Sending money to an inmate in Texas: who can send, how, and processing holds

In TDCJ, not everyone can put money on an inmate's account. Since September 1, 2020, only approved senders (people on the inmate's approved visitor list or the Inmate Telephone List) can deposit funds. TDCJ lists multiple ways to deposit to the Inmate Trust Fund, including money orders or cashier's checks and several electronic options (such as ACH monthly debit and third-party deposit services). If you mail a deposit, send the money order or cashier's check with the completed deposit slip to: Inmate Trust Fund, PO Box 60, Huntsville, TX 77342-0060. You can get deposit slips from the offender, or request them by mailing a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the same PO Box.

Plan for processing holds if you're sending a larger amount. In TDCJ, single-transaction deposits of $500 or more (and certain types of checks, like insurance, company, payroll, and estate checks) are held for 14 days before the inmate can access the money. If your loved one is in a federal facility in Texas (BOP), MoneyGram ExpressPayment has its own timing rules. Funds sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time generally post within 2 to 4 hours. Funds sent after 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time generally post the next morning. Federal MoneyGram payments require a specific account-number format: the inmate's register number followed immediately by the last name.