How to Call Inmates in Jail: Setup, Costs, and Recording Rules

You cannot call an inmate in jail. Every correctional facility in the country restricts phone use to outgoing calls, so learning how to call inmates in jail really means learning how to receive their calls: get your phone number on the inmate’s approved list, open an account with the facility’s phone provider, and keep that account funded so the call connects when they dial.

Get Your Number on the Inmate’s Approved Calling List

Before an inmate can reach you, your phone number has to be on their approved calling list. The inmate submits the list to the facility, and staff verify each number before approving it. In federal prisons, an inmate can have up to 30 numbers on their list, and the associate warden can authorize additional numbers based on the inmate’s situation, such as a large family.¹ County jails and state prisons set their own limits, which may be lower.

This part is on the inmate’s end, but confirm with them that your number is on the list and has cleared approval. If it isn’t, calls to you will be blocked no matter how much money is in your account.

Find Out Which Phone Provider the Facility Uses

Correctional facilities contract with specialized telecommunications companies for phone service. The inmate uses a monitored phone inside the facility, dials your number, and the call routes through that provider’s network. All personal calls go through this system, and inmates cannot bypass it through call forwarding or any other workaround.¹

You need to know which company holds the contract before you can set anything up. The facility’s website usually names the provider. If not, call the jail’s inmate services department and ask. Some facilities also post the information in their visitor lobby.

Open and Fund an Account

Once you know the provider, create an account through their website or by calling customer service. Have this ready:

Your name, mailing address, and the phone number you want to receive calls on
The inmate’s full legal name, booking or identification number, and the facility name and location

You’ll pick an account type during setup. A prepaid account lets you deposit money in advance, and calls are paid for automatically when the inmate dials. A collect account bills you after each call. Some providers offer a direct-bill option tied to your phone carrier, though it’s less common and often more expensive. Prepaid almost always costs less per minute than collect, so fund a prepaid balance if you can. Providers accept credit cards, debit cards, and money orders through their online portal or phone system.

What Happens When the Call Comes Through

When the inmate calls, you won’t hear their voice right away. An automated recording plays first, telling you the call is from a correctional facility and stating the inmate’s name. The recording also warns that the call is subject to monitoring and recording. You press a key (usually “1”) or verbally confirm that you accept.

Expect interruptions during the conversation. A monitoring reminder typically plays partway through. Calls are time-limited: in federal facilities, the maximum call length is ordinarily 15 minutes, after which the system disconnects automatically.¹ Most county jails use a similar 15-minute standard, though some allow slightly longer. If no one else is waiting for the phone, the inmate can call back after a waiting period.

Phone access is also restricted to specific hours and days that align with the facility’s schedule, so the inmate won’t be able to call whenever they’d like.¹

Google Voice, VoIP, and Forwarded Numbers Don’t Work

This catches a lot of people off guard. If your phone number routes through a call-forwarding service like Google Voice, the facility’s system will almost certainly block the call. Most institutions detect and reject calls to forwarded numbers, and inmates can face disciplinary action for attempting to use them. The same applies to many VoIP services that route calls through the internet rather than a traditional phone line.

Standard landlines and most major cell phone carriers work fine. If you’re unsure whether your number is compatible, have the inmate try a short call once your account is funded. Persistent connection failures on a funded account are a strong sign the number type is the problem.

What Calls Cost

Federal regulations now cap what providers can charge for inmate calls. Under rules implementing the Martha Wright-Reed Act, the FCC sets maximum per-minute rates for both audio and video calls. As of April 2026, audio rate caps are:²

Prisons: $0.09 per minute
Large jails (1,000+ average daily population): $0.08 per minute
Mid-size jails (350–999): $0.10 per minute
Smaller jails (100–349): $0.11 per minute
Small jails (50–99): $0.13 per minute
Very small jails (under 50): $0.17 per minute

Providers can add up to $0.02 per minute on top of these caps to cover costs the facility incurs in making phone service available.² The FCC also eliminated separate ancillary charges, so providers can no longer add fees for funding your account or making a single call without a prepaid balance. Those costs are built into the per-minute rate.³

At these rates, a 15-minute audio call from a mid-size jail costs roughly $1.50 to $1.95. Regular contact still adds up over weeks and months.

Assume Every Call Is Recorded

Every word on an inmate phone call is monitored and recorded. Facilities record for security, and recordings can be used in investigations and court proceedings. The announcement at the start of each call makes this explicit, and by accepting the call you consent to the recording.

The one exception is calls between an inmate and their attorney. Federal regulations prohibit monitoring attorney-client calls, and the inmate can request that their lawyer’s number be flagged on their calling list to prevent recording. Most state systems have similar protections. Mistakes happen, though, and attorney calls have occasionally been recorded despite the rules. If you’re an attorney taking calls from a client in custody, confirm with the facility that your number is designated as privileged.

For everyone else, the practical rule is short: don’t try to patch in a third party, don’t discuss anything you wouldn’t want a prosecutor to hear, and don’t record the call yourself without understanding your state’s recording laws. Attempting a three-way call to an unapproved number can get the call cut off immediately, and third-party billing and electronic forwarding are prohibited.⁴

When Calls Won’t Go Through

Dropped calls and failed connections are common. Work through the basics before assuming the worst:

Check your account balance. If a prepaid account runs dry, calls won’t connect. Most providers let you check the balance online or through an automated line.
Verify your number isn’t blocked. Facilities can block numbers for rule violations, and numbers sometimes get flagged accidentally. Call inmate services at the jail to confirm your number is still approved.
Confirm your phone type is compatible. VoIP and call-forwarding services will be rejected. A recent carrier or plan change can change how the system sees your number.
Check the calling schedule. If the inmate is trying outside allowed hours, the system won’t let the call go through.

For technical issues like persistent drops or account errors, contact the phone provider’s customer support. For questions about facility rules, schedules, or whether the jail itself has blocked your number, contact inmate services at the facility.

Filing a Complaint With the FCC

If the provider is overcharging, ignoring service problems, or violating the FCC’s rate caps, you can file a complaint with the FCC at no cost. Try to resolve the issue with the provider first. If that fails, file online at fcc.gov/complaints, call 1-888-225-5322, or mail a complaint to the FCC’s Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division at 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.⁵

Once the FCC serves the complaint on the provider, the provider has 30 days to respond in writing to both you and the FCC. You don’t need a lawyer, and there’s no filing fee.⁵

Other Ways to Stay in Touch

Phone calls aren’t the only option. Many facilities offer video visitation through the same provider that handles phone service or through a separate platform. Video calls have their own FCC rate caps, ranging from $0.17 to $0.42 per minute depending on facility size, and they’re also monitored and recorded.²

Electronic messaging through tablets is available at a growing number of facilities. Inmates read messages on a kiosk or personal tablet, and you send them through the provider’s website or app. Messages are scanned for security before delivery, photos and attachments are often restricted, and you typically buy digital “stamps” to pay per message. Rules and costs depend on the facility and provider, so check the jail’s website or call inmate services for specifics.

Traditional mail still works everywhere. Letters aren’t subject to time limits, and many incarcerated people value written correspondence precisely because they can reread it.

1
Federal Bureau of Prisons. Inmate Telephone Regulations P5264.08
2
Federal Register. Incarcerated Peoples Communication Services Implementation of the Martha Wright-Reed Act Rates for Interstate and International IPCS
3
Federal Communications Commission. FCC Caps Exorbitant Phone and Video Call Rates for Incarcerated People
4
U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General. Legal and Regulatory Background
5
Federal Communications Commission. Filing an Informal Complaint