How to Send Money to Prison
Verify the inmate's location., Find out what services the facility accepts., Gather the information you'll need., Call or visit the service of your choice., Fill out any necessary forms., Send the funds.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Verify the inmate's location.
Before you send money, make sure you have the correct facility for the inmate and he or she has not been transferred somewhere else.
You can locate inmates in federal prison using the inmate locator at https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.
In some states such as Ohio, you can only send money to an inmate if you are an approved visitor of that inmate.
When you send money, your name must exactly match your name on the inmate's visitor's list and the name on your driver's license or government-issued identification card. -
Step 2: Find out what services the facility accepts.
There are a number of electronic services such as MoneyGram, Western Union, and JPay that send money to prisons, but different prisons may use different services.
Typically you can find out which services a particular facility uses either by calling the facility or by finding the website for the state or county department of corrections that operates the facility.
You can send money electronically to federal inmates using either MoneyGram or Western Union.Services such as JPay allow you to search for a particular inmate or facility directly from the service's website.
You must open a free account to use the service, but once you do, you can send money to multiple inmates or set up recurring payments.If you want to send cash using JPay, you can do so at a MoneyGram location.
MoneyGram service centers can be found in retail stores such as CVS and Walmart., You must have the inmate's identification number for the department of corrections, his or her legal name, and the correct facility name and number.
For example, if you're sending funds to an inmate in federal prison, the company name and code city will always be the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, DC, regardless of where the inmate is housed.Typically you will need the state or federal DOC number of the inmate to whom you want to send money.
That number serves as his or her account number.Keep in mind that the inmate's name must match his or her name in the corrections database, even if it is spelled incorrectly or is not the name the inmate normally goes by.Some facilities may provide several types of sub-accounts for inmates.
If you send funds electronically, you may not be able to control where the money goes.
For example, funds sent through Western Union to an inmate in a Washington state prison can only be deposited in that inmate's "spendable" sub-account, not the sub-accounts for postage, medical, or educational expenses., Electronic services typically allow you to send money by calling a toll-free number, visiting a website, or visiting a kiosk or service location in person.
Visiting a location in person typically gives you more options regarding your method of payment.
For example, if you go to a MoneyGram or Western Union location, you have the ability to pay with cash.
However, payment online or over the phone usually requires a debit or credit card.The state of Ohio has kiosks available in the front entry building of each prison where you can deposit money into an inmate's account using cash, credit, or debit cards., Each service has a form you must fill out with information including your name and address and the inmate's name and identification number with the department of corrections.
If you have any questions about how to fill out the forms, visit the department of corrections website or call prison staff.
Employees at the payment service location may not be able to help you., If you send money electronically, it typically is available in the inmate's account within 24 hours or the following business day.All electronic money transfer options charge a processing fee.
It may be a flat fee or based on the amount of money you send.
For example, MoneyGram charges a flat fee of around $7 or $8 for any amount of money sent.Some states limit the amount of money you can send at any one time.
For example, in Ohio you can only send up to $200.If you're sending funds to a federal prisoner, you can send up to $300 at one time. -
Step 3: Gather the information you'll need.
-
Step 4: Call or visit the service of your choice.
-
Step 5: Fill out any necessary forms.
-
Step 6: Send the funds.
Detailed Guide
Before you send money, make sure you have the correct facility for the inmate and he or she has not been transferred somewhere else.
You can locate inmates in federal prison using the inmate locator at https://www.bop.gov/inmateloc/.
In some states such as Ohio, you can only send money to an inmate if you are an approved visitor of that inmate.
When you send money, your name must exactly match your name on the inmate's visitor's list and the name on your driver's license or government-issued identification card.
There are a number of electronic services such as MoneyGram, Western Union, and JPay that send money to prisons, but different prisons may use different services.
Typically you can find out which services a particular facility uses either by calling the facility or by finding the website for the state or county department of corrections that operates the facility.
You can send money electronically to federal inmates using either MoneyGram or Western Union.Services such as JPay allow you to search for a particular inmate or facility directly from the service's website.
You must open a free account to use the service, but once you do, you can send money to multiple inmates or set up recurring payments.If you want to send cash using JPay, you can do so at a MoneyGram location.
MoneyGram service centers can be found in retail stores such as CVS and Walmart., You must have the inmate's identification number for the department of corrections, his or her legal name, and the correct facility name and number.
For example, if you're sending funds to an inmate in federal prison, the company name and code city will always be the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington, DC, regardless of where the inmate is housed.Typically you will need the state or federal DOC number of the inmate to whom you want to send money.
That number serves as his or her account number.Keep in mind that the inmate's name must match his or her name in the corrections database, even if it is spelled incorrectly or is not the name the inmate normally goes by.Some facilities may provide several types of sub-accounts for inmates.
If you send funds electronically, you may not be able to control where the money goes.
For example, funds sent through Western Union to an inmate in a Washington state prison can only be deposited in that inmate's "spendable" sub-account, not the sub-accounts for postage, medical, or educational expenses., Electronic services typically allow you to send money by calling a toll-free number, visiting a website, or visiting a kiosk or service location in person.
Visiting a location in person typically gives you more options regarding your method of payment.
For example, if you go to a MoneyGram or Western Union location, you have the ability to pay with cash.
However, payment online or over the phone usually requires a debit or credit card.The state of Ohio has kiosks available in the front entry building of each prison where you can deposit money into an inmate's account using cash, credit, or debit cards., Each service has a form you must fill out with information including your name and address and the inmate's name and identification number with the department of corrections.
If you have any questions about how to fill out the forms, visit the department of corrections website or call prison staff.
Employees at the payment service location may not be able to help you., If you send money electronically, it typically is available in the inmate's account within 24 hours or the following business day.All electronic money transfer options charge a processing fee.
It may be a flat fee or based on the amount of money you send.
For example, MoneyGram charges a flat fee of around $7 or $8 for any amount of money sent.Some states limit the amount of money you can send at any one time.
For example, in Ohio you can only send up to $200.If you're sending funds to a federal prisoner, you can send up to $300 at one time.
About the Author
Joshua Mendoza
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: