Penmate Inmate Support Guides
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How to Register Your Phone Number to Receive Calls from a TDCJ Inmate

Getting calls from someone in TDCJ starts with enrolling your phone number. Have the inmate's TDCJ ID number ready, and make sure the phone line is actually in your name.

• 3 min read • tdcj.texas.gov
How to Register Your Phone Number to Receive Calls from a TDCJ Inmate

You'll need to register your phone number through the Texas Inmate Telephone Friends & Family Enrollment site - the inmate can't do this from inside. Have their TDCJ ID number ready before you start. During enrollment, you'll confirm that you're the registered owner of the phone number and that you're giving permission for the inmate to call it.

Need help registering by phone? TDCJ lists a telephone registration assistance line at (866) 806-7804.

How to Register Your Phone Number to Receive Calls from a TDCJ Inmate

The most common snag? Name mismatches. The name on your driver license or state ID must match the name on your phone bill or telephone listing. If your service is under someone else's name - or a business name - your number won't be eligible until that's fixed.

  • ✓ You are the registered owner of the telephone number and you agree to allow the inmate to call it.
  • ✓ You are at least 18 years old.
  • ✓ You will not forward calls, make three-way calls, or use a speakerphone on calls received from the inmate.

Once enrolled, calls can only come through when phones are available at the unit. TDCJ's general window is 5:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. daily, though unit conditions can shift those times on certain days.

Calls are capped at 30 minutes. You'll hear an automated warning one minute before the line disconnects - if you're mid-conversation, wrap up quickly once that notice hits.

Assume every call is monitored and recorded - TDCJ says all calls are subject to monitoring except those to the attorney of record. There are also limits on what numbers inmates can dial: home landlines, post-paid cell phones, and pre-paid cell phones only. Numbers outside those categories may not work even after you complete enrollment.

  1. Look up the TDCJ ID online - Use the TDCJ online inmate search to find the inmate’s TDCJ ID number.
  2. Call for help if you’re stuck - TDCJ lists the ITS help line at (866) 806-7804 for registration assistance.

Tip: If you can, use the online Friends & Family Enrollment first - phone lines have limited hours and can be hard to catch during the workday.

Planning to call for help? Double-check the hours first. TDCJ says phone assistance is available Monday–Friday starting at 8 a.m., but different pages list different closing times - some say 4 p.m., others say 5 p.m. If you can't get through late in the day, try earlier the next business day or just use online enrollment instead.

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