Find the Robert F. Kennedy Justice Department Building and Contact the Correct DOJ Office
This is the headquarters of the United States Department of Justice—not a city building-permit department, courthouse filing counter or general public museum.
Use this guide to locate Main Justice, prepare for a scheduled appointment, contact the Attorney General or a DOJ component, report a crime or civil-rights concern, request federal records, reach media staff and explore the building’s historic art and architecture online.
Choose the Reason You Searched for the Justice Department Building
Find the Correct DOJ Route Before Calling or Traveling
Select your goal. This prevents a general building visit from replacing the official filing, complaint or records process.
Robert F. Kennedy Justice Department Building Address and Phone Numbers
What Main Justice Is—and What It Is Not
User question |
Correct answer |
Best next step |
|---|---|---|
Is this a local building-permit office? |
No |
Contact the city or county building department where the property is located. |
Is this DOJ headquarters? |
Yes |
Use the DOJ contact page or component directory. |
Can I walk in to report a crime? |
Do not rely on a walk-in |
Use the official Action Center, FBI, local police or emergency services as appropriate. |
Is this a federal courthouse? |
No |
File with the specific court identified in the case rules or notice. |
Is this an immigration court? |
Not a general immigration-court counter |
Use EOIR’s court locator and the address on the hearing notice. |
Can I serve legal papers through the general web form? |
No |
Follow the official service instructions for the component, case or court. |
Can I tour the historic interior? |
Virtual tour available |
Watch the official DOJ building video; do not assume public walk-in access. |
Can I mail general correspondence? |
Yes |
Address it to the correct office at 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. |
Prepare for an Appointment at Main Justice
Confirm that the meeting is actually at the RFK Building
DOJ components use multiple buildings throughout Washington and the country. Verify the full street address rather than assuming every DOJ meeting occurs at headquarters.
Ask your host for the exact entrance
The Pennsylvania Avenue mailing address and Constitution Avenue building frontage can create confusion. Use the entrance written in the appointment email.
Confirm identification and security instructions
Ask what identification is required, how early to arrive and whether laptops, recording equipment, luggage or other items are permitted for your meeting.
Save the host’s contact information
Keep the host’s full name, DOJ component, room or meeting location, phone number and appointment time available when you arrive.
Arrange accessibility support in advance
Tell the host about mobility, communication or other accommodation needs and ask which accessible entrance and screening route to use.
Check travel conditions on the day
Review Metrorail service, street closures, security restrictions and the appointment message before leaving.
Bring or save
- Appointment confirmation
- Host’s name and component
- Host phone number
- Exact entrance instructions
- Requested identification
- Required meeting documents
Confirm before traveling
- Building address
- Arrival time
- Visitor entrance
- Screening requirements
- Electronic-device rules
- Accessibility arrangements
Getting to 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Federal Triangle
The building occupies the block bounded by Pennsylvania Avenue, Constitution Avenue, 9th Street and 10th Street NW.
Metrorail
Nearby stations include Federal Triangle and Archives–Navy Memorial–Penn Quarter.
Driving and parking
Downtown parking is limited and restrictions can change. Public transportation, taxi or rideshare is generally simpler for a scheduled visit.
Send a Message or Letter to the Department of Justice
Online message
The DOJ message form can route comments to the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, Associate Attorney General or another topic area.
Mailing address
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Put the intended official, office or component on the first line whenever possible.
[Office or Official’s Name]
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Use the Correct Reporting Channel
Situation |
Correct official route |
Do not do this |
|---|---|---|
Immediate danger or emergency |
Call 911 or the responsible local emergency agency |
Traveling to Main Justice for emergency response |
Federal crime or complaint |
Mailing an unsorted complaint without identifying the responsible agency |
|
Civil-rights violation |
Assuming a lobby visit creates an official complaint record |
|
DOJ waste, fraud, abuse or misconduct |
Using the general webmaster or media email |
|
Complaint about professional conduct by a DOJ attorney |
Sending it only to the building switchboard |
|
Crime-victim resources |
Expecting the headquarters lobby to provide case-specific assistance |
Submit a DOJ FOIA Request to the Component That Holds the Records
Identify the component that created or maintains the record
A request for FBI records, prison records, Civil Rights records and Office of the Attorney General records may go to different DOJ components.
Describe the records—not only the topic
Give the date range, office, subject, names, case or file identifiers and the exact documents requested.
Use the component’s electronic route when available
DOJ does not require one universal paper form. Many components accept web, email or other electronic submissions.
Save the tracking information
Keep the request text, submission receipt, tracking number and all correspondence.
Helpful request details
- Responsible DOJ component
- Record type
- Date range
- Names and identifiers
- Preferred format
- Fee-limit statement
FOIA is not
- A crime-reporting system
- A civil-rights complaint
- Legal discovery
- A court-filing method
- A question-answer service
- A guaranteed Main Justice record search
Department of Justice Media Inquiries
Tour the Robert F. Kennedy Justice Department Building Online
What the official tour explains
- The building’s role as Main Justice
- Historic public rooms and corridors
- New Deal-era murals and sculpture
- Classical and Art Deco design details
- How art represents justice and American law
Why Main Justice Is Architecturally Important
Construction
The building was constructed as the Justice Department’s first permanent headquarters in Washington’s Federal Triangle.
Opened
DOJ’s history program dates the opening of the Main Justice Building to 1934.
Art installed
Sixty-eight murals and 57 sculptural elements were created to express themes of law and justice.
Historic recognition
The building became part of the National Register-listed Pennsylvania Avenue National Historic Site.
Renamed
The headquarters was renamed for Robert F. Kennedy, who served as U.S. Attorney General from 1961 to 1964.
Virtual history access
DOJ’s updated history program provides an official virtual tour and museum-related historical resources.
Details Worth Looking for in the Virtual Tour
Classical Revival form
Indiana limestone, formal colonnades, a red-tile hipped roof and monumental proportions connect the building with the Federal Triangle complex.
Art Deco metalwork
Aluminum appears in doors, stair railings, grilles, trim, lighting and other details that traditionally would have been cast in bronze.
Twenty-foot entrance doors
GSA describes large aluminum entrance doors designed to slide into recessed pockets.
Great Hall
The two-story hall includes Art Deco lighting and a terra-cotta tile floor bordered with gray marble.
Law Library
The fifth-floor, two-story library includes distinctive lighting and a 20-panel mural by Maurice Sterne.
Integrated public art
C. Paul Jennewein coordinated 57 sculptural elements, while 68 murals explore American history and allegorical ideas of justice.
Request Visitor Accommodations Before the Appointment
Tell the host what is needed
- Accessible entrance route
- Mobility assistance
- Sign-language interpretation
- Communication accommodation
- Additional screening time
- Accessible meeting location
Confirm practical details
- Where the vehicle may stop
- Which entrance to use
- Who will meet the visitor
- How equipment is screened
- What documentation is needed
- Backup contact on arrival
Avoid These Main Justice Contact Errors
Mistake |
Why it fails |
Better action |
|---|---|---|
Traveling without an appointment |
No regular public walk-in tour or service-counter schedule is published |
Use the virtual tour or arrange access through a DOJ host. |
Calling Main Justice for a local permit |
DOJ does not issue city or county construction permits |
Contact the local jurisdiction’s building department. |
Using the general form for legal service |
DOJ says the form is not monitored for official or time-sensitive legal documents |
Follow the case, court or component service rule. |
Sending a FOIA request to “the building” |
Different DOJ components maintain different records |
Identify the record-holding component first. |
Assuming Pennsylvania Avenue is the visitor entrance |
Mailing and visitor-side references can differ |
Use the entrance named in the appointment instructions. |
Mailing an emergency or crime tip |
Mail is not an emergency-response method |
Use 911, local police or the official federal reporting portal. |
Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building Map
Scheduled visitor: Follow the entrance and arrival instructions supplied by the DOJ host.
Open the Correct DOJ or GSA Resource
Address, Access, Tours, Contacts and Records Questions
What is the address of the Department of Justice Building?
The official DOJ mailing address is U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001. Scheduled visitors should follow the entrance instructions supplied by their DOJ host.
Is this a local building-permit department?
No. The Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building is the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Justice. It does not issue city or county construction permits, zoning approvals or local building inspections.
Is the Justice Department Building open to public walk-ins?
DOJ does not publish regular public walk-in hours for Main Justice on its current contact or history pages. An in-person visit should be arranged with the responsible DOJ component or meeting host.
Can the public tour the Robert F. Kennedy Building?
DOJ provides an official virtual tour of the building. Its public history pages do not publish a regular in-person sightseeing schedule, so do not travel expecting a walk-in tour.
Which entrance should a scheduled visitor use?
Use the entrance stated in the appointment instructions. The official mailing address is on Pennsylvania Avenue, while some official GSA and visitor-side references use Constitution Avenue. Confirm the entrance, arrival time and security process with the host.
What is the main Department of Justice phone number?
The DOJ Main Switchboard is 202-514-2000. The Department Comment Line is 202-353-1555, and DOJ lists TTY 711 for relay access.
Which Metro stations are near Main Justice?
Federal Triangle and Archives–Navy Memorial–Penn Quarter are nearby Metrorail stations. Check WMATA service conditions and the meeting entrance before traveling.
How do I send a letter to the Attorney General?
Address the letter to the Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, 950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20530-0001. General messages may also be submitted through DOJ’s official contact form.
Can I report a crime by visiting the DOJ headquarters?
Do not rely on an unarranged headquarters visit. Use DOJ’s Report a Crime or Submit a Complaint Action Center to find the correct federal reporting agency. Call 911 for an immediate emergency.
How do I request Department of Justice records?
Identify the DOJ component that maintains the records and submit a written FOIA request through that component’s accepted channel. A FOIA request should describe identifiable records, date ranges, offices, names and case or file numbers when available.
Accuracy and Freshness
Building-Department.org is an independent guide and is not the United States Department of Justice or General Services Administration.
This page was rebuilt from the current DOJ contact page, component directory, Action Center, Civil Rights reporting portal, Office of Inspector General Hotline, FOIA reference guide, Office of Public Affairs, DOJ history program, official building-tour video, GSA historic-building profile and GSA Fine Arts Collection.
Last reviewed: July 22, 2026.
Visitor access, security instructions, entrances, component contacts and federal procedures can change. Confirm appointment-specific information directly with the responsible DOJ host before traveling or sending time-sensitive material.
Khushboo Bobade is a public records researcher and editorial writer specializing in government service documentation and construction permit systems.
Her research focuses on explaining building permits, inspection procedures, zoning regulations, and public permit records maintained by local government building departments across the United States.
Professional profile: View LinkedIn Profile
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