Iowa · commissary guide
Iowa 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 Iowa, with official links and 121 facilities in our directory.
Adding money in Iowa state prisons
Iowa Department of Corrections runs the state prison system. On its official pages, it lists these ways for families to add money to an account:
- Money order or cashier's check by mail to the IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, Fort Dodge
- Access Corrections online, by phone, or walk-in
- JPay online, by phone, or walk-in at MoneyGram agents
- Western Union agents, Send2Corrections app, online, or phone
- Drop-off at institutions no longer accepted
Deposit companies named by the agency: Access Corrections, JPay, Western Union, CashPayToday, ACE Cash Express, MoneyGram.
Official page on sending money
County and city jails in Iowa
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.
Finding your loved one
Use the official Iowa 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 Iowa?
Our directory lists 121 adult facilities in Iowa, including 16 prisons and 97 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 Iowa state prison?
Iowa Department of Corrections lists these options: Money order or cashier's check by mail to the IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, Fort Dodge; Access Corrections online, by phone, or walk-in; JPay online, by phone, or walk-in at MoneyGram agents; Western Union agents, Send2Corrections app, online, or phone; Drop-off at institutions no longer accepted. 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 Iowa prison?
Use the Iowa Department of Corrections official inmate locator at http://doc-search.iowa.gov/. County jails keep their own rosters, usually on the sheriff's office website.
Do county jails in Iowa 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.