Phone Calls from Mount Pleasant Cost 6 Cents per Minute — How the System Works

Calls at Mount Pleasant only go one direction: out. The facility doesn't accept incoming calls to inmates - you can't call and ask to be connected. If you're waiting to hear from someone inside, they have to be the one to dial.

1. Give your number to the offender - they can’t call you until they have the exact number you want to use.
2. Ask them to add it to their approved calling list - Mount Pleasant requires your number to be on that approved list before they’re allowed to place a call to it.
3. If you’re not getting calls, circle back on the approved list - since you can’t call in, the fix usually starts with confirming your number was added correctly.

Here's the good news on cost: local, intrastate, and interstate calls from Mount Pleasant all run $0.06 per minute. The rate stays flat whether the call is across town, elsewhere in Iowa, or to another state entirely.

International calls don’t follow the flat $0.06-per-minute rate. If you’re outside the U.S. (or your loved one is trying to reach an international number), expect the pricing to vary.

Phone revenue in Iowa doesn't just disappear into general coffers. Under Iowa law (Chapter 904.508A), the Department maintains an inmate telephone fund, and those proceeds are designated for inmate benefit.

• ✓ Legal services
• ✓ Religious accommodations
• ✓ Education
• ✓ Victim services

Practical Tips

• ✓ Confirm the offender added your number to their approved calling list (they can’t call you until it’s on that list).
• ✓ Remember calls are outbound-only, so you can’t call Mount Pleasant and have staff connect you to an inmate.

If phone contact is slow to start, don't take it personally. The system requires the person inside to initiate calls, and your number needs approval first. While you wait for that to go through, lean on other options like mail or in-person visits - especially since you can't call in and ask staff to put someone on the line.