What Bail Costs In California
The court sets the bail amount from a countywide schedule. Many arrests in Los Angeles now carry $0 bail before the first court date. When money bail is set, a bail bond costs a premium. The state insurance department says that premium is most commonly ten percent of the bond.
Who Sets The Bail Amount
Under Penal Code 1269b, the judges in each county adopt a bail schedule and revise it every year. In Los Angeles the current one is the 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, in effect since January 1, 2026. It runs 30 pages.
The amount is a base figure for the charge plus any enhancements. The worksheet is on page 11 and the charge list starts on page 12. Read the schedule itself for a dollar figure. This guide does not reprint amounts from it.
When Bail Is $0
Under the Pre Arraignment Release Protocols, offenses marked cite and release or book and release carry $0 bail before the first court date. A felony that is not listed in the schedule also defaults to $0.
Not every charge qualifies. LAPD said in 2023, in the first weeks of the new rules, that about half of its felony arrestees were not eligible because the charges were serious or violent. Source, LAPD news release on the release protocols.
What A Bail Bond Costs
You can pay the full bail to the court, or you can buy a bail bond from a licensed agent. A bond costs a premium. The California Department of Insurance bail bond page says bond companies file their rates with the state, agents must charge the filed rate, and the cost is most commonly ten percent of the bond.
| Bail Amount | Premium At Ten Percent | One Percent Of Bail |
|---|---|---|
| $5,000 | $500 | $50 |
| $20,000 | $2,000 | $200 |
| $50,000 | $5,000 | $500 |
| $100,000 | $10,000 | $1,000 |
What An Agent May And May Not Charge
- 10 CCR 2081 lists what a bail agent may collect. The list is the premium at the filed rate, collateral, and actual, necessary and reasonable expenses.
- 10 CCR 2082 bars any other charge for services on top of the premium.
- The state says a premium is not refunded if the charges are later dropped.
- The state also says an agent may choose to negotiate a lower fee by rebating, as allowed by Proposition 103.
What One Percent Down Means
Some agents let a family start with a small down payment and pay the rest of the premium over time. One Los Angeles agent, Jane Un Bail Bonds, describes a plan that starts with 1 percent of the bail amount down on approved credit, with the rest of the premium paid monthly.
That is a payment plan, not a lower price. The full premium is still owed. You can run your own numbers with the 1 percent down calculator on that agent's site.
Ability To Pay Counts
The bail schedule cites In re Humphrey, a 2021 California Supreme Court case. It says a person cannot be kept in jail only because they cannot afford bail. A judge must look at ability to pay and at other ways to release the person.
Before the first court date, a family member can also ask for lower bail by phone. The steps are on the booking and release timeline.
How To Find The Amount For One Person
Ask the jail that holds them, or call (213) 473-6100. Use the inmate search steps if you do not know the jail yet.
Where These Facts Come From
Ask For The Full Premium First
A family member, a friend or an attorney can call day or night. Ask what the whole premium is and what is due today.