Los Angeles County Jail: Facilities, Visiting and Custody Services
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) operates a jail system with several facilities. Before arranging a visit, sending mail, or making a deposit, confirm the person's booking number and current custody location.
Find someone in custody: Use the official Inmate Information Center or call 213-473-6100 for inmate location and general custody assistance.
Urgent health concerns: For an in-custody medical or mental health concern requiring immediate assistance, call the Medical Command Center at 213-893-5544.
Independent, non-government information: This website is not affiliated with LASD. We do not maintain custody records, schedule visits, accept deposits, receive medical documents, or process requests on the department's behalf.
Jail System and Facilities
LASD Custody Operations is responsible for the care, custody, security, and rehabilitation of sentenced and pretrial inmates in its jail facilities.
“Los Angeles County Jail” refers to a system rather than a single building. The department's custody resources include:
- Inmate Reception Center.
- Men's Central Jail.
- Twin Towers Correctional Facility.
- Century Regional Detention Facility.
- Pitchess Correctional Facilities.
- Station jails.
- Custody services at Los Angeles General Medical Center.
Use the facility links on the official Custody Operations page to find the relevant location, visiting information, and service contacts. Do not assume that the facility where a person was first booked remains their current location.
A facility's street address is not necessarily its inmate-mail address, visiting entrance, or payment-processing location. Follow the instructions for the specific service before traveling or sending anything.
Inmate Lookup and Booking Information
Use the LASD Inmate Information Center with the person's name and date of birth. You do not need to know the booking number before beginning a name search.
For help locating the person or obtaining a booking number, call 213-473-6100. Have the complete name, date of birth, and arrest information available when known.
Our Los Angeles County Inmate Search page explains search steps, booking numbers, custody information, classification, transfers, and notification services.
If the search does not locate the person, see what to do when someone does not appear in the inmate search. A missing result does not establish that the person has been released or is not held by another agency.
Visiting and Visitor Requirements
Use the official LASD visiting registration and scheduling system. Confirm the person's current facility and visiting eligibility, then follow the appointment requirements.
Review the visit type, registered visitors, identification, any required clearance, and arrival instructions. Children may need additional documentation and must be included according to the scheduling and facility rules.
For the complete process, see how to arrange a visit to someone in Los Angeles County jail.
Housing changes, security restrictions, and other facility operations can affect a scheduled visit. Recheck the appointment and facility notices before leaving. A booking record or reservation does not override a later visiting restriction.
Medical and Mental Health Concerns
For a medical or mental health concern requiring immediate assistance involving someone in LASD custody, call the Medical Command Center at 213-893-5544. LASD lists this contact as available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Explain the concern and provide the person's name, booking number, and facility when known. Do not delay an urgent report while waiting for a visit or collecting every identifying detail.
For nonurgent medical history and medication information, follow the designated submission instructions on the Custody Operations page. Providing information to healthcare staff does not automatically authorize disclosure of private health information to you.
Our guide to reporting inmate medical or mental health concerns explains what to prepare, written submissions, privacy, and follow-up.
Medical Items
Prescription eyeglasses, orthopedic footwear, and other medical items may require approval and must meet custody standards. Review the official medical-item instructions and confirm the responsible receiving office before purchasing, mailing, or delivering an item.
Ask which medical authorization is needed, what item specifications apply, and how delivery must be arranged. A prescription, court document, or visiting appointment should not be assumed to complete the facility's approval process.
The published eyeglasses procedure identifies the Men's Central Jail Legal Unit at 213-974-0103. Confirm that it handles the request for the person and facility involved.
Money, Mail and Telephone Services
Deposits, commissary purchases, telephone accounts, and inmate mail use separate procedures. Choose the service that matches the transaction rather than assuming that one payment or address applies to all of them.
| Service | Where to start | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit money | The LASD online deposit announcement and deposit instructions on the Custody Operations page. | Recipient, booking number, accepted method, fees, limits, and payment requirements. |
| Send inmate mail | Inmate Mail Regulations on the Custody Operations page. | Current mailing address, required identifying information, permitted contents, and restrictions. |
| Telephone services | Inmate Telephone Information on the Inmate Services page. | Provider instructions, account arrangements, charges, and support contacts. |
| Commissary or care packages | The vendor links on the Inmate Services page. | The person's identity, facility, eligibility, available items, and purchase terms. |
For online deposits, mail and in-person options, fees, and payment problems, see how to send money to someone in Los Angeles County jail.
Begin with the official LASD link before using an outside vendor. A care-package purchase should not be assumed to deposit money into an inmate account or fund telephone service.
For correspondence, use the current inmate-mail instructions. The Legal Unit's address for approved items or specified submissions is not a general inmate-mail address.
Document Signing and Legal Visits
Document signing, attorney access, notary services, and public visits may follow different procedures. Confirm the applicable arrangements with the unit responsible for the facility before bringing documents or arranging professional access.
The LASD Custody FAQ describes identification requirements and restrictions on documents handled through the Men's Central Jail attorney room. A document's legal or financial purpose does not by itself establish that it can be accepted for signature.
For a proposed signing or professional visit, identify the document, the person involved, any required authorization, and the service being requested. Ask about identification, scheduling, and submission requirements.
The Men's Central Jail Legal Unit is listed at 213-974-0103. Confirm its responsibility for your request rather than treating it as a general contact for every jail or legal matter.
Marriage Requests
Marriage during incarceration requires coordination with the responsible custody facility and the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Permission for a ceremony and issuance of a marriage license are separate steps.
Review the LASD marriage instructions and ask the responsible Legal Unit about approval, required forms, identification, notarization, and scheduling before arranging a ceremony.
Confirm current license requirements and fees with the Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Our Marriage License page provides an overview of county licensing services.
A public visiting appointment does not by itself authorize a marriage ceremony. Confirm the approved participants and ceremony arrangements before obtaining documents or making travel plans.
Education and Support Programs
The Inmate Services Bureau oversees educational, vocational, religious, volunteer, and other support programs. Participation depends on qualification and the opportunities available to the person in custody.
Education and Vocational Training
Education Based Incarceration programs include academic education, career technical education, life skills, and therapeutic activities. LASD describes high school diploma programs, college courses, vocational training, and Gender Responsive Rehabilitation programs.
The Jail Enterprise Unit provides experience in manufacturing, repair, and service trades. Fire Camp Training provides academic and vocational preparation for wildland fire suppression, facility maintenance, and conservation work.
The Inmate Services page also describes tattoo removal in collaboration with the Department of Health Services. A program listing does not guarantee enrollment or treatment before release.
Religious and Volunteer Services
Religious and Volunteer Services coordinates chaplaincy, 12-step assistance, death and hospital notices, marriages, special religious events, and religious dietary needs in cooperation with Food Services.
For program information, call the Inmate Services Bureau at 323-526-5380. Religious Volunteer Services is listed at 323-526-5390.
Book Donations
Prospective donors should review the LA County Library Books for Jails instructions before selecting materials or arranging delivery. Follow the program's acceptance and delivery requirements.
Contacts and Official Services
Choose the contact responsible for the task. LASD headquarters, individual custody facilities, and the Men's Central Jail Legal Unit serve different purposes.
| Service | Contact or official entry point | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Inmate Information | 213-473-6100 Official inmate lookup |
Booking-number assistance, current custody location, and general custody questions. |
| Medical Command Center | 213-893-5544 | In-custody healthcare concerns requiring immediate assistance. LASD lists 24-hour availability. |
| Visiting registration and scheduling | Official visiting system 213-680-4887 |
Visitor registration, appointments, and scheduling-system assistance. Check current support hours. |
| Facility information | Custody Operations facility links | Facility-specific locations, visiting information, and service instructions. |
| Men's Central Jail Legal Unit | 213-974-0103 Published Legal Unit procedures |
Specified medical-item, clearance, document-access, and marriage procedures. Confirm responsibility and submission arrangements. |
| Inmate deposits | LASD deposit announcement Deposit instructions |
Authorized deposit methods and the appropriate provider or cashier contact. |
| Inmate Services Bureau | 323-526-5380 Programs and services |
Education, vocational training, inmate support programs, and related information. |
| Religious Volunteer Services | 323-526-5390 | Religious and volunteer service inquiries. |
| LASD general contact | 213-229-1700 Official phone directory |
General department routing. Use Inmate Information for custody-location assistance. |
Confirm office hours, receiving arrangements, and the correct location or submission address before traveling or mailing items. A general facility address does not replace service-specific instructions.
Information on this page is drawn from the official resources linked above. Verify current visiting arrangements, medical-item procedures, payment methods, and facility details with the responsible service.
Direct custody inquiries, medical information, visiting requests, and payments through the designated official channels. Messages or documents sent to this website do not reach LASD or the person in custody.