Ohio · commissary guide

Ohio 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 Ohio, with official links and 164 facilities in our directory.

Adding money in Ohio state prisons

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction runs the state prison system. On its official pages, it lists these ways for families to add money to an account:

Online by credit/debit card through ConnectNetwork (ViaPath)
By phone with credit/debit card (Facility Site ID 86)
Cash at participating retail stores or cash deposit kiosks
Money order by mail with the Money Order Deposit form

Deposit companies named by the agency: ConnectNetwork (ViaPath).

Official page on sending money

Commissary rules

Deposit limits: $200 per transaction and $400 per calendar month

County and city jails in Ohio

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 Ohio

1 federal facility is in Ohio. Federal prisons follow Bureau of Prisons rules, not state rules. See our federal prison commissary guide.

Finding your loved one

Use the official Ohio 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 Ohio?

Our directory lists 164 adult facilities in Ohio, including 42 prisons and 107 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 Ohio state prison?

Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction lists these options: Online by credit/debit card through ConnectNetwork (ViaPath); By phone with credit/debit card (Facility Site ID 86); Cash at participating retail stores or cash deposit kiosks; Money order by mail with the Money Order Deposit form. 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 Ohio prison?

Use the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction official inmate locator at https://appgateway.drc.ohio.gov/OffenderSearch/. County jails keep their own rosters, usually on the sheriff's office website.

Do county jails in Ohio 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.