Inmate Trust Account Deposits

How to Send Money to a Florida Inmate

Every Florida jail and state prison maintains a "trust account" for each inmate. Funds in the trust account cover commissary (food, hygiene items, stamps), phone credits, medical copays, electronic messaging, and a few other inmate needs. You cannot hand cash to an inmate during a visit, and you cannot mail cash. All deposits go through a contracted deposit service. This page explains exactly how to send money to an inmate in any Florida county jail or FDC facility.

What Trust Account Money Pays For

Commissary

Snacks, drinks, hygiene items (deodorant, toothbrush, soap), stationery, and basic clothing. Florida jail commissary menus typically offer 50-200 items. Orders placed weekly.

Phone Calls

Depending on the facility, phone credits may come from a separate phone vendor account (Securus, ViaPath, ICSolutions) or from the trust account. Check the specific jail.

Medical Copays

Florida law authorizes county jails and FDC to charge small copays ($5-$20) for non-emergency medical visits and prescribed medications. These come out of the trust account.

Electronic Messaging

Many Florida jails now offer electronic messaging (email-style) through the vendor. Each message costs a stamp (typically $0.25 to $0.50). Paid from the trust account or a separate messaging account.

The Major Florida Deposit Services

Each Florida jail contracts with one deposit service (sometimes more). The biggest ones:

JPay (Owned by Aventiv/Securus)

The official FDC (Florida Department of Corrections) deposit service for state prison inmates. Also used by many Florida county jails. Deposit methods: online at jpay.com, phone 1-800-574-5729, MoneyGram, retail kiosks, mail-in money order. Funds typically available in 1-24 hours online, 3-7 days by money order.

Fees: ~$3 to $10 per deposit depending on method and amount

Access Corrections

Serves many Florida county jails. Deposit methods: online at accesscorrections.com, phone 1-866-345-1884, Western Union MoneyGram, retail kiosks. Funds typically available within a few hours.

Fees: ~$3 to $8 per deposit

TouchPay

Serves a number of Florida county jails plus some federal facilities. Deposit methods: online at touchpaydirect.com, phone 1-866-232-1899, lobby kiosks. Same-day posting for online deposits.

Fees: ~$3 to $8 per deposit

GettingOut (ViaPath/GTL)

Combined phone, messaging, and deposits. Serves many Florida county jails. Deposit at gettingout.com or the GettingOut app. Funds available within minutes to hours.

Fees: ~$3 to $8 per deposit

Smart Communications

Florida-based vendor serving several large Florida county jails. Handles deposits, phone, messaging, and digital mail. Deposit at smartcommunications.us.

Fees: ~$3 to $8 per deposit
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Step-by-Step: How to Deposit Money

1

Identify the Facility and the Vendor

Find out which Florida jail or facility holds the inmate, using our 67-county directory or the FDC search. Then call or check the facility website to confirm which deposit vendor they use.

2

Get the Inmate's Identifier

For county jails: booking number. For FDC: DC Number. For federal BOP: Register Number. These are the unique IDs used to route your deposit to the correct trust account. Name alone is often not enough, especially for common names.

3

Choose Your Deposit Method

Online (fastest, credit/debit card), phone (similar, may be slightly higher fee), retail kiosk (cash, at partner retailers), or mail-in money order (slowest but cheapest, no fee beyond USPS money order). Pick based on urgency and your preferences.

4

Complete the Deposit

Enter the inmate's ID, name, facility, and amount. Pay the fee (varies by method and deposit size). Save the confirmation number. Funds typically post within 1-24 hours for online deposits, 3-7 days for money orders.

5

Confirm Receipt

The inmate can check their trust account balance through the facility's commissary system. It's worth a phone call or message to confirm the deposit posted correctly, especially the first time you send to a new facility.

Money Order by Mail (Backup Method)

If online deposit isn't working, most Florida facilities still accept deposits by USPS money order mailed to a specific address. Rules:

⚠ Never Mail Cash

Never send cash, personal checks, gift cards, or cashier's checks to a Florida inmate. Mail screening will intercept these, and they will not be deposited. Cash is typically returned to sender (if a return address is present) or destroyed as contraband. Checks are returned.

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Sending Money to a Federal Inmate (BOP) in Florida

Federal Bureau of Prisons uses a separate system. Methods:

Money posts to the inmate's trust fund account at their assigned BOP facility, which they can then use for commissary, phone, TRULINCS email, and other purposes.

Common Mistakes

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions, Sending Money to Florida Inmates

Online deposits typically post within 1-24 hours. Phone deposits similar. MoneyGram and Western Union typically same-day to next-day. Money orders by mail take 5-10 business days. Weekends and holidays extend all timelines. For urgent needs, use an online deposit.
Yes. Most Florida facilities set per-deposit limits (often $300 to $500) and per-month limits ($500 to $2,000). FDC has its own limits for state prisoners. Exceeding a limit triggers rejection, refund, and delays. Break large deposits into smaller amounts spread over time. Vendor websites display the current limits for each facility.
The inmate receives the money. Whatever balance is in their trust account at release is returned to them, usually in the form of a debit card or check. You (the depositor) do not get a refund. This is why budget carefully: send what the inmate realistically needs.
Always verify current location before depositing. Money sent to the previous facility's vendor may either be returned to you (with a refund fee) or transferred between facilities (which can take weeks). Check the current location in the jail/prison search first, then deposit to the current vendor.
Usually not immediately. Newly booked inmates typically don't have active trust accounts until booking is complete (usually within 12-24 hours). Wait until the inmate appears in the facility's inmate search, then deposit.
The fees are legal; vendors operate under facility contracts that approve these fees. Fees generally cannot be avoided entirely, but can be reduced: larger deposits have lower effective fee rates, money orders by mail have no vendor fees (just USPS money order cost), and some facilities offer free deposit kiosks inside the jail lobby that only charge nominal amounts.
Common reasons: wrong inmate ID, inmate not in that facility anymore, deposit exceeded limits, insufficient card funds or card decline, card billing address doesn't match, facility-specific restrictions (like a hold on the inmate's trust account for disciplinary reasons). The vendor will refund rejected deposits typically within 7-10 business days, minus any processing fees.
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Need Help Sending Money?

If you're not sure which vendor your inmate's facility uses, call our free 24/7 line. We can help you find the right deposit service for any Florida jail or prison.

Call (786) 600-3533 →

Calls may be answered by a licensed bail bond agent.