How to Put Money on an Inmate's Account in SoCal County Jails

Every Southern California county jail lets family and friends put money on a person's account, sometimes called their "books" or trust account. How you do it depends on the county: Riverside, San Bernardino and Los Angeles accept deposits online, while Orange County takes cash and money orders at two jail cashier windows or by mail. Below is each sheriff's official method, plus a few tips that save time and money.

What the money is used for

Money on an inmate's account lets them buy things from the jail store (commissary), such as snacks, hygiene items, writing supplies and, in many jails, phone time. Inmates are not allowed to carry cash, so everything runs through this account.

One important point: money on someone's books does not pay their bail and does not get them out sooner. Bail is a separate process. If your goal is release, see how bail works first.

Before you send anything: get the booking number

Almost every deposit method asks for the person's full name and booking number. You can find both through the sheriff's online inmate locator for that county. Our guide on how to find someone in jail in Southern California walks through each county's search.

If the person was just arrested by a city police department, they may still be in a city jail or holding facility. Many of those are short-term, so it is often easier to wait until they show up in the county jail system before sending money.

Riverside County

The Riverside County Sheriff's Office uses Access Corrections for deposits. According to the Sheriff's "Money" page, you have four options:

• Online through Access Corrections, using a Visa or MasterCard.
• By phone at 1-866-345-1884, 24 hours a day, with bilingual agents available.
• Lobby kiosks that take cash or card at the Robert Presley Detention Center, Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility and Cois M. Byrd Detention Center (24 hours), the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio (weekdays) and the Blythe jail (daily). You can use any facility's kiosk no matter where the person is housed. Kiosks do not make change and do not take bills under $5.
• By mail with a U.S. Postal money order only, with the inmate's name and booking number on the front. Cash and personal checks sent by mail are returned.

Online, phone and kiosk deposits carry a service fee that depends on the amount and how you pay, and the fee is shown before you confirm. For jail-specific details, see our pages on Robert Presley Detention Center and Cois M. Byrd Detention Center.

San Bernardino County

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department's published public information plan lists these deposit methods:

• Online or by phone through TouchPay at TouchPayDirect.com or (866) 232-1899. You will need the facility ID listed by the Sheriff, which was 291739 at the time of publication.
• Kiosks in the jail visiting lobbies.
• By mail with a cashier's check or money order sent to the facility where the person is housed. Cash by mail is not accepted, and personal checks are not accepted.

An inmate's account balance cannot go over $500. Deposits that would push it over are blocked or returned. Checks can take up to five working days to clear. Because that document dates from 2022, call the Sheriff's public information line at (909) 350-2476 if anything does not match what you see. Also note that the Sheriff's Department says bail agents are not allowed to put money on an inmate's trust account, so this has to come from family or friends.

Orange County

Orange County works differently. The Orange County Sheriff's Department's Cashier and Bail Information page does not list an online or phone deposit option. Its official methods are:

• In person with cash or a money order at the jail cashier at the Intake Release Center, 550 N. Flower St., Santa Ana (open 24 hours), or at the Theo Lacy Facility, 501 The City Drive S., Orange (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily).
• Money orders made payable to "County of Orange – Sheriff's Department," with the inmate's name and booking number written on the memo line. You can drop them at the cashier or mail them to the inmate.
• Government checks (city, county, state or federal) payable to the inmate must be mailed to them, and they endorse it for deposit.

Personal checks, cashier's checks and traveler's checks are not accepted. The maximum balance is $500, and the Sheriff says funds are usually available about 30 minutes after the transaction.

San Diego County

The San Diego County Sheriff's Office posts its current deposit options on the Commissary page of sdsheriff.gov, under the Detention Services Bureau. Check that page first, because it reflects any changes in vendors or kiosks.

The Sheriff's written detention policy on inmate money allows cash deposits at the detention facilities and accepts certain mailed items, such as cashier's checks from U.S. banks and money orders. Personal checks are only accepted for bail or fines, not for inmate accounts. The policy caps account balances at $500, and larger checks or money orders can be held for up to five working days before posting. If you are not sure, call the facility before you drive there.

Los Angeles County

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) started taking online deposits through Access Corrections on July 28, 2025. LASD's options are:

• Online through Access Corrections. LASD requires a valid residential address. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
• In person with a valid government photo ID at the Inmate Reception Center, 450 Bauchet St., Los Angeles, or the Century Regional Detention Facility, 11705 S. Alameda St., Lynwood.
• Cash kiosks at the Pitchess Detention Center visiting center in Castaic, available during visiting hours, with photo ID.
• By mail with a certified bank cashier's check or U.S. Postal money order (only postal money orders from outside California), payable to the inmate's name and booking number. For male inmates, mail to P.O. Box 86164, Terminal Annex, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164. For female inmates, mail to the Century Regional Detention Facility address.

LASD caps mailed deposits at $200, and mail that would push a trust account over $300 is returned. For questions, LASD lists cashier numbers of (213) 893-5875 for male inmates and (323) 568-4535 for female inmates.

Tips that prevent problems

• Use only the methods on the sheriff's site. Search results are full of look-alike payment sites. If a site is not linked or named by the sheriff, do not use it.
• Double-check the booking number. A wrong number can send money to the wrong account or get it returned.
• Do not mail cash or personal checks. Most counties in this guide return them, and it is the easiest way to have a deposit delayed.
• Watch the balance limits. If you and other relatives all send money the same night, a deposit may be rejected for going over the cap.
• Keep your receipt or confirmation number in case a deposit does not post.
• Ask about leftover money at release. Rules differ by county. In Los Angeles County, for example, trust accounts are purged about 30 days after release, so unclaimed funds take longer to get back.

Should you put money on their books or post bail?

Both, sometimes. A small deposit helps your loved one get phone time to call you and buy basics while you work on release. But if they are eligible for bail, posting it is what actually brings them home. A licensed bail agent can tell you the bail amount and what it would cost. Premiums are typically 10% of the bail amount, based on rates filed with the California Department of Insurance, and payment plans are available.

This article is general information, not legal advice. For questions about your case, talk to a criminal defense attorney.

Need help now?

OnCall Bail Bonds has licensed agents who answer 24/7 in English and Spanish. We can look up your loved one, explain the bail amount and let you sign everything from your phone. Call (951) 339-3801 or start bail online.