Mcc San Diego

Planning a visit to Mcc San Diego requires advance preparation. The BOP approval process typically takes 2-4 weeks, and showing up without prior authorization means you will be turned away at the door.

The Approval Process (Start This Now)

The inmate must initiate the process — they submit your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, and relationship to their unit counselor. The BOP runs a background check through NCIC. If you have a felony conviction, approval is not automatic but not impossible — the warden reviews these on a case-by-case basis. Expect 2-4 weeks for processing. There is no way to speed this up by calling.

What Actually Gets You Turned Away

• Underwire bras — This is the #1 reason women get turned away. Metal underwire triggers the metal detector and staff will not make exceptions. Wear a sports bra or bra without underwire.
• Clothing color — No khaki, olive drab, or orange. These match inmate uniforms and you will be asked to leave. No camouflage either.
• Bobby pins, hair clips, belt buckles — Any small metal item can flag the detector. Leave jewelry in the car except a plain wedding band.
• Too many people — Each inmate is limited to a specific number of visitors at one time (usually 4-5 adults). If a full group shows up, some will wait in the parking lot.

What You Can Bring Inside

One clear plastic bag with up to $20 in coins for vending machines (bills are not accepted — bring rolls of quarters), one car key (no key fobs), and your photo ID. Everything else stays in the car. Most federal facilities have vending machines in the visiting room that sell microwavable meals, drinks, and snacks — this is often the highlight of a visit for inmates. Bring the full $20 in quarters.

For current visiting hours and holiday schedule closures, call (619) 232-4311 or visit their official website.

To verify whether someone is at Mcc San Diego, use the BOP's official Inmate Locator. Third-party inmate search websites charge fees for information that is available free from the BOP.

Search the BOP Inmate Locator »

What the Locator Shows

You can search by name or BOP register number. Results include the inmate's current facility, age, race, projected release date, and sex. The register number is an 8-digit number (5 digits, a dash, then 3 digits) — if you know it, use it since name searches can return many results. The database includes currently incarcerated inmates and those released within the past two years.

When the Locator Doesn't Work

The BOP locator will not show inmates who are currently in transit between facilities, in temporary local custody for court appearances, or those in the witness protection program. If you know someone was recently arrested on federal charges but cannot find them, they may still be in a local county jail awaiting transfer to BOP custody — this can take weeks or months.

Inmates at Mcc San Diego use a trust fund account to purchase commissary items, pay for phone calls, and fund their TRULINCS email. Here is how to deposit money into that account.

Deposit Methods and Fees

• MoneyGram — Available online, by phone, or at Walmart/CVS locations. Use BOP receive code 7932. You need the inmate's full name and register number. Fees are typically \$3.99-\$11.98 depending on amount and whether you pay at a kiosk or online.
• Western Union — Available at retail locations and online. BOP city code: FBOP, state: DC. Fees similar to MoneyGram.
• U.S. Postal Money Order — The cheapest option. Money orders cost \$1.75-\$2.40 at the post office. Mail to: Federal Bureau of Prisons, [Inmate Name, Register Number], P.O. Box 474701, Des Moines, IA 50947-0001. Write the register number on the money order itself. Processing takes 7-10 business days.

What the Money Gets Used For

Commissary items at federal prisons are sold at near-retail prices (unlike many state systems which mark up 30-50%). Inmates can spend up to \$360/month on commissary. Common purchases include food items (ramen, tuna, snacks), hygiene products, stamps, over-the-counter medications, and small electronics like an AM/FM radio. Phone calls and TRULINCS email minutes also come from this account at \$0.06/minute for phone and \$0.05/minute for email.

If someone at Mcc San Diego wants to call you, here is how the federal phone system works and what it will cost.

Rates & Limits

Federal prison calls cost $0.06 per minute — one of the lowest rates in the correctional system. Calls are limited to 15 minutes each. Inmates receive a total of 300 minutes per month (roughly 20 calls). These minutes do not roll over. During November and December, an additional 100 minutes are typically granted for the holidays. The inmate pays from their trust fund account.

Setting Up Your Phone

• The inmate adds your number — They submit your phone number to their approved calling list through their unit counselor. This can take 24-72 hours to activate.
• Accept the call — When an inmate calls, you will hear an automated message identifying the call as coming from a federal prison. You must press a key to accept. If you have a voicemail that picks up before you can answer, the system may not connect.
• No incoming calls — You cannot call an inmate. All calls are outgoing only, initiated by the inmate during designated phone hours.

What to Know

All calls are recorded and monitored except calls to attorneys of record. Three-way calling, call forwarding, and *69 are detected automatically and will terminate the call immediately — the inmate may also face disciplinary action. If your phone has a call-screening or spam-blocking app, add the facility's area code to your whitelist so calls are not blocked.

There are three ways to stay in contact with someone at Mcc San Diego: postal mail, TRULINCS email, and phone. The email system is the most misunderstood — it is not regular email.

TRULINCS Email (Not What You Think)

TRULINCS is not real email — it is a closed messaging system. Inmates access it on shared computers in the housing unit, typically during evening hours. To exchange messages, both you and the inmate must set up accounts. Register at CorrLinks.com — this is the public-facing side of TRULINCS. The inmate adds your email address from their end. Once connected, messages cost the inmate \$0.05 per minute of typing/reading time. You can send and receive unlimited messages at no cost on your end. Messages are monitored and there is no way to send attachments or photos through TRULINCS.

Postal Mail Rules

• Address format — [Inmate Full Legal Name, Register Number], MCC SAN DIEGO, 808 UNION STREET, San Diego, CA 92101. The register number is critical — without it, mail may be returned.
• Photos — Up to 5 photos per envelope, no larger than 8x10, nothing sexually explicit or depicting gang signs/activity. Polaroids and printed photos are fine. No digital media.
• Books and magazines — Must be shipped directly from a publisher, bookstore, or Amazon. Used books from home will be rejected. Magazines must be subscription-mailed directly from the publisher.
• What gets rejected — Stickers, glitter, perfume/cologne on paper, crayon or marker (x-ray machines cannot see through them), anything glued to the paper, postcards with glitter.

Phone Calls

Inmates make outgoing calls only — you cannot call in. Calls are limited to 15 minutes and cost \$0.06/minute. The inmate must add your number to their approved phone list. You may need to set up a prepaid account or accept collect calls depending on your phone provider. All calls are recorded and monitored except attorney calls. Three-way calling is detected and will result in the call being terminated and potential disciplinary action.

Located in San Diego, California, Mcc San Diego operates as a prison. It is situated in San Diego County, operates under Federal jurisdiction, is classified as a administrative security facility, has a capacity of 582 inmates.

This facility is operated by Federal Bureau of Prisons.

The facility currently houses approximately 577 inmates.