How to deposit funds, commissary, and payment options
Sending money to someone at FCI McDowell? Don't mail funds to the facility's street address. Any money sent through the mail has to go to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa. One supported option is MoneyGram ExpressPayment. You will need to follow MoneyGram's required account formatting and enter the facility's fixed receive code when prompted. Timing matters: transfers sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST generally post within 2–4 hours, while transfers sent after 9:00 p.m. post at about 7:00 a.m. the next morning. For any method, include the inmate's register number and full committed name. Matching depends on correct identifiers and the vendor's processing windows.
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Trying to put money on someone's account at FCI McDowell? Here's the most important thing: you can't send funds directly to the prison. Here's what actually works—and how to set up MoneyGram correctly the first time.
Trying to send money to someone at FCI McDowell? Don't put cash or a money order in an envelope addressed to the facility. The Bureau of Prisons doesn't accept mailed funds at the institution itself. All mailed payments have to go through a central processing center instead.
FCI McDowell does not accept mailed funds at the facility address. Mailed money must be sent to a centralized processing center in Des Moines, Iowa.
Use MoneyGram ExpressPayment and follow the vendor’s required account and beneficiary formatting, including the facility’s fixed receive code. Include the inmate’s register number and full committed name (some services require the register number followed immediately by the last name as the account identifier).
If you send a MoneyGram transfer between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST, it typically posts in 2–4 hours. Transfers sent after 9:00 p.m. usually post at about 7:00 a.m. the next morning.
A little prep before you leave can save you a wasted trip. Here's why calling ahead matters at FCI McDowell, and what to expect at check-in and screening.
Visiting someone at FCI McDowell means getting on their approved visitor list and passing a Bureau of Prisons background clearance. The process is straightforward once you know which form to fill out and what information you'll need to provide.
Want to reach someone at FCI McDowell? Start by confirming visit details by phone, follow Bureau of Prisons rules for sending money by mail, and use TRULINCS for electronic messages.
