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Sending Money

Sending Money to Someone at Broome County Jail: SmartDeposit vs. Bail Payments

• 2 min read Verified from official sources

At Broome County Jail, "sending money" can mean two very different things. Commissary deposits put funds on an incarcerated person's account so they can buy items inside the jail. Broome County Jail accepts those deposits through SmartDeposit (smartdeposit.com). Bail payments are a separate process entirely: bail is tied to getting someone released, and the county directs bail payers to its GovPayNet page (broomecountyny.gov/sheriff/govpaynet). Use the wrong channel and the money may not land where you intended. Take a minute to pick the right option before you pay.

For commissary deposits, use SmartDeposit. Broome County Jail lists SmartDeposit (smartdeposit.com) as the way to add money to an inmate's commissary account, which is the account they use for purchases inside the jail.

  • ✓ Call SmartDeposit to make a commissary deposit: (866) 394-0490.
  • ✓ Have the incarcerated person’s identifying details ready (for example, their name and booking information, if you have it) so your deposit is applied to the right account.
  • ✓ Save your confirmation or receipt after you pay, in case you need to track the deposit later.

Trying to pay bail? That's a different process. Broome County Jail points bail payers to the county's GovPayNet page at broomecountyny.gov/sheriff/govpaynet. This is completely separate from SmartDeposit commissary deposits.

Note: Before submitting any payment, confirm what you're trying to do. Commissary deposits go through SmartDeposit (website or (866) 394-0490), while bail is handled through the county's GovPayNet page. Save any confirmation numbers or receipts either way.

You may notice SmartDeposit (Access Corrections) advertising that you can "post a bail payment from anywhere." Even so, Broome County's own instructions for this jail direct bail payments to the county GovPayNet page. If your goal is release, follow the county's bail payment process rather than assuming a commissary vendor payment will count as bail.

  • ✓ Check the payment page you are using for fees and any processing-time details before you submit.
  • ✓ Confirm you are using the right channel: SmartDeposit for commissary, GovPayNet for bail.
  • ✓ Double-check the incarcerated person’s identifying information before you hit “pay.”
  • ✓ Keep your payment confirmation or receipt until the money posts and you no longer need to reference it.

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