How to Put Money on Someone's Commissary Account

To put money on someone's commissary, you send funds to their prison trust account through a method the prison system approves. That is usually an online or app deposit through a vendor, a money order by mail, or a phone or kiosk payment. You will need your loved one's ID number and facility. Rules and fees change from state to state, so always start on the official corrections website.

Step 1: Find your loved one's ID number and facility

Every deposit has to match the right person. Before you send anything, look up two things: their ID number and where they are held.

• California: The state says to look up the CDCR number in its CIRIS search, then find the facility with its Facility Locator.
• Colorado: The state links to an Online Inmate Locator to confirm the person's current facility. Phone deposits there also need a facility ID code.
• Federal prison: The Bureau of Prisons "Find an Inmate" tool covers people in federal custody from 1982 to today. It searches by register number or by name.

If your loved one was just moved, check again. A deposit sent to the wrong facility can be delayed.

Step 2: Choose an approved deposit method

You cannot use just any payment app. Each corrections system picks its own vendors. Here is what three state systems list on their official pages:

State	Approved methods listed
California (CDCR)	Electronic transfer through GTL/ConnectNetwork, JPay or Access Corrections; a JPay lockbox for money orders and checks; or a check or money order mailed to the institution
Texas (TDCJ)	Money orders or cashier's checks with a deposit slip, monthly checking account debit (ACH), Access Corrections (Secure Deposits), ACE, eCommDirect, JPay and TouchPay
Colorado (CDOC)	CorrectPay only, by website, mobile app or phone

Colorado's page says JPay and Western Union were discontinued there, and CorrectPay became the only provider effective May 10, 2026. Vendors do change, which is another reason to check the official page each time.

Online and app deposits

Online deposits are usually the fastest. California says electronic deposits post within 1 to 3 days and that this is a paid service. In Colorado, deposits made before 4:00 p.m. Mountain Time are generally available the next day, but the state suggests allowing 2 to 3 days before a canteen order.

Money orders by mail

Mail is slower but can cost less. In California, you can mail a money order, personal check or cashier's check to the JPay lockbox in Los Angeles, made payable to JPay. The state lists no fee and a limit of $999.99 per deposit form. Personal checks are held for 10 business days. Checks or money orders mailed straight to the institution are held for 30 days.

Texas accepts money orders and cashier's checks with a deposit slip, which your loved one can provide. Texas says not to mail deposits to the unit where the person lives.

Phone and kiosk payments

Some systems take payments by phone. Colorado lists a 24/7 CorrectPay phone line with live agents. County jails often have a kiosk in the lobby, too. Durham County, North Carolina, for example, has a 24-hour TouchPay kiosk that takes cash with no charge. For more on jails, see our guide on how to send money to someone in jail.

Step 3: Check the rules on who can send and how much

Some systems limit who may send money or hold larger deposits.

• Texas: Since September 1, 2020, only people on the person's approved visitor list or phone list may deposit money. Single deposits of $500 or more are held 14 days. Cash and personal checks are not accepted.
• Colorado: The state must hold back at least 20% of any deposit for court-ordered fines, fees, restitution or child support.
• California: Money sent may be subject to restitution deductions and an administrative fee.

These rules are why the full amount you send may not all show up for spending. Your loved one may also face a cap on what they can spend each week or month. Our guide on commissary spending limits explains more.

Step 4: Understand the fees before you pay

Fees are real, and they vary a lot. The Prison Policy Initiative studied online transfer fees in 2021. Across 33 states with data, fees ran from 5% to 37% of a $20 transfer. The average was 19% on $20 and 12% on $50. The same study found that phone and in-person payments tend to cost more than online ones.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has also noted that families often have just one private company to choose from when sending money into a prison account.

A few ways to keep more of your money working:

• Send larger amounts less often if your budget allows, since fees on small deposits take a bigger share.
• Compare methods when your state offers more than one vendor. The cheapest option can change with the amount you send.
• Consider a money order if you do not need the money to arrive quickly.
• Read the fee on the final screen before you confirm. Vendors set their own fees and can change them.

Federal prison is different

The federal Bureau of Prisons has its own system, with Western Union, MoneyGram and a mail-in lockbox. Do not mail money to the federal facility itself. Our federal prison commissary guide walks through each option. If you are new to all of this, start with how prison commissary works.