“Put money on my books” means depositing funds into an incarcerated person’s trust account at the jail or prison where they’re being held. The phrase comes from the facility’s accounting ledger, where each deposit is recorded on the person’s page by name. Because people inside cannot carry cash, that account is how they pay for everything they want beyond what the institution hands out, from commissary snacks to phone calls home.
Why the Account Exists
Every person in custody is assigned an individual trust account, sometimes called a commissary account or deposit fund account. The facility runs it like a bank: it holds the money, tracks the balance, and deducts purchases automatically. No physical currency changes hands inside. Deposits from family, wages from a prison work assignment, and any other incoming funds all land in the same account and get spent through the facility’s internal system.
In federal prisons, the Bureau of Prisons manages these funds under a detailed trust fund policy manual.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual State prisons and county jails run comparable systems under their own rules. The ledger concept is the same everywhere.
What Your Loved One Can Spend It On
The commissary is the main reason families send money. It’s a small store inside the facility where incarcerated people can buy food, personal care products, clothing, electronics, stamps, envelopes, reading glasses, and hobby supplies. What the facility provides for free is bare-minimum: plain soap, a toothbrush, institutional meals. Anything better than that comes out of the trust account. A federal commissary list gives a sense of selection and pricing.2Federal Bureau of Prisons. Commissary Shopping List
The account also pays for phone calls, video calls, and electronic messaging. The FCC caps prison audio calls at $0.11 per minute and prison video calls at $0.23 per minute, with slightly higher caps for jails depending on facility size.3Federal Communications Commission. Implementation of the Martha Wright-Reed Act Rate Caps A 15-minute prison call runs about $1.65, which adds up quickly when calls are a primary way of staying in touch. Some facilities also let trust funds cover medical copays, educational materials, or photocopying.
What You Need Before You Send Anything
Getting money to the right person requires a few specific details. Mistakes can send your funds to someone else’s account or get the deposit rejected. Before you pay, gather:
- The person’s full legal name, as they were booked. A nickname or preferred name won’t work.
- Their inmate identification number. Federal inmates have an eight-digit register number. State and county systems use their own formats.
- The exact facility, including city and state, especially if the person was recently transferred.
You can usually find this information through the facility’s inmate lookup tool, by calling the facility, or through letters with the person inside. For federal inmates, the BOP’s online inmate locator shows the register number and current facility.
One timing note: wait until the person has physically arrived at the facility before sending money. A deposit sent while they’re in transit between institutions can sit in limbo or get returned.
How to Send the Deposit
The method depends on whether the person is in a federal, state, or county facility. Each system contracts with different payment processors, so always confirm with the specific facility first.
Federal Prisons
The Bureau of Prisons accepts electronic deposits through Western Union and MoneyGram. You can send money online, by phone, through a mobile app, or at an agent location. For Western Union, you enter the inmate’s eight-digit register number followed immediately by their last name with no spaces as the account number, and list the facility as “Federal Bureau of Prisons” with a code city of “FBOP DC.”4Federal Bureau of Prisons. Sending Funds Using Western Union MoneyGram uses receive code 7932 and caps online payments at $300 per transaction.5Federal Bureau of Prisons. Sending Funds Using MoneyGram
To mail a deposit, federal rules require a money order made out to the inmate’s full name and complete register number, sent to the BOP’s centralized processing address. Personal checks are not accepted and will be returned. The envelope should contain nothing but the money order; letters or other enclosures sent with a deposit may be thrown away.6eCFR. 28 CFR Part 506 – Inmate Commissary Account
State Prisons and County Jails
State and local facilities typically contract with private processors like JPay, ConnectNetwork (GTL), or Access Corrections. Which one to use depends on the facility; check its website or call the front desk. These platforms generally offer:
- Online portals, where you set up an account, search for the inmate, and pay with a credit or debit card.
- Lobby kiosks that accept cash or card payments. You’ll need the inmate’s name or ID.
- Phone deposits through a toll-free number, paid by credit or debit card.
- Money orders by mail, sent with a deposit slip listing the inmate’s name, ID number, and sender details.
Fees and When the Money Posts
Almost every electronic deposit carries a transaction fee charged by the payment processor, not the facility. Fees typically run about $3 to $5 for online and kiosk deposits, with phone deposits often a dollar or two more. They’re usually flat amounts rather than percentages, so they hit small deposits hardest. A $20 deposit with a $3.95 fee means nearly 20% of your money went to the processor.
Money orders generally avoid platform processing fees. You’ll pay the cost of the money order itself (typically a dollar or two at a post office or grocery store), but for families sending money regularly, the savings add up. The trade-off is slower delivery.
Processing time depends on the method. In the federal system, Western Union and MoneyGram deposits post within two to four hours when sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Eastern. Deposits sent after 9:00 p.m. post at 7:00 a.m. the following morning, and processing runs seven days a week including holidays.4Federal Bureau of Prisons. Sending Funds Using Western Union Mailed money orders take longer because of postal delivery plus a processing hold of several business days at many facilities. Online and kiosk deposits at state and local facilities generally post within one to three business days. If your loved one has a specific commissary shopping day, build in a buffer.
Deductions That Shrink the Balance
Not every dollar you deposit stays available for spending. Facilities can and do deduct money from inmate accounts to satisfy court-ordered obligations like restitution, fines, and child support. This catches many families off guard.
In the federal system, the Inmate Financial Responsibility Program requires most people to make regular payments toward their court-ordered debts. The unit team has discretion to adjust payments upward based on the person’s total resources, which can include money deposited by family. The program excludes the first $75 per month deposited into the account from its assessment, giving a small cushion.7Federal Bureau of Prisons. Inmate Financial Responsibility Program
State systems have their own deduction rules, and some are aggressive. Many states automatically withhold a percentage of every deposit for outstanding court obligations, and the percentage varies widely. If your loved one owes restitution, ask them or the facility what share of each deposit will be taken so you can plan.
Spending Caps and Account Balance
Most facilities limit how much a person can spend in a given period. The federal monthly commissary spending limit is $360.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual State and local facilities set their own limits, which can be lower, and some cap the account balance rather than monthly spending. Depositing more than the person can actually spend in a month doesn’t help them right away, but the excess stays in the account for future use.
What Happens to the Money at Release or Transfer
When someone is released from federal custody, they receive whatever remains in their trust account. The Bureau of Prisons pays up to $500 in cash on the day of release, and any balance above that is sent as a U.S. Treasury check to the person’s release destination.1Federal Bureau of Prisons. Trust Fund/Deposit Fund Manual State facilities handle this differently, with some issuing debit cards, checks, or cash. If the person is transferred rather than released, the balance typically moves to the new facility, though it can take days or weeks to appear in the new account. Unused funds aren’t lost; they follow the person.