Who Can Send Money to an Inmate in North Carolina? The Approved-Visitor Rule (What Families Need to Know)

The North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC) limits who can add money to an offender's trust fund account. Only people already on the offender's approved visitor list can make deposits. Send money from someone who isn't approved, and the payment gets rejected by the vendor processing these deposits.

The biggest takeaway for families and friends: don't assume anyone can pitch in by mailing a money order. If the sender isn't on the approved visitor list, the vendor can reject the deposit outright instead of posting it to the trust account. That means delays and extra stress - especially when you're trying to help with basics like commissary or phone time. Before mailing anything, make sure the person sending the funds is an approved visitor for that specific offender.

Before sending money, confirm two things: the sender is on the offender's approved visitor list, and you have the offender's information exactly right. The deposit form instructions stress using the offender's full name and double-checking the offender number (OID) - take an extra minute here. Need help verifying details? North Carolina's offender search page lets you look someone up by offender status, last name, first name, middle initial, offender number (OID), gender, race, ethnic group, birth date, and age range. Matching the name and OID carefully helps avoid problems that can slow down or derail your deposit.

If a mailed money order has a problem or doesn't seem to post, contact ViaPath at moneyorders@viapath.com. Wait at least one week after mailing before you reach out - earlier inquiries usually won't help, since mail and processing take time to move through the system.