How to Pay a Bail Bondsman

When a person is arrested and placed in jail, he is likely going to want to be released from jail as soon as possible. Many times, when a person is arrested, he has the option of posting bail. The issue with posting bail is that it often is set at thousands of dollars, which is not an amount that is readily available to many people in this situation. A solution to this problem is to work with a bail bondsman who can write a bond to guarantee the full amount of your bail, and require that you pay a small percentage of the total amount to him for your release to take effect.

Things You'll Need

• Arrested person's full name and date of birth
• Jail name and location
• Arrest date and booking number
• Bail amount
• Credit card, cash or personal check
• Number for a local or nationwide bail bond agency
• Collateral (if needed)

Instructions

1. Gather arrested person's full name and date of birth, jail name and location, arrest date and booking number, bail amount, payment method of credit card, cash or personal check

2. Contact a bail bondsman in your area, or call a nationwide bond agent.

3. Provide the information required by the bond agency to process the application.

4. Pay 10 percent, or a little more, of the total amount of bail via credit card, cash or personal check. For instance, if the bail is set by the court at $20,000, you will need to pay $2,000 to the bail bondsman.

5. Provide a source of collateral to the bond agency. Depending on the bond agency, collateral may be required for them to write a bond for your bail. Collateral can be real estate, a life insurance policy, a vehicle or any number of other valuable possessions.

Tips & Warnings

• Some bond agencies may allow you to make payments on the amount that you owe them.

• Ensure that you understand the bail bond agency's terms and conditions before accepting them.

References

• Total Lawyers.com: Arrested? Charged with a Crime? Get Out of Jail
• Law Collective.org: Working With a Bail Bondsman
• LA Bail.com