How to Send Money to Someone at Iowa State Penitentiary: All Your Options Explained
Sending money to someone at Iowa State Penitentiary is straightforward once you understand how Iowa's system works. The key thing to know: most commissary deposits go through a centralized banking location, while restitution and similar obligations are handled separately.
For commissary money, the Iowa Department of Corrections uses centralized offender banking. Fort Dodge Correctional Facility (FDCF) processes all incoming deposits for offender spending accounts - even if your loved one is housed at Iowa State Penitentiary. You're not sending funds directly to the prison. Everything routes through Fort Dodge, and other locations won't accept commissary deposits.
Mailing a cashier's check or money order for commissary? Send it to the centralized address - not the institution: IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, 1550 L Street, Suite B, Fort Dodge, IA 50501. Iowa no longer accepts money orders or cashier's checks dropped off at any institution. Mailing to Fort Dodge is the only way to avoid delays and returned payments.
- ✓ Use a cashier’s check or money order (not other forms of payment)
- ✓ Make it payable to: IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account
- ✓ Write the offender’s name
- ✓ Write the offender’s number
- ✓ Include your name (sender)
- ✓ Include your complete address (sender)
- ✓ Make sure all writing is legible
- ✓ Mail it to Fort Dodge (drop-offs at institutions are not accepted)
Need something faster than mail? Iowa allows electronic deposits through Access Corrections, JPay, or Western Union. Fees vary by company and payment method (online versus phone, for example), so compare your options before submitting.
- ✓ Online deposits: www.accesscorrections.com (fees start at $3.49)
- ✓ Phone deposits: 1-866-345-1884 (credit/debit card; phone fees noted as low as $4.49)
- ✓ Online deposits: www.JPay.com (Visa/MasterCard; fees range from $3.95 to $10.95 depending on deposit amount)
- ✓ Western Union Send2Corrections: you’ll need the recipient’s commissary number and the name of the correctional facility
- ✓ Phone deposits: 1-800-634-3422 (choose option 2); credit/debit card required
Restitution, court filing fees, and child support work differently than commissary deposits. Iowa State Penitentiary handles these directly - don't send those payments to the Fort Dodge fiduciary address. For questions about restitution, court fees, or child support, contact ISP at: Iowa State Penitentiary, PO Box 316, Fort Madison, IA 52627-0316.
Common Mistakes Tips
- ✓ Leaving off the offender number on a mailed cashier’s check or money order
- ✓ Making the payment out to the wrong payee (it must be payable to “IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account” for commissary deposits)
- ✓ Forgetting to include the sender’s name and complete address
- ✓ Sending the commissary deposit to an institution instead of mailing it to: IDOC Offender Fiduciary Account, 1550 L Street, Suite B, Fort Dodge, IA 50501
- ✓ Trying to drop off a money order or cashier’s check at an institution (drop-off is no longer accepted)
Quick tip: If speed matters, compare fees between Access Corrections, JPay, and Western Union - then use an electronic deposit. For Western Union Send2Corrections, have the commissary number and facility name ready before you start.
Find an Inmate at Iowa State Penitentiary
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
