How to deposit funds, commissary, and payment options
Do not mail cash or checks to the facility street address. Mailed funds must go to the designated processing center in Des Moines, Iowa. Money deposited by family, friends, or others goes into the incarcerated person's commissary account maintained by the Bureau. This account covers items not regularly issued by the institution: snacks, hygiene items, stamps, and phone or tablet credit. Use only the facility's approved deposit options, which may include an approved online vendor, an in-facility kiosk, or mailing funds to the processing center. Methods and vendors vary by facility. Include the person's full name and booking or OID number so funds post correctly.
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Want to help someone at FCI Sandstone buy snacks, hygiene items, or stationery? The money you send goes into their commissary account. One critical rule: never mail money directly to the institution's address.
No. Do not send money to FCI Sandstone using the facility’s street address. Mailed funds must be sent to a processing center in Des Moines, Iowa.
Funds you deposit are held in the incarcerated person’s commissary account maintained by the Bureau. The money can be used for commissary purchases and any account obligations.
Use FCI Sandstone's approved deposit methods: an approved online vendor, an in-facility kiosk, or mailing funds to the designated Des Moines processing center. Options and vendors vary by facility. If you mail a payment, follow the facility's requirements for accepted payment types. Many facilities do not accept personal checks.
Before you drive to FCI Sandstone, make one quick phone call. The visiting schedule posted online is the typical schedule, but it can change. And it doesn't cover every situation.
Yes, people in Bureau of Prisons custody have the right to access law library materials for legal research. The specifics depend on whether your loved one is housed at the main FCI, the satellite camp, or the FSL, and on local procedures at FCI Sandstone.
Getting approved to visit FCI Sandstone starts with paperwork and ends at the front desk with ID verification. Before you make the drive, call 603-342-4000 to confirm the visiting schedule. Visits can be restricted or canceled for safety reasons, severe weather, or other incidents that affect operations.
