Yes, you can text an inmate in the U.S. or Canada — but it’s not like texting a friend on the outside. The process has a few steps, some waiting, and a cost. But once it’s set up, it’s the fastest way to stay in touch. Here’s exactly how it works, start to finish.
Step 1: Find out if your loved one’s facility allows texting
Not every jail or prison allows inmatedb.com/">inmate texting. Some still only allow phone calls and in-person visits. Others have switched to a tablet-based messaging system where inmates can send and receive messages through a kiosk or handheld device.
Your first step is to check the facility’s rules. Look on their official website or call the visitation/inmate services line. Ask specifically: “Do inmates have access to electronic messaging or texting?” If they say yes, ask which vendor they use. Common ones include GTL, Securus, and InmateDB. The vendor matters because that’s the app or website you’ll actually use to send messages.
If the facility doesn’t allow texting at all, you’re stuck with mail and phone calls for now. But more and more facilities are adding messaging every year, so check again in a few months.
Step 2: Create your account and add the inmate
Once you know the vendor, go to their website or download their app. You’ll need to create an account with your name, email, and a payment method. Then you’ll search for the inmate by their name and inmate ID number. That number is usually on their commissary receipts or any official correspondence they’ve sent you.
If you can’t find the ID, ask the inmate to send it to you on a piece of paper during their next phone call. Don’t guess — you’ll waste time and money sending to the wrong person.
After you find them, you’ll add them to your contact list. Some vendors require a short approval process from the facility before messages can go through. That can take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. Plan for the worst case so you’re not refreshing the page every ten minutes.
Step 3: Choose a plan and pay
Inmate texting is never free. You pay for the service, not for individual messages in most cases. Plans are typically monthly subscriptions. For example, InmateDB charges $19.99 per month for each inmate you message, with a 5-day free trial to start. Other vendors might charge per message or per minute of usage.
The price feels steep until you remember what it replaces: stamps, envelopes, paper, and a week of waiting for a letter. Texting is instant (or close to it) and you can send photos too. For most families, the cost is worth the speed and connection.
Set a reminder to cancel the subscription if you stop using it. These services auto-renew by default.
Step 4: Send your first message
Your first message should be simple. Say who you are, that you’re glad to be connected this way, and ask how they’re doing. Don’t expect a reply right away. Inmates usually have limited time on tablets or kiosks, and they might be in their cell when you send it.
Here’s what the interface looks like: a text box, a send button, and sometimes a character limit. Most services let you send plain text and photos. You can’t send emojis — the system strips them. You also can’t send links or attachments that aren’t photos. The facility scans everything for security, so keep it clean.
If your message doesn’t show as delivered after a few hours, don’t panic. Check the status. Some vendors show “pending review” or “held for approval.” If it’s stuck for more than 48 hours, contact the facility to ask if there’s an issue with your account or the inmate’s privileges.
Step 5: Wait for a reply (and understand why it might take a while)
The inmate doesn’t have a phone in their pocket. They have to use a shared tablet or kiosk during recreation time, after meals, or in their cell if they’re lucky. That means they might only get a few minutes a day to read and respond to messages.
If they don’t reply within a day, it’s probably not about you. It’s about access. Some facilities limit messaging to certain hours. Others have a cap on how many messages an inmate can send per day. The system works, but it works on their schedule, not yours.
One thing that helps: let them know you’re not expecting an instant reply. Say something like “Write back when you can, no rush.” It takes the pressure off them and you.
Step 6: Keep the conversation going
Once you’ve exchanged a few messages, you’ll get a feel for the rhythm. Some families message daily. Others send a longer message every few days. Both work.
You can send photos too — kids’ artwork, a picture of the dog, a snapshot from a family dinner. Photos go through the same review process, so they might not show up immediately. Avoid anything with nudity or gang signs; it will get rejected and might get the inmate’s messaging privileges suspended.
If you ever feel like the conversation is one-sided, it’s okay to ask the inmate if they’re getting your messages. Sometimes technical glitches happen on their end, or they lost their tablet time for a week due to a rule violation. Patience is the hardest part of this whole setup.
Where to start
If you’re reading this and thinking “I need to do this today,” here’s the one thing to do first: find out the inmate’s ID number and the facility’s messaging vendor. That’s the key that unlocks everything. Once you have those two pieces of information, go to InmateDB or whichever vendor the facility uses, and create your account. The free trial on InmateDB gives you five days to see if the service works for your situation before you pay. That’s enough time to send a few messages and get a reply back.
Inmate texting for families in the U.S. and Canada isn’t perfect, but it’s the closest thing to a normal conversation you can have with someone who’s locked up. It’s worth the setup hassle. Start today, and you could be hearing from them tomorrow.
