South Lake Tahoe Jail Inmate Commissary

South Lake Tahoe Jail

Address:
1051 Al Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Phone:

530-573-3030

South Lake Tahoe Jail Commissary Carepacks

South Lake Tahoe Jail contracts with Access Securepak (aka MyCarePak) for families to send pre-determined packages of commissary items to your inmate.

Access Securepak carries over 1,000 different items in the following categories:
- Food and Snacks
- Personal Hygiene Products
- Electronics
- Apparel

Registration Process:
1. Register here.
2. Select California.
3. Select South Lake Tahoe Jail.
4. Find your Inmate.
5. Deposit Funds.
6. Order Commissary Items.
Once you are logged in, you will receive instructions on how much (and what products) you can send your inmate.
Contact Information:
* If you have any questions, you can call Access Securepak at 800-546-6283.
* You can email My Care Pack at [email protected].
* You can write them at:
    Access Securepak
    10880 Linpage Place
    St. Louis, MO 63132

* You can Live Chat with a Representative online: (bottom left corner of page)
   Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.–11 p.m. CST, 
   and Saturdays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. CST.

*Note* Access Securepak will issue a refund for or replace broken, damaged, or missing products reported by South Lake Tahoe Jail staff. They will not honor reports of discrepancies from inmate's families or friends.
My CarePack is the South Lake Tahoe Jail's outside vendor for Commissary Items. They have a very good mix of Chips, Snacks, Candy, Meat, Seafood, Hygiene products, Letter writing materials, Electronics and Apparel items for sale on their website.


*NOTE* -- Once you are fully registered and have selected the inmate you wish to send commissary to, you will receive instructions on how much you can deposit, how much (and what) you can purchase for your inmate, and how often you can send commissary.

Can Inmates at the South Lake Tahoe Jail Get Hot Takeout Food Delivered?

South Lake Tahoe Jail may offer hot 'take-out' style food for their inmates using the Access Securepak website. This food needs to be ordered online, or by phone by calling 800-546-6283, by you.
This program is not available in all facilities that use Access Securepak, but is rolling out in new facilities daily... check their website to see if it's available in South Lake Tahoe Jail today.


Some of the food offered includes pizza, hamburgers, cicken sandwiches, donuts and french fries. 

Adding Money to an Inmate's Commissary Account

How Do I put Money on an Inmate's Commissary Account in the South Lake Tahoe Jail to Purchase Phone Cards?

There are FOUR options for putting money on an inmate's books:

Option 1 - Dropping Money at the South Lake Tahoe Jail
Bring money to the jail in person. 
Either the jail personnel will process the Inmate Account payment or you will use the NCIC self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.

Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
South Lake Tahoe Jail uses NCIC to process all online deposits to an inmate's account. NCIC charges you a small fee for doing so, but the fee probably isn't as much as gas and parking would cost to take it to the jail in person.



Option 3 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person and you don't have a debit/credit card for online deposits. Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order.  Mail it to the South Lake Tahoe Jail address on this page, or to the address below if it is different than the facility address.
Inmate's Full Name
El Dorado County Sheriff Office
1051 Al Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit over the Phone by calling 800-943-2189

For more information about sending an inmate money for phone cards or other commissary sundries, check out our Inmate Money Page.


 

What is an Inmate Commissary?

Commissary, also known as Canteen, is the ‘store’ within a jail or prison where inmates can purchase items that they want or need to make their stay in jail or prison less of a burden.

Snacks and comfort foods, branded hygiene products they are used to, sneakers and t-shirts, prayer blankets, radios, headphones, television sets, tablets, stationary products and art supplies; depending on the facility, there are thousands of products to choose from.

Some jail and prison systems run their own commissary store, others contract out to companies that serve dozens or hundreds of jails, where inmates and/or their friends and families can purchase products through a website from home, or a kiosk or tablet within their facility.

What items can inmates purchase in jail and prison?

Food
•    Cookies
•    Pastries
•    Candy
•    Tuna and mackerel
•    Coffee and Tea
•    Soft drinks
•    Energy drinks
•    Pizza
•    Hamburgers
•    Chicken fingers
•    Spices

Hygiene
•    Shampoo
•    Soap
•    Shaving supplies
•    Lotions
•    Deodorant
•    Oral care
•    Toilet paper
•    Nail care

Clothing
•    Sweats
•    Sneakers
•    Shorts
•    Underwear and bras
•    Socks
•    Jackets
•    Hats

Electronics
•    Televisions
•    Radios
•    Headphones
•    Tablets
•    Watches

Miscellaneous
•    Playing cards
•    Games
•    Bibles
•    Books
•    Art supplies
•    Stationery supplies
•    Vaping products (only some states)
•    Greeting cards

How much money can an inmate spend on commissary each month?

Generally, the maximum spend in jail is about $300 per month. Prisons allow a bit more as it is more of a permanent home, whereby jail is temporary. To find out how much an inmate in the South Lake Tahoe Jail can spend each month, call 530-573-3030.

How often can inmates purchase commissary?

Some jails it's twice a week, others once a week or every other week. A lot of the online stores care pack companies are once a month. To find out the exact schedule for South Lake Tahoe Jail, call 530-573-3030.

How can a friend or family member deposit money for an inmate in jail or prison?

South Lake Tahoe Jail has its own methods for receiving money for inmates, and that information can be found above or by calling 530-573-3030 and asking, however all jails and prisons all receive money for an inmate’s trust and commissary account, as well as an account used for communications, pretty much the same way.

1.    Mailing an inmate a money order or cashier’s check from a trusted source such as the Post Office, a local bank, or Western Union. The Money order should be be made out to either the inmate or the facility, with the inmate’s name and ID# on the memo line of the check.  

When mailing a money order or cashier’s check, send it an envelope by itself.  Never send it with a letter or photos for your inmate.

Never send personal checks or cash either.

2.    Deposit cash or use a debit or credit card to send an inmate money using an ATM machine that is usually located in the lobby or visitation area of the facility.

3.    Some jails have a reception desk or booth that is open during certain hours that they will list on their website. They will accept cash, money orders or cashier checks. Other facilities that don’t have a human manning the desk will have mail drop where you can leave a money order or check. No cash can be left in these boxes.

4.    There are multiple companies that jails and prisons contract with which accept inmate deposits online, by mail or over the phone, or even in ATM machines you can find in check cashing stores and retail outlets across the country. 

If one of these companies (listed in the next question) works with South Lake Tahoe Jail, this information will be outlined above.

Who are the companies that jails use to send money to inmates?

There are many companies competing for the accounts of jail and prison inmates. Their intention is to alleviate the staffing and financial responsibility of handling inmate’s accounts. They usually charge a fee equal to 3-5% of the total deposit.

The companies, in alphabetical order, are:

Access Corrections
AllPaid (aka GovPayNet)
Care A Cell
Cash Bond Online
CIDNET
City Tele Coin
CommissaryDeposit.com
Correct Solutions Group
Correctpay
Ctel
Edevo
Express Account
gettingout
GTL
Inmate Canteen
InmateSales
JailATM
Jail Pack Store (McDaniel Supply)
Jailpayments.com
Jpay
NCIC
JailCanteen (Oasis)
Paytel
Pigeonly
Prodigy Sales
Reliance
Securus
Smart Communications
Tennessee Business Enterprise
Tiger
Touchpay

How do I send an inmate money by mail?

To send an inmate money by mail you first have to have the money converted to a money order, preferably from the US Post Office, or a Cashier’s Check. Never send cash, and never send a personal check.
To find the address for sending money to an inmate, call the jail at 530-573-3030.

Can I send an inmate money online?

Almost every facility contracts with a company that helps friends and families of inmates send them money. The list can be found above.
To find out who South Lake Tahoe Jail contracts with for inmate deposits, call them at 530-573-3030.

How expensive are items on commissary?

Items on commissary are no more expensive than they would be at a local Walmart store.

What is a Commissary deposit?

A commissary deposit is the money that a person on the outside deposits in an inmate’s trust account, so they can have money to spend on commissary and communication services.

How much money can inmate have in his commissary account?

The limit that an inmate can have in their commissary account is usually about $300.00. To find out what the limit is for South Lake Tahoe Jail, call 530-573-3030.

Can I send an inmate a package or care pack??

Many jails contract with companies that send food, hygiene products and/or clothing to inmates. These can be purchased and sent by friends and family on a weekly or monthly basis.

You can only send items from the one that your jail has a contract with. 

An inmate carepack is a pack of snacks and/or hygiene products that friends or family members of an inmate can purchase online and have shipped to an inmate. The carepack company needs to have a contract with the facility before it can be shipped to the inmate.

Check this page, the Money Page or the Commissary Page for further information, or call the jail at 530-573-3030 to see which one that the South Lake Tahoe Jail works with.

Here are the commissary package companies, in alphabetical order, that provide this service to jails in the United States:

Access Securepak
Care A Cell
Commissary order
Correct Pay
Express Account
icare
Inmate Canteen
Jail ATM
Jail Pack Store (McDaniel Supply)
My Care Pack
Oasis (jailcanteen)
Prodigy Solutions
Tiger
Union Supply Direct

Can an inmate buy gifts on commissary?

Not really. Other than the basic supplies mentioned above there are no gifts other than greeting cards that they can fill out and mail to a friend, family or loved one.

El Dorado County Bail Bond Information

Because El Dorado County and California can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the South Lake Tahoe Jail at 530-573-3030, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, and do this right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the South Lake Tahoe Jail or the El Dorado County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.


 

South Lake Tahoe Jail Inmate Mail Policies and Address - What Can You Send, and Where?

For inmates receiving mail in the South Lake Tahoe Jail there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.

All mail is to be shipped to the South Lake Tahoe Jail:
Inmate's Full Name
El Dorado County Sheriff Office
1051 Al Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150


For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in El Dorado County

To send commissary money to an inmate in South Lake Tahoe Jail follow these steps:

  • Register with correctpay by creating an account.
  • Select California, then select South Lake Tahoe Jail, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.
  • You can deposit money four ways:
  • Deposit online at correctpay.com.
  • Deposit at the VendEngine kiosk in the South Lake Tahoe Jail lobby.
  • Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 855-836-3364
  • Deposit through their iOS or Android app.

For all information on how to Send Money to an inmate's account, what the fees are, how long it takes to hit their account and more, check out our full money and commissary guide for South Lake Tahoe Jail.


 

How Do I put Money on an Inmate's Commissary Account in the South Lake Tahoe Jail to Purchase Phone Cards?

There are FOUR options for putting money on an inmate's books:

Option 1 - Dropping Money at the South Lake Tahoe Jail
Bring money to the jail in person. 
Either the jail personnel will process the Inmate Account payment or you will use the NCIC self-serve kiosk in the lobbies that accepts cash, debit or credit cards.

Option 2 - Deposit Inmate Money Online
South Lake Tahoe Jail uses NCIC to process all online deposits to an inmate's account. NCIC charges you a small fee for doing so, but the fee probably isn't as much as gas and parking would cost to take it to the jail in person.



Option 3 - Mail the Inmate Deposit to the Jail
Mailing a deposit takes more time to process than the other methods but can be done if you live too far away to bring it in person and you don't have a debit/credit card for online deposits. Never send cash. Always send a Money Order from the US Post Office, a reputable bank or Western Union.
Make the Money Order out to the inmate's name and put their Inmate ID# in memo section of the Money Order.  Mail it to the South Lake Tahoe Jail address on this page, or to the address below if it is different than the facility address.
Inmate's Full Name
El Dorado County Sheriff Office
1051 Al Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Option 4 - Make an Inmate Deposit over the Phone by calling 800-943-2189

For more information about sending an inmate money for phone cards or other commissary sundries, check out our Inmate Money Page.


 

How to Rent a Tablet for an Inmate at the South Lake Tahoe Jail

South Lake Tahoe Jail offers NCIC tablets to rent to inmates that they can use for video visitation and calls, phone calls, instant messaging, education and entertainment.

They can also be used for commissary ordering.

To find out more bout how much tablets cost to rent, and what programs, entertainment, education and other things it can be used for, check out our Tablet Page.


 

How to deposit money in an inmate's account in the South Lake Tahoe Jail

  • To deposit money online go the NCIC website
  • To deposit money over the phone call 800-943-2189
  • To deposit money at the jail use the NCIC Kiosk in the South Lake Tahoe Jail lobby.
  • Call the jail at 530-573-3030 to confirm lobby hours for depositing inmate funds.

For complete information on depositing money in an inmate's account, check out our Inmate Money page.


 

How to Send a Secure Email Message to an Inmate in El Dorado County

To send a secure email message to an inmate in South Lake Tahoe Jail follow these steps:

South Lake Tahoe Jail uses the services of NCIC for you to deposit funds into your {El Dorado County inmate’s account so that you and they can purchase secure email messaging services from this jail’s e-messaging service.

You can deposit money three different ways:

•    Deposit online at NCIC.com
•    Deposit at the kiosk in the South Lake Tahoe Jail lobby, if available.
•    Deposit over the phone 24/7 at 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069 (Note: if you deposit money using a live agent the fee is $5.95).
Email – [email protected]

For all information on how to Text/Email an Inmate in South Lake Tahoe Jail check out our Secure Messaging Guide for El Dorado County.


 

How Do Visit an Inmate in South Lake Tahoe Jail?

To visit an inmate in El Dorado County you need to do the following:

South Lake Tahoe Jail uses the services of NCIC for remote video visitation. In other words, you can visit your inmate in jail by using your home computer, as long as it is equipped with a microphone and camera that supports video.

When available, the jail also provides use of ‘video visit kiosks’ in the South Lake Tahoe Jail lobby if you do not have a computer at home. These ’on-site’ video visits are FREE.

Costs
NCIC Video Visitation fees are subject to change, but the cost to you is roughly $7.50 ($0.25 per minute) for a 30-minute visit + an additional fee of $2.00 for the connection.
On-site (at the jail) video visits are FREE.

How to set up your Video Visit

  • Register here.  
  • Select South Lake Tahoe Jail
  • Select your inmate.
  • Choose your date and time.

Your inmate will be notified by the South Lake Tahoe Jail staff of the date and time for the visit. Be sure to be in front of your computer and connected to NCIC at least 15 minutes before the start of the visit.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]

For all the information you need to know, whether it be 'in person' at-the-jail visitation or remote video visitation with your El Dorado County inmate, go to our Visit Inmate Page.


 

How Does an Inmate Make Phone Calls in South Lake Tahoe Jail?

To receive phone calls from an inmate in El Dorado County follow these instructions:

South Lake Tahoe Jail uses the services of NCIC for inmate phone calling. It is called a ‘friends & family account”.

In order to receive phone calls from your inmate, you need to do the following:

  • Register here, or by phone 800-943-2189
  • Choose California.
  • Choose South Lake Tahoe Jail
  • Select your Inmate.
  • Enter the phone number your Inmate will be calling.
  • Fund your Account. ($10-$100 at a time)

NOTE:
1.   You cannot receive any calls to your phone number from your inmate until both you and your phone number are registered.
2.  When you do receive a call, the number you will view on your phone from the incoming call is: 800-943-2189.
3.  When allowed by South Lake Tahoe Jail, families can also leave secure voicemails for inmates to listen to.

Fees

  • Adding funds to your account - $3.00 
  • Cost of phone call of a Prepaid Collect Account - $0.21 per minute
  • Cost of an interstate (ex. California to a different state) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost of an intrastate (ex. California to California) phone call NOT Prepaid - $0.25 per minute
  • Cost if you set up your account (or fund it) by phone using a live agent, you will be charged a one-time fee of $5.95.

NCIC Customer Service
Phone - 800-943-2189 or 903-247-0069
Email – [email protected]
Full list of participating jails.

For all the information regarding phone calls with El Dorado County inmates; rules, policies, phone calling times, fees, limits and more visit our Inmate Phone Page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in El Dorado County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in South Lake Tahoe Jail follow these steps:

  • Select California, then select South Lake Tahoe Jail, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for El Dorado County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in El Dorado County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in South Lake Tahoe Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for El Dorado County.


 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does the South Lake Tahoe Jail allow packages to be shipped to an inmate?
Yes. The South Lake Tahoe Jail uses an online service called Access Securepak in which friends and family members can order everything from snacks, candy and hot food to clothes, stationary and electronics, and have them shipped directly to any inmate. The prices are reasonable and ordering is easy. Learn more about ordering Access Securepak packages online for an inmate in the South Lake Tahoe Jail. If you want to order by phone call 800-546-6283.

What kind of things can an inmate in the South Lake Tahoe Jail buy in commissary?
The South Lake Tahoe Jail allows a wide variety of food, snack foods, candy, clothing, electronics and other items to be purchased by inmates either through their commissary or by friends and family members sending in care packages from a third-party vendor called Access Securepak. All of the snacks and candy are brand name items that they are used to purchasing on the outside. Learn more about ordering Access Securepak packages online for an inmate in the South Lake Tahoe Jail. If you want to order by phone call 800-546-6283.

Why do inmates in the South Lake Tahoe Jail need commissary?
Inmates in the South Lake Tahoe Jail do not necessarily need commissary, as the jail provides the with the minimum food and hygiene products they need to subsist. But jail is a very stressful place, and by having a daily snack, or using a soap, shampoo or toothpaste that are used to using on the outside can bring a certain amount of normalcy and comfort to their life inside. Learn more about ordering Access Securepak packages online for an inmate in the South Lake Tahoe Jail. If you want to order by phone call 800-546-6283.

Are commissary items used for gambling in the South Lake Tahoe Jail?
Yes. Because inmates do not have access to actual cash money in the South Lake Tahoe Jail, snacks, candy, brand name hygiene products and other sundries inmates can get from commissary and care packages you ship to them are used as currency, thus for gambling. In addition to gambling, commissary items can be used to purchase services such as haircuts, tattoos and cell cleaning. Unfortunately, in many cases, commissary items are also used to purchase protection from other inmates who wish them harm. If your inmate is needing more than $10 a day for commissary, they are getting pretty fat or are using the items they purchase for gambling purposes or personal protection. Learn more about inmate commissary in the South Lake Tahoe Jail.

How much money should you send an inmate in South Lake Tahoe Jail for commissary?
A reasonable amount of commissary money you should send your inmate is whatever your budget allows. While jail is stressful for an inmate, it is just as stressful for their family members or loved ones on the outside. You are the one that still has bills to pay; rent, utilities, food, phone, children's needs, gas, car payments and all the other stresses of life. As hard as the pressure you are getting to send money, your needs and the children's come first. South Lake Tahoe Jail limits the inmates to receiving no more than $300-400 per month in commissary money and/or care packages, not including phone expenses, but realistically an inmate can get by on less than $100 per month of products and be comfortable. Learn more about inmate commissary in the South Lake Tahoe Jail.

I didn't get the items from Access Securepak that I ordered. Can I get a refund?
Access Securepak will issue a refund for or replace broken, damaged, or missing products reported by South Lake Tahoe Jail staff. They will not take your word for missing or broken items. You must get the jail staff to report it if you want a refund. Learn more about refunds from Access Securepak in the South Lake Tahoe Jail. Call the jail at 530-573-3030 or if you want to discuss a problem call 800-546-6283.