Sending money, commissary, and trusted deposit methods

Only use deposit methods the jail (or county) publishes, and double-check you're funding the right account. Some Tennessee jails direct families to SmartDeposit to add money for an incarcerated person to use. McMinn County also states it has a lobby kiosk that accepts cash, credit, and debit cards for trust or commissary funding, and it lists Smart Deposit options for online or phone deposits.

If your goal is something other than commissary, read the vendor instructions carefully so you pick the right payment type. SmartDeposit advertises options like sending money to a loved one, posting bail, meeting court-ordered financial obligations, and making parole or probation payments. Some jails also offer care packages of pre-selected, jail-approved items through services like MyCarePack, which can be a good option when your facility allows it.

For county payments handled outside the jail (and only if the county or court tells you to use them), look for the county's published payment instructions. Coffee County's Trustee page, for example, lists an in-person payment location with weekday hours, a P.O. Box for mailed payments, and an after-hours drop-box (with a request not to place cash in the drop-box).