Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)

Can You Send Mail to Someone at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)?

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

LAPD says its jails allow unlimited mail, and staff read it only for security with a supervisor's approval. LAPD does not publish a mailing address for MDC. Call (213) 356-3400 for the exact format. Since MDC is a short stay, a letter may arrive after the person has been released or moved.

Does MDC accept mail?

Yes. LAPD's custody plan says its jails allow unlimited mail. Staff open and read mail only for security reasons, and only with approval from a supervisor. Mail that arrives for a person is placed in that person's property bag.

That last detail matters. A letter for someone who has already been released or moved may end up with their property, not in their hands.

What address do I use for MDC?

LAPD has not published an inmate mailing address for MDC. We will not invent one. A wrong address can send a letter nowhere. Call the jail at (213) 356-3400 and ask how mail should be addressed, and whether the booking number is needed. Have the person's full legal name ready.

MDC is located at 180 N. Los Angeles St. in downtown Los Angeles. Do not assume that is the mail address.

What should I leave out of a letter?

LAPD's pages do not list banned items for MDC. The county sheriff does list them for its jails, and the list is a good guide for what to avoid. It includes cash, personal checks, stamps, stickers, glitter, staples and paper clips, perfume and lipstick, and prepaid phone cards. Photos at county jails are limited to a small size and cannot show nudity or gang symbols.

That list is from LASD and not LAPD, so use it as a caution and not as a rule for MDC. A plain letter on plain paper is the safe choice.

Is mail the right tool for a short stay?

Often not. Many people at MDC are in court within a couple of days, and then they are released or sent to county custody. Mail takes days. If your goal is to reach the person, a call to the jail or to their lawyer is faster. People in custody also get phone calls, which we cover on our MDC phone calls page.

If the person moves to county custody, men use a general LASD mailing address and women may use the Lynwood facility address. Look at the LASD page for the Inmate Reception Center and Century Regional Detention Facility once you know where they are.

What about sending money by mail?

LAPD does not describe a way to send money to someone at MDC, and we could not confirm one. Do not mail cash. If the person needs something now, call the jail and ask. If your loved one needs a bond, a bail agent can start it without anyone mailing anything. Read our guide to bail in California to see how it works.

What should I write in the letter?

Keep it short and kind. Say who you are, say that you love them, and tell them what you are doing to help. Give them the facts they might not have, like who has the kids or that you called a lawyer. Do not write about the case. Jail mail can be read for security, and anything about the facts could be used later.

Put your return address on the envelope in plain block letters. Put the full legal name of the person and, if the jail gives you one, the booking number. If the jail says mail is not a good idea for a short stay, believe them and use the phone instead. Our MDC visiting page covers the other way to reach someone.

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.

More about Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)

• Bail at Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)
• Inmate search
• Visiting
• Phone calls
• Release after bail
• Bail amount

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. Rules change, so check the official source before you go.