How to Send Money to an Inmate at Wake County Detention (including the 14-Day Escrow)
Sending money by mail? Wake County Detention accepts money orders, certified checks, and payroll checks. Here's the catch: mailed funds sit in escrow for 14 days before the inmate can spend them. This waiting period gives the check or money order time to clear. Make the payment out to the inmate's full name so the facility can apply it correctly. Personal checks aren't accepted for mail deposits - stick with an approved payment type from the start to avoid having your deposit returned.
- ✓ Make the money order or check payable in the inmate’s full name
- ✓ Don’t send a personal check (it won’t be accepted)
- ✓ Plan for the 14-day escrow hold before the inmate can access mailed funds
Note: Mailed money orders, certified checks, and payroll checks are held in escrow for 14 days before the inmate can access the money.
Wake County treats cash and mailed payments very differently. Cash deposits hit the inmate's account immediately. Money orders and checks sent through the mail? They're locked in escrow for 14 days. This matters if you're trying to help someone buy basics right away. A mailed money order works fine for ongoing support, but it won't cover same-week needs.
Tip: If you need the funds available right away, cash deposits are credited immediately.
Wake County offers online deposits through Access Corrections. For many families, this is the easiest option - no trip to the post office, no waiting for mail delivery, and you can handle everything from home.
- ✓ Use online deposits through Access Corrections if you want to avoid the 14-day escrow that applies to mailed money orders/checks
- ✓ Double-check fees and make sure you’re selecting the correct inmate when you submit the deposit
Wake County's posted instructions send mixed signals about in-person deposits. The Sheriff's Office says no in-person deposits are being accepted right now. But the same instructions list two transaction locations with specific hours. Bottom line: verify before you make the trip. Call ahead to confirm they're actually taking deposits at the window - otherwise you might show up with cash and get turned away.
- Check the John H. Baker Jr. Public Safety Center option - Transactions are listed as available at 330 S. Salisbury St. (Raleigh), Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- Check the Wake County Detention Center option - Transactions are listed as available at 3301 Hammond Road (Raleigh), 1st Floor, Visitation Glass Window, with hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.
Note: The Sheriff’s Office also states that no in-person deposits are being accepted at this time, so verify current practice before you go.
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