Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)

How to Visit Someone at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC)

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

MDC allows one visit a day with one visitor, up to 15 minutes. One child may come with the adult. Staff can cancel visits when short handed. Attorneys, bail bondspersons and clergy may visit at any time. LAPD prints the hours in a confusing way, so call (213) 356-3400 before you go.

Does MDC allow family visits?

Yes, but they are short and limited. LAPD's custody plan says each person gets one visit per day, with one visitor per visit. One child may come along with the adult. The visit lasts at most 15 minutes.

That is very different from the long weekend visits at county jails. MDC is a place people pass through on the way to court, so the rules are built for quick, simple visits.

What are the MDC visiting hours?

LAPD lists MDC visiting for every day of the week, with a morning window starting at 10 AM and an afternoon window from 1 PM to 3 PM. The morning end time is printed as 12 AM on the LAPD page, which is hard to read and may be a typo. We will not guess. Call MDC at (213) 356-3400 and ask for today's hours. The TTY line is (213) 356-3406.

MDC is at 180 N. Los Angeles St. in downtown Los Angeles. Give yourself extra time to park and get in.

Can a visit be canceled when I get there?

Yes. LAPD says the watch commander may cancel visits when staffing is low or other needs come up. That is why a phone call first matters. If your visit is refused, it is usually about the jail's workload and not about you or your loved one.

If you cannot get in, a letter may help. See our page on mail at MDC.

Who can visit at any time at MDC?

LAPD says an attorney, a bail bondsperson or clergy may visit at any time. If you have a lawyer, the lawyer can see your loved one without waiting for the family windows. A bail agent can also come to the jail to handle a bond. That is a separate matter from a family visit, and you do not need to be there.

If you need a lawyer and cannot pay for one, our free resources directory lists public defenders and legal aid.

What about ID, dress code and video visits?

LAPD's pages do not list ID rules, dress code or video visits for MDC. We will not guess, because a wrong guess could get you turned away. Bring government photo ID anyway, since most jails ask, and ask the jail on the phone what else it requires.

The online visit scheduling at visit.lasd.org is for county jails. It may matter if your person is moved to the Inmate Reception Center or Men's Central Jail, so check the LASD page once you know where they are held.

How should I get ready for a 15 minute visit?

Fifteen minutes goes fast, so plan what you will say. Start with the things that cannot wait. Does the person have a lawyer? Do they take medicine? Who has the kids, the pet or the car? Is there a court date you know about? Write the answers on your phone and keep it short.

Stay calm on the visit, even if it is hard. A scared person takes cues from the face in front of them. Say that you are working on bail and that you will find them. If you are not sure what bail will cost, ask us before the visit so you can give them real news. Our MDC bail amount page explains how the number is set.

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
• Mail
• 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.