Why Your Money Order to NDOC Won't Be Available for 14 Days (And Faster Options)
Sent NDOC a money order or cashier's check, but your loved one still can't access it? Here's why: NDOC holds those funds for 14 days after they arrive.
When NDOC receives a money order or cashier's check directly, they hold the funds for fourteen calendar days before making them available. So even though you sent the money, your loved one won't be able to use it right away. If you're trying to cover something urgent - like phone calls or commissary basics - that two-week wait can feel like the money vanished. It didn't. It's just sitting in the hold period.
Plan for the delay: Your money order can be "received" and still unusable for two weeks. If timing matters, skip mailing funds directly to NDOC and use a faster method instead.
Why the hold? NDOC says it's about counterfeit prevention. Holding money orders and cashier's checks for fourteen calendar days gives them time to catch fraudulent instruments before releasing the funds. The policy protects both offenders and the system from the fallout of bad payments.
Need the money available faster? For phone calls specifically, funding an AdvancePay account through ConnectNetwork is the quickest option NDOC supports. You can also use Access Corrections for online credit or debit card deposits (or by calling Access Corrections). Either route avoids the direct-to-NDOC money order hold.
- ✓ Fund an offender’s AdvancePay (calling) account online at connectnetwork.com
- ✓ Use the ConnectNetwork mobile app (Android or iOS) to make AdvancePay deposits
- ✓ Set up or fund AdvancePay by phone at 800-483-8314 (automated system or live agent)
- ✓ Use a ViaPath installed kiosk (where available) to make AdvancePay deposits
- ✓ Make an AdvancePay deposit at a local Western Union location
- ✓ Mail a check or money order payable to ViaPath AdvancePay to: AdvancePay Service Dept., PO Box 911722, Denver, CO 80291-1722
- ✓ Use Access Corrections for online credit/debit card deposits (MasterCard or Visa) or by calling Access Corrections
- ✓ Use a Lockbox Deposit Coupon with a cashier’s check or money order (a standard NDOC method)
Fastest posting (per NDOC materials): Credit or debit card deposits to AdvancePay show up almost immediately.
- Use ConnectNetwork for AdvancePay - Go to connectnetwork.com (or use the ConnectNetwork mobile app) to set up and fund the calling account.
- Choose a credit/debit card when speed matters - Card deposits to AdvancePay appear in the account almost immediately, which is usually what you want when someone needs calling funds now.
- Call if you want help or don’t want to do it online - Use 800-483-8314 to fund through the automated system or speak with a live agent.
Before sending money, confirm timing with whichever vendor you're using - especially if you're not paying by credit or debit card. And if phone calls are the goal, keep in mind that phone-use restrictions vary by facility. Contact the specific facility where your loved one is housed (Lovelock Correctional Center, for example) to check for any restrictions that might affect whether the funds will actually help. If AdvancePay doesn't fit your needs, NDOC also lists Lockbox Deposit Coupons (cashier's check or money order) and Access Corrections (online card deposits or by calling Access Corrections) as standard options.
Find an Inmate at Lovelock Correctional Center
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
