If someone you love is locked up in Montana, getting money into their account covers commissary - food, hygiene, phone time, writing supplies - and keeps the connection alive. Montana is one of the few states that does not use JPay, Access Corrections, or any national third-party deposit vendor for state prison deposits. The Montana Department of Corrections runs its own state-built Inmate Trust Account Deposits portal. Before you can send money to a Montana state prison, you also need to be an approved sender - which means being on the inmate's approved visiting and correspondence list.
Montana splits adult custody into two systems: the Montana Department of Corrections (Montana DOC) for state sentences, and county jails operated by county sheriffs. The deposit process at county jails varies by county.
Step one: get on the approved list
Montana DOC requires that anyone who wants to send money to an incarcerated person must be on that person's approved visiting and correspondence list. Approved senders are limited to: the inmate's immediate family members on the visiting list, the inmate's attorney, and one approved non-family member authorized by the Warden or designee.
To apply, complete the Montana DOC Visitation Application and Approval to Send Funds form. The form is available at cor.mt.gov and must be submitted to the visitation department at the facility where the person is housed. Criminal background checks are conducted on all applicants. Applications are reviewed within 90 days of receipt. If you are a victim of the inmate or a family member of a victim, do not complete this form - contact Victim Services at 406-846-1320 ext. 2201 or 1-800-223-1320 instead.
State prisons: Montana DOC's own deposit portal
Once you are an approved sender, you can deposit money through the online Inmate Trust Account Deposits service. This is a state-built portal, not a commercial platform. The portal can be accessed at app.mt.gov/inmatebanking or through inmatetrust.com.
The portal currently serves four state facilities:
Montana State Prison (Deer Lodge)
Montana Women's Prison (Billings)
Crossroads Correctional Center (Shelby)
Dawson County Correctional Facility (Glendive)
To use the portal you must create an OKTA account. Use your legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID. The name you enter must match the name on your visitation application exactly - even a difference between "Bob" and "Robert" will generate an error. Creating an account requires the last four digits of your Social Security number. For assistance with the online system call (406) 444-4234.
No proceeds from the deposit portal benefit the state of Montana or the Montana DOC.
Montana DOC does not use JPay, Access Corrections, or any similar commercial platform for trust account deposits at its main state prisons. Any source listing those platforms for Montana state prisons is incorrect.
Money order by mail
Approved senders may also mail a deposit in the form of a U.S. Postal Service money order or cashier's check. Personal checks are not accepted and will be returned to the sender.
Requirements for mailed deposits:
The money order or cashier's check must include the inmate's full name and DOC (AO) number.
Your full name and address must also be included.
The funds must be received within 20 days of the date of purchase. Older money orders will not be accepted.
The envelope must be postmarked from the immediate area where your listed residential address is located. Money orders mailed from a different location may be returned.
Do not include personal letters, cards, or any other items in the envelope. If anything other than the money order or cashier's check is enclosed, all items in the envelope will be returned to you.
Send mailed deposits to the facility where your person is housed. Find the correct mailing address for each facility at cor.mt.gov/facilities.
Pine Hills Correctional Facility (Miles City)
Pine Hills Correctional Facility, which houses youth and young adults, operates differently from the main state facilities. Money for residents at Pine Hills must be mailed to the facility directly. The online Inmate Trust Account Deposits portal does not serve Pine Hills. Mail to:
Pine Hills Correctional Facility
Attn: Mail Room Staff
Inmate's Name, AO Number
4 North Haynes Avenue
Miles City, MT 59301
Saguaro Correctional Center (Arizona, contracted)
Montana DOC contracts with Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, to house some Montana state inmates. Saguaro operates under separate deposit instructions - the Montana state portal does not apply. Download the "How to Add Money to Commissary Account" guide from the Montana DOC website for Saguaro-specific instructions if your person is housed there.
The AO number is required
The AO number is the Montana DOC identification number assigned to every state-sentenced incarcerated person. It is required for all deposit methods - online and mail. Find it using the Montana DOC offender search (Find an Offender) at cor.mt.gov.
Mail to personal correspondence goes somewhere else
Since an ongoing mail processing change, personal letters and cards to Montana state prison inmates go to a central off-site scanning facility and are delivered digitally to tablets. The mailing format is:
Full Facility Name
Inmate Full Name and AO Number
PO Box 247
Phoenix, MD 21131
This address is for letters only - NOT for money orders. Mailed deposits still go directly to the facility where your person is housed.
County jails: vendor varies by county
Montana has 56 counties. County jails operate independently from Montana DOC and set their own deposit vendors.
Yellowstone County Detention Facility (Billings), at 3165 King Avenue East, handles its own deposit process. For commissary and deposit questions call 406-256-6881. The facility uses NCIC for phone and communications.
Missoula County Detention Facility (Missoula), at 2340 Mullan Road, accepts debit, credit, or cash deposits at a lobby kiosk. Call 406-258-4000 for current instructions.
Cascade County Detention Facility (Great Falls), at 3800 Ulm N. Frontage Road, uses Securus for phone and video communications and has its own deposit process. Call the facility for current instructions.
JailATM is used at some Montana county jails for online and kiosk deposits. Verify with the specific county before sending.
The only reliable way to find the current vendor for a specific Montana county jail is to check that county sheriff's website or call the jail directly.
Accounts do not transfer between systems. When your person moves from a county jail to a Montana DOC state prison, the county account stays with the county system. You set up a new deposit through the Montana DOC portal using the AO number - after getting on the approved list.
Federal custody in Montana
If your person is in federal Bureau of Prisons custody in Montana - FCI Englewood in Colorado, FCI Sheridan in Oregon, or other BOP facilities are common for Montana federal defendants - 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 the Montana DOC portal for federal inmates.
Montana DOC contact
cor.mt.gov
Online portal assistance: (406) 444-4234
Visitation/approved list questions: (406) 415-6313
What to know before you send anything
Get on the approved list before doing anything else. You cannot send money until you are an approved sender. The application process takes up to 90 days.
Montana uses its own state portal - not JPay or Access Corrections. Access the portal at app.mt.gov/inmatebanking or inmatetrust.com.
Use your legal name exactly when creating the OKTA account. It must match your visitation application exactly. Any mismatch generates an error.
20-day rule for money orders. Funds must be received within 20 days of the purchase date. Plan accordingly.
Mail the money order from your area of residence. The postmark must be from near your listed address. Mailing from elsewhere may result in the money order being returned.
Pine Hills requires mailed deposits - no online portal.
Do not include letters with mailed money orders. All items in the envelope will be returned if anything else is included.
Related pages:
/prisons/montana
How to write a letter to someone in a Montana facility
Send mail and photos through InmateAid
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Does Montana DOC use JPay or Access Corrections?
No. Montana DOC does not use JPay, Access Corrections, or any national commercial deposit platform for its main state prisons. The deposit portal is a state-built system at app.mt.gov/inmatebanking (also accessible via inmatetrust.com).
Do I need approval to send money to a Montana state prison inmate?
Yes. Only approved individuals may deposit money - immediate family on the approved visiting list, the inmate's attorney, or one approved non-family member authorized by the Warden. You must submit a visitation application and pass a background check before you can send money. Applications take up to 90 days.
How do I send money online to a Montana state prison inmate?
Through the Montana DOC Inmate Trust Account Deposits portal at app.mt.gov/inmatebanking. Create an OKTA account using your legal name exactly as it appears on your ID (must match your visitation application). You need the last four digits of your SSN. Call (406) 444-4234 for help.
What facilities does the online portal serve?
Montana State Prison, Montana Women's Prison, Crossroads Correctional Center, and Dawson County Correctional Facility. Pine Hills Correctional Facility requires mailed deposits only.
What is the 20-day rule for mailed money orders?
Money orders or cashier's checks must be received by the facility within 20 days of the date of purchase. Older instruments will not be accepted.
What are the mailing rules for money orders?
U.S. Postal Service money orders or cashier's checks only. Include inmate's full name and AO number plus your full name and address. The envelope must be postmarked from the area near your listed residential address. Do not include any letters or other items - all contents will be returned if anything other than the money order is enclosed.
What is the AO number?
The AO number is Montana DOC's inmate identification number. Required for all deposit methods. Find it via the offender search at cor.mt.gov.
What if my person is at Saguaro Correctional Center in Arizona?
Saguaro is a contracted out-of-state facility. The Montana state portal does not apply. Download the Saguaro-specific deposit instructions from cor.mt.gov.
What vendor does Missoula County Detention use?
Debit, credit, or cash deposits at a lobby kiosk. Call 406-258-4000 for current instructions.
What vendor does Yellowstone County Detention use?
Own deposit process. Call 406-256-6881 for current instructions.
How do I send money to someone in federal prison from Montana?
Use the BOP Trust Fund - Western Union, MoneyGram, or bop.gov. You need the eight-digit BOP register number. Do not use the Montana DOC portal for federal inmates. ====================================================================
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