Sacramento MEPS: Location, Hours, and What to Expect

If you're enlisting from Northern California, you'll likely process through the Sacramento MEPS — one of California's two Military Entrance Processing Stations. Here's what you need to know: where it is, when it's open, what to expect when you arrive, and how to make sure your processing day goes smoothly.

Sacramento MEPS Location and Address

The Sacramento Military Entrance Processing Station is located at:

3636 N. Free Way Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95834

It's situated in the North Sacramento / North Natomas area near the I-5 / Business 80 corridor. The facility is part of the broader military installation infrastructure in Northern California and serves recruits from across the Sacramento Valley, the Sierra Nevada foothills, and parts of the Central Valley.

If you're driving, the nearest major cross streets are Free Way Blvd and W. El Camino Ave. Don't rely on Google Maps addresses alone — confirm the exact entrance with your recruiter when you receive your processing instructions.

Who Goes to Sacramento MEPS?

Sacramento MEPS military station processes recruits for all five military branches — Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. California has two MEPS locations: Sacramento and Los Angeles. Your recruiter will assign you to the correct station based on where you live. Generally:

• Northern California (Sacramento Valley, Bay Area north, Central Valley north, Sierra foothills): Sacramento MEPS
• Southern California and greater LA area: Los Angeles MEPS

If you're unsure which MEPS you've been assigned to, ask your recruiter directly. They'll know based on your ZIP code.

What Happens at Sacramento MEPS?

The full MEPS process covers everything the military needs to determine if you're qualified to enlist. For a complete breakdown, see our guide on what happens at MEPS. Here's the condensed version for Sacramento:

Day Before: Hotel Check-In

Most recruits don't live within commuting distance, so the military contracts with a nearby hotel — usually a Marriott Courtyard or similar — to house recruits the night before processing. Your recruiter arranges the hotel reservation. You'll check in the afternoon or evening, have dinner, and report to MEPS early the next morning via shuttle or transport.

For what to expect at the hotel stay, see our MEPS hotel guide.

Processing Day Arrival

Processing starts early. Recruits typically need to be at MEPS by 5:00–5:30 AM. You'll check in, surrender your phone (or store it), and begin the process. Expect a long day — anywhere from 6 to 10 hours depending on the number of recruits and any additional testing you need.

The MEPS Physical

Medical processing covers:

• Height, weight, and body fat measurements
• Blood pressure and pulse
• Vision testing (distance, color, depth perception)
• Hearing test (audiometric screening)
• Blood draw and urinalysis (drug and pregnancy screening)
• Orthopedic screening — range of motion, duck walk, squat-bends
• Medical history review with a physician
• Final physician review and determination

The physician — an active-duty or contract military doctor — makes the final call on your medical qualification. If anything from your medical history requires a waiver, the doctor will initiate that process. See our full MEPS medical exam guide for detailed prep advice.

ASVAB and Job Selection

If you haven't already taken the ASVAB at a recruiting office, you may take it at Sacramento MEPS. Most recruits take it beforehand, but some take the full ASVAB at MEPS. After medical clearance, you'll work with a career counselor to select your MOS (Army) or rating (Navy/Coast Guard) based on your ASVAB scores and available openings.

Oath of Enlistment

If everything checks out — medical, ASVAB, background, and paperwork — you'll take the Oath of Enlistment at the end of processing day. This can happen as a Delayed Entry Program (DEP) oath or as a full enlistment if you're shipping to basic training soon. The ceremony is brief but meaningful.

What to Bring to Sacramento MEPS

Your recruiter will give you a packing list, but here are the essentials:

• Valid government-issued photo ID — driver's license, state ID, or passport
• Social Security card (original)
• Birth certificate (certified copy)
• High school diploma or transcripts
• Eyeglasses or contacts if you wear them (bring your prescription too)
• Any medical records relevant to conditions in your pre-screening paperwork
• Comfortable, loose clothing for the physical examination
• One small bag — overnight stay at the hotel the night before

What to Wear to Sacramento MEPS

Dress simply and conservatively. For full dress code guidance, see our what to wear to MEPS guide. The short version:

• Plain t-shirt or button-down — no offensive graphics, political slogans, or drug/alcohol references
• Khaki pants or jeans — no athletic shorts or pajama bottoms
• Closed-toe shoes
• Minimal jewelry
• No hats or sunglasses during processing

You'll be changing into a medical gown for portions of the exam anyway, so wear something easy to put on and take off.

How Long Does Sacramento MEPS Take?

Most recruits spend 6–8 hours at MEPS on processing day. Variables include:

• How many recruits are processing that day (Sacramento MEPS can be busy during peak periods)
• Whether you need additional testing or a medical review board
• Whether your ASVAB is being taken at MEPS or was completed beforehand
• How quickly job selection and paperwork move

For a full timeline breakdown, see our guide on how long MEPS takes. Bring snacks in your bag — there's typically a break room, but the food options are limited.

Tips for Processing at Sacramento MEPS

Sleep and Diet

You'll have blood work done — some tests require fasting. Your recruiter will tell you what to avoid eating before your specific tests. In general: drink water, avoid alcohol for at least 72 hours, don't stay up late at the hotel, and eat a light breakfast if permitted.

Medications

If you take prescription medications, bring them in their original labeled containers and declare them. Don't stop taking medications without medical guidance just because you're worried about MEPS — the physician review process can account for managed conditions.

Don't Volunteer Information You Weren't Asked

Answer questions honestly and completely — but answer what's asked, not more. Your medical history form will ask about specific conditions; answer those accurately. Lying on your medical history is a federal offense and can result in discharge or criminal charges. But don't offer up irrelevant information unprompted.

Stay Calm During the Physical

The MEPS duck walk and other orthopedic tests can feel awkward — that's normal. The examiners have seen thousands of recruits. Do your best, follow instructions, and ask to repeat an exercise if you're not sure you understood it.

Sacramento MEPS vs. Other California Processing

California has two MEPS, and they serve distinct geographic regions. Sacramento MEPS is generally a mid-size station — it's not as large as Los Angeles, but it's busier than some smaller rural MEPS across the country. Processing procedures are identical at every MEPS nationwide; what changes is volume and wait times. If you've heard stories from recruits who processed at Army MEPS stations in other states, the experience at Sacramento should be comparable.

After MEPS: What Comes Next?

Once you're medically qualified and have selected a job, you'll enter one of two tracks:

Delayed Entry Program (DEP): You take the oath and wait — sometimes weeks, sometimes months — before shipping to basic training. During this time, you remain connected to your recruiter and may attend DEP meetings.

Immediate Ship: In some cases, particularly when critical MOS slots are available, you ship to basic training within days of MEPS. Your recruiter will tell you if this is the path.

Either way, MEPS processing is the major hurdle. Once you clear it, everything else moves on a timeline the military controls.