How to deposit funds, commissary, and payment options
Since September 1, 2020, only approved visitors or people on an inmate's Inmate Telephone List can deposit funds for someone at the Telford Unit. Don't mail deposits to the unit itself. Send a money order or cashier's check made payable to Inmate Trust Fund, along with a deposit slip, to PO Box 60, Huntsville, TX 77342-0060. Cash and personal checks are not accepted and will be returned. For ACH monthly debit, deposits are processed around the 5th and typically credited around the 10th (forms and a voided check must be mailed to the Inmate Trust Fund address). For online purchases, eCommDirect is the only approved program. It has quarterly limits, one purchase per inmate per day, waiting rules for newly received inmates, and service fees.
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Sending money to someone in a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) prison is straightforward once you know the approved methods and the rules about who can send funds.
Sending money to someone in TDCJ is straightforward once you know two things: who can send funds, and which deposit methods are accepted. Here are the approved options, along with the rules, addresses, fees, and limits that often trip people up.
Only approved visitors or people listed on the inmate’s Inmate Telephone List may deposit funds for a Telford Unit inmate. This rule has been in place since September 1, 2020.
Mail a money order or cashier’s check payable to Inmate Trust Fund, along with a deposit slip, to PO Box 60, Huntsville, TX 77342-0060. Do not send deposits to the inmate’s facility address, and do not include personal mail or items. Cash and personal checks are not accepted and will be returned.
eCommDirect is the only approved online program for sending purchases to TDCJ inmates. Limits are $70 per quarter for Jan–Mar, Apr–Jun, and Jul–Sep, and $95 for Oct–Dec, with only one purchase per inmate per day and newly received inmates eligible starting the next calendar quarter. Purchases have a $3.75 transaction fee, and deposits have a $2.50 fee plus 2.25%.
A long drive to a TDCJ unit is hard enough. Getting turned away at the gate is worse. Use this checklist to confirm the person's status, verify visiting is actually happening that day, and avoid bringing anything that could end your visit before it starts.
A little prep work before you leave can save you a long drive and a missed visit. Use this checklist to confirm the person you're visiting is at the right unit, eligible for visits, and that you're bringing the right ID and allowed items.
TDCJ allows inmates to write to each other in limited situations. There's a specific approval step, and the mail still gets screened like any other general correspondence.
