Step-by-step guide · Updated October 2026
How to text a federal inmate
Reaching someone in a federal facility runs through one official system — TRULINCS, which families access on CorrLinks. Here's exactly how to set it up, what it costs, and the rules to follow, plus the easier way to message from your phone.
- Uses the official BOP system
- Free CorrLinks account
- Text & photos from your phone
The short version
Five steps, start to finish. The first message always has to come after the inmate adds you — so steps 1 and 2 happen before you can do anything on your end.
- Find the facility and federal register number on the BOP Inmate Locator.
- The inmate adds you as an approved contact in TRULINCS.
- You create a free CorrLinks account and accept the request with the emailed code.
- Start messaging through CorrLinks (replies aren't instant).
- Optional: connect a relay service to text and send photos from your phone.
Step 1 — Find the facility and federal register number
Start at the Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator on bop.gov. Search by name or by federal register number to confirm which facility currently holds your person and to note their register number. You'll want these details on hand — they help the inmate add the right email address, and they let you match the CorrLinks invitation to the right person when it arrives.
Step 2 — The inmate adds you as an approved contact in TRULINCS
Messaging always begins on the inmate's side. Using a facility terminal, the inmate opens TRULINCS (the Trust Fund Limited Inmate Communication System) and adds your email address to their approved-contact list. You can't start the process for them from the outside — until they've added you, there's nothing to accept. Once they do, the system automatically emails an invitation to the address they entered.
Step 3 — Create a free CorrLinks account and accept the request
Go to corrlinks.com and set up a free account with the same email address the inmate used. CorrLinks is the public-facing website for TRULINCS, so this is the account that family and friends actually log into. When the invitation email arrives it includes an identification code; enter that code in CorrLinks to accept the request and link your account to the inmate. Keep the code handy — you can't complete the connection without it.
Step 4 — Start messaging through CorrLinks
Once you're connected, you can write and send messages from CorrLinks. Two things to expect: the inmate only sees new messages when they next log in at a facility terminal, and outgoing and incoming messages are reviewed, so there's a built-in delay. Replies are not instant — treating it like email rather than live texting will set your expectations correctly.
Step 5 — Optional but easier: connect a relay service
If the official interface feels clunky, a relay service like ContactMeAsap lets you text and send photos straight from your phone. It rides on the same CorrLinks/TRULINCS channel — so it's the same official system underneath — but adds a friendlier app, photo sharing, and support when a message won't go through. It's an added subscription, not a replacement for the BOP system, so the inmate still needs TRULINCS access and must still have added you.
Costs
Nothing here is hidden once you know the three pieces. The official system is cheap or free for families; the inmate pays for their time; a relay service is an optional add-on.
| Item | Who pays | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| CorrLinks account The family-facing website for TRULINCS | Family / contact | Free |
| TRULINCS messaging time Composing and reading at a facility terminal | Inmate | Paid from their commissary account |
| Relay service (ContactMeAsap) Optional — texts & photos from your phone | Family / contact | From ~$20/mo |
Rules to know
TRULINCS is the Bureau of Prisons' own system, so using it is routine — but it runs on the BOP's terms. Keep these in mind so your messages aren't rejected.
Messages are monitored
Everything you send and receive can be read and reviewed by staff. Write accordingly — this is not private correspondence.
Follow BOP guidelines
Each facility applies Bureau of Prisons rules on who may be an approved contact and how messaging is used. Current facility rules always win.
No prohibited content
Don't send threats, coded or illegal content, third-party messages, or anything that could be read as facilitating a rule violation. It can get messaging suspended.
Approved contacts only
You can only message once the inmate has added you in TRULINCS. A relay service doesn't bypass this — the same approval is still required.
Skip the clunky part
Once the inmate has added you, a relay service lets you text and send photos from your phone through the official system — with support whenever a message won't go through.
Start texting your inmate