Illinois · commissary guide
Illinois commissary: how to send money and find a facility
Commissary is the store inside a jail or prison where your loved one buys food, hygiene items and stamps with money in their account. Here is how it works in Illinois, with official links and 148 facilities in our directory.
Adding money in Illinois state prisons
Illinois Department of Corrections runs the state prison system. On its official pages, it lists these ways for families to add money to an account:
- Online through JPay
- MoneyGram Express Payment at MoneyGram locations
- Send2Corrections (Western Union)
- Money order payable to JPay mailed to the lockbox with a deposit slip (up to $999.99)
Deposit companies named by the agency: JPay, MoneyGram, Western Union (Send2Corrections).
Official page on sending money
County and city jails in Illinois
Each county jail chooses its own commissary and deposit company, so the options can differ from the state prisons. Look for the sheriff's office website, or call the jail before you send money. Our guide on sending money to someone in jail covers the common options.
Federal prisons in Illinois
5 federal facilities are in Illinois. Federal prisons follow Bureau of Prisons rules, not state rules. See our federal prison commissary guide.
Finding your loved one
Use the official Illinois inmate locator for state prisons. For a county jail, check that county sheriff's inmate roster.
Questions families ask
How many prisons and jails are in Illinois?
Our directory lists 148 adult facilities in Illinois, including 38 prisons and 95 county or city jails. It is built from public government datasets, so check with the facility for the latest details.
How do I put money on someone's commissary in a Illinois state prison?
Illinois Department of Corrections lists these options: Online through JPay; MoneyGram Express Payment at MoneyGram locations; Send2Corrections (Western Union); Money order payable to JPay mailed to the lockbox with a deposit slip (up to $999.99). You will need the person's ID number and facility. Fees and rules can change, so confirm on the official page first.
How do I find someone in a Illinois prison?
Use the Illinois Department of Corrections official inmate locator at https://idoc.illinois.gov/offender/inmatesearch.html. County jails keep their own rosters, usually on the sheriff's office website.
Do county jails in Illinois use the same deposit system as state prisons?
Not always. Each county jail picks its own commissary and deposit vendor, so check the sheriff's office website or call the jail before you send money.
Sources
Official pages checked 2026-11-03. Rules change, so confirm with the facility before sending money.