What you're actually paying for: fees families encounter with Sarasota County Jail
Jail costs add up fast—especially when you're trying to keep someone stocked with basics and connected to home. Here's a breakdown of the fees families encounter at Sarasota County Jail: what they're for, what they cost, and the limits that can catch you off guard.
Want to add commissary money in person? Sarasota County Jail has an automated deposit kiosk in the jail lobby at 2020 Main St. It's open 24 hours, which helps if you're working odd hours or can only get there late.
The lobby kiosk takes cash and credit/debit cards - but not money orders or $1 bills. Show up with a stack of singles or a money order, and you'll have to come back with a different payment method.
Heads up: Every kiosk deposit has a $4.00 service charge - $4.00 for cash deposits and $4.00 for credit/debit card deposits.
Don't want to make the trip? Online deposits are available 24/7 through SmartDeposit for Sarasota County, FL - you'll use the inmate's PIN as the ID number. Phone deposits work too, but only Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM at 1-866-394-0490.
Convenience has its own price tag. Phone deposits carry a $3.95 service charge; online deposits cost $2.95.
- ✓ Minimum deposit: $25
- ✓ Maximum single deposit: $100
- ✓ Weekly deposit limit: $200 per week
- ✓ Transaction limit: only five deposit transactions allowed per inmate and per credit card number
One fee that catches families off guard: daily meal charges. At Sarasota County Jail, inmates are charged for three meal trays each day - $1.50 per day total.
Medical care can also add charges to an inmate's account. The fees: $10.00 for a doctor's call, $10.00 for a dentist's call, $10.00 per prescription, and $5.00 for a nurse's call.
Using GettingOut to stay in touch? Budget for per-message costs. Two-way electronic messages run $0.25 each.
Tablets work differently than messaging. Sarasota County Jail may issue Global Tel*Link (GTL) tablets at the jail's discretion - there's no charge just to receive one.
The cost comes in when paying for time or services on the tablet. Friends and family deposit funds through GettingOut (website or app) using the inmate's first and last name and Resident ID. Plan carefully: any remaining tablet subscription time is nonrefundable if the inmate is released or loses tablet privileges.
- Do the math on messaging - at $0.25 per message, frequent back-and-forth can add up quickly.
- Set a weekly messaging budget - decide how many messages you can realistically send, then stick to that number to avoid surprise spending.
- ✓ If you can, make fewer deposits instead of many small ones - kiosk deposits carry a $4.00 service charge each time.
- ✓ Compare deposit methods: phone deposits have a $3.95 service charge, while internet deposits have a $2.95 service charge.
- ✓ Plan deposit amounts around the limits: the minimum deposit is $25, and the maximum single deposit is $100 (with a $200 weekly cap).
Note: Tablet subscription time isn’t refundable if the inmate is released or loses tablet privileges, so avoid loading more time than you’re comfortable losing.
Before heading to the lobby kiosk, double-check what it accepts: no money orders, no $1 bills. Using a card? Pace your deposits - only five transactions are allowed per inmate and per credit card number.
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