How to Send Money and Mail to an Inmate at Estelle Unit
Sending money and mail to someone at the Estelle Unit comes down to using the right channels and formatting names correctly. Here's how to deposit funds, where to send personal mail, and two common mistakes that cause delays.
Deposits and Approved Sender Rule
- ✓ Money order or cashier’s check
- ✓ Monthly checking account debit (ACH)
- ✓ Access Corrections (Secure Deposits)
- ✓ ACE – America’s Cash Express
- ✓ eCommDirect (provided by Texas.gov)
- ✓ JPay
- ✓ TouchPay Payment System
Approved sender rule (effective Sept. 1, 2020): Only people on the inmate's approved visitor list or Inmate Telephone List can deposit money. Confirm you're on one of those lists before sending funds - otherwise your deposit will be rejected.
Warning: Don't send trust fund deposits directly to the Estelle Unit. Use one of the approved trust fund deposit options instead.
Keep trust fund business and personal mail separate. Don’t mail letters, photos, or any other personal items to the Inmate Trust Fund - those belong in the mail stream, not with deposits.
All personal mail for TDCJ inmates goes through the Digital Processing Center. Address your envelope exactly like this - include the inmate's full first and last name plus their TDCJ number: Texas Department of Criminal Justice Inmate's Full First and Last Name + TDCJ Number PO Box 660400 Dallas, TX 75266-0400
If your loved one transfers to another TDCJ unit, mail gets forwarded automatically within the system. Just keep using the correct name-and-number format so it routes properly.
After someone is released, letters only get forwarded if they left a forwarding address at their last unit. If they didn't, your mail may not reach them.
Practical Tips Verify and Record
- ✓ Confirm you’re on the inmate’s approved visitor list or Inmate Telephone List before you try to deposit money (this has been required since Sept. 1, 2020).
- ✓ Stick to the deposit options TDCJ lists (vendor options, money order/cashier’s check, or ACH).
- ✓ Save your confirmation/receipt for every deposit so you can reference it if there’s a problem later.
- ✓ Address personal mail to the TDCJ Digital Processing Center using the inmate’s full first/last name and TDCJ number.
- ✓ Keep proof of mailing (and tracking, if you use it) for anything you send.
- ✓ Don’t send personal mail or other items to the Inmate Trust Fund.
Find an Inmate at Estelle Unit, TX
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
