The la-county-jail-mailing-address for all people held in Los Angeles County jails is PO BOX 86164, Terminal Annex, Los Angeles, CA 90086‑0164. You must write the full name of the person and their booking number on the front of the envelope. The jail staff will not give mail to anyone if these details are missing. Every letter must have a return address in the top left corner. This return address must have your real name and your home address. The post office and the jail need this to send the letter back if there is a problem. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department runs the jails and checks every piece of mail. They look for items that are not allowed inside. This helps keep the jails safe for everyone. You can call the mail line at (213) 473-6100 to check if you have the right booking number before you send your letter.
How to write the address on the envelope
Writing the address the right way is the best way to make sure your letter gets to the person. Put the name of the person on the first line. On the second line, write their seven-digit booking number. If you do not have the booking number, the mail will stay at the Terminal Annex and might go back to you. The third line is the PO BOX 86164. The last line is Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164. Use blue or black ink. Do not use pencils or markers that can smear. The jail uses machines to read the names and numbers. Clear writing helps the machines work fast. If the writing is hard to read, a person at the jail has to look at it by hand. This makes the delivery take much longer. Sometimes it takes many days for a letter to get through the system.
| Line Type | What to Write |
|---|---|
| Line 1 | Full Legal Name of the Person |
| Line 2 | Seven-Digit Booking Number |
| Line 3 | PO BOX 86164, Terminal Annex |
| Line 4 | Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164 |
Do not add extra drawings or stickers to the outside of the envelope. The jail sees stickers as a security risk. They think people might hide drugs or other bad things under the glue. If you put a sticker on the envelope, the staff will throw the whole letter away or send it back. Only the stamp and the addresses should be on the paper. Use a standard white envelope. Colored envelopes might get extra attention from the guards and take longer to scan. Keep it simple so the person gets your message quickly.
Items you can send in the mail
You can send letters written by hand. These letters should be on plain white paper. Do not use paper with glitter or scent. The jail does not let people have paper that smells like perfume. You can send up to five pages in one envelope. If the letter is too thick, the staff might think you are hiding something. You can send photos too. But there are strict rules for photos. They must be 4 by 6 inches or smaller. You can only send five photos at a time. The photos cannot show anything bad or against the law. They cannot show gangs or drugs. Plain paper photos are better than the thick shiny kind. Thick photos are sometimes banned if the jail thinks they could be used to hurt someone.
Money is another thing people ask about. Do not put cash in the mail. Do not put checks in the mail. If the jail finds money in an envelope, they will take it and it might get lost. To give money to a person in jail, use the official jail website or the kiosks at the jail lobby. They use a system called “Inmate Trust Accounts.” This is a safe way to pay for snacks or phone calls. The mail is only for words and photos. If you want to send a book, it must come from a store like Amazon. The store must mail it directly to the jail address. You cannot mail a book from your house. The jail only accepts new books with soft covers. Hardcover books are seen as weapons and are never let inside.
Checking the booking number
The booking number is the most important part of the address. Every person who goes to jail gets a unique number. Even if two people have the same name, their booking numbers will be different. You can look up this number on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s website. Look for the “Inmate Information” link. Type in the first and last name of the person. The site will show you their number and where they are staying. If the person just got arrested, it might take a few hours for the number to show up. The website stays updated all day and night. You can use this tool at any time. If you do not have a computer, you can call (213) 473-6100 and ask for the number. The person on the phone will ask for the birth date of the person in jail to make sure they find the right one.
If you have the wrong number, your letter will not get to the cell. The jail gets thousands of letters every day. They do not have time to guess who the letter is for. If the number is wrong, they mark the letter as “Return to Sender.” This means the mail carrier takes it back to your house. This wastes your time and your money on stamps. Double check the number every time you write. Sometimes people move to different jails but their number stays the same. The address for the mail stays the same for Men’s Central Jail and Twin Towers too. Both use the Terminal Annex PO Box. This makes it easier for the public to remember where to send things.
Rules for photos and pictures
Photos help people in jail feel better. They like to see their family and friends. But you must follow the jail rules or the photos will be taken away. No photo can be bigger than 4 inches by 6 inches. Do not send Polaroid photos. These are the kind that print out of the camera right away. The jail bans them as the back of the photo can be peeled off to hide things. Only send standard photos printed on thin paper. Do not send photos that show nudity or people without clothes. Do not send photos of people making gang signs with their hands. The guards look at every single photo. If they see one bad thing, they take all the photos in that envelope.
You can print photos from your computer on regular white paper. This is a good way to send many pictures. Just make sure they are not too big. Do not use tape or glue to put the photos on the letter. Anything sticky is banned. Use a paper clip if you have to, but plain loose sheets are best. The jail wants to see that nothing is hidden between layers of paper. If you follow these rules, the person you love will get to see your face and stay happy. It helps them stay calm while they wait for their court date or their time to go home.
Sending books and magazines
Books can help pass the time in a jail cell. You cannot buy a book at a store and then mail it yourself. The jail thinks you might hide things inside the pages. Instead, you must buy the book online. When you check out, put the name of the inmate and their booking number as the person receiving the package. Use the same PO BOX 86164 address. The package must come from the publisher or a big store. Only softcover books can go in. Hardcover books have a stiff spine that could be used as a tool or a weapon. Magazines are okay too, but they must also come from the place that prints them. Do not send more than three books at one time. If the package is too big, the jail will reject it.
The jail staff will open the book box to look at the pages. They check for anything drawn inside or any items tucked between the sheets. If the book has pages about how to make weapons or how to escape, it will not be allowed. Stick to novels, puzzle books, or religious books. These are usually fine. Many people send crosswords or Sudoku books to keep the brain busy. This is a very common gift. Just make sure the store includes a packing slip. The packing slip proves the book is new and came from a real business. This makes the check-in work go faster for the guards.
Legal mail and court papers
Legal mail is different from personal letters. This is mail from a lawyer or the court. The jail has special rules for this. They do not read legal mail like they read family letters. They only look at it to make sure there are no physical items inside like drugs. The lawyer must write “Legal Mail” on the envelope in big letters. They should use their office letterhead. If it does not look like official legal mail, the guards will treat it like a regular letter and read it. People in jail have a right to talk to their lawyer in private. This includes letters. If a person in jail gets legal papers, the guards usually open the envelope in front of them so the person knows nobody read their private business.
If you are sending court papers yourself, try to get a lawyer to do it for you. If you must do it, make sure the court name is clearly on the return address. The jail takes legal rights very seriously. They want to make sure everyone can prepare for their trial. If there is a problem with legal mail, the person in jail can file a complaint. But most of the time, the system works well. Just keep the legal papers separate from personal notes. Do not put a letter to your friend inside an envelope marked as legal mail. If the guards find a personal letter in there, they might take the whole thing away and you could get in trouble for lying about the mail type.
Banned items in the mail
Knowing what not to send is as important as knowing the address. The list of banned items is long. Do not send anything with glue or tape. This includes stickers and labels. Do not send greeting cards that have electronic parts. Cards that play music when you open them are not allowed. The battery inside is a safety risk. Do not send cards that have pop-up parts or many layers of paper. The jail wants flat, simple items. Do not send any kind of food or candy. Even if it is in a sealed bag, the jail will throw it out. The person in jail can buy snacks at the commissary. They do not need you to mail them food.
Other banned items include string, ribbon, and paper clips. Do not use white-out or correction tape on your letters. If you make a mistake, just cross it out with a pen. Do not use glitter or paint. Do not send any item that has been sprayed with perfume or any liquid. If the paper feels wet or looks stained, the jail might think it has drugs on it. They test papers for chemicals. If a letter fails the test, it goes in the trash and the person in jail might lose their right to get mail. Keep your letters dry and clean. This is the best way to make sure they reach the person you are writing to.
- No stickers or labels
- No glitter or paint
- No perfume or scents
- No musical greeting cards
- No cash or personal checks
- No food or drinks
- No hardcover books
- No Polaroid photos
Special rules for female inmates
Women in Los Angeles County stay at the Century Regional Detention Facility. This is also called CRDF or the Lynwood jail. Even though they are in a different building, the mail still goes to the same PO BOX 86164. You use the same name and booking number format. The staff at the Terminal Annex sorts the mail and sends the women’s letters to the Lynwood facility. The rules for what you can send are the same. No stickers, no cash, and no thick photos. Sometimes women have special programs for their kids. You can ask the jail if you can send drawings from children. Usually, drawings in crayon are okay, but avoid using markers that soak through the paper.
The Lynwood jail is located at 11705 South Alameda Street, Lynwood, CA 90262. But do not mail letters to that street address. If you do, the post office will bring them back to you. Only the PO Box in Los Angeles is for inmate mail. The street address is only for people going to visit or for official business. If a woman in jail needs medicine, you cannot mail it to her. You must talk to the medical staff at the jail. They have their own pharmacy and will give her what she needs. Mailing pills or medicine is a crime and can lead to new charges for you and the person in jail.
How the jail processes the mail
When your letter arrives at the Terminal Annex, it goes through many steps. First, a machine sorts the mail by the booking number. Next, a person looks at the envelope for any banned items like stickers. Then, the jail uses X-ray machines to see what is inside without opening it. If they see something strange, they open the envelope to look closer. If the letter is personal, they might read parts of it to check for talk about crimes or gang activity. They do this to stop people from planning bad things from inside the jail. After the letter is cleared, it is logged into a computer. The jail wants to know who is sending mail to who.
Once the letter is approved, it goes into a bag for the specific facility. A truck takes the mail from the Terminal Annex to places like Men’s Central Jail or the Twin Towers. The guards at the jail then give the mail to the inmates during mail call. Mail call usually happens once a day, except on weekends and holidays. If a person moved to a different cell, it might take a day or two for the mail to catch up with them. The whole trip from your house to the inmate’s hand can take 5 to 10 days. Be patient. If you send a letter on Monday, the person might not read it until the next week. This is normal for a large jail system like Los Angeles.
What happens if mail is rejected?
If the jail staff finds something wrong with your mail, they will not give it to the inmate. They usually write a note saying why it was rejected. If there is a return address, they will send the whole thing back to you. This is why the return address is so important. If you do not put a return address, the jail will keep the letter in a storage room or destroy it. The person in jail will get a small slip of paper. This paper tells them that a letter was sent to them but was not allowed in. It will say who sent it and why it was stopped. This lets the inmate know to tell you what you did wrong so you can try again.
Common reasons for rejection include using the wrong booking number or putting a sticker on the paper. If you send too many photos, they might send all of them back instead of just the extra ones. If you send a book from your house instead of a store, it will always be rejected. If you think the jail made a mistake, you can try to call the mail room. But they are very busy and rarely change their minds. The best thing to do is to look at the rules again and send a new letter that follows every single one. This is faster than trying to argue with the jail staff.
Men’s Central Jail and Twin Towers
Men’s Central Jail (MCJ) and Twin Towers Correctional Facility are right next to each other. They hold thousands of men. Many are waiting for their day in court. Because these jails are so big, the mail system is very busy. The Terminal Annex handles all of it. Even though these buildings have street addresses on Bauchet Street, you must never use them for mail. The staff at the front desk of the jail will not take letters. They will tell you to go to the post office and use the PO Box. This keeps the jail lobby from getting too crowded with mail bags.
The Twin Towers jail is where many people with medical needs stay. If you are writing to someone there, the rules are the same. You might want to send them encouragement. Being in jail is hard, and letters are a big help. Just keep the talk positive. Do not talk about things that could get them in trouble. The guards are watching. If you write about a crime, the police might use your letter as evidence in court. Always remember that a letter to jail is not 100 percent private. Write as if a guard is reading over your shoulder, because they often are.
Visiting hours and location
If you want to do more than send mail, you can visit. But visiting and mailing have different rules. You must schedule a visit ahead of time. You can do this on the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s website. You will need the booking number for this too. When you go to visit, do not bring any of the letters you want to give them. You cannot hand anything to a person in jail during a visit. All items must go through the mail. Even a simple drawing from a child cannot be passed through the glass. The jail uses a “no contact” rule to stop drugs from getting inside. Mail is the only way to give them physical items like letters or photos.
The main office for inmate information is at 450 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. This is the Inmate Reception Center. You can go there to ask questions or to put money on a person’s account. They are open most days. But for mailing, always stick to the PO Box address. The physical buildings are for people, not for envelopes. If you go to the desk at 450 Bauchet Street with a letter, they will point you to the nearest blue mailbox on the street corner. They will not take it from your hand.
Official Contact Details:
Physical Address: 450 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Mailing Address: PO BOX 86164, Terminal Annex, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164
Phone Number: (213) 473-6100
Visiting Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM (Appt Required)
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for mail to reach an inmate?
Mail sent to the Los Angeles County jail usually takes about a week to ten days. When you drop a letter in the mailbox, it first goes to the main post office. From there, it is sent to the Terminal Annex PO Box. The Sheriff’s Department staff then picks up the mail in big batches. They take it to a secure spot to scan and sort it. This part takes two or three days because they have to look at thousands of envelopes. After it is cleared, a truck takes it to the specific jail facility. Once at the jail, the guards sort it by floor and cell block. Finally, the mail is handed out. If there is a holiday or if the jail is on lockdown, it can take even longer. A lockdown means everyone stays in their cells and the guards are busy, so mail call might be skipped for a day. Always send your letters early if you want them to arrive by a certain date, like a birthday or a holiday.
Can I send stamps or envelopes to an inmate?
You cannot send loose stamps, envelopes, or blank paper to a person in jail through the mail. The jail sees these as items that can be traded or used for gambling. It sounds strange, but stamps are like money inside a jail. If you put stamps in your letter, the guards will take them out and throw them away. Sometimes they might reject the whole letter. If the person you know needs to write back to you, they must buy their own stamps and paper. They do this through the jail commissary. The commissary is a store inside the jail. The inmate uses the money in their trust account to buy “stationary packs.” These packs have everything they need to send a letter. If the person is very poor and has no money, the jail is required to give them a small number of stamps and envelopes for free each week so they can write to their family or lawyer. This makes sure everyone can communicate without you needing to send supplies.
What are the rules for sending photos?
The rules for photos are very strict to keep the jail safe. You can send a maximum of five photos per letter. Each photo must be no larger than 4 inches by 6 inches. You must use standard photo paper or plain printer paper. Do not send Polaroid photos. The thick, multi-layered back of a Polaroid can be used to hide drugs or small tools. The guards will always reject them. The content of the photos is also checked. You cannot send pictures that show illegal acts, weapons, or gang signs. Nudity is also banned. If a photo is deemed “sexually explicit,” it will be confiscated. This means photos of people in underwear or revealing clothing might be rejected even if they are not fully nude. It is best to send modest, family-friendly photos. If you want to send more than five photos, you must send them in separate envelopes on different days. Do not try to hide extra photos inside the letter. The X-ray machine will see them easily.
Can I send a package with clothes or food?
No, you cannot send packages with clothes, food, or personal items to the Los Angeles County jail. This is a common mistake. People want to send a warm sweater or a favorite snack, but the jail will not allow it. All clothing must be the standard jail uniform provided by the facility. If a person needs special items for court, their lawyer must get special permission from a judge to bring those clothes in. Food is also a major security risk. It can spoil, or it can be used to hide contraband. All food must be purchased from the jail commissary. If you mail a package of food, it will be refused and sent back. The only “package” allowed is a box of books or magazines sent directly from a store like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Even then, the package can only have the books in it. If the store includes a free gift or a heavy catalog, the jail might reject the whole box. Keep your gifts limited to money for their account or a book from an approved shop.
How do I find an inmate’s booking number?
To find the booking number, go to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department website. They have a tool called the “Inmate Locater.” You will need to type in the person’s first name and last name. If the name is common, like “John Smith,” you might see many results. The website will show the age, race, and middle name to help you pick the right person. Once you click on their name, a new page will open. This page lists the “Booking Number” at the top. It is usually a seven-digit number. Write this number down. The page also shows where the person is being held, like Men’s Central Jail or Twin Towers. You need this number for every letter you send and every time you put money on their account. If you cannot use the website, you can call (213) 473-6100. This is the main information line. Be ready to give the person’s full name and their date of birth. The staff will then read the booking number to you over the phone.
What if I don’t have a return address?
If you do not have a return address, do not send the letter. The Los Angeles County jail requires a full return address on every piece of mail. This address must include your full name, street address, city, state, and zip code. The jail uses this to verify who is talking to the inmates. It also gives them a place to send the letter if the person has been released or moved to state prison. If a letter arrives without a return address, the staff will consider it “anonymous mail.” Anonymous mail is almost always destroyed because it is a security risk. They do not want people sending messages without taking responsibility for them. If you are staying at a hotel or a temporary spot, use that address or the address of a friend who can take your mail. Just make sure it is a real physical location. Do not use a fake name or address. If the jail thinks you are lying about who you are, they might block you from sending mail in the future.
Can I send a letter to a person in “solitary” or “high security”?
Yes, people in high-security units or solitary confinement can still get mail. Getting letters is one of the few rights they keep. The mail address is the same: PO BOX 86164, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164. However, the guards might check this mail even more closely. It might take an extra day or two for the letter to be delivered because the guards in those units have to be very careful. If the person is in a special unit for medical or mental health reasons, the mail will still reach them. The only time mail is stopped is if the person loses their “mail privileges” as a punishment for breaking jail rules. This usually only happens if they tried to use the mail to do something bad, like smuggling. Even then, they are almost always allowed to keep getting legal mail from their lawyer. If you haven’t heard back from someone in a high-security unit, it might just be because they are having a hard time getting paper or pens. Keep writing, as it helps them stay connected to the world.