If someone you love is locked up in Iowa, getting money into their account covers commissary - food, hygiene, phone time, writing supplies - and keeps the connection alive. Iowa's state prison system has a distinctive feature: all money for commissary accounts - whether sent by mail or electronically - flows through a centralized banking operation. The Iowa DOC does not accept money orders directly at individual institutions. And for electronic transfers, families can choose from three separate vendors depending on what's most convenient.
Iowa splits adult custody into two systems: the Iowa Department of Corrections (Iowa DOC) for state prison sentences, and county jails operated by county sheriffs. Confirm which one your person is in before sending anything.
State prisons: centralized banking and three electronic options
The Iowa DOC has centralized all offender banking at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. All incoming money for offender commissary accounts - by mail or electronically - is received and handled from that central location. Money orders will not be accepted at or by any individual institution. This is one of the most important facts for Iowa families to know: do not mail money orders to the prison.
Money order or cashier's check by mail
The only paper deposit method is to mail a cashier's check or money order to the centralized banking address:
IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account
1550 L Street, Suite B
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
The check or money order must be made payable to "IDOC offender Fiduciary Account." It must include the offender's name, offender number, your name, and your complete address - all written legibly. If any of that information is missing or illegible, the deposit will be returned by mail. No drop-offs at institutions are accepted; mail only.
Access Corrections (electronic)
Access Corrections is one of three approved electronic deposit vendors. It offers the lowest starting fee for online deposits.
Online at accesscorrections.com - starting at $3.49 per deposit. Visa and Mastercard debit or credit cards accepted.
Via CorrLinks.com - if you already use CorrLinks to send O-Mail messages, you can deposit directly from your CorrLinks account by clicking "Send Money." Same low rates starting at $3.49.
By phone at 1-866-345-1884 - credit or debit card deposits starting at $4.49.
CashPayToday walk-in - flat fee of $6.95. Register at cashpaytoday.com or call 1-844-340-CASH (2274). Participating locations include Dollar General, Family Dollar, and Kum & Go stores in Iowa. Maximum $900 per cash transaction.
ACE Cash Express walk-in - flat fee of $5.95 at ACE Cash Express locations.
Funds are typically transferred in real time and available within 24 hours. A digital receipt is sent to the email address provided.
JPay (electronic)
JPay is the second approved electronic vendor.
Online at jpay.com - fees range from $3.95 to $10.95 depending on the deposit amount. Visa or Mastercard debit or credit cards.
By phone at 1-800-574-5729 - fees range from $4.95 to $11.95.
MoneyGram walk-in - flat fee of $8.95 at any of approximately 30,000 MoneyGram agent locations nationwide including Walmart, CVS, 7-Eleven, and Albertsons. Up to $5,000 per transaction.
Money sent through JPay before 11:45 a.m. is generally available to the offender the next day.
Western Union (electronic)
Western Union is the third approved electronic vendor.
Online at send2corrections.com - credit or debit card required.
Send2Corrections mobile app - available on Apple App Store and Google Play. Use an existing Western Union account or create one. You can also set up a transaction in the app and pay in cash later at a Western Union agent location, where a tracking number (MTCN) is generated.
By phone at 1-800-634-3422, option 2 - credit or debit card required.
In person at Western Union agent locations - use the agent locator at westernunion.com or call 1-800-325-6000. Cash or debit card.
The offender's commissary number is required for Western Union deposits. This is the unique ID associated with the offender - depending on the facility, it may be the commissary number or the offender number assigned after arrival. Confirm which number to use with the facility or your person.
Restitution, court filing fees, and child support
These are handled separately from commissary deposits - not at the Fort Dodge central banking address. Send restitution, court filing fees, and child support payments to:
Iowa State Penitentiary
PO Box 316
Fort Madison, IA 52627-0316
Do not send these payments to the Fort Dodge address. Do not mix commissary deposits with restitution payments - they go to different locations and different accounts.
The offender number is required for all deposits
Iowa DOC assigns each incarcerated person an offender number. It is required for all deposit methods - mail, Access Corrections, JPay, and Western Union. Find it using the Iowa DOC Offender Search at doc-search.iowa.gov.
County jails: vendor varies by county
Iowa has 99 counties, each with its own jail or detention facility operated by the county sheriff. County jails set their own deposit vendors independently of the Iowa DOC. The vendor that works for Polk County will not work for Linn County or Scott County.
Polk County Jail (Des Moines) uses Access Securepak for commissary packages. Contact: 800-546-6283 or customerservice@securepak.net.
Other Iowa county jails use a range of vendors including Access Corrections, JPay, TouchPay, and county-specific systems. The only reliable way to find the current vendor for a specific Iowa county jail is to check that county sheriff's website or call the jail directly.
Accounts do not transfer between vendors. When your person moves from a county jail to an Iowa DOC state prison, the account and balance stay with the original vendor. You set up a new account through one of the Iowa DOC's three electronic vendors, or mail to Fort Dodge.
Federal custody in Iowa
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody in Iowa - including FCI Waseca (transferred; no longer operational), or held at facilities in neighboring states - deposits go through the BOP Trust Fund via Western Union, MoneyGram at retail, or online at bop.gov. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Do not use Iowa DOC deposit methods for federal inmates.
What to know before you send anything
Do not mail money orders to the institution. All mail deposits go to IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, 1550 L Street, Suite B, Fort Dodge IA 50501. Sending to the prison directly will result in the money being returned.
Restitution and commissary go to different addresses. Commissary -> Fort Dodge. Restitution/court fees/child support -> Iowa State Penitentiary PO Box 316, Fort Madison IA 52627-0316.
Compare the three electronic vendors. Access Corrections, JPay, and Western Union all have different fee structures for online, phone, and walk-in deposits. Check current fees on each platform before depositing - the cheapest option depends on your deposit amount and method.
The CorrLinks integration is useful. If you already use CorrLinks for O-Mail, you can deposit through Access Corrections directly from your CorrLinks account at the same low online rates.
Get the offender number first. Required for all deposit methods. Find it at doc-search.iowa.gov.
Related pages:
/prisons/iowa
How to write a letter to someone in an Iowa facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Can I mail a money order directly to an Iowa state prison?
No. Iowa DOC has centralized all offender banking. Money orders and cashier's checks must be mailed to IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, 1550 L Street, Suite B, Fort Dodge IA 50501. Individual institutions will not accept money orders, and drop-offs are not allowed.
What do I make the check or money order payable to?
"IDOC offender Fiduciary Account." Include the offender's name, offender number, your name, and your complete address - all legibly written. Incomplete or illegible deposits are returned by mail.
What three electronic vendors does Iowa DOC accept?
Access Corrections (accesscorrections.com or 1-866-345-1884), JPay (jpay.com or 1-800-574-5729), and Western Union (send2corrections.com or 1-800-634-3422 option 2). All three accept debit and credit cards; all three have walk-in cash options as well.
Can I deposit through CorrLinks?
Yes. If you use CorrLinks for O-Mail messaging, you can click "Send Money" in your CorrLinks account to deposit via Access Corrections at the same online rate starting at $3.49.
What is the cheapest electronic option for Iowa DOC?
Access Corrections online starts at $3.49. JPay online starts at $3.95. Western Union varies. For walk-in cash: ACE Cash Express is $5.95 flat; CashPayToday is $6.95 flat; JPay MoneyGram is $8.95 flat. Compare fees based on your deposit amount and available locations.
Where do I send restitution or court fee payments?
Iowa State Penitentiary, PO Box 316, Fort Madison IA 52627-0316. This is separate from commissary deposits - do not send restitution payments to the Fort Dodge address.
What is the offender number and where do I find it?
The offender number is the Iowa DOC identification number assigned to each incarcerated person. Required for all deposit methods. Find it at doc-search.iowa.gov (Iowa DOC Offender Search).
What vendor does Polk County Jail use?
Access Securepak for commissary packages. Contact: 800-546-6283 or customerservice@securepak.net.
How do I send money to someone in federal prison from Iowa?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram, or bop.gov online. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Do not use Iowa DOC deposit methods for federal inmates.
How long does a deposit take to reach an Iowa DOC account?
Access Corrections: typically within 24 hours. JPay: next day if sent before 11:45 a.m. Western Union: varies by method. Mail (money order): processing time after receipt at Fort Dodge. ====================================================================
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