How to Send Money to an Inmate at William P. Clemens Unit: Approved Sender Rules and Deposit Options

Here's the key rule for the William P. Clemens Unit: only certain people can deposit money into an inmate's trust fund account. Since September 1, 2020, you must be listed on either the inmate's Approved Visitor List or their Inmate Telephone List (sometimes called the Approved Phone List). If you're not on one of those lists, your deposit can be rejected. Verify your status before sending anything.

Once you're approved, you have several deposit options. TDCJ accepts money orders or cashier's checks, monthly checking account debits (ACH), Access Corrections (Secure Deposits/ACE), eCommDirect through Texas.gov, JPay, and the TouchPay Payment System. Each method has its own steps and required details - follow the instructions for whichever you choose to avoid delays or rejected deposits.

Using eCommDirect? Factor in the fees so you send the right amount. Deposits cost $2.50 plus 2.25% of the deposit total. If you're buying items (not just depositing funds), there's a separate $3.75 purchase transaction fee. Budget accordingly.

eCommDirect purchases are capped by calendar quarter. The limit is $70 for January–March, $70 for April–June, and $70 for July–September. October–December has a higher cap - $95 - since it's treated as the holiday quarter. Keep this in mind if you're planning to spread support throughout the year.

Timing matters for new arrivals. Inmates who just arrived at the Clemens Unit can't receive eCommDirect purchases until the next calendar quarter. If you need to help right away, use one of the other deposit methods - like a direct trust-fund deposit - while you wait for eCommDirect eligibility to kick in.

Worried a deposit didn't go through? Trust Fund staff can confirm whether it was received. They won't share the inmate's account balance or transaction details with you - that information is only available to the inmate. It's a standard privacy rule. Just ask whether the deposit arrived.

For the specifics - exact amounts, dates, withdrawals - your loved one is the one who can see them. Inmates receive monthly trust fund statements listing all transactions for that period, including deposits and authorized payments. If something seems off, ask them to check their statement. That's usually the fastest way to figure out what happened.

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• ✓ Ask the inmate to add you to their Approved Visitor List or their Inmate Telephone (Approved Phone) List.
• ✓ Verify you’re an approved sender before attempting a deposit, so your payment doesn’t get rejected.

Once you're approved, pick whichever deposit method works best for you: money order, cashier's check, ACH, Access Corrections (ACE), eCommDirect through Texas.gov, JPay, or TouchPay. Check the deposit-methods section above for instructions on your chosen option.