Inmate Reception Center: How to Post Bail, Find Inmate Information and More

The Inmate Reception Center (IRC) is a downtown Los Angeles LASD intake, processing and temporary-holding facility. People may first be booked at an arresting agency or another intake location; not every Los Angeles County arrest begins at IRC.

The IRC is the main intake and processing facility for all Los Angeles County jails.

Initial booking and transfer routes depend on the arresting agency, custody classification and individual circumstances. Confirm the actual location through LASD or the arresting agency.

The address for the IRC is:

Inmate Reception Center
450 Bauchet Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 893-5875

Driving directions: Google Maps

IRC operates around the clock, but booking, classification, medical review and transfer timing vary. Confirm the person’s current location rather than assuming that every new arrest is already in the IRC database.

It handles initial booking, medical screening, classification, and determines where inmates will be housed. Because it is primarily a processing center, people often spend only a short time here, from several hours to a few days, before being released or moved.

How do I post bail for someone at the Inmate Reception Center?

Before posting bail, confirm the current amount, eligibility, other holds and accepted payment method with the IRC cashier at 213-893-5875. Cash, an accepted cashier’s check and a licensed surety bond involve different requirements. A commissary deposit is not a bail payment; do not assume credit cards or money orders are accepted for bail.

A release may require verification of payment, court conditions and other holds. Contact the release desk for actual status; no payment location guarantees the fastest release.

How to post cash bail

If cash bail is required, confirm the exact amount and receipt requirements. Return of deposited funds depends on the court’s exoneration and any forfeiture or other lawful order. Posting money does not remove a separate hold or guarantee immediate release.

If the defendant misses any required court appearances, the bail money is forfeited.

How to post bail with a cashier’s check

For cashier’s-check bail, ask the cashier to confirm the acceptable bank, exact payee, amount, identifying information and verification process before obtaining the check. The rules for mailed commissary money orders are separate.

Release will not occur until the funds clear, which may take longer outside of normal business hours or on weekends.

How to pay bail with a bail bond

A licensed bail agent charges a premium, often quoted as 10%, under an approved agreement. The premium is generally not returned after release. Read the collateral and indemnity terms; appearing in court does not necessarily eliminate every contractual obligation. Missed appearances may trigger forfeiture and liability under the agreement.

Read the bond agreement for premium, collateral and indemnity obligations. Court attendance does not necessarily eliminate every obligation under that agreement.

Custody staff must verify the court order, payment and any other holds before release. Processing time varies; there is no reliable half-hour release promise.

How do I look up an inmate’s information

You can call the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Inmate Information Center at (213) 473-6100 any time, day or night.
You will need to provide at least one of the following:

• The inmate’s full name
• Date of birth
• Booking number

You will receive information including:

• The inmate’s current location
• Bail amount
• Housing assignment (if already transferred)
• Next scheduled court date

How do I contact someone who is being held at the Inmate Reception Center

Because IRC is mainly a short-term holding facility, communication is limited.
Inmates cannot receive incoming calls.

Incarcerated people cannot receive incoming personal calls. Los Angeles County funds free jail phone calls; access still depends on housing, processing and institutional rules. Prepaid phone cards are prohibited in incoming mail. Do not send a card or assume that buying one is necessary to receive a call.

To provide commissary funds, identify the correct deposit destination from the person’s current custody record. Bail and trust deposits use different processes.

• Prepaid phone cards are prohibited in incoming mail.
• For a mailed trust-account deposit, LASD currently limits the amount to $200 and requires the incarcerated person’s name and booking number as payee information. California senders may use an accepted California bank cashier’s check or USPS money order; out-of-state mailed deposits must use a USPS money order. These are commissary-deposit instructions, not bail-payment instructions.

[Inmate’s full name and booking number]
P.O. Box 86164
Terminal Annex
Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164

LASD lists IRC as “NO VISITING – TEMPORARY HOLDING.” Do not assume that remaining there for a day or two creates social-visiting eligibility. Check the assigned housing facility after transfer and arrange a visit through its procedure.

An attorney visit or confidential legal call uses a separate process; counsel should coordinate access with custody staff.

How to get help for someone who has been arrested

The early hours after an arrest are critical. A knowledgeable criminal defense attorney can advise you about bail, protect the detainee’s rights, and begin building a defense right away.

Robert M. Helfend has practiced criminal defense since 1984. His State Bar record and Super Lawyers selections for 2020 through 2023 provide independently checkable professional information. Call 800-834-6434 for a free consultation.

Have an expert by your side to help you every step of the way. Call today – 800-834-6434.

Published September 26, 2025.

IRC contact numbers serve different purposes

Question	Contact
Where is the person held?	LASD inmate information: 213-473-6100. Online records may not yet show a booking within the last two hours.
Booking process	IRC booking: 213-893-5327.
Release process	IRC release: 213-893-5347. Ask about actual status and pickup instructions.
Bail or trust payment	Cashier questions: 213-893-5875. State which payment you intend to make.
Physical location	450 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. IRC is temporary holding, with no social visiting.

Keep the full name, date of birth, booking number, arresting agency and case number together. If the locator has no result, contact the arresting agency and LASD; an absent online entry does not establish that the person was released.

Official facility information

• LASD custody directory, visiting, mail and deposit instructions
• LASD visiting reservations
• County jail reform report and free-call funding

Facility information checked October 10, 2026. Confirm the person’s current location and applicable rules before sending funds or traveling.