Valley Jail Section (Van Nuys Station)

How Do I Find Someone at the Valley Jail Section?

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

LAPD does not run its own arrestee lookup. For the Valley Jail Section, use the LASD Inmate Information Center online or call (213) 473-6100, which LAPD says answers 24 hours a day for LAPD and LASD jails. Have the full name and date of birth ready. New bookings may not show for about two hours.

Where do I search for someone held in Van Nuys?

The Valley Jail Section is the LAPD jail at 6240 Sylmar Ave. in Van Nuys. LAPD's custody page sends the public to the county's lookup instead of its own. That lookup is the LASD Inmate Information Center, and it covers LAPD bookings along with sheriff bookings.

You can also call (213) 473-6100. LAPD says this number gives information on anyone held at an LAPD or LASD jail, any hour of the day. If you want a phone voice on the Valley side, the jail itself is (818) 374-9645.

Our full walk through of the county tools is in the guide to finding someone in jail. This page is only about what is different when the person was taken to Van Nuys.

What do I need before I search?

The lookup asks for last name, first name, middle name and date of birth. LASD says to have the full name and date of birth ready before you call or search.

• The legal name, spelled the way it would be on an ID.
• The date of birth.
• The date of the arrest, if you know it.
• Any other names the person has used.

LASD also notes that people are sometimes booked with a middle name and sometimes without one. If the first search fails, try again with and without it, and try a nickname or a married name.

Why does the Valley Jail Section show nobody yet?

The county says records are not available for bookings in the last 2 hours. LAPD repeats that on its own page. So if the arrest happened this evening, an empty result may only mean the paperwork has not reached the system.

Wait a bit and try again. Do not assume the person was never arrested, and do not assume they were let go. Booking at a busy jail is a series of steps, and the record appears only after they finish.

If a few hours pass and you still see nothing, call (213) 473-6100 with the full name and date of birth. If that does not settle it, call the Valley Jail Section at (818) 374-9645 and ask whether the person is there or was taken somewhere else.

What is a booking number and how do I get one?

A booking number is the number the jail gives a person when they are processed. A bond needs it, so it saves time when you have it. LASD says you can get the booking number by calling (213) 473-6100 with the complete name, date of birth, and the date of arrest if you have it. A search on the complete legal name also returns the booking number.

If you cannot get it, still call us with the name and date of birth. We can work with what you have. Our release after bail page covers what happens once a bond is posted.

What if they were moved after Van Nuys?

An LAPD jail is a short stop. LAPD says people still in custody after arraignment are remanded to the Sheriff's Department. Men usually go through the Inmate Reception Center downtown, and women go to Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.

LASD says it does not notify families when someone moves to another facility. So check again after any court date. Call (213) 473-6100 and ask where the person is now. If the first hearing is coming up, our guide on how much bail is in California can help you plan.

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 Valley Jail Section (Van Nuys Station)

• Bail at Valley Jail Section (Van Nuys Station)
• Visiting
• 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.