissary and GettingOut for phone/communication. The inmate identifier is a PPN# (Philadelphia Prison Number), not a PA DOC ID.
Where do I mail money orders for Philadelphia jail inmates?
Directly to the facility address - not to a vendor lockbox and not to PO Box 247 Phoenix MD (that address returns funds). Use format: I/P Name, PPN#, Facility Name, Facility Address, Philadelphia PA Zip.
What is the PPN#?
The Philadelphia Prison Number - the inmate identifier for the Philadelphia city jail system. Different from the PA DOC inmate ID.
What vendor does Allegheny County Jail use?
Lobby kiosk and money orders by mail. Phone: 412-350-2000.
How do I send money to someone in federal prison in Pennsylvania?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram, or bop.gov. Mail money orders to the BOP processing center in Des Moines, Iowa - not to the facility. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. ====================================================================