To make a Pinellas County Jail commissary deposit, you can send money online or by phone through ConnectNetwork, feed cash into a self-service kiosk in the jail lobby, or mail a money order to the Inmate Accounting office. Each route needs the inmate’s full legal name and docket number, and part of what you send may be pulled out automatically to cover jail fees before the inmate can spend it.
What You Need Before You Send Money
Every deposit method asks for the inmate’s full legal name and docket number (sometimes called a booking number). Mailed money orders also need the inmate’s current housing assignment written on them.1Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail – Inmate Information If any of that is wrong, the money can be delayed or sent to the wrong account. You can look up an inmate’s information using the “Who’s In Jail” search on the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office website.
Online and Phone Deposits Through ConnectNetwork
The fastest option is ConnectNetwork (connectnetwork.com), the deposit platform operated by ViaPath Technologies. Create an account with your contact information and a payment method, search for the inmate and add them to your account, then choose “Trust Fund,” enter the amount, and pay with a U.S.-based credit or debit card.
ConnectNetwork charges a service fee on every transaction. The fee depends on the facility and the deposit amount, and the site calculates the total before you confirm payment.2ConnectNetwork. Depositing Money for an Inmate Commissary Deposits are available 24 hours a day. For online deposit problems, ConnectNetwork’s customer service line is 877-650-4249.1Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail – Inmate Information
ConnectNetwork also takes trust fund deposits by phone through an automated system, using the same fee structure. You may need the facility’s “Site ID,” which is listed on ConnectNetwork’s facility directory.3ConnectNetwork. ConnectNetwork Trust Fund
In-Person Kiosks and Money Order Drop-Off
The jail has self-service kiosks in the Public Lobby and the Misdemeanor Probation Office, both at 14400 49th Street North, Clearwater, FL 33762.1Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail – Inmate Information The kiosks accept cash and walk you through entering the inmate’s information on screen.
You can also drop off a money order at those same two locations, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding holidays. The money order must show the inmate’s full name, docket number, and housing assignment.1Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail – Inmate Information
Mailing a Money Order
Money orders can be mailed to:
Pinellas County Jail
Inmate Accounting
14400 49th Street North
Clearwater, FL 33762
Write the inmate’s full name, docket number, and housing assignment directly on the money order.1Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail – Inmate Information The Sheriff’s Office lists money orders as the accepted mailed payment form. Personal checks and cash are not listed, so use a money order to avoid having your payment returned. Keep the receipt as proof of payment.
Sending a Commissary Package Instead
If you would rather send goods than money, the Sheriff’s Office directs friends and family to icaregifts.com to purchase commissary packages through the iCare program.1Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail – Inmate Information Packages typically bundle food, snacks, and hygiene items. The selection is limited to what iCare offers for the facility, but you control exactly what arrives.
Commissary Money Does Not Pay for Phone Calls
The commissary trust fund and inmate phone service are separate accounts. Phone calls run through AdvancePay, a prepaid collect-call service also managed by ConnectNetwork: you deposit money tied to your own phone number, and the inmate can call that number as long as the balance covers at least a one-minute call. You can fund AdvancePay online or by calling 800-483-8314.4ConnectNetwork. AdvancePay Money you put on the commissary account will not enable phone calls, and money on AdvancePay will not give the inmate anything to spend at commissary.
Limits and How Fast Deposits Post
Electronic deposits are capped at $300 per inmate per day.5Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail Inmate Handbook To send more than that, spread deposits across multiple days or mail a money order. Online and kiosk deposits generally post within a few hours. Money orders mailed in depend on postal delivery plus the jail’s processing schedule; money orders dropped off in person during business hours are generally processed the same day.
Fees the Jail Takes Out First
Not every dollar you deposit will be available for the inmate to spend. The jail charges a non-refundable Inmate Subsistence Fee at booking to cover administrative costs. It applies to all non-federal inmates, with limited exceptions for transit detainees and certain inmates brought back on court orders.6Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail Inmate Handbook
If the account can’t cover the fee when it’s assessed, the jail places a lien on the account. Future deposits go toward that debt before anything is available for commissary, and the lien stays active for three years.6Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail Inmate Handbook Florida law authorizes county jails to collect subsistence costs from an inmate’s cash account or to place a civil restitution lien when funds are insufficient.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 951-033 – Income and Assets; Payment of Subsistence Costs So if you deposit $50 and the inmate owes $30 in subsistence fees, only $20 reaches the spendable balance. The deduction happens automatically.
What Happens to Leftover Money at Release or Transfer
Money left in the account at release doesn’t vanish, but the rules matter if you want to avoid forfeiting small amounts. An inmate can release funds to someone on the outside through the facility’s electronic kiosk or tablet, and that authorization is valid for 30 calendar days. To mail funds out, the inmate fills out a paper Money Release Form and attaches a stamped, addressed envelope.6Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail Inmate Handbook
For transfers to another facility, one rule applies across the board: balances under $5.00 must be released to someone on the outside before the transfer, or the money is forfeited to the Inmate Welfare Fund. Balances over $5.00 are mailed as a check or provided to the receiving facility or transport agency within 7 to 10 business days.6Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office. Pinellas County Jail Inmate Handbook If a transfer is coming and there’s only a few dollars left, have the inmate submit a release before they leave.