How to Contact an Inmate at MDC Los Angeles

MDC Los Angeles is a metropolitan detention center in Los Angeles, California, that opened in 1988. If someone you care about is held there, this page explains how family and friends can stay in touch by text through ContactMeAsap, and where to find the official address, phone number and visiting rules on bop.gov.

ContactMeAsap is pay-as-you-go: you add funds when you choose, and your balance is yours until you use it. Searching for your inmate is free and needs no account.

About MDC Los Angeles

MDC Los Angeles: Often described as resembling a downtown office building more than a jail.

A metropolitan detention center is one of the BOP’s administrative facilities. The Bureau says administrative facilities have special missions, such as the detention of pretrial offenders. The BOP notes that administrative facilities, other than the ADX, can hold inmates in all security categories.

Detention facilities are used mainly for people awaiting trial or sentencing, and people held there may be moved to another institution after a court date or designation. Because a person’s location can change, run the free search above to confirm where they are held before you add funds.

How texting works for someone at MDC Los Angeles

You text from your own phone. ContactMeAsap relays your messages to your inmate through CorrLinks/TRULINCS, the messaging system the Federal Bureau of Prisons uses for inmates. Getting started takes four steps.

1. Find your inmate.Search the BOP directory by name or register number (BOP register numbers are eight digits, usually written like 12345-678). It’s free and needs no account, and live BOP verification shows the person’s name and facility before you pay, so you can confirm they are held at MDC Los Angeles.
2. Add funds. Choose the Basic Federal Plan ($20 per month of service) or the Premium Federal Plan ($30 per month of service). The fee is drawn from the balance you add, and your balance is yours until you use it.
3. Follow your setup instructions.Once your payment is approved, we send instructions by text and email, including an easy-to-remember email address that goes on your inmate’s TRULINCS computer.
4. Get approved, then text.BOP regulations require your inmate to add you to their approved contact list. This “text approve” step takes them just moments. After that, text your inmate like you would anyone else.

Contact-list limits and review timelines can vary by facility, so check MDC Los Angeles on bop.gov for the specifics. For more detail, read our guide to how to text a federal inmate or see federal inmate texting for plans and pricing.

Official address, phone number and visiting rules

ContactMeAsap doesn’t publish facility street addresses or phone numbers. They can change, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons is the authoritative source.

For the official address, phone number and visiting rules, see MDC Los Angeles on bop.gov.

Facility details on this page were last reviewed in October 2026. Policies and contact information can change, so always confirm with the BOP.

Questions about MDC Los Angeles

Other federal prisons in California

We list 7 federal facilities in California. Not the one you’re looking for? Try another:

More metropolitan detention centers

Ready to start? Find your inmate above or add funds directly. Want the full picture first? Read about federal inmate texting, try the federal inmate search, learn how to send photos to inmates, or browse all 98 federal prison facilities.