LA County JailBy Angels Bail Bonds — License #1K06080
When a loved one is arrested in Los Angeles County, the first few hours are the most disorienting of your life. Calls go unanswered. The jail's automated phone system gives you nothing. You don't know where they are, what the bail is, or how long this takes.
Understanding the LA County jail booking process — step by step — gives you the power to act fast and make the right calls at the right time. This guide explains exactly what happens from arrest to release, what the LA County bail schedule means for your case, and when calling a bail bondsman is the move that gets your loved one home fastest.
Need help right now? Skip the reading and call us directly: (626) 478-1062). A licensed agent answers 24/7 — we can locate your loved one, check their bail amount, and start the bond process in under 30 minutes.
Where Arrested People Go in Los Angeles County
LA County operates one of the largest jail systems in the world, run by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD). After an arrest, where someone is booked depends on the arresting agency and the nature of the charges.
The two primary facilities for new bookings in central Los Angeles are:
Men's Central Jail (MCJ) — Located at 441 Bauchet Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. MCJ is the main intake and housing facility for adult males facing serious charges, pre-trial detention, and transfers to state prison. It is one of the largest single jail facilities in the country.
Twin Towers Correctional Facility (TTCF) — Also at 450 Bauchet Street, directly adjacent to MCJ. Twin Towers is one of the largest mental-health housing facilities in any U.S. county jail system. It houses pre-trial detainees, those requiring medical or mental health services, and overflow from MCJ. Booking transfers between these two facilities are common.
Women are typically booked at the Century Regional Detention Facility (CRDF) in Lynwood. Suburban arrests often go to local LASD station jails — Compton, East LA, Norwalk, Lakewood — before transfer to a central facility if the defendant is held.
To locate someone arrested in LA County, the Sheriff's Department operates InmateInfo.com — the official public inmate locator. Booking information typically appears 2 to 6 hours after the time of booking, so a search that returns no results immediately after an arrest does not mean the person hasn't been booked yet.
The LA County Jail Booking Process — Step by Step
Booking is not one event — it is a multi-step process administered by the Inmate Booking & Identification (IBI) unit of the LASD. Each step takes time, and the full process can stretch from a few hours to most of a day depending on facility volume and the complexity of the charges.
Step 1
Arrest and Transport The arresting officer (LAPD, LASD, CHP, or other agency) takes the person into custody, places them in a patrol vehicle, and transports them to the nearest receiving facility or station jail. Paperwork begins here — the officer's arrest report documents charges and circumstances.
Step 2
Personal Property Inventory All personal belongings — wallet, phone, keys, jewelry — are logged and bagged. The defendant receives a receipt. This step is where many families lose track of how to reach their loved one; phones are taken immediately.
Step 3
Fingerprinting (Live Scan) Electronic fingerprints are taken via the Live Scan system and run through state and federal databases. This step identifies any outstanding warrants in other jurisdictions and confirms the person's identity. Prior convictions found here can affect bail eligibility.
Step 4
Photograph (Mugshot) Booking photos are taken for the official record. These become part of the public jail record and are accessible through InmateInfo.com once the booking is fully processed.
Step 5
Medical Screening California law requires that jails conduct a health screening of every newly booked individual. This screens for communicable diseases, medications, mental health needs, and injury. For individuals with serious medical conditions, this step can take longer as staff assess care requirements.
Step 6
Warrant Check Alongside fingerprinting, officers check for outstanding warrants in LA County and statewide. An active warrant from another county or state can complicate bail — in some cases, a hold is placed that prevents immediate release even after bail is posted.
Step 7
Bail Determination Bail is set according to the LA County bail schedule — a standardized chart published annually by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. For most charges, bail is set at the schedule amount automatically. A judge can raise or lower bail at arraignment.
Step 8
Housing Assignment The defendant is assigned to a cell or module in the facility. At Twin Towers, movement between modules is frequent. Once housed, the defendant can make phone calls using the jail's collect-call phone system — this is typically when families first hear from them directly.
How Long Does the Booking Process Take?
This is the question every family asks. The honest answer: it varies significantly.
Misdemeanor bookings: Typically 4 to 8 hours from arrest to bail eligibility. For low-level misdemeanors, some defendants are cited and released (no booking required) at the scene or station.
Felony bookings: Typically 8 to 24 hours from arrest before the booking is fully processed and bail can be posted. High-volume periods — weekend nights, holidays — push toward the longer end of this window.
When booking information appears online: InmateInfo.com is updated as bookings are entered into the system. In practice, allow at least 2 to 6 hours from the time of arrest before the record appears. Searching immediately and finding nothing does not mean the person hasn't been booked.
Don't wait for InmateInfo.com to update. Call us at (626) 478-1062 and give us the person's name and date of birth. We check multiple systems and know the processing staff at MCJ and Twin Towers personally — we often locate people before the public database updates.
The LA County Bail Schedule — What It Means for Your Case
The Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles publishes a Felony Bail Schedule and a Misdemeanor Bail Schedule each year, effective January 1. These schedules set the standard bail amount for each charge — the amount a defendant (or their bondsman) must pay to secure release before arraignment.
Here are representative bail amounts from the current LA County schedule:
Charge
Penal Code
Bail Amount
Assault with deadly weapon (not a firearm)
PC 245(a)(1)
$30,000
Assault with a firearm
PC 245(a)(2)
$50,000
Assault with semiautomatic firearm
PC 245(b)
$75,000
Robbery (first degree)
PC 211
$100,000
Burglary (first degree — residential)
PC 459
$50,000
DUI with injury
VC 23153
$100,000
Possession for sale (controlled substance)
HS 11351
$30,000
These amounts are set at booking — before a judge reviews the case. At arraignment (which must happen within 48 hours of arrest under California Penal Code § 825, excluding Sundays and court holidays), the judge may raise bail, lower it, or grant release on own recognizance (OR) based on the defendant's record, flight risk, and ties to the community.
This is why timing matters: if bail is posted before arraignment, the defendant is released at the scheduled amount. If the case goes to arraignment without bail posted, a judge could increase the amount — especially for serious felonies.
When to Call a Bail Bondsman
The right time to call a bail bondsman is immediately — as soon as you know someone has been arrested. You do not need to wait until the booking is complete, until you know the bail amount, or until business hours.
Here is what a licensed bail bondsman does that you cannot do on your own:
Locate the defendant faster. We have direct contacts at MCJ, Twin Towers, and every LASD station jail. We check systems that aren't publicly visible and can often confirm location and bail amount before InmateInfo.com updates.
Post bail at any hour. LA County jails accept bail bonds 24 hours a day. Courts don't need to be open. A bond can be posted at 3am on Christmas — and often is.
Reduce the upfront cost. Under California Insurance Code § 1800.4, the standard bail bond premium is 10% of the total bail amount. For a $30,000 bail, that's $3,000 — instead of $30,000 in cash. Some clients qualify for a reduced 8% rate.
Offer payment plans. Most families don't have $3,000–$10,000 liquid at 2am. We offer zero-down payment arrangements and structured plans for qualifying clients.
Handle all paperwork remotely. The bail bond agreement can be completed by phone, email, or fax. You do not need to come to an office.
What You Need When You Call
To start the process, we need as much of the following as you have available. You don't need all of it — we can work with what you know:
The defendant's full legal name
Date of birth
The jail or city where they were arrested
The charges, if known
Your relationship to the defendant and your contact information
If you only have a name and a city — call anyway. We start searching immediately.
What Happens After the Bond Is Posted
Once we deliver the bond to the jail, the release process begins — but the jail controls the timeline from that point. Here is what to expect:
The jail processes the bond paperwork and confirms the bond amount against the bail schedule.
A release order is generated and sent to the housing module.
The defendant is transported from their cell to the release area, personal property is returned, and they sign release paperwork.
At high-volume facilities like Men's Central Jail and Twin Towers, this process takes 4 to 8 hours after bond posting on a normal day. During heavy periods — Friday and Saturday nights, holidays — it can extend to 12 to 24 hours.
We track every bond we post and notify you the moment we receive confirmation of release. You will not be left waiting and wondering.
Common Situations That Complicate Release
Not every booking goes smoothly from arrest to release. Here are the situations we see most often that can delay or complicate the process:
Outstanding warrants from other counties. If LASD finds an active warrant from, say, San Bernardino County during the fingerprint check, they may place a hold. The defendant must resolve the warrant before they can be released on the LA County charges — even if bail is posted.
ICE holds. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement can place a detainer on a defendant, preventing release after their jail sentence or bail posting. We will tell you if this is a factor in your case.
No-bail holds for certain charges. Certain charges — murder under special circumstances, for example — may result in a judge-only bail determination. The standard schedule does not apply and the defendant cannot post bail until a court hearing.
Arraignment timing. If the 48-hour PC 825 window is almost up, we prioritize posting bail before arraignment to preserve the scheduled bail amount. This is especially important on weekends and the day before a court holiday.
Don't Wait — Every Hour In Custody Matters
Angels Bail Bonds has served Southern California since 1958. We answer every call, post bonds at every LA County facility, and work around the clock so your loved one doesn't have to.
Can I look up a bail amount before the booking is complete?
The bail schedule is publicly available, so if you know the charges, you can estimate the bail amount. However, the official bail amount isn't confirmed until the booking is fully processed in the IBI system. Call us — we confirm the official amount as soon as it's set.
Can a bail bondsman post bail at Twin Towers or MCJ at 3am?
Yes. LA County jails accept bail bonds 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including all holidays. We have posted bonds at Twin Towers and Men's Central Jail at every hour of the day and night. The facility processes the bond whenever it's received.
What if I can't afford the 10% premium?
We offer flexible payment plans and zero-down options for qualifying clients. We have been in business since 1958 and have helped families in every financial situation — from straightforward $5,000 bonds to complex multi-count felony cases with $500,000 bail. Call us and we'll work with you.
Is the 10% bail bond premium refundable?
No. Under California law, the 10% premium (or 8% for qualifying clients) is a non-refundable fee for our service — posting the bond. It is not a deposit. Whether the case takes two weeks or two years, the premium is earned when the bond is posted.
What happens to collateral if my loved one doesn't appear in court?
If the defendant fails to appear (FTA), the bond is forfeited and we must pay the full bail amount to the court. We will contact the cosigner and may pursue collateral recovery. This is why we talk through the defendant's situation thoroughly before posting — we want every bond to succeed.
This article is for general informational purposes only. Bail amounts, hold policies, and processing timelines are subject to change. For advice specific to your case, contact a licensed bail bond agent at (626) 478-1062. Angels Bail Bonds holds California Insurance License #1K06080.
