California state law , California Insurance Code Section 1800 , requires that all licensed bail bondsmen charge exactly 10% of the total bail amount as their premium. This rate is regulated by the state and cannot be legally negotiated down. Any bail bondsman offering less than 10% is operating illegally.
So if a judge sets bail at $30,000, your cost for a bail bond is $3,000. Period. That is the only fee you pay to the bail bondsman.
This 10% premium is non-refundable. It is the fee for the bail bondsman's service of posting the full bail amount on your behalf. Even if charges are dropped the next day, the premium is not returned. The premium is earned the moment the bond is posted and the defendant is released.
10% of the total bail amount:
Bail Set At
$5,000
Your Premium
$500
Bail Set At
$15,000
Your Premium
$1,500
Bail Set At
$25,000
Your Premium
$2,500
Bail Set At
$50,000
Your Premium
$5,000
Bail Set At
$100,000
Your Premium
$10,000
Do not know the bail amount yet? Call us. We pull that information in real time.
We accept cash, all major credit cards, debit cards, and personal checks. We also offer payment plans for qualifying clients. An arrest is unplanned , we work with your financial reality.
If you cannot pay the full 10% upfront, we can often structure a payment arrangement. Contact us and we will do everything we can to make the bond work for your situation.
For very large bail amounts, collateral such as real estate equity may be required in addition to the 10% premium. This is returned when the case concludes and the bond is exonerated.
We handle all of San Joaquin County. Whatever the bail amount, we have options to make it work.
