Los Angeles has one large federal building on the Westside and three more clustered downtown. The Wilshire Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Boulevard handles passports, veterans’ benefits, and FBI business. Downtown, the First Street U.S. Courthouse at 350 West 1st Street holds federal court, the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building at 255 East Temple Street houses the bankruptcy court and the DEA, and the building at 300 North Los Angeles Street handles immigration, USCIS, and the IRS. Since May 7, 2025, anyone 18 or older needs a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a U.S. passport, or another federally accepted ID to get past the front door.1Department of Homeland Security. ID Requirements for Federal Facilities
Wilshire Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Boulevard
This is the tall building on the corner of Wilshire and Veteran in West Los Angeles, zip code 90024. Its tenants include the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs and Bureau of Diplomatic Security, and the VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration.2General Services Administration. Amended Prospectus – Alteration Federal Building – 11000 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA Each office keeps its own schedule, so confirm hours with the specific one you’re visiting.
Passport Agency
The Los Angeles Passport Agency is in Suite 1000, open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., by appointment only. You can only book if your international travel is within 14 calendar days, or within 28 days if you need a foreign visa before departure.3U.S. Department of State. Apply at the Los Angeles Passport Agency Walk-ins are not accepted, and routine renewals with travel dates further out have to go through a regular acceptance facility or by mail.
VA Regional Benefit Office
The VA Los Angeles Regional Benefit Office helps veterans, service members, and families with disability compensation, education benefits, pensions, life insurance, and home loans. Counselors can help with eligibility, paperwork, and gathering the documents you need.4Veterans Affairs. Los Angeles VA Regional Benefit Office
FBI Los Angeles Field Office
The FBI’s Field Office is in Suite 1700, but public access is restricted. To report a crime or suspicious activity, call (310) 477-6565 or use tips.fbi.gov, both available around the clock.5Federal Bureau of Investigation. About Los Angeles
Parking and Transit
Free visitor parking sits on the Veteran Avenue side of the building with a three-hour limit, roughly in the middle of the lot.3U.S. Department of State. Apply at the Los Angeles Passport Agency6Department of Veterans Affairs. Directions to Federal Building Los Angeles From the 405, take Wilshire/Westwood, turn right on Veteran, then right into the lot about half a block down. The closest Metro Rail stop is Westwood/Rancho Park on the E Line, roughly a mile away, so plan on a connecting bus for the last stretch.7Metro. System Map
First Street U.S. Courthouse at 350 West 1st Street
The First Street Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles (90012) is the main courtroom complex for the Western Division of the Central District of California. It handles civil and criminal federal cases and shares space with the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Public Defender.
The building is open to the public Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., except on court-observed holidays. The Clerk’s Office closes earlier, running 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., so if you’re filing documents in person, arrive well before 4:00.8Central District of California. First Street U.S. Courthouse Filing a new civil lawsuit costs $405.9Central District of California. Schedule of Fees
Edward R. Roybal Federal Building at 255 East Temple Street
Bankruptcy matters go here, not to the First Street Courthouse. The Roybal building houses the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other court-related agencies.10SAM.gov. Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse Repair and Alteration Prospectus Project Public hours are 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, with the Clerk’s Office open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.11United States District Court. Court Locations The Temple Street entry is wheelchair accessible, and a ramp-accessible entrance is available at the terrace level off the plaza on the north side.12United States District Court Central District of California. Accommodations for the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and Courthouse
300 North Los Angeles Street Federal Building
This is where you go for most immigration and tax business. Tenants include U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the IRS, and a branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.13General Services Administration. 300 North Los Angeles Street Federal Building Prospectus – Alteration The Los Angeles Immigration Court operates from the same building, with public hours from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and a filing window open until 4:00 p.m. If you have a USCIS interview notice or a naturalization ceremony invitation, read it closely: it will list the exact address and suite for your appointment.
What to Bring and What to Leave Behind
Every federal building in Los Angeles runs visitors through Federal Protective Service screening, with a metal detector and X-ray for bags.14Homeland Security. Visitors Adults must show a REAL ID-compliant state ID, a U.S. passport, or another federally accepted ID. A standard driver’s license without the REAL ID star will be turned away, so check yours before you leave the house.1Department of Homeland Security. ID Requirements for Federal Facilities
Firearms and dangerous weapons are prohibited by federal law. Violating that in a non-court federal building carries up to one year in prison; in a court facility it rises to two years, and up to five if the weapon was intended for use in a crime.15Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities Also prohibited: knives with blades of 2.5 inches or longer, pepper spray and other chemical sprays, and stun guns and similar electronic weapons. Pocket knives with blades under 2.5 inches are the only statutory exception.
Phones in the Courthouse
Under Local Rule 83-6, cell phones with camera, video, or audio recording capabilities are prohibited in court spaces in Central District courthouses.16Central District of California. Cell Phones in the Courthouse Court spaces means courtrooms and related areas, not the general public lobby, so you can carry your phone into the building but cannot use its camera or recording functions in a courtroom. Many judges want phones powered off before you walk in. If you need a hearing-assistance device, sign language interpreter, or other accommodation, contact the courtroom deputy at least 48 hours ahead.12United States District Court Central District of California. Accommodations for the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and Courthouse
Getting to the Downtown Buildings
None of the downtown federal buildings has dedicated public parking, so plan on a commercial garage. Daily rates typically run $15 to $25 depending on the lot and how early you arrive. Metered street parking exists but is scarce during business hours.
By Metro Rail, the closest stop for all three downtown buildings is Civic Center/Grand Park on the B (Red) and D (Purple) Lines. The A and E Lines serve nearby downtown stations, which makes the courthouse reachable from most of the Metro network.
If You’re Reporting for Federal Jury Duty
Federal jury summonses for the Western Division report to the First Street Courthouse. Jurors earn $50 per day of service, plus mileage reimbursement at 72.5 cents per mile round trip, calculated from your home by the shortest practical route.17United States Courts. Fees of Jurors and Commissioners – FY202618Central District of California. Payment
Juror parking is validated at the Los Angeles Times Parking Structure at 213 South Spring Street between 2nd and 3rd, with entrances on Spring and Broadway. Give yourself at least 15 minutes to walk from the garage to the courthouse. If that lot is full and you park elsewhere, keep the receipt and give it to the Jury Clerk for reimbursement on your next paycheck.19United States District Court Central District of California. Parking and Directions
Dress business casual. Shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and hats are not allowed in courtrooms. Leave cameras, recording devices, vape pens, and sharp objects at home. Cell phones can come into the building but must be off before you enter a courtroom, and personal laptops follow the same recording restrictions as phones.