Los Angeles has several federal buildings, and the one you need depends on your business: the Wilshire Federal Building at 11000 Wilshire Boulevard handles passports, VA benefits, and FBI matters; the First Street U.S. Courthouse at 350 West 1st Street handles federal civil and criminal cases; the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building at 255 East Temple Street handles bankruptcy; and 300 North Los Angeles Street handles immigration and IRS matters. Since May 7, 2025, every visitor 18 or older must present a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, a U.S. passport, or another federally accepted ID to get in.1Department of Homeland Security. ID Requirements for Federal Facilities
Which Building Handles Your Business
Picking the right address saves a wasted trip. Passport appointments, VA benefit counseling, and FBI tips go to West Los Angeles. Federal court hearings, jury duty, and most civil and criminal federal cases happen at the First Street Courthouse downtown. Bankruptcy filings and hearings are at the Roybal building a few blocks away. USCIS interviews, immigration court, and IRS walk-in service are at 300 North Los Angeles Street. If you have an appointment letter, read it carefully: it will name the exact building and suite.
Wilshire Federal Building (11000 Wilshire Boulevard)
The Wilshire Federal Building sits at Wilshire Boulevard and Veteran Avenue in West Los Angeles, zip code 90024. Its public-facing tenants include the Los Angeles Passport Agency, the VA Regional Benefit Office, and the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, along with the Department of State’s consular and diplomatic security bureaus and the U.S. Agency for Global Media.2General Services Administration. Amended Prospectus – Alteration Federal Building – 11000 Wilshire Boulevard Los Angeles, CA Each office keeps its own hours, so confirm with the specific agency before you go.
Los Angeles Passport Agency
The Passport Agency occupies Suite 1000 and is open Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., by appointment only. You can book only if your international travel is within 14 calendar days, or within 28 calendar days when you also need a foreign visa before departure.3U.S. Department of State. Apply at the Los Angeles Passport Agency This is not a walk-in office for routine renewals. If your trip is further out, use a regular passport acceptance facility or apply by mail.
VA Regional Benefit Office
The VA Los Angeles Regional Benefit Office helps veterans, service members, and families with disability compensation, education benefits, life insurance, pensions, and home loans. Benefit counselors can answer eligibility questions and help you gather documents and complete paperwork.4Veterans Affairs. Los Angeles VA Regional Benefit Office
FBI Los Angeles Field Office
The FBI Field Office is in Suite 1700. Public access is restricted. To report suspicious activity or a crime, call (310) 477-6565 or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov anytime.5Federal Bureau of Investigation. About Los Angeles
First Street U.S. Courthouse (350 West 1st Street)
The First Street U.S. Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, zip code 90012, is the main courtroom complex for the Western Division of the Central District of California. The building is open to the public Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., excluding court-observed holidays. The Clerk’s Office keeps shorter hours: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., so arrive well before 4:00 p.m. if you need to file documents.6Central District of California. First Street U.S. Courthouse The U.S. District Court hears civil and criminal federal cases here, and the U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Federal Public Defender’s Office all have space in the building.
Edward R. Roybal Federal Building (255 East Temple Street)
The Roybal building at 255 East Temple Street houses the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other court-related agencies.7SAM.gov. Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse Repair and Alteration Prospectus Project If your business is a bankruptcy matter, you go here rather than to the First Street Courthouse. Building hours run 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, and the Clerk’s Office is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.8United States District Court. Court Locations The Temple Street entry is wheelchair accessible, with a ramp-accessible entrance at the terrace level off the plaza on the north side.9United 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 building houses U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Internal Revenue Service, and a branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.10General Services Administration. 300 North Los Angeles Street Federal Building Prospectus – Alteration The Los Angeles Immigration Court also operates here, with public hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and a filing window open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For a USCIS interview or a naturalization ceremony, read your appointment notice carefully: it will specify the exact address and suite.
What You Need to Get In
Every federal building in Los Angeles screens visitors through the Federal Protective Service. You pass through a metal detector, and your bags and personal items go through an X-ray scanner.11Homeland Security. Visitors
As of May 7, 2025, any visitor 18 or older must present a REAL ID-compliant state ID, a U.S. passport, or another federally accepted form of identification. A standard driver’s license without the REAL ID star marking will not get you in. Check your license before you leave the house.1Department of Homeland Security. ID Requirements for Federal Facilities
Federal law bans firearms and other dangerous weapons in any federal facility. Violation in a non-court federal building can bring up to one year in prison; the ceiling rises to two years for federal court facilities, and to five years if the weapon is intended for use in a crime.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 U.S. Code 930 – Possession of Firearms and Dangerous Weapons in Federal Facilities Knives with blades of 2.5 inches or longer, chemical sprays like pepper spray, and electronic weapons such as stun guns are all prohibited. Pocket knives with blades under 2.5 inches are the only statutory exception.
Phones and Electronics in Court Spaces
Cell phones with camera, video, or audio recording capabilities are prohibited in all court spaces within Central District courthouses under Local Rule 83-6.13Central District of California. Cell Phones in the Courthouse Court spaces means courtrooms and related areas, not necessarily the public lobby, so you can bring your phone into the building but cannot use its camera or recording functions in any courtroom. Many judges require phones powered off entirely before you enter. If you need hearing-assistance devices, a sign language interpreter, or another accommodation, contact the courtroom deputy at least 48 hours ahead of your appearance.9United States District Court Central District of California. Accommodations for the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and Courthouse
Parking and Transit
Wilshire Federal Building
The Wilshire Federal Building has free visitor parking on the Veteran Avenue side, with a three-hour time limit.3U.S. Department of State. Apply at the Los Angeles Passport Agency14Department of Veterans Affairs. Directions to Federal Building Los Angeles Visitor spaces sit near the center of the lot. Coming from the 405, take the Wilshire/Westwood exit, turn right on Veteran Avenue, and turn right into the parking area about half a block down.
The nearest Metro Rail stop is Westwood/Rancho Park on the E Line, about a mile from the building.15Metro. System Map A connecting bus covers the last stretch comfortably.
Downtown Buildings
The First Street Courthouse has no dedicated public parking. Use a nearby commercial garage; daily rates downtown typically run $15 to $25. Street metered spots exist but fill up fast during business hours. The B Line (Red) and D Line (Purple) stop at Civic Center/Grand Park station, the closest Metro Rail stop to the First Street Courthouse and to the Roybal and 300 N. Los Angeles Street buildings. The A and E Lines serve nearby downtown stations as well.
If You’ve Been Summoned for Federal Jury Duty
A federal jury summons for the Western Division sends you to the First Street Courthouse. Federal jurors earn $50 per day of service.16United States Courts. Fees of Jurors and Commissioners – FY2026 You’re reimbursed for mileage at 72.5 cents per mile round trip, calculated from your home to the courthouse by the shortest practical route.17Central District of California. Payment
Juror parking is validated at the Los Angeles Times Parking Structure at 213 South Spring Street, between 2nd and 3rd Streets, with entrances on Spring Street and Broadway. Allow at least 15 minutes to walk to the courthouse. If that lot is full and you park elsewhere, keep your receipt and give it to the Jury Clerk for reimbursement on your next paycheck.18United States District Court Central District of California. Parking and Directions
Dress business casual. Shorts, tank tops, flip-flops, and hats are not permitted in courtrooms. Leave cameras, recording devices, vape pens, and sharp objects at home. Cell phones are allowed in the building but must be powered off before you enter a courtroom. Personal laptops are permitted but follow the same recording restrictions as phones.