Introduction: According to the "Operational framework for the admission of psychiatric inpatients and for the delivery of mental health services" in force since 2001, a person can be hospitalized at a psychiatric service without their agreement if their mental disorder poses a risk for their own safety or for the safety of other people. Aim: To describe the socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of psychiatric inpatients hospitalized under the "administrative hospitalization" rule (a specific type of involuntary hospitalization) at the psychiatric service of the Clinica San Carlos de Apoquindo between the years 2006 and 2008. Methods: Data was obtained from the patients clinical recordings. Results: Most of 32 patients were young women, active workers, with bipolar disorder and history of suicide behavior and poor medication compliance. Discussion: Our study is a first step to characterize the involuntary psychiatric inpatients population hospitalized under the procedures regulated by Chilean legislation established since less than ten years.