Sending Money in Illinois (IDOC)

Money for an incarcerated person in Illinois goes into the person’s individual trust account, held by IDOC. Deposits are handled by JPay, Western Union (Send2Corrections), and MoneyGram; IDOC has stated it no longer uses GTL (ConnectNetwork/ViaPath) for deposit services. Each vendor has its own fees and processing times, set by the vendor and subject to change.

Online and phone deposits

JPay. Deposits can be made online at JPay or through the JPay app, or by phone, using a debit or credit card. JPay sets its own service fee, which varies with the amount sent.

Western Union (Send2Corrections). Deposits can be made online or by phone through Western Union, or in person at a Western Union agent location. Western Union’s Send2Corrections service uses a code city of ILDOC and state of IL to route funds to IDOC.

MoneyGram. Deposits can be made in person at a MoneyGram agent location, including many retail stores, using the IDOC receive code 7364, or online through MoneyGram.

For each method, the sender provides the person’s full name and IDOC ID number. IDOC states that funds sent by JPay and Western Union are anticipated to post within 24–48 business hours, and funds sent by MoneyGram within 72–96 business hours. IDOC also lists per-transaction limits: up to $5,000 for electronic transfers, except MoneyGram, which is capped at $3,000. Vendor fees and these figures are set by IDOC and the vendors and can change — confirm the current terms before sending.

By mail (money order)

IDOC accepts money orders for the trust account, made payable to JPay and sent to the JPay lockbox — not to the facility. Per IDOC, money orders may not exceed $999.99, and must include the lockbox deposit slip with the person’s name and IDOC ID number plus the sender’s name and address. The address IDOC lists is:

JPay PO Box 260250 Hollywood, FL 33026

Confirm the current lockbox address and deposit-slip requirements on the IDOC Individual in Custody Deposit Services page before mailing, because lockbox addresses change.

What the trust account pays for

Money in the trust account is what the person draws on for everyday costs inside:

• Commissary — food, hygiene items, stamps, and other approved goods sold at the prison.
• Phone and tablet services — phone calls and tablet messaging and media are paid for from the trust account. For how phone and video accounts are set up, see Phone and Video in Illinois.

Whether a deposit is available immediately for phone time or commissary depends on the vendor’s posting time and the prison’s schedule.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Sending Money.