How do I create an account?
Creating an account is quick and easy: Visit SmartInmate.com and click the "Sign Up" button. Enter your full name, email address, and phone number. Please note that some phone numbers outside the continental United States may not be verifiable by our system. You will receive a verification code via email or text message. Enter this code to verify your contact information. Create a username and password for your account. Your username must be unique and cannot contain special characters or symbols. Choose your password carefully and store it in a safe place. Once you have completed these steps, your account is active and you can search for your contact and choose which services to use.
How do I upload my ID for verification?
To upload your ID: Log in to your account and go to the "My Account" section. Look for the ID verification option and follow the upload instructions. When taking a photo of your ID, make sure it is well-lit, shows all four corners of the document, and does not have any glare or reflections. We accept photos of government-issued IDs (driver's license, passport, national ID card) as well as other official documents. After you submit your ID, our verification team will review it. Once verified, you will receive a confirmation email.
Why was my ID rejected?
Your ID may have been rejected for several common reasons: the document is expired; the photo is blurry or unclear; the document has been digitally modified or altered; you submitted the wrong type of document; or the name on the document does not match the name on your account. When submitting an ID, ensure the photo is clear and well-lit, all four corners are visible, and there is no glare. If you need to resubmit, please make sure the document is current and legible.
What happens to your ID after you send it to us?
After you send us a copy of your ID, it will be encrypted and stored securely. Your ID will not be visible to any of your contacts. Your ID will be visible to some staff at Smart Communications as well as some staff at the detention facilities that your account is associated with based on your connections to incarcerated individuals.
To help ensure IDs used for identity confirmation are real, we use both manual review and automated systems. We may also partner with trusted service providers to confirm your identity. This helps detect and prevent risks such as impersonation or ID theft.
To help improve our systems for detecting fake IDs and related abuse, we may securely store your ID for the life of your account and up to two years after your account is closed.
When you capture a photo of your ID, the photo might be stored on your device. For security reasons, we recommend deleting this photo from your device's photo gallery after you've completed the ID upload process.
Types of IDs that Smart Communications accepts
If you need to confirm your identity with Smart Communications, or if you have lost access to your account, you may be asked to send us a copy of something with your name on it. You have several different options for this, including photo IDs issued by the government, IDs from non-government organizations, official certificates or licenses that include your name, or other physical items like a magazine subscription or a piece of mail.
In some cases, such as authorization for use of a privileged connection as a private attorney, public defender, religious counselor, or other privileged connection type, there may be special ID requirements which may vary by detention facility.
Please only submit the required documents. Submitting more documents than necessary may delay the review process.
Do not digitally conceal ID information
To help us prevent fake IDs and other abuses, we do not accept photos that have been digitally modified to hide information.
Expired Documents
Please do not submit documents that are expired, as they will not be accepted (e.g. an expired driver's license or passport). Documents that do not expire, such as a birth certificate, will always be accepted.
Government IDs
You can send us 1 government ID to confirm your name or regain access to your account.
Anything that you send us should contain either:
Some examples of government IDs we accept include:
Non-Government IDs
We understand that your name may not be represented on an official, government-issued ID, or you may not have access to this type of document. If you cannot provide a government ID, you can send us 2 different non-government IDs instead.
Keep in mind that anything that you send us must include your name, and at least 1 of the 2 documents should include your date of birth and/or photo.
The name on the items that you send must be the same name that you use on your account. If you have lost access to your account, you may be asked to provide something from the list that also shows a photo or date of birth that matches the details on your account. This extra precaution helps us ensure that only you have access to your account.
Examples of non-government IDs we accept:
Please note that some detention facilities may have additional requirements for documents when approving requests to communicate with incarcerated individuals using visitation, electronic messaging, or other communications services, and may or may not accept the documents previously listed. Please follow the specific instructions when submitting documents for approval to each detention facility.
I forgot my password, what should I do?
If you have forgotten your password, use the "Forgot Password" link below the login box. You will be prompted to provide your username or email address and we will send an email to the email address on file for your account with further instructions.
I forgot my username. How can I find it?
If you have forgotten your username, use the "Forgot Password" link below the login box on SmartInmate.com. Enter the email address associated with your account and we will send you an email with your username and a link to reset your password. If you do not remember the email address on file, please contact our Customer Care team through the contact form and provide your name and we will assist you.
How do I reactivate a deactivated account?
If you have a deactivated account that you would like to reactivate, use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page. Enter your original username or the email address associated with your account, and follow the instructions in the email we send you. This will help you regain access to your account.
I'm trying to create an account but it says my phone number is already in use.
Each phone number can only be associated with one active SmartInmate account. If you see this message, you may already have an account under a different username or email address. You can use the "Forgot Password" feature to reset your password and regain access to your existing account. If you have a previously deactivated account and would like to reactivate it, use the forgot password feature with your original username or email address.
How do I update my name, email address, phone number, or mailing address?
When logged in to your account, go to the "My Account" section at the top of the screen. From here you can update your name, email address, phone number, and mailing address. Please note the following requirements: Changes to your name require you to upload a photo ID for verification. Changes to your mailing address also require a photo ID to be submitted. Address changes are limited to once every two weeks. If you need to make an address change sooner, please contact our Customer Care team through the contact form.
How do I change my password?
When logged in to your account, go to the "My Account" section at the top of the screen. There will be an option on this screen to change your password.
How do I add a contact (send a connection request)?
To add an incarcerated individual as a contact, log in to your account and go to the "Contacts" section. Select "Find an Incarcerated Individual" and search by their name, ID number, or facility. Once you find the correct person, send them a connection request. The incarcerated individual will need to accept your connection request from their kiosk before you can begin using messaging, video visitation, or other communication services with them. Some facilities may also require approval from facility staff before the connection is active.
What are the username requirements?
Your username must be unique. No two accounts can have the same username. Usernames cannot contain special characters or symbols. If you receive an error that your chosen username is already taken, try a different username. Once your account is created, your username cannot be changed.
If you have a question that is not answered here, please use the contact form to submit your question to our Customer Care team and we will respond as quickly as possible.