Pennsylvania prison money & phone fees, compared
What it costs to send money and take calls from PA DOC, using only fees PA DOC publishes, each with its source and date. Where a fee isn't published, we say so; we never guess.
Sending money
Options PA DOC names: JPay (approved provider) (opens in new tab)
Official fees and rates
- Limits PA DOC publishes: up to $300 per card every 72 hours; $999.99 per money order; $5,000 per MoneyGram cash transaction.
Other official notes
- Deposits go through the state's approved provider, which PA DOC lists as JPay: online, by money order with a deposit slip, by walk-in cash through MoneyGram, or at lobby kiosks in each prison.
- Money orders must be sent to JPay, not to the prison. Do not include personal items; they are thrown away.
- If the person owes fines, costs or restitution, part of each deposit may go to that debt.
- PA DOC warns: do not send money for an inmate to any other person, website or email account.
Source: official PA DOC page (opens in new tab) · checked
Phone calls, video and messages
Options PA DOC names: Securus (approved phone provider) (opens in new tab), ConnectNetwork (approved email provider) (opens in new tab)
Official fees and rates
Not published on the official PA DOC page we read. Vendors show their fee before you pay; check it there.
Other official notes
- To receive calls, create a phone account with the state's approved phone provider, which PA DOC lists as Securus. Save the number in your contacts so calls aren't flagged as spam.
- Emails to inmates go through the state's approved provider, which PA DOC lists as ViaPath (ConnectNetwork). Customer service: 1-877-650-4249.
- Video visits are scheduled in PA DOC's Inmate Visitation System (IVS), at least two days ahead. Each person may have up to six video visits a month, including one on a weekend. Video visits are monitored and recorded.
Source: official PA DOC page (opens in new tab) · checked
Ways to keep costs down
- If PA DOC lists a free option (often a mailed money order), it says so above.
- Fees often step up with the amount; a vendor's checkout screen shows the exact fee before you pay.
- Compare states: all states side by side.
OutSooner has no sponsors or affiliate links; vendors are named only because PA DOC names them. Not financial or legal advice.
Other states · Pennsylvania mail rules · Visit-day checklist · Pennsylvania prisons and family guide
Sources: How we source and verify · Last verified: · Corrections