Phone & Video Calls in New York (DOCCS)

New York’s phone, tablet, messaging, and video services are provided by Securus Technologies and its subsidiary JPay. Since August 1, 2025, voice calls are free; the other services remain fee-based.

Phone calls — free as of August 1, 2025

DOCCS phone service is provided by Securus, and as of August 1, 2025 these calls are free of charge to both the incarcerated person and the people receiving the calls. Calls may be placed to recipients in the United States, Canada, and U.S. territories, daily between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., and all calls are subject to electronic monitoring and recording.

Each incarcerated person is credited weekly with three free calls of up to 15 minutes; after those, additional calls are limited to 30 minutes each. Because calls are now free, a Securus account is no longer needed to fund them; people who held a Securus balance may request a refund of unused funds through Securus.

Tablets — provided through JPay

DOCCS issues tablets through JPay (a Securus company) at no cost to the incarcerated person. Tablets are used to place phone calls and to access DOCCS-approved educational material, purchased media, and the secure messaging service. Tablet access itself is free, but the media and messaging used on the tablet are fee-based.

Electronic messaging — JPay stamps

Two-way electronic messaging between an incarcerated person and approved contacts runs through JPay and is paid for with prepaid stamps. A standard message of up to 6,000 characters uses one stamp; stamps are sold in bundles and cost roughly 9 to 12 cents each depending on the bundle size. Attachments cost extra — a photo uses additional stamps and a VideoGram uses more. Each incarcerated person receives four free stamps per month, replenished on the first of the month. All messages are subject to content screening.

To set up messaging, families create an account at JPay.com or by calling JPay customer support. DOCCS states that neither the State nor DOCCS receives any commission on stamp purchases.

Video visits — Securus

New York offers video visits through Securus (Video Connect), scheduled and paid separately from phone calls. The free-calls policy does not cover video visits. Registration, approval, scheduling, and the rules for who may participate are handled through the visiting process — see Visiting in New York for how video visits are set up and what identification is required.

Paying for messaging and video

Phone calls are free, so no payment is needed for them. Messaging stamps and video visits are funded separately through JPay and Securus accounts. Funds added to an incarcerated person’s commissary or trust account are handled differently — see Sending Money in New York.

Verify Before Acting

For the general, nationwide overview of this topic, see the national guide: Staying in Touch.