When men are arrested in the Los Angeles area, they are sometimes brought to Los Angeles County’s Men’s Central Jail.

The address for Los Angeles County Men’s Central is:

Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail
441 Bauchet St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 974-4921

Driving directions: Google Maps

With a maximum capacity of 6,750 inmates, Los Angeles Men’s Central has the capability to hold more inmates than any other jail in the world. It is used to temporarily house arrestees until they:

  • Are released on their own recognizance,
  • Post bail, or
  • Appear for an arraignment or trial.

It also houses convicted inmates who have been sentenced to county jail. It houses only male inmates.

How do I post bail for someone at Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail?

Los Angeles County MCJ accepts cash, check, money orders, credit cards and bail bonds to post bail. You may post bail in person at any time. 

The L.A. Inmate Reception Center (“IRC”) is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is across the street from the jail at:

450 Bauchet St.
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 893-5875

How to post cash bail

When you pay cash bail, be prepared to pay the full amount exactly.

You’ll get the cash back (minus an administrative fee) after his criminal case is concluded. If the inmate does not attend his court appearances throughout the term of the case, your cash bail money will be forfeited to the court.

How to post bail with a cashier’s check or money order

Just like with cash bail, you are required to pay the full bail amount exactly. Bail can be paid with either a cashier’s check or money order. Only California bank-drawn cashier’s checks are accepted. All checks and money orders must be made payable to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. The inmate’s full name and booking order must be included on the check. 

If you post bail with a cashier’s check or money order, the inmate will not be released until the payment has been verified. Depending on the day of the week and time of day, it may be a while before the inmate is released.

How to pay bail with a bail bond

Bail bonds are the most common way to pay an inmate’s bail. Instead of paying the full amount, you first contact a bail bondsman and provide them with a non-refundable percentage of the total bail amount (usually 10% at most).

The initial percentage fee is non-refundable, but you won’t owe anything more if the inmate attends all of their court appearances. However, if the inmate fails to make those appearances, you will be required to pay the bondsman the full amount of the bail.

Bail bond organizations advertise online and in the phone books. Make sure to verify the bondsman’s license before working with them.

Once the bail has been posted, it usually takes about half an hour to process and the inmate is released shortly after. 

How do I look up an inmate’s information?

You can call the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail Inmate Reception Center at (213) 473-6100 anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can also find this information online by visiting the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s inmate information website.

In order to look up an inmate’s information, you must be able to provide:

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

You will then be provided with the following inmate information:

  • Bail information
  • Jail housing location
  • Next scheduled court date

How do I contact someone who is being held at the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail?

Inmates at the Los Angeles Men’s Central Jail are not allowed to take incoming phone calls. When they are booked, inmates are allowed to make one free outbound phone call. All subsequent outgoing calls must be made using a calling card.

If you’d like to send a prepaid calling card to an inmate, you can do so one of two ways:

  1. Send the card in a commissary care package
  2. Send the inmate money to purchase a calling card by sending a California bank-drawn cashier’s check or money order to 

[Inmate’s complete name and booking number]

P.O. Box 86164, Terminal Annex

Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164

You can also correspond with an inmate via email or visit an inmate in person once per scheduled visiting day, Thursday-Sunday between 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM and between 5:00 PM and 7:00 PM. 

How to get help for someone who has been arrested

The criminal justice system is purposefully complex, intimidating, and difficult to navigate. To make things worse, investigators and prosecutors will use the confusing system to their advantage in order to get a confession or dole out a harsh punishment. But you don’t have to go through it alone. A good criminal defense attorney will keep you informed, fight for your rights and communicate with you about options throughout the whole process.

Robert M. Helfend is a SuperLawyers and National Trial Lawyers Top 100 rated trial attorney who has practiced in the Los Angeles area for more than 30 years. 

Have an expert by your side to help you every step of the way. Call today.