To send photos to someone in a Los Angeles County jail, mail them with the person's name and booking number to the Sheriff's general jail mailing address, P.O. Box 86164, Terminal Annex, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164. Photos must be between 3x5 and 4x6 inches and can't show nudity, sexually suggestive content or gang imagery.
The LA County jail system is run by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) and includes Men's Central Jail, Twin Towers, Century Regional Detention Facility and the Pitchess jails in Castaic. The good news for families is that the Sheriff's Department uses one general mailing address for all of them. Here's how it works.
Mailing address for photos
According to the LASD's published Inmate Mail Regulations, the general mailing address for all incarcerated men and women in the county jails is:
[Full name], [Booking Number]
PO BOX 86164
TERMINAL ANNEX
LOS ANGELES CA 90086-0164
For women, the Sheriff's Department says mail can also be sent directly to Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF) in Lynwood:
[Full name], [Booking Number]
CENTURY REGIONAL DETENTION FACILITY
11705 S. ALAMEDA STREET
LYNWOOD CA 90262
LASD unit orders describe incoming mail coming through the Inmate Reception Center and then being delivered to each facility, so you don't need to know which tower or building your loved one is in for the mail to reach them. The booking number is what routes it.
We have pages for the main LA County jails, where we keep the details we use for each one:
- Men's Central Jail, downtown Los Angeles
- Twin Towers Correctional Facility, downtown Los Angeles
- Century Regional Detention Facility, Lynwood
- Pitchess Detention Center-North, Castaic
- North County Correctional Facility, Castaic
The ID number you need
LA County uses a booking number for each person in custody. It goes right after the person's name on the envelope, and it's how the mailroom finds them.
To look it up, use the Inmate Finder linked from the Sheriff's Custody Services page. Have the person's full name and date of birth ready. The Sheriff's Department notes that records aren't available for very recent bookings for a short time, so if someone was just arrested, try again a little later.
The Sheriff's custody page also suggests trying any names your loved one has used, and searching with and without a middle name, because people are sometimes booked under a slightly different version of their name. You can also call the Inmate Reception Center at 213-473-6080 or 213-473-6100.
Photo rules
The LASD's Inmate Mail Regulations say photographs or computer-generated images will be returned if they:
- Don't fit the size rule: a minimum of 3x5 inches and a maximum of 4x6 inches.
- Show nudity, sexually suggestive content or gang imagery.
- Show anything determined to compromise jail security.
Other rules from the same list apply to the envelope as a whole. Mail is returned for things like stickers, glitter, glued labels, tape, paper clips, staples, postage stamps, and envelopes with gang or suggestive drawings. All envelopes and paper must be free of perfume, cologne, powders, lipstick or anything spilled on them. The Sheriff's Department says mail that breaks these rules is returned "intact" to the sender.
A facility-level order for Century Regional Detention Facility adds that photographs must be unadorned (nothing attached or decorated) and that Polaroids are cut open for examination. Plain 4x6 photo prints avoid both problems.
There's also a practical limit on how much your loved one can keep. An order for Pitchess Detention Center's South Facility says all of a person's property, including mail and photos, must fit in one property bag, and anything beyond that is sent home or disposed of. It's a good reason to send a handful of favorite photos at a time rather than a huge stack.
We print every photo at 4x6, the largest size LA County accepts, and pack up to 10 per envelope.
What your loved one receives
LASD's policies describe photographs being given to people in custody after mailroom inspection, rather than scanned to a tablet. Our facility pages note that people usually receive the photo prints themselves, and we're still confirming this for each LA County jail.
Before you pay, our checkout shows you what the person will receive at the facility you choose.
Step by step
- Find your loved one using the Sheriff's Inmate Finder and note their booking number and current facility.
- Choose your photos. Pick clear, family-friendly pictures with no gang signs, nudity, or suggestive poses.
- Print them between 3x5 and 4x6 on real photo paper. No Polaroids and no decorations.
- Address the envelope with the person's name and booking number and the P.O. Box 86164 address, plus your return address.
- Or let us handle it. Start an order with InmatePics, choose the facility, enter the booking number, and we'll print real 4x6 photos and mail them the way the Sheriff's Department requires.
Tips to avoid returned mail
- Don't go bigger than 4x6. A 5x7 or 8x10 print breaks the size rule. So does anything smaller than 3x5, like wallet photos.
- Check the booking number every time. A new arrest means a new booking, and people can be moved between LA County jails.
- Keep the envelope plain. No stickers, tape, glitter, stamps or labels.
- Look at the whole photo. Hand signs, clothing with gang references or suggestive poses in the background can get a photo rejected.
- Include your return address so returned mail can find its way back to you.
If your loved one is moved to a California state prison after sentencing, the rules, ID number and address all change. Our post on what happens to mail when someone is transferred explains what to do. You can also read why prison mail gets returned.
Frequently asked questions
What is the mailing address for LA County jail?
The Sheriff's Department lists a general mailing address for all incarcerated men and women: the person's name and booking number, then P.O. Box 86164, Terminal Annex, Los Angeles, CA 90086-0164. Mail for women can also go directly to Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood.
What size photos can I send to an inmate in LA County jail?
Photos must be at least 3x5 inches and no larger than 4x6 inches. Photos outside that range are returned.
Can I send photos to Men's Central Jail or Twin Towers?
Yes. Use the general P.O. Box 86164 address with the person's name and booking number. Incoming mail is screened at the Inmate Reception Center and sent on to the facility where the person is housed.
Who can I call about returned mail?
The Sheriff's Inmate Mail Regulations list the Mail Room Supervisor at 213-893-5874 for questions.
How much does it cost to send photos with InmatePics?
$0.99 per 4x6 print plus $4.99 per envelope, with no subscription. Ten photos in one envelope cost $14.89. If the facility returns your photos, you get a full refund or a free reprint.
See all our California facilities, check the details on our Men's Central Jail page, or send photos now.
