How to Send Money to an Inmate at Frederick County Detention Center

Frederick County Detention Center doesn't accept money orders, cashier's checks, or any funds through the mail. Your only two options for adding commissary funds are the on-site kiosks in the Visitation lobby or SmartDeposit online.

For in-person deposits, head to the commissary kiosks in the Visitation lobby. These machines let you add funds directly to an inmate's commissary account.

• ✓ Pay at the kiosk with cash or a credit card.
• ✓ Bring bills of $5 or larger (no bills under $5).
• ✓ Don’t bring coins - the kiosks don’t accept them.
• ✓ If you’re using a credit card, the address on your driver’s license must match the billing address on the card.

1. Log in or register - If you’ve used SmartDeposit before, sign in with your username and password. If not, register and enter an email address so SmartDeposit can send you confirmation.

1. Add the inmate as a recipient - Use the “Add Recipient” option, select the state, select the facility, and then search using the inmate ID or the inmate’s first and last name.

Once you're logged in and have added the inmate to your recipient list, select your deposit amount and confirm. SmartDeposit sends a confirmation to the email you registered with.

If an inmate had cash on them at the time of incarceration, that money is deposited into an institutional account in the inmate’s name. Those funds can then be used for commissary purchases.

Common Problems

• ✓ Kiosk cash deposits: don’t bring bills under $5.
• ✓ Kiosk cash deposits: don’t bring coins.
• ✓ Kiosk card deposits: make sure your driver’s license address matches your credit card billing address.
• ✓ SmartDeposit: use the correct inmate ID or the correct first and last name when selecting the recipient.

Before you hit submit or feed cash into the kiosk, pause for a quick double-check. At the kiosk, the biggest issues are payment format: cash must be $5 bills or larger (no coins), and card payments get rejected if the billing address doesn't match your driver's license. For SmartDeposit, focus on recipient details - selecting the right facility and entering the correct inmate ID keeps your deposit from ending up in the wrong account.

Having trouble with phone account payments or prepaid phone service? Contact Pay Tel Communications at 1-800-729-8355 or CSR@paytel.com.

For questions about commissary deposits, contact the Frederick County Adult Detention Center at 301-600-2550 or visit 7300 Marcies Choice Ln, Frederick, MD 21704.