Sending Money to an Inmate at SCI Dallas: JPay Step-by-Step

JPay is the system SCI Dallas uses for inmate deposits. You can make a deposit online through the JPay website.

Prefer to handle it by phone? Call JPay at 800-574-5729. It's a solid option when you don't have computer access but need to get money deposited quickly.

There's also an in-person option: JPay lobby kiosks located at SCI Dallas.

If you're sending a money order, mail it to JPay, not directly to SCI Dallas. Pennsylvania's guidance is clear: money orders are not accepted at state correctional institutions. JPay handles the processing.

• ✓ Include a deposit slip with the money order (deposit slips are available in visiting rooms and online)
• ✓ Inmate ID number
• ✓ Inmate name
• ✓ Sender’s name and address

Using a credit card through JPay? The limit is $300 per card every 72 hours for the inmate's account. If you hit that cap, you'll need to wait out the full 72-hour window before using the same card again.

For money orders, the limit is $999.99 per money order. You can send multiple money orders at the same time if you need to go above that amount.

Cash and walk-in transactions through MoneyGram allow up to $5,000 per transaction. That's the highest single-transaction option, so it works well when you need to send a larger amount at once.

One more thing to plan for: if the person you're sending money to owes fines, costs, or restitution, a percentage of your deposit may be applied to that debt. That means less money is immediately available for commissary or other approved spending.

Once your JPay deposit posts, the inmate receives an individual receipt showing the funds came through. If you're trying to confirm the money arrived, this receipt is the quickest way your loved one can verify it on their end.

Inmates at SCI Dallas also get a monthly statement listing all transactions and deposits. If there's ever a question about timing or amounts, that statement provides a full record.

Money orders can be confusing here. Pennsylvania's JPay guidance says money orders must be sent to JPay and are not accepted at state correctional institutions. But the Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Handbook also states that cash, money orders, and personal checks will not be accepted and will be returned to the sender. Before you mail a money order, verify the current instructions with SCI Dallas or JPay directly so you don't risk a return or delay.