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Sending Money

How to Mail a Money Order to the Iowa DOC (Address, Payee, and a Checklist to Prevent Returns)

Sending money to someone in the Iowa Department of Corrections? The fastest way to avoid delays: use the exact payee name, write the required info clearly, and mail everything to one centralized address in Fort Dodge.

• 2 min read • doc.iowa.gov
How to Mail a Money Order to the Iowa DOC (Address, Payee, and a Checklist to Prevent Returns)

All Iowa DOC commissary deposits go to one address. Mail your cashier's check or money order here: IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account 1550 L Street, Suite B Fort Dodge, IA 50501 This is mail-only. Send it anywhere else, and you'll face delays - or get it returned.

Note: Iowa DOC no longer accepts money orders or cashier's checks by drop-off at any institution. Mailing to the Fort Dodge address is your only option.

On the

  • ✓ Use a cashier’s check or money order only (no personal checks or cash)
  • ✓ Write the offender’s name
  • ✓ Write the offender’s number
  • ✓ Write the sender’s name
  • ✓ Write the sender’s complete address
How to Mail a Money Order to the Iowa DOC (Address, Payee, and a Checklist to Prevent Returns)
  1. Buy a cashier’s check or money order - Iowa DOC requires deposits in this form (not personal checks or cash).
  2. Make it payable to “IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account” - match the payee wording exactly.
  3. Add the required identifying information - write the offender’s name and offender number, plus your name and complete return address.
  4. Double-check legibility before you seal it - unclear writing or missing details can derail processing.
  5. Mail it to the centralized Fort Dodge address - IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, 1550 L Street, Suite B, Fort Dodge, IA 50501.

Tip: Mail it with tracking and hang onto your receipt until delivery is confirmed.

Iowa DOC processes all incoming commissary money at one location: Fort Dodge Correctional Facility. The upside? If the person you're supporting transfers to a different institution, the money follows them.

If your deposit doesn't follow the guidelines - wrong format, missing details, or other issues - Iowa DOC will return it to you by mail. Take an extra minute to double-check the payee line and the offender/sender information before you send it.

  • ✓ Access Corrections (electronic funds transfer)
  • ✓ JPay (electronic funds transfer)
  • ✓ Western Union (electronic funds transfer)

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