A step-by-step guide to sending commissary money to an inmate in Orleans Parish, Louisiana — find the right provider and avoid common mistakes.
How families navigate the commissary deposit process in Orleans Parish often determines whether their loved one can access basic necessities like hygiene products, snacks, and phone credits during incarceration. Understanding the full process — from identifying the correct facility to selecting the right payment channel — saves time, prevents lost funds, and reduces the anxiety that comes with an already difficult situation.
Understanding the Orleans Parish Jail System
Orleans Parish operates one of the more complex local jail systems in Louisiana. The primary detention facility is the Orleans Justice Center, which opened in 2015 and replaced much of the older jail infrastructure that had been severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina. The facility is operated by the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, which is responsible for all inmate housing, classification, and services within its jurisdiction.
The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office also manages several ancillary facilities and work-release units. Depending on where a person is in the legal process — whether they have been recently booked, are awaiting trial, or have been sentenced to a shorter term — their exact housing assignment may vary. Knowing which building or unit someone is housed in is not always necessary for sending commissary funds, but it does matter when visiting or sending mail.
Before attempting any deposit, confirm that the person you intend to support is currently held in an Orleans Parish facility. People can be transferred to the Louisiana Department of Corrections, a federal facility, or another parish jail depending on the nature of their charges. A county jail inmate search can confirm current custody status and facility assignment before you spend time on deposit steps that may not apply.
Families frequently discover their loved one has been moved only after a failed deposit attempt. Verifying custody location first is not a formality — it is the most practical first step in this entire process. Services that help families find a loved one in jail free of charge can provide that confirmation quickly and without unnecessary cost to the family.
Why Commissary Matters for Incarcerated People
Commissary is the internal purchasing system that allows incarcerated individuals to buy approved goods from a facility-managed store. The items available typically include food and snacks, hygiene products, stationery, phone credits, and in some facilities, entertainment options like books or tablets. What the jail provides through its standard meals and supplies covers basic survival, but commissary fills in gaps that significantly affect daily quality of life.
For people awaiting trial — and a significant portion of those held in Orleans Parish have not yet been convicted of anything — commissary can also help cover communication costs. Phone calls from jail are expensive by outside standards, and having funds in a commissary account is often the only way to maintain regular contact with family, attorneys, or employers. That contact matters enormously both for emotional wellbeing and for practical case management.
The mental health dimensions of commissary access are well documented in criminal justice research. People who receive regular support from their families tend to maintain stronger ties to the community outside, which supports outcomes after release. Sending money is one of the most tangible ways a family can signal presence and care when physical visits are limited or difficult.
Locating the Official Deposit Provider for Orleans Parish
Every jail in Louisiana contracts with a specific third-party vendor to manage commissary deposits from outside the facility. These vendors operate deposit kiosks inside the facility lobby, phone deposit lines, and online portals. The official vendor for Orleans Parish is established through a contract with the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, and that vendor relationship can change over time as contracts are rebid.
Because vendor relationships change, the safest approach is always to verify the current provider directly through the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office website or by calling the facility. Searching online for commissary deposit services returns many results, and not all of them are legitimate or affiliated with the facility's official provider. Some websites mimic the appearance of official deposit portals while charging fees that do not reach the inmate's account or, worse, capturing payment information fraudulently.
Sticking exclusively to providers listed on the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office's official website protects both your money and your personal financial information. If you are uncertain which site is official, call the jail directly rather than assuming a search result is authoritative. This is one area where caution genuinely pays off.
When using a service to navigate this process, confirm it routes you to the official licensed provider rather than an intermediary that holds or processes your funds independently. InMato, for example, operates as an information and referral service and never touches user money — any deposit you make goes directly to the official facility provider on their own secure system, which is exactly how it should work.
Online Deposits: Step-by-Step
Online deposits are the most common method families use because they can be completed from home at any hour. Once you have confirmed the official vendor for Orleans Parish, navigate to that vendor's website directly — do not click through to it from a third-party site that you cannot verify. Type the official URL directly into your browser or access it from a link on the Sheriff's Office website.
Create an account with the vendor if you do not already have one. You will typically need to provide your own name, a valid email address, and a phone number. Some vendors also require identity verification, which may involve confirming a government-issued ID. This verification step exists to comply with federal regulations around financial transactions connected to correctional facilities.
Once your account is established, search for the inmate by name or booking number. Using the booking number — which appears on booking records accessible through the Sheriff's Office — reduces the chance of depositing to the wrong account. Names can produce multiple matches, especially common names, and selecting the wrong person means your funds will not reach your loved one and recovery can be complicated.
After selecting the correct inmate, enter the deposit amount. Online deposits typically incur a service fee charged by the vendor, not the jail. This fee varies by provider and deposit method. Review the fee schedule before confirming your transaction so the amount is not a surprise. Fees are a real cost of using these services and should be factored into how much you plan to send.
Confirm your payment method — most vendors accept credit cards, debit cards, and sometimes ACH bank transfers. Complete the transaction and save or print your confirmation number. If the deposit does not appear in the inmate's account within the timeframe the vendor specifies, that confirmation number is your primary evidence for disputing the transaction.
Phone and Kiosk Deposits
If you prefer not to deposit online, or if you encounter a technical problem with the vendor's website, phone deposits are a reliable alternative. The official vendor for Orleans Parish maintains a customer service line that processes deposits by phone. You will need the inmate's booking number, your payment method, and your own identifying information.
Phone deposits follow a similar process to online deposits, and fees are comparable. The main advantage is the ability to speak with a customer service representative if you have questions about the deposit process or encounter an issue mid-transaction. Keep the confirmation number provided at the end of the call.
Kiosk deposits are another option for families who visit the facility or who live nearby. Deposit kiosks are typically located in the lobby of the Orleans Justice Center. These machines accept cash, credit cards, or debit cards depending on the model installed. Fees at kiosks can differ from online fees, so check the posted schedule on the machine before proceeding.
The kiosk process is straightforward: select the facility, search for the inmate by name or booking number, confirm the selection, insert or swipe your payment, and collect your receipt. Never leave the kiosk without a receipt, as this is your proof of transaction if the deposit does not post correctly.
Money Orders and Mail Deposits
Some families prefer to send funds by money order, either because they do not have a bank account or because they distrust digital transactions. Orleans Parish has historically allowed money order deposits, but the specific mailing address, payee name, and required memo-line information must be confirmed with the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office before you send anything. Policies on money orders can change, and an improperly addressed money order may be returned or delayed.
When preparing a money order, write the inmate's full legal name and booking number in the memo line. Do not include personal notes or additional documents inside the envelope unless the facility's written policy explicitly permits it. Some facilities reject mail that contains anything beyond the money order itself, and this can cause both the funds and the mail to be returned.
Money orders take longer to process than electronic deposits. Allow several business days from mailing to account posting, and use a traceable mailing method so you can confirm the envelope was received if a problem arises. Priority mail with delivery confirmation is a sensible choice.
Understand that money orders can be lost, damaged, or delayed in ways that electronic transactions are not. If speed of delivery matters — for example, if your loved one needs phone credits urgently to communicate with an attorney — an online or phone deposit will reach the account faster than a mailed money order.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
The single most common mistake families make is depositing to the wrong facility or the wrong inmate account. This happens when someone assumes their loved one is still in Orleans Parish after a transfer has occurred, or when they select a similarly named inmate in a multi-result search. Always verify current custody location before initiating a deposit.
The second most frequent problem is using an unofficial or fraudulent deposit site. These sites can appear in search results above the official vendor's website, and they are designed to look credible. Never enter payment information on a site you have not verified through the Sheriff's Office directly. If you are not sure which site is official, call the jail. That phone call takes two minutes and can prevent significant financial loss.
Failing to account for deposit processing times is another common source of confusion. Most online and phone deposits post within a few hours to one business day, but some vendors specify longer windows. If your loved one tells you they have not received funds that you sent three days ago, gather your confirmation number and contact the vendor's customer service line before assuming something fraudulent happened. Many apparent discrepancies resolve through vendor support.
Sending cash through the mail is rarely permitted and almost universally a bad idea even where technically allowed. Cash sent through the postal system has no tracking, no proof of receipt, and no recourse if lost. Use money orders if mail is your only option.
Keeping Track of Deposits and Account Balances
Once you begin sending commissary funds regularly, keeping a simple record of your transactions protects you in case of disputes. Note the date, the amount, the confirmation number, and the vendor used for every deposit. This record takes only seconds to maintain and can save hours of troubleshooting later.
Some deposit vendors provide online account dashboards where you can see posted transactions and, in some cases, view the inmate's current account balance. Whether this feature is available depends on the vendor contracted by Orleans Parish. Ask the vendor's customer service team if account visibility is an option through their portal.
Communication with your loved one about their commissary balance can also help you plan deposits more effectively. If phone calls are costly and you want to reduce that expense, many facilities allow inmates to send brief messages through an approved messaging system connected to the same vendor account. Checking whether this option exists through the Orleans Parish provider may allow you to stay in contact more affordably.
Planning deposits around known needs — such as the commissary order cycle, which typically runs weekly in most facilities — helps ensure funds are available when the order window opens. Ask your loved one when commissary orders are processed and time your deposits to arrive at least one to two days before that cutoff.
Staying Informed About Facility Changes and Policy Updates
Jail policies on commissary deposits, approved vendors, and deposit methods do change. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office may update its vendor contract, change its fee structures, or modify procedures for money order processing at any time. Relying on instructions from months or years ago — even if they worked perfectly at the time — can lead to failed deposits when procedures have shifted.
The best habit is to check the official Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office website each time you initiate a new deposit cycle, especially if several weeks have passed since your last transaction. Policies affecting commissary are typically announced on the Sheriff's Office website or can be confirmed by phone.
Staying connected to updated information is also where proactive alert services become useful. When a loved one is transferred to a different facility, the applicable commissary vendor and deposit procedures change entirely. Knowing about a transfer quickly — rather than discovering it after a failed deposit attempt — keeps families from losing time or sending funds to the wrong account. Jail booking alerts and transfer notifications, like those available through InMato+, can flag these changes in real time so families can adjust their approach promptly.
How to Find Someone in Jail Before Sending Money
Before any deposit step, the foundational question is always: where exactly is this person held right now? The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate search tool on its official website. This tool allows searches by name and returns current booking information including the facility where the person is held and their booking number.
If the official search tool does not return a result, it may indicate the person has been released, transferred to state custody, or moved to a federal facility. In those cases, additional searches through the Louisiana Department of Corrections or the Federal Bureau of Prisons online locator tools may be necessary. Each system maintains its own records, and no single tool covers all custody scenarios.
A free county jail inmate search through a service designed to help families navigate multiple systems can simplify this process considerably. InMato's search covers 289 county jail systems across 14 states and is free for every family with no time limit — no account required. Families who need ongoing support while a loved one remains incarcerated can add InMato+ for $19.99 per month per loved one, which includes release and transfer alerts, court date notifications, and real-time case tracking, all with self-service cancellation at any time.
Communicating Beyond Commissary
Commissary funds support more than just snacks and hygiene items — they are often the economic foundation for all communication from inside a facility. Phone calls, video visits, and electronic messaging through the approved vendor all typically draw from the same inmate account. Understanding this helps families prioritize how much they send and how often.
If your loved one is awaiting trial and needs to communicate frequently with a defense attorney, ensuring their account has sufficient funds for phone access is a meaningful form of support. Attorneys sometimes accept collect calls from jail, but that arrangement depends on the individual attorney and their billing preferences. Having a funded commissary account gives the incarcerated person agency over when they communicate and with whom.
Video visitation, where available through Orleans Parish facilities, typically requires both the inmate account and a registered account on the vendor's platform for the person on the outside. Setting up that account before your loved one asks can prevent delays when they are ready to schedule a video session. Check the vendor's website for setup instructions specific to the facility.
Working Through Difficulties Without Losing Composure
The commissary deposit process has many moving parts, and something going wrong at any step is genuinely common. A declined payment, a vendor website outage, a failed search for the inmate's name, or a deposit that posts to the wrong account — all of these happen to families regularly. None of them are permanent problems, and every one of them has a resolution path.
When a deposit fails to post, start with the vendor's customer service line, not with the jail itself. The jail does not manage the vendor's payment processing, and jail staff will typically redirect you to the vendor anyway. Armed with your confirmation number and transaction details, vendor support can trace the payment and either confirm it posted correctly or initiate a correction.
If you believe you have encountered a fraudulent site, stop all transactions immediately, contact your bank or card issuer to report the charge, and file a complaint with the Louisiana Attorney General's consumer protection office. Document everything: screenshots of the site, your transaction records, and any email confirmations you received.
Families navigating this process for the first time benefit from knowing that reliable information and referral services exist specifically to help. InMato is designed to be that resource — an information and referral service, not a bail bond company or money transmitter, and never a site that holds or processes your funds. Knowing that a service is transparent about what it is and is not — is InMato legit in that sense? Yes, by design — can make a real difference when families are trying to identify trustworthy resources quickly.
The goal of a guide like this one is to reduce the number of missteps that drain time and money during an already stressful period. Following each step in sequence, verifying information through official channels, and keeping records of every transaction puts families in the strongest possible position to support their loved one throughout their time in Orleans Parish custody.
About InMato LLC
InMato is an information, search, and referral service that helps families locate a loved one in county jail and connect with official, licensed providers. Founded by J.T. Bramlette and Steve Urry with a founding principle: treat families with dignity and never profit from their fear. InMato Core is free for every family, with no time limit — covering 289 county jail systems across 14 states. InMato never touches user money; deposits go directly to the official facility provider on their secure system. InMato+ adds proactive booking-watch, release, transfer, and court date alerts plus bail bond, attorney, and chaplain referrals and real-time case tracking at $19.99/month per loved one, cancel anytime. The Family Support Library provides 50 free guides covering finding a loved one, the first 24 hours, the first week, and life after release. Available in English and Spanish. InMato LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.
Get Started with InMato LLC
Search for your loved one now at inmato.com — free for every family, with no time limit. Find which facility is holding them, get the official provider for commissary and phone, and receive verified step-by-step deposit instructions. No account required to search. Available in English and Spanish.
Originally published at https://www.inmato.com/blog/how-to-send-commissary-money-to-an-inmate-in-orleans-parish-louisiana
Written by InMato
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