You cannot call a person in jail directly. They call out, and the call is paid for by them or by you through the facility's phone provider.
How calls work
- The person calls from a jail phone or tablet. Calls can be collect, debit (from their own account) or prepaid (from an account you fund).
- Each facility contracts with one phone provider. Common ones include Securus, ViaPath (formerly GTL), ICSolutions and Smart Communications. Ask the facility which one it uses.
- Set up a prepaid account with that provider for your phone number so calls can connect. Some cell carriers and many prepaid phones block collect calls.
- Calls are usually limited to 15 to 30 minutes each.
- In federal prison, the person adds you to their approved contact list; they can also use a monitored email system (TRULINCS) that you join through CorrLinks.
Every call is recorded
Calls from jails and prisons are recorded and can be used as evidence by prosecutors. Do not discuss the facts of the case, what happened, who else was involved, or anything you would not want read aloud in court. Talk about family, health and practical plans instead. Legal calls with a lawyer are handled separately.
Cost
Rates and fees differ by facility and provider, and federal and state rules on them have been changing. For example, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) capped what providers can charge for calls from jails and prisons in 2024 and revised those limits in late 2025. Check the provider's current rate for that facility before adding a large balance.
Rules change often and differ from one facility to the next, so confirm anything important with the facility before you act on it.
Questions
Can I call someone in jail?
No. People in jail cannot receive incoming calls. You can set up a prepaid account so they can call you, or leave a message through some providers' apps.
Why is the call not going through?
Common reasons: your number blocks collect calls, you have no prepaid balance with the right provider, the person is in a lockdown or new-arrival status, or the number is not on their approved list.
Sources
The pages below back up the main rules and definitions in this guide. We opened each link on October 7, 2026.
- Community Ties, Federal Bureau of Prisons. Federal phone and email rules: calls are monitored, and email needs approval from both sides.
- TRULINCS, Federal Bureau of Prisons. How federal prison email works: the person adds you to a contact list, staff approve it, and CorrLinks sends you an invitation.
- Contact Inmates, Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Texas prison calls: register your phone number, then pay by collect call or a prepaid account. Calls last up to 30 minutes and are subject to monitoring and recording.
- FCC Caps Exorbitant Phone & Video Call Rates for Incarcerated Persons & Their Families (PDF), Federal Communications Commission, July 18, 2024. The FCC's 2024 limits on what providers can charge for calls from jails and prisons.
- Report and Order, Order on Reconsideration, and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 25-75 (PDF), Federal Communications Commission, adopted October 28, 2025. Revised those limits for now and asked for comment on permanent ones.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and facility rules differ and change; confirm details with the facility, court or a lawyer.