Commissary in the Orange County jails
People in custody can buy food, hygiene items and stationery from the jail commissary with the money on their account.
The short answer
People can order and receive commissary up to twice a week. Delivery is weekly, Tuesday to Friday, depending on housing location. Orders are paid from the person’s account, which can hold at most $500. To put money on that account, see putting money on someone’s account.
Official: Commissary Operations; Inmate Services FAQs; Cashier & Bail Information (OC Sheriff’s Department), checked
What can be ordered
About 140 items: hygiene and hair care, snacks, drinks, candy, food, stationery and greeting cards.
Official: Commissary Operations (OC Sheriff’s Department), checked
Welfare packs
Someone with very little money on their account can order a welfare pack of hygiene and stationery items. Welfare packs can be ordered only once a week.
The Sheriff’s pages give two different limits
A welfare pack can be ordered with a balance of less than $4.80 (Commissary Operations page), or of less than $3.60 (Inmate Services FAQ). We can’t tell which is current, so we don’t pick one: ask the jail if it matters.
Official: Commissary Operations; Inmate Services FAQs (OC Sheriff’s Department), checked
Stamps, envelopes and paper
- A friend or family member can order and pay for stamps and blank envelopes from the USPS online store, mailed directly to the person.
- Don’t send stamps, envelopes or paper yourself: they must be bought through the jail commissary or ordered from the USPS online store and shipped directly from it. Only stamps and envelopes are accepted from the USPS store.
The two Sheriff’s pages list different routes
The Inmate Services FAQ also lists a third way for stamps and blank envelopes: sent directly from an attorney or the Public Defender’s Office. The mail page, as we checked it on October 26, 2026, doesn’t list it. If an attorney’s office is sending them, ask the jail first.
Official: Inmate Services FAQs; Inmate Mail (OC Sheriff’s Department), checked
Refused orders
A refused order is usually credited back in one to three business days.
Official: Inmate Services FAQs (OC Sheriff’s Department), checked
To put money on an account, see putting money on someone’s account.
Where to go next
- Putting money on an account How to fund commissary.
- Visiting Visiting rules for each jail.
Sources
Orange County Sheriff’s Department
Every fact above links to the official page it comes from, with the date we checked it. We quote official wording only where the exact words matter. See how we check facts.