MoneyGram ExpressPayment: Send Money to an Inmate (2026 Guide)

What ExpressPayment Is

MoneyGram ExpressPayment is the bill-payment side of MoneyGram, used to send funds to businesses and agencies — including correctional facilities — by referencing a receive code that identifies the recipient. For inmates, ExpressPayment deposits money into the person's commissary or phone account at the facility.

MoneyGram is accepted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and many state and county systems. JPay and several states also list MoneyGram as an official deposit method. Its strengths are broad retail availability (send cash at grocery, pharmacy, and big-box locations) and fast posting for federal facilities.

Send Online or in the App

1. Open Pay Bills / ExpressPayment. Go to moneygram.com and choose Pay Bills, or use the MoneyGram app. Create your account if needed.
2. Enter the receive code. Use the facility's receive code — 7932 for the BOP; state and county facilities have their own codes.
3. Enter the inmate's details. Provide the account number in the required format and the amount (up to $300 for BOP).
4. Pay with a card. Pay with a MasterCard or Visa credit/debit card and review the fee.
5. Keep the receipt. Save your reference number in case you need to trace the payment.

Send Cash at an Agent

If you prefer cash, you can complete an ExpressPayment at any MoneyGram agent location. Bring:

• Cash for the amount you're sending plus the fee.
• The facility name or receive code (7932 for BOP).
• The inmate's first and last name.
• The inmate's correctional ID / register number.

The agent completes the transaction and gives you a receipt. Cash at an agent is a good option for families without a bank card.

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Receive Code 7932 & BOP Format

For a Federal Bureau of Prisons deposit, two details must be exactly right:

For state and county facilities, use that facility's specific receive code and inmate ID. If you don't know the register number, look it up on the free BOP Inmate Locator.

Limits, Posting Times & Safety

For BOP deposits, you can typically send up to $300 per transaction. Funds sent between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Eastern generally post within 2 to 4 hours; funds sent after 9 p.m. Eastern post at 7 a.m. Eastern the next morning. State and county limits and timing vary.

• Verify the receive code, inmate ID, and current facility before paying.
• Only send through official MoneyGram channels.
• Keep your receipt/reference number until funds post.
• Never send money to someone claiming they'll "arrange" a release for a fee — that's fraud.

MoneyGram vs. Other Deposit Options

MoneyGram is rarely the only way to fund an inmate account — most facilities also accept a designated vendor like JPay, Access Corrections, ViaPath/TouchPay, or Western Union. Knowing where MoneyGram fits helps you pick the cheapest, fastest route for your situation. Its strengths are broad retail availability (you can walk into a grocery store, pharmacy, or big-box retailer and pay cash) and fast posting for federal facilities. If you don't have a bank card, or you need to send money late in the day and want it credited quickly to a BOP account, MoneyGram is often the practical choice.

Where it can fall short is fees and limits. The per-transaction fee varies with the amount and whether you send online or at an agent, and BOP deposits are capped around $300 per transaction — so a large deposit may need to be split, and each split carries its own fee. For recurring support, compare MoneyGram's total cost against the facility's designated deposit vendor before defaulting to it out of habit.

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Whichever you use, accuracy is everything with instant-cash services. Confirm the receive code, the inmate's ID or register-number format, and the current facility before you pay, and keep your reference number. Recovery after funds post is not guaranteed, so a two-minute double-check protects your money. And treat urgency as a warning sign — legitimate deposits are never contingent on a stranger "arranging" a release for an extra fee.

• Use MoneyGram for cash payments and fast BOP posting.
• Compare its fee against the facility's designated vendor for recurring support.
• Remember the ~$300 per-transaction BOP cap when sending larger amounts.
• Double-check the receive code, ID format, and facility before paying.
• Keep your reference number and treat urgency as a red flag.

Frequently Asked Questions