Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) Bail Help, Downtown Los Angeles

By Jane Un, licensed bail agent #1843448. Updated October 29, 2026.

The Metropolitan Detention Center, called MDC, is the LAPD jail at 180 N. Los Angeles St. in downtown Los Angeles. We are a private licensed bail agent and are not part of LAPD or LASD, but we can walk you through what happens here and how a bond is posted.

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Jane Un waiting with a family in a jail lobby

Address	180 N. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, CA 90012
Run by	Los Angeles Police Department, Custody Services Division
Phone	MDC jail (213) 356-3400 MDC TTY (213) 356-3406 Inmate information, 24 hours (213) 473-6100
Inmate lookup	LASD Inmate Information Center

Visiting

LAPD's page lists daily visiting from 10 AM to 12 AM and from 1 PM to 3 PM. The morning hours print oddly on that page, so call the jail to confirm before you go.
One friend or family visit is allowed per day. An attorney, a bail bondsperson or clergy may visit at any time.

Who is held at MDC

MDC is a city jail, run by the LAPD Custody Services Division. It is where people arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department are usually taken for booking before they see a judge. In practice that means arrests in the downtown, Central Bureau and many West Bureau areas. LAPD does not publish a chart that matches each police area to a jail, so treat that as the usual pattern and not a rule. Officers can move people, and some arrestees are driven to another LAPD jail for a medical check first.

MDC is a short stay jail. It is not where most people serve a sentence. After a first court appearance, a person who is still in custody is moved to a Los Angeles County Sheriff facility. We cover that move below.

Booking and release

Booking is the paperwork stage. Officers record the arrest, take fingerprints and photos, check the person's health, and collect belongings. Then a bail amount is set from the county schedule, or the person may qualify for release under the county's pre-arraignment release rules for lower level charges. You can read how that works in our guide on pre-arraignment release without cash bail.

How long this takes depends on how busy the jail is and on the person's health and record. We cannot promise a release time, and anyone who does is guessing. What we can do is keep the process moving on our end once you call.

To find someone, use the LASD Inmate Information Center or call (213) 473-6100. LAPD says that line covers both LAPD and LASD jails. Have the full legal name and date of birth ready. Our guide on finding someone in jail has more tips.

How bail is posted at MDC

LAPD says bail can be posted at its jails 24 hours a day. LAPD accepts cash, a valid surety bond, a cashier's check made out to the LAPD Bail Account and drawn on a California bank, and Western Union or US Postal money orders. Most families do not carry that much cash at 2 AM, which is why a surety bond is common.

With a surety bond, a licensed bail agent signs the bond, and the agent or the agent's runner takes it to the jail. Our office at 900 Avila St. Suite 101 is a short walk from the downtown jails. The jail then processes the bond and the release. That last step is in the jail's hands, so we cannot say when it will finish.

If you are new to all this, read our guide to the basics of how bail works in Los Angeles. If you are not sure whether bail has been set, call us and we will help you find out.

Visiting, money and mail

Visiting at MDC is short and tightly limited. One friend or family visit per day, plus the professional visitors named above. Bring a government photo ID, and expect to be searched. Do not bring items you are not sure about. If a visit is refused, there is usually a reason on the jail's side, such as a lockdown or the person being moved.

LAPD's page does not spell out deposit or mail rules for MDC in the version we reviewed. Call the jail at (213) 356-3400 before you send money or a letter. Because stays here are short, a letter may not arrive before the person is released or moved.

Medical and mental health notes for families

If your loved one takes medicine, has a condition or is in crisis, tell the booking staff through the jail's phone line and tell their attorney. Write down the medicine names and doses so the call goes fast. NBC Los Angeles reported in October 2026 that LAPD arrestees from other areas are being sent to MDC and to the Valley Jail for medical clearance because of a staffing shortage at another jail. If your loved one is a pregnant woman, see our guide on pregnancy in jail and our program for qualifying pregnant women, which is subject to approval.

If your loved one is moved to county custody.

When a person stays in custody after arraignment, LAPD says they are remanded to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Men usually go through the Inmate Reception Center and are then housed at Twin Towers or Men's Central Jail. Women are housed at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood. A bond can still be posted after the move. The bail is the same, but the jail is different, so call us before you drive anywhere.

How 1% down works for an MDC booking

On 1% down, here is how it works. Bail Today, Pay Later lets you start with 1% of the bail amount down on approved credit, and the rest of the premium goes on a monthly plan. The premium itself is 10% of the bail, which is the filed rate, or 8% when a private attorney is retained or the defendant or co-signer is a veteran. 1% down is the start of a payment plan, not the price. You can use the calculator or start the online application, which takes about 4 minutes and asks for no SSN online.

Our 1% down page shows the full steps. A family member, friend or attorney can call us for the person in custody. We are a private licensed bail agent, California Department of Insurance License #1843448, and we are open 24 hours at (213) 725-2815. Most MDC arrests come from areas such as downtown and Hollywood.

1% down is a down payment on approved credit, not the price of the bond. The premium is the rate on file with the California Department of Insurance, 10% of the bail amount, or 8% when a private attorney is retained or you or the defendant is a veteran. The balance goes on a payment plan.

Questions people ask

Where is MDC?

MDC is at 180 N. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, in downtown Los Angeles. LAPD runs it, and the jail phone is (213) 356-3400.

Can I post bail at MDC at night?

LAPD says bail can be posted at its jails 24 hours a day. A bond has to be processed by the jail, so we cannot promise when a release will happen.

Will my loved one stay at MDC until the case ends?

No. MDC is a short stay jail. A person still in custody after arraignment is moved to Los Angeles County Sheriff custody.

Are you part of LAPD?

No. We are a private licensed bail agent. We are not part of LAPD, LASD or any court.

How do I use 1% down?

You start with 1% of the bail down on approved credit through Bail Today, Pay Later. The premium is 10% of bail, or 8% in certain cases, and the balance goes on a monthly plan.

Neighborhoods served

Sources

Jane Un Bail Bonds is a private bail agent licensed by the California Department of Insurance, License #1843448. We are not part of LAPD, LASD or the courts.