Federal Prison Commissary: A Family Guide

The federal prison commissary is a store inside each Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility, paid for from your loved one's commissary account. Families add money through MoneyGram, Western Union or by mailing a money order to the BOP's central lockbox in Des Moines, Iowa. Never send money to the prison's own address. Your loved one can then shop within a spending limit explained in the facility's handbook.

How the federal commissary account works

The BOP describes the commissary account as a bank-type account. It holds your loved one's money and lets them buy items the prison does not normally hand out. Money from family and friends goes into this account.

According to the BOP, people in federal custody can buy personal care items, shoes, some recreation clothing and some food at the commissary. For a broader look, see how prison commissary works.

First: find the register number

Every federal deposit needs your loved one's eight-digit register number. Use the BOP's "Find an Inmate" tool to look it up by name or number. It covers people in federal custody from 1982 to today.

Wait to send money until your loved one has physically arrived at a BOP facility. The BOP says deposits only go through after arrival.

Three ways to send money to federal prison

MoneyGram

Use these details, as listed by the BOP:

• Account number: the eight-digit register number, then the last name, with no spaces or dashes (for example, 12345678DOE)
• Company name: Federal Bureau of Prisons
• City and state: Washington, DC
• Receive code: 7932
• Beneficiary: your loved one's full committed name

Online MoneyGram deposits are limited to $300. The BOP says you need a Visa or Mastercard credit card and a MoneyGram profile.

Western Union

• Code city: "FBOP, DC" online or in the app. At a Western Union location, use "FBOP DC."
• Account number: the register number plus last name, same format as above
• Attention line: your loved one's full committed name

You can pay online or through the Send2Corrections app with a credit or debit card. You can also pay cash at a Western Union agent location.

Timing for both

The BOP processes electronic deposits seven days a week. Money sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Eastern posts within 2 to 4 hours. Money sent after 9:00 p.m. posts at 7:00 a.m. Eastern the next morning.

Mail to the BOP lockbox

You can mail a money order, U.S. government check, or a certified or cashier's check or bank draft. Address it like this:

Federal Bureau of Prisons [Full committed name] [Eight-digit register number] Post Office Box 474701 Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

Put your name and return address in the upper left corner. Write your loved one's full name and register number on the money order or check, too.

Do not send cash, personal checks or anything else in the envelope. The BOP says extra items will be thrown away. Postal money orders from outside the U.S. are held 15 days. Foreign checks payable in U.S. dollars are held 45 days.

For questions about a specific deposit, the BOP lists a staff line at 202-307-2712, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern. Questions about a transfer itself go to MoneyGram or Western Union.

Federal commissary spending limit

The BOP's commissary policy, Program Statement 4500.13 dated May 7, 2026, sets a spending limit of $460 per month, which rises by $50 during November and December. Facilities also explain commissary rules in their Admission and Orientation (A&O) handbooks. The FMC Fort Worth handbook, for example, says postage stamps, copy cards and over-the-counter medicines don't count toward the limit. That handbook was revised in August 2018 and lists an older limit, so go by the current policy and your loved one's own facility.

At FMC Fort Worth, each person's shopping day is set by digits in their register number. Other facilities may differ. Learn more in our guide to commissary spending limits.

Federal commissary lists and prices

BOP facility pages on bop.gov can link to a list of items and prices sold at that commissary. The FMC Fort Worth page, for example, links to its commissary list and its A&O handbook in English and Spanish. Look up your loved one's facility on bop.gov to see what it posts.

As an example, the 2025 list for FMC Fort Worth is an order form with checkboxes. It marks some items as not counting toward the spending limit. It also says all sales are final, with no refunds or exchanges. A bar of Dove soap was listed at $2.55.

See our prison commissary list and prison commissary prices guides for more.

TRULINCS: messaging and account balances

TRULINCS is the BOP's electronic messaging system. Here is how it works:

• Your loved one can message only people on an approved contact list.
• You accept their messages through CorrLinks.
• Messages are text only, with no attachments, and can be up to 13,000 characters.
• People in federal custody do not have internet access.
• TRULINCS runs only at BOP-run facilities, not contract facilities.

The FMC Fort Worth handbook says TRULINCS also lets people manage their commissary, phone and TRULINCS account balances, and that checking a balance is free. The BOP says TRULINCS is paid for by the Inmate Trust Fund, which draws on commissary profits, phone services and TRULINCS user fees.

Can you send a package instead?

Usually not. The BOP says packages from home need prior written approval from the unit team. Without approval, only release clothing and authorized medical devices are allowed. Books and magazines can come straight from the publisher. See our prison care packages guide.