Author: Gabriel R. McGuire

Quick answer: California does not have a blanket statewide law that releases everyone without paying bail. Courts can order release without a financial bond, monetary bail still exists, and detention without bail is permitted in defined circumstances. The words zero bail and no bail can describe very different situations. Before arranging money or expecting release, confirm the person's current court order, release eligibility and any separate holds.

Updated September 27, 2026. This guide explains California adult criminal pretrial release, checked against current statutes, the Supreme Court's Humphrey and April 2026 Kowalczyk decisions, and official records of the major reform measures. Federal cases, juvenile proceedings and custody after sentencing involve additional rules.

California Bail Rules at a Glance

In this guide: No bail versus zero bail | Current statewide rules | The reform timeline | Humphrey and Kowalczyk | Local policies | Checking a custody record | Preparing for court | Timing | Examples | Family checklist | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

No Bail and Zero Bail Are Different

A family can read a headline about zero bail and then see no bail next to a relative's booking information. Those phrases should not be treated as interchangeable. One can describe release without a financial payment; the other can indicate that a monetary bond is not currently available to obtain release.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's booking-form instructions, for example, distinguish entering a bail amount from entering a no-bail notation. That does not tell you why a particular person is being held. It does show why a no-bail entry should prompt a status inquiry rather than an assumption that release costs nothing.

A zero-dollar amount is only part of the record

An online amount does not answer every question about custody. Confirm whether the entry belongs to the current booking, whether a court has issued a later order, and whether all listed matters have been addressed. A blank field, an unfamiliar code or an amount of zero should be clarified with the agency that maintains the record.

Ask a concrete question: Is the person eligible for release now, and if so, under what order or procedure? If the answer is no, ask which case, warrant, hold or required court decision remains. Record the answer and the time it was obtained so the lawyer can reconcile it with the court file.

OR is a release method with continuing obligations

Own-recognizance release generally means that a financial bond is not required for that release. It still involves enforceable obligations. Penal Code 1318 requires a signed agreement containing specified promises, including appearing as ordered and obeying reasonable conditions.

Release does not resolve the charge. A person who leaves custody must still understand the next hearing, any contact restrictions, and any reporting instructions. Our guide to California own-recognizance release explains those obligations in more detail.

What California Law Currently Requires

California has several release pathways rather than a single statewide answer for every arrest. The right legal question depends on the stage of the case, the charges, the evidence supporting detention, and the person's individual circumstances.

Monetary bail remains part of California law

Penal Code 1269b continues to provide for cash bail and surety bonds. It addresses amounts fixed by a warrant, a county schedule or a judge's order. It also requires superior court judges to prepare and annually revise countywide schedules for the covered offenses.

A schedule is a starting document with its own instructions and exceptions. It is not a substitute for a later judicial decision in the person's case. The same statute distinguishes the amount fixed by a judge after an appearance from the warrant or schedule amount used before that appearance.

For county schedules and how to read them, see bail amounts by crime in California. Confirm the applicable edition and the actual booking or court amount before arranging a bond. A number copied from an old article may no longer describe the case.

Release without monetary bail also exists

Penal Code 1270 permits a court or magistrate to grant OR in noncapital cases. For the misdemeanor arraignment situations specified in the statute, OR is required unless the court makes the stated finding that it would compromise public safety or would not reasonably assure the person's appearance. That is more precise than saying either everyone gets OR or nobody has a right to it.

Some statutes also address narrow zero-dollar situations. The current version of section 1269b, effective January 1, 2026, includes a specific provision concerning arrests connected to another state's proceedings over California-lawful, legally protected health-care activity. Its defined circumstances should not be expanded into a universal rule for unrelated arrests.

Detention without bail has constitutional limits

Article I, section 12 of the California Constitution establishes a general right to bail subject to specified exceptions. Those include capital crimes when the required evidentiary standard is met, and particular noncapital felony circumstances involving violence, sexual assault or threats of great bodily harm.

The noncapital exceptions require the specified evidence and findings, including clear and convincing evidence of a substantial likelihood of the harm described in the provision. Calling an accusation a felony does not, by itself, establish every necessary finding. Conversely, the existence of a general bail right does not make a valid detention order disappear.

A lawyer reviewing a no-bail order should identify its legal basis and the findings actually made. Families should obtain the relevant order or hearing information rather than trying to diagnose constitutional eligibility from a short jail-screen entry.

Why the No Bail Law Headlines Are Confusing

Several different developments are regularly combined under one phrase. Separating their dates, decision makers and outcomes helps explain why an older headline may conflict with what the jail says today.

SB 10 and Proposition 25 were one legislative path

The official voter-guide analysis explains that SB 10 was signed in 2018 and would have taken effect on October 1, 2019. A referendum qualified in January 2019 and put implementation on hold. Proposition 25 then asked voters whether that legislation should take effect.

The Secretary of State's official November 3, 2020 results show that Proposition 25 was rejected. That result concerns SB 10. It does not erase the Constitution, existing OR statutes, later judicial decisions or every county's own release procedures.

The pandemic schedule was a separate emergency measure

The Judicial Council's 2020 emergency bail schedule addressed the public-health emergency. It was not SB 262. The Council's official pretrial-program report describes its adoption on April 6, 2020, its specified exceptions, and its repeal effective June 20, 2020. Courts retained authority to address individual circumstances, and local schedules could continue afterward.

This distinction matters when reading an archived court notice. A statewide emergency rule ending on one date does not prove that every local emergency practice ended that day. A local policy continuing afterward does not prove that the statewide emergency rule remained in force.

SB 262 was a proposal, not the 2020 emergency rule

The official history of SB 262 from the 2021-2022 session shows that the Assembly refused passage on August 31, 2022, and the bill returned without further action that November. It did not become law.

When checking a bill, include its session as well as its number. California reuses bill numbers in later sessions. An introduced bill, an amended proposal, a committee vote and an enacted statute are different stages. A headline about one stage should not be used as a release instruction for a current case.

What Humphrey and Kowalczyk Changed

These decisions are especially important when a family hears that the only possible path is paying an amount the person cannot realistically obtain. They address constitutional limits on release decisions and detention. Their practical effect depends on the evidence and ruling in the individual case.

Humphrey requires consideration of finances and alternatives

In In re Humphrey, decided March 25, 2021, the California Supreme Court rejected detention based solely on inability to afford bail without the required individualized consideration. Courts must consider financial circumstances alongside the effectiveness of less restrictive alternatives to monetary bail.

The decision also recognizes public safety, victim safety and future court appearances as important considerations. A useful release request therefore addresses both the person's actual resources and the concerns the court needs to evaluate. It does not stop at the statement that the family has little money.

Kowalczyk's later summary of the framework makes the required findings explicit: before conditioning release on monetary bail, the court must assess finances and find by clear and convincing evidence that nonfinancial conditions will not reasonably protect the relevant state interests, stating its findings in the record. Counsel can review whether that happened in the person's case.

Kowalczyk clarified the limits in April 2026

In In re Kowalczyk, decided April 30, 2026, the Supreme Court held that article I, section 28's public-safety provisions do not expand the noncapital offenses for which bail may be denied beyond section 12(b) and (c).

Where detention is not authorized and monetary bail is necessary, the amount must be reasonable under an individualized assessment of the total circumstances. As a general rule, that means an amount that is reasonably attainable. A court cannot use artificially high or objectively unattainable bail to accomplish detention that the constitutional framework does not authorize.

The opinion also explains that reasonably attainable does not necessarily mean easily affordable or convenient. Unsupported assertions about finances need not be accepted. The court reserved marginal hypothetical situations, so a short summary should not be treated as an answer to every unusual factual problem.

Neither decision means every person automatically goes home

A person may still face a lawful detention determination, an applicable release condition, or custody on another matter. The lawyer's task is to connect the current legal standards to the actual orders and evidence. The family's useful contribution is accurate information and a workable plan.

Nor should a family assume that a court decision automatically cancels an existing warrant or changes the conditions printed on release papers. Ask counsel whether a hearing, motion or other review is needed. Keep following the current order while the proper process addresses any requested change.

How County Policies Fit Into the System

County procedures help implement release rules, particularly before the first court appearance. They can differ in the offenses covered, the information collected, the decision maker and the conditions imposed. The county of arrest, the court handling the case and the stage of proceedings therefore matter.

Los Angeles provides a useful historical example. The court's 2023 announcement of pre-arraignment release protocols described separate paths involving citation and release, booking and release, and magistrate review for specified circumstances. That structure did not mean every arrested person would simply be booked and immediately released.

For a present case, obtain the current local instructions and the individual's release status. Ask whether the policy being discussed operates before arraignment and what happens after a judge hears the matter. A pre-arraignment category does not replace a later court order.

Be equally careful with charts shared online. Check the issuing court, effective date, full offense description and exclusions. A chart from another county, an expired emergency schedule or a summary missing its exceptions can produce the wrong expectation even when the charge name looks familiar.

How to Check What Applies to a Person in Custody

Start with identity and documents. Obtain the full name, booking number, facility, arrest date, listed case numbers and next known court date. Similar names and older bookings can make a correct-looking search result refer to the wrong event.

Then separate three questions: what release route is currently authorized, what must happen to complete it, and whether any other matter prevents release. Asking all three is more useful than asking only how much the bail is.

Confirm the current decision

Ask whether the displayed amount comes from a warrant, a schedule or a judicial order. If the person has already appeared in court, obtain the latest ruling rather than relying on the initial booking amount. If OR was granted, request the agreement and conditions. If bail was denied, give counsel the order and hearing details.

If two records conflict, preserve both with their dates. Ask the court or custody agency which is current and what update is pending. Do not resolve the conflict by selecting the more favorable entry or assuming a search-engine result outranks the case file.

Identify separate matters

Section 1269b ties discharge after posting bail to the offense on which the bail is posted. That is why a family should ask about every listed custody basis. Satisfying one matter may not resolve another case or hold.

Ask the agency to identify the court or authority associated with each unresolved item, then relay that information to defense counsel. A notation alone may not explain the available review process. Avoid paying or signing based on an assurance about one charge before understanding whether another matter remains.

Distinguish approval from processing

A release decision and physical release are separate steps. Obtain the actual status rather than interpreting silence as approval or denial. If release has been ordered, ask what documents, verification or other case matters remain and where to obtain updated information.

No statewide headline provides a reliable pickup time. Arrange transportation after receiving current instructions from the facility, and make a plan for notices and medications or other immediate needs using the relevant agency's procedures.

How Families Can Help Prepare for a Release Hearing

Accurate records help counsel present an individualized request. The following are practical preparation points, not a mandatory statewide filing packet. Ask the lawyer which items are relevant and how to provide them securely.

• Actual finances: Income, available funds, necessary expenses and reliable information about resources the person can genuinely access. Do not count a relative's money as available when that relative has not agreed to provide it.
• Reliable contact: A usable address or other dependable way to receive notices. If housing or telephone access is unstable, explain the limitation rather than supplying information that will not work.
• Court attendance: Transportation, work scheduling, caregiving arrangements and a way to track the next hearing.
• A realistic release plan: Any appropriate treatment placement, supervision arrangement or other proposed condition, with confirmation of availability where possible.
• Existing restrictions: Orders affecting contact, residence, travel or other conduct that must be reconciled with the plan.

The strongest plan is one the person can actually follow. Promising a daily ride that no one can provide or an unavailable treatment placement creates an avoidable problem. Tell counsel about obstacles early so the request can address them honestly.

After the hearing, obtain the decision and next instructions. If the request was denied, ask what the ruling decided and what review may be available. A disappointing result should lead to a clear next step, not reliance on an online claim that the judge must release everyone under a no-bail law.

Does the 48-Hour Rule Guarantee Release?

No. Penal Code 825 generally requires taking an arrested person before a magistrate without unnecessary delay and within 48 hours, excluding Sundays and holidays, subject to its additional court-session rules. It does not create a simple promise that everyone goes home after 48 elapsed hours.

The timing of a required court appearance and the legal basis for continuing custody are separate questions. The statute also contains specific session and Wednesday-arrest provisions, so the actual arrest time and court calendar matter. Do not add up two calendar days and treat the result as a release order.

If the appearance seems overdue, contact counsel promptly with the arrest date and time, facility, booking number and known hearing information. Ask counsel to evaluate the applicable deadline and remedy. Do not wait for an assumed automatic release while a time-sensitive issue goes unaddressed.

Two Examples of Why the Actual Order Matters

These examples are hypothetical. They illustrate a method for checking information and do not predict a court's decision.

Example: a headline says zero bail, but the booking shows an amount

A family reads that a county releases some people without monetary bail. Their relative's booking record nevertheless shows a financial amount. The family first confirms the correct booking and learns whether the amount comes from a warrant, schedule or later order. They give counsel the current record and ask which release rules apply to this charge and stage.

The next step might involve an OR request, review of monetary bail, or arranging a permitted bond. The headline does not decide between those routes. The family avoids the error of treating another person's release category as this person's approval.

Example: one matter is resolved, but custody continues

A person receives a release decision on a new case while a separate matter remains listed. The family asks which item still prevents release and obtains its court and case information. Counsel then evaluates that separate issue instead of repeatedly asking whether the new case's bail has been paid.

The lesson is to match each custody basis to its own status. A valid release decision on one matter is valuable, but it should not be described as proof that every remaining hold has been cleared.

What Families Should Do Now

1. Confirm the person and current booking. Keep the booking number, case numbers and facility together.
2. Identify the exact wording. Record whether the notice says OR, zero dollars, a monetary amount, no bail, or something else.
3. Get the source of that status. Ask for the current order or the agency explanation, including its date.
4. Contact defense counsel. Ask about the applicable release route, any required hearing and financial evidence that would help.
5. Check every custody basis. Clarify separate cases, warrants or holds before assuming one transaction will complete release.
6. Understand the proposed agreement. Read court conditions and any bond documents before committing resources or making promises.
7. Prepare for the next hearing. Arrange reminders, transportation and a dependable way to receive updates.
8. Keep copies and a short call log. Record who provided an update and when, especially if the online status changes.

How Bail Hotline Can Help

Everything above this section is written to be useful whether or not you ever call us. This is the one place we talk about ourselves.

Bail Hotline has been family-owned since 2004 and operates through DMCG, Inc., licensed by the California Department of Insurance under license 1845394. Our team is available 24/7 at (888) 958-1228.

Confused about whether a bond is the next step? Start with the current case information.

When monetary bail is available, our team can explain the bond process, walk the cosigner through the agreement and help the family understand the responsibilities that continue after posting. Bring the booking information, current bail details and any questions about another county or a complicated situation so the discussion starts with the right matter.

Our dedicated posting agents work around the clock. A large, complicated or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no; we consider the specific situation. We also provide text court-date reminders and appropriate warrant walk-through support to help clients address problems and stay attentive to their court obligations.

Every case is different, and the judge makes the final release decision. We explain the available bond process without promising approval, a court outcome or a particular release time. Company availability and the jail's completion of release processing are separate parts of the process.

Use our locations directory for another office, or read the bail FAQ before calling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did California abolish cash bail?

No. California law still provides for cash bail and surety bonds. SB 10's proposed replacement system did not take effect after the referendum process and rejection of Proposition 25. Current constitutional decisions also limit how monetary bail and detention may be used.

Does no bail mean the person can leave for free?

Do not assume that. A no-bail notation may indicate that posting a bond is not currently an available release route. Confirm the actual order or hold with the responsible agency and counsel. It is different from a decision authorizing release without a monetary bond.

Is every misdemeanor eligible for automatic release?

No single statement covers every arrest and stage. Penal Code 1270 provides an OR entitlement in its specified misdemeanor arraignment situations unless the court makes the required public-safety or appearance finding. That does not turn every booking into an immediate release or resolve a separate hold.

Can a judge consider whether someone can afford bail?

Yes. Humphrey requires consideration of financial circumstances and less restrictive alternatives. Kowalczyk further explains that monetary bail generally must be reasonably attainable when detention is not authorized. Provide reliable financial information through counsel rather than assuming an unsupported statement will resolve the issue.

Did the pandemic zero-bail schedule become permanent statewide law?

No. The statewide emergency schedule was repealed effective June 20, 2020. Some local courts continued their own measures afterward. Check the current local rules and the actual case instead of treating an archived emergency notice as today's statewide policy.

Does a Los Angeles policy apply throughout California?

No. A county protocol must be read within its own geographic, offense and procedural scope. Statewide constitutional and statutory protections still matter, but a Los Angeles pre-arraignment category is not automatically another county's release instruction.

Will a person be released after 48 hours if the family cannot pay?

The 48-hour language in Penal Code 825 concerns taking the person before a magistrate and includes exclusions and court-session rules. It is not a universal maximum-custody or automatic-release rule. Counsel should review an apparent delay against the actual chronology and applicable law.

Can the family buy a bond after the court grants OR?

First confirm what the OR order covers and whether any other matter remains. OR itself does not require a monetary bond for that release. If a separate case has a postable amount, that is a separate question to verify before making a financial commitment.

Why We Publish This

Families need to distinguish a news headline from an actual release decision. This guide provides general information about California pretrial release so readers can ask clearer questions, locate the right documents and work with the appropriate professionals. It is not legal advice about a particular case.

Sources and Further Reading

• California Constitution, article I, section 12: the bail right, exceptions and excessive-bail restriction.
• Penal Code 1269b, 1270, 1318 and 825: bail administration, OR and initial appearance timing.
• In re Humphrey, March 25, 2021 and In re Kowalczyk, April 30, 2026: actual Supreme Court opinions.
• Official Proposition 25 analysis and certified 2020 ballot-measure results: SB 10 and the referendum outcome.
• SB 262, 2021-2022 legislative history: the proposal's final status.
• Judicial Council's December 2024 pretrial report and Ventura's June 2020 administrative order: the statewide emergency schedule's historical end.
• Los Angeles Superior Court's 2023 pre-arraignment announcement: a local example, not a current statewide eligibility list.

Updated September 2026. A California guide for families trying to get someone out of jail on a Friday night, a Saturday, a Sunday, or a court holiday. Checked against current California statutes and court decisions, the Judicial Branch's 2026 court holiday list, the Judicial Council's April 2026 pretrial report, and official sheriff and court pages for ten California counties, read in September 2026.

Quick answer: Yes. In California, eligible bail can be posted on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a court holiday. Before arraignment, Penal Code 1269b lets authorized jail officials accept bail under the applicable warrant, county schedule, or release order, in cash or by a surety bond. An eligible bond does not have to wait for Monday simply because the court clerk's office is closed. Ordinary courtroom calendars and cashier windows may be limited, while on-call magistrates and some pre-arraignment programs continue working. The practical next step is to confirm the booking's release eligibility, any holds, and where that jail accepts bail at the time you need it.

This guide covers the weekend and holiday side of getting someone out: what can be posted before court, what cannot, how court holidays work in 2026 and early 2027, and how posting works in ten California counties. For the full county-by-county timetable of first court appearances, see our guide on how long it takes to see a judge after an arrest.

Weekend Bail at a Glance

In this guide: Weekend bail in California | Why bail does not wait for a judge | The 48-hour rule and holidays | Other ways out before Monday | What keeps someone in | How to post bail on a weekend | Ten-county guide | Real cases | What the data shows | In their words | Outside California | Family checklist | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

Can You Get Bailed Out on the Weekend in California?

Yes. Jails in California do not close on weekends, and the law that lets them accept bail does not depend on a court being open.

Penal Code 1269b(a) gives the authority to accept bail to several officials. The first one listed is "the officer in charge of a jail in which an arrested person is held in custody." Sheriff's and police department employees assigned to collect bail are on the list too, along with the clerks of the superior court. Those officials may accept bail "in the amount fixed by the warrant of arrest, schedule of bail, or order admitting to bail," either in cash or by a surety bond from an admitted insurer. They may then sign a release order and set a court date. Subdivision (g) finishes the thought: "Upon posting bail, the defendant or arrested person shall be discharged from custody as to the offense on which the bail is posted."

Sheriffs' own rules show what that looks like in practice. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department manual says "All bail bonds must be presented by a licensed bail agent, in person, at any jail facility within the County of Los Angeles" (LASD manual 5-03/090.60, printed from the Sheriff's public policy viewer in September 2026). San Bernardino County's Sheriff says "Bail bond or cash bail are accepted 24 hours a day, at any jail facility" (Sheriff's Corrections page, read September 2026).

Courts are different. Code of Civil Procedure 134 says courts "shall be closed for the transaction of judicial business on judicial holidays," with exceptions that include "the conduct of arraignments and the exercise of the powers of a magistrate in a criminal action." In practice, that means the court clerk's window is usually not an option on a Saturday, and the jail is where weekend bail gets posted.

So the weekend question is really three smaller ones. Is there an amount that can be posted right now, or does the booking need a judge first? Is anything else holding the person, such as another case, a warrant, or a probation or parole matter? And what does this jail accept, and when? Cashier hours, payment types, and release processing are set locally and vary widely.

People often ask specifically about Sundays. Sunday is a state holiday under Government Code 6700, which lists "Every Sunday" first among California's holidays. Ordinary court business is closed, but jails and authorized magistrate work continue. A person can be bailed out on Sunday as long as the booking allows it and the jail is accepting bail at that hour.

Why Bail Does Not Have to Wait for a Judge

Before arraignment, an eligible booking can have a bail amount under a warrant or county schedule without a new courtroom hearing. After a judge addresses release, follow the resulting bail or other release order.

Penal Code 1269b(b) sets out where the number comes from at each stage:

• After the person has appeared before a judge on the charge, "the bail shall be in the amount fixed by the judge at the time of the appearance."
• Before that appearance, if there is an arrest warrant, bail is the amount written on the warrant. Our guide to posting bail on an outstanding warrant walks through that situation.
• Before that appearance, with no warrant, bail follows "the uniform countywide schedule of bail for the county in which the defendant is required to appear."

Subdivision (c) requires the superior court judges in every county "to prepare, adopt, and annually revise a uniform countywide schedule of bail" for bailable felonies, misdemeanors, and most infractions. The schedule is sent to every jail in the county. That is why a jail that takes bail around the clock can quote an amount and accept bail at 2 a.m. on a Sunday: the judges already decided the amount in advance, charge by charge. Our guide to bail amounts by crime in California explains how the schedules are built and where each county posts its current one.

Two features of schedules matter on a weekend.

Some schedules set $0 for many bookings. Los Angeles County's Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols, effective October 1, 2023, sort bookings into "Cite and Release," "Book and Release," and "Magistrate Review" categories. The Los Angeles Superior Court's protocol FAQ says people booked in the Book and Release category are "released on $0 bail with a promise to appear in court." Kern County's schedule, effective December 29, 2025, says people arrested for felonies in its Book and Release category "are subject to $0 bail and are not required to provide financial conditions of release" (Kern 2026 felony bail schedule). In those counties, the weekend question may not be about money at all.

The jail sets the first court date. Section 1269b(a) lets the official who accepts bail "set a time and place for the appearance of the arrested person before the appropriate court." The Los Angeles County Sheriff's manual, for example, tells jailers that for warrants issued by Los Angeles County courts, the court appearance is set "for not more than five court days after such release on bail" (LASD manual 5-03/090.10). The same manual says the bond paperwork for station releases goes to the court clerk "on the next court day following the release of the prisoner." The release happens on the weekend. The paperwork catches up when court reopens.

Weekends, Holidays, and the 48-Hour Rule

Families often hear "48 hours" and assume it is a waiting period before anyone can get out. It is not. These rules concern prompt judicial review, with different triggers and qualifications. Eligible scheduled bail can be posted before arraignment; the law does not require waiting out a 48-hour period first.

Two separate clocks start at a warrantless arrest, and they treat weekends differently.

The probable cause clock does not stop for weekends. In County of Riverside v. McLaughlin (1991), the U.S. Supreme Court held that a judicial probable cause determination within 48 hours of a warrantless arrest generally satisfies the promptness requirement. Even a shorter delay can be unreasonable. Beyond 48 hours, the government must show a bona fide emergency or another extraordinary circumstance; ordinary intervening weekends or combining proceedings do not qualify. This review is separate from a full arraignment and can occur while ordinary court calendars are closed.

The arraignment clock skips Sundays and holidays. California's rule for the first court appearance is Penal Code 825(a): the person must be taken before a judge "without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours after his or her arrest, excluding Sundays and holidays." If the 48 hours run out when court is not in session, the deadline stretches to "the duration of the next court session on the judicial day immediately following."

How Saturdays count

Section 825 excludes "Sundays and holidays," and Code of Civil Procedure 135 expressly states that "Every Saturday and the day after Thanksgiving Day are judicial holidays." Youngblood v. Gates (1988) addressed an older version of section 825 that counted "two days" rather than the current 48 hours. Its historical calendar example should not be used as an hour-by-hour calculator for a present case.

Some California courts describe the rule today as excluding both weekend days. Riverside Superior Court's criminal division page says "All persons incustody may be held for forty-eight hours not including weekends and court holidays." Orange County Superior Court's court appearance page describes detention of "up to two court days or up to 48 hours excluding weekends and holidays pursuant to California Penal Code section 825." The statute still requires appearance without unnecessary delay. Have counsel assess the actual arrest time, holidays, court sessions and legal basis for custody rather than treating a simplified calendar count as permission to delay.

A holiday-weekend example illustrates the difference. Friday, September 25, 2026, was Native American Day, followed by Saturday and Sunday. For a warrantless arrest at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, 48 elapsed hours ended at 6 p.m. Saturday, September 26. The holiday did not pause that federal probable cause benchmark. The California appearance calculation is a separate question for counsel, and the requirement to avoid unnecessary delay remains. Meanwhile, eligible scheduled bail could be posted during the holiday weekend. Our judge-timing guide, linked at the top, provides more detail about first appearances.

Can you see a judge on a Saturday or Sunday?

Ask about the actual local arrangement. Code of Civil Procedure 134 allows judicial-holiday arraignments and magistrate duties, and subdivision (c) permits departments to remain open "at any hours of the day or night." The reviewed county pages did not supply a dependable weekend arraignment calendar for every facility. An ordinary weekday calendar is different from an on-call judicial review, so confirm which process applies to the booking.

Weekend judicial work can be substantial. The Los Angeles Superior Court's protocol FAQ says "Magistrates are available seven days a week, 24 hours a day" to review eligible bookings. Alameda County Superior Court's Pretrial Release Program page says eligible people "are reviewed by a judicial officer on a 24/7 basis." Depending on the county, that work can include probable cause reviews, requests under Penal Code 1269c, and pre-arraignment release decisions. It does not necessarily involve the defendant appearing in an open courtroom.

California court holidays, September 2026 to March 2027

A judicial holiday ordinarily closes regular court business, subject to the criminal and other exceptions in Code of Civil Procedure 134. A Friday or Monday holiday can lengthen the gap between ordinary calendars. It does not close the jail or suspend all judicial work.

The 2026 dates come from the Judicial Branch's official court holiday list, which did not yet show 2027 when we checked in September 2026. The 2027 dates are our calculation from Government Code 6700 and Code of Civil Procedure 135. Confirm them with the court before relying on them.

Thanksgiving creates a four-day stretch without ordinary court business: Thursday through Sunday. For an arrest on Wednesday night, November 25, 2026, families should ask about available bail and magistrate review during that period rather than assuming nothing can happen until Monday, November 30.

Holidays that do not close the courts

Not every state holiday closes the courts. Code of Civil Procedure 135, as amended effective January 1, 2026, lists state holidays that are not judicial holidays: Lunar New Year, Diwali, April 24 (Genocide Remembrance Day), September 9 (Admission Day), and the second Monday in October (Columbus Day). So courts are scheduled to be open on Columbus Day, Monday, October 12, 2026. Section 135 also covers only "Every full day designated as a holiday," and Government Code 6700 lists Good Friday only "from 12 noon until 3 p.m.," which helps explain why Good Friday does not appear on the court holiday list.

When a court holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, section 135 lets the Judicial Council "designate an alternative day for observance." In 2026, Independence Day fell on a Saturday, and the court holiday list shows courts closed on Friday, July 3.

Other Ways Out Before Monday

Posting scheduled bail is the most familiar path, but California law has several others that do not require a courtroom. Some of them do not involve money at all.

• A citation instead of a jail stay. For most misdemeanors, a person who "does not demand to be taken before a magistrate" shall "instead of being taken before a magistrate, be released" on a written promise to appear (Penal Code 853.6). The statute lists exceptions, including when the person was so intoxicated they could be a danger to themselves or others, has an outstanding warrant, cannot be identified, or is likely to continue the offense. Fresno County's Sheriff says "Some incarcerated persons may be eligible for release on citation very soon after booking" (Sheriff's jail page, read September 2026).
• Release with no charges. An officer may release someone arrested without a warrant, instead of taking them to court, when "there are insufficient grounds for making a criminal complaint" (Penal Code 849(b)).
• Own recognizance release. A court or magistrate who could release someone on bail may instead release them on their own recognizance, a signed promise to appear (Penal Code 1270). Before arraignment, that decision usually runs through an on-call judge or a court's pretrial program. Our guide explains what released on own recognizance means.

Asking an on-call judge for lower bail or OR release

Penal Code 1269c is the main statute for changing scheduled bail before the first court appearance. It applies when someone is arrested without a warrant for a bailable felony, or for the misdemeanor of violating a domestic violence restraining order.

It works in both directions:

• An officer can ask for higher bail. If a peace officer believes the scheduled amount is too low to ensure the person comes to court or to protect a domestic violence victim, the officer files a declaration under penalty of perjury with a magistrate asking for "an order setting a higher bail."
• The arrested person can ask for lower bail or OR release. Unless the charge is one of the serious offenses listed in Penal Code 1270.1(a), the person, "either personally or through his or her attorney, friend, or family member," may ask the magistrate "for release on bail lower than that provided in the schedule of bail or on his or her own recognizance."

The statute also contains a protection families should know about: "If, after the application is made, no order changing the amount of bail is issued within eight hours after booking, the defendant shall be entitled to be released on posting the amount of bail set forth in the applicable bail schedule." An officer's request for higher bail cannot hold up posting the scheduled amount indefinitely.

The statute does not say how a family reaches the magistrate, and none of the court and sheriff pages we reviewed for this guide published a direct number for the duty judge. In practice, a request under 1269c usually goes through a defense lawyer, or through the jail or a pretrial services officer where a county has one. Kern County's 2026 schedule, for example, tells officers who want higher bail to give "the booking officer at the custodial jail a copy of a 1269c P.C. declaration requesting an order setting higher bail." Ask the jail how 1269c requests are handled in that county, and consider calling a criminal defense lawyer the same day.

Pre-arraignment release programs

Many California courts now review some bookings for release before the first court appearance, including on weekends. The Judicial Council's Pretrial Services Program Year 4 report, dated April 24, 2026 and covering July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025, reported that 35 courts had "implemented procedures that permit prearraignment decision-making." Of those 35, "29 have implemented procedures that permit release of individuals prior to arraignment." Nineteen courts automated the delivery of risk assessment reports to judges, and the report says "Some courts review assessments 24 hours a day, seven days a week." A separate note in its booking and release analysis identifies missing Year 4 data from Los Angeles; program-availability counts and case outcomes are different measures.

What that looks like locally varies:

• Los Angeles: Magistrate Review bookings are reviewed by a magistrate, and people the magistrate releases leave on "$0 bail plus non-financial conditions of release, if any, as determined by the magistrate."
• Alameda: The court says Pretrial Services completes risk assessments and reports "within 10 minutes or less of booking" for people arrested on new charges and warrants, and "If a release order is issued, the individual is typically released within 24 hours or less of booking." People arrested for an offense listed in Penal Code 1270.1 are not reviewed for pre-arraignment release.
• Santa Clara: The county's Office of Pretrial Services says "Pretrial staff work 24/7 in the jail to create reports and facilitate the probable cause review process and own recognizance release decision process" (Pretrial Services, read September 2026).
• Kern: For "Magistrate Review" offenses, a magistrate uses the facts and a risk assessment to decide whether to release the person on their own recognizance, on $0 bail with conditions, or on a money bail amount.
• Riverside: The currently linked October 2025 schedule describes a Pre-Arraignment Review category whose technology "will be implemented at a future date to be determined." It says that until implementation those crimes "are treated as AR," meaning arraignment review with bail at the scheduled amount (Riverside bail schedule). Confirm current implementation and any later orders with the jail; the PDF's future-tense wording alone does not establish today's operational status.

A pre-arraignment program provides another possible release route. If the booking is awaiting a magistrate's review, ask whether posting a bail amount is also allowed under the applicable category and order.

What Can Keep Someone in Jail Until Court Opens

Some bookings require a court decision or resolution of another custody issue before release. Identify that issue promptly; the day of the week alone does not tell you when it will be resolved.

Charges that require a hearing in open court. Penal Code 1270.1 covers specified serious and violent felonies (with residential burglary excluded from that listed category), felony domestic violence under section 273.5, felony criminal threats, stalking, certain witness dissuasion, domestic battery under 243(e)(1), and some restraining order violations. For the decisions it covers, release on bail "either more or less than the amount contained in the schedule of bail," or on own recognizance, requires an open-court hearing. The statute includes notice, timing, and specified exceptions. It does not itself prohibit posting the exact scheduled amount. County protocols may add review categories: Kern's 2026 schedule describes an Arraignment Review Only category, with its own exceptions and distinctions from Magistrate Review. Read the actual category and current order with counsel or the bail team rather than treating every listed charge alike. Our guide to bail for domestic violence in California covers those charges in depth.

Felony probation, felony parole, and repeated missed court dates. Penal Code 1319.5 says a person on felony probation or felony parole who is arrested for a new offense "shall not be released on his or her own recognizance until a hearing is held in open court." The same rule applies to some people with three or more failures to appear in the past three years who are arrested for certain offenses. A probation or parole hold can also keep someone in custody after bail is posted on the new charge. Our guide to probation violations in California explains how those holds work.

A source-of-funds hold. Under Penal Code 1275.1, a judge or magistrate can order a hold when the statutory probable cause grounds indicate that bail consideration or collateral was feloniously obtained. The defendant then bears the specified burden of showing its lawful source. Subdivision (g) says that if a filed declaration is not acted on within 24 hours, the defendant shall be released upon posting the bail amount set. That is not the same as automatic expiration of a hold a judge has already ordered. Ask counsel or the bail agent about the actual order and available review; subdivision (h) expressly permits an application through a licensed bail agent, among others.

Another case, warrant, or county. Bail discharges custody only "as to the offense on which the bail is posted" (Penal Code 1269b(g)). If the person also has a warrant from another county, a separate case, or a hold from another agency, each one needs its own answer. The Los Angeles Sheriff's manual says that for out-of-county warrants, "bail shall be accepted in the amount set on the warrant by the issuing court," and that "A separate surety bond shall be required for each case when there is more than one case against the prisoner."

No bail listed, or a booking not yet finished. Some bookings carry no bail until a judge sets it. A person may also not show up in the system right away. Fresno County's Sheriff says the process after arrest "can take as long as four hours before the person is brought to the Jail to be booked," and "Intoxicated incarcerated persons will be held for up to 6 hours, and sometimes longer, to ensure they are sober enough to be safely released."

How to Post Bail on a Saturday, Sunday, or Holiday

The steps are the same as on a weekday. What changes is how much you should confirm by phone before driving anywhere or moving money.

Find the person and the booking

Start with the sheriff's online inmate locator for the county where the arrest happened, or call the jail. You need the full booked name, the booking number, the facility, each charge, and the bail amount for each charge. Locators do not always show holds. Our step-by-step guide on how to find out if someone is in jail covers each county's tools.

Records can lag behind the booking. Sacramento County's Sheriff says the Main Jail line, (916) 874-6752, can tell callers "whether or not they will be released on bail, cited or released on their own recognizance and they will also provide bail amount" (Sheriff FAQ, read September 2026).

Confirm what the jail will accept

Before you pay anyone, confirm four things with the jail:

1. The total bail for every case. Some jails require a separate bond for each case.
2. Any hold. Ask directly whether there is a probation, parole, out-of-county, immigration, or source-of-funds hold, or a charge that needs a hearing.
3. Where bail is taken at this hour. A county's main booking jail may take bail around the clock while a smaller facility keeps business hours. In Orange County, the Sheriff lists the Intake and Release Center in Santa Ana as "24 hours a day" and the Theo Lacy Facility in Orange as "Daily 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM" (OC Sheriff cashier and bail page, read September 2026).
4. Accepted payment types and payee. These vary widely, as the county table below shows.

Paying cash bail on a weekend

Cash bail means depositing the full bail amount with the jail. The jail forwards it to the court, and it is generally refunded after the case ends and the bail is exonerated, less anything the law allows the court to keep. Some counties restrict what they accept, and bank and ATM limits can matter when banks are closed. Santa Clara County's Sheriff says bail "may be paid in cash, bank cashier's check, money orders, or bail bond," with checks and money orders "made out to Santa Clara County Judicial District" (Administrative Booking page, read September 2026). Keep the receipt. The refund is usually mailed to the depositor named on it, often weeks after the case ends. Our guide to what happens when a bond is exonerated explains the refund process.

Using a bail bond on a weekend

With a bail bond, a licensed bail agent posts a surety bond for the full bail amount, backed by an insurance company, and the family pays the agent a premium and signs an agreement. Confirm the jail's current bond-delivery procedure. In Los Angeles County, bonds are presented by a licensed agent "in person, at any jail facility," with the agent's identification card and license. San Diego County's Sheriff says "Bail bonds must still be delivered in-person to any custody information office located at any San Diego County Sheriff's Office Detention Facility" (Bail Bond Agency List page, read September 2026). At Sacramento County's Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, "Bail bonds are accepted from Bail Bondsmen only 24 hours a day/7 days a week with the exception of 6:00am-8:00am and 6:00pm-8:00pm" (RCCC page, read September 2026).

Whoever signs as cosigner takes on real obligations, and those obligations do not shrink because it is 1 a.m. on a Sunday. Read the agreement and ask questions before signing. Our guides on cash bonds versus surety bonds and your role as a bail bond cosigner explain both sides.

After bail is posted: release processing

Posting bail starts the release. It does not finish it. The jail still has to check identity, warrants, and holds, return property, and process the paperwork. Official statements from several counties, read in September 2026:

• Kern: "If I post bail for an inmate, how long does it take to release them? The release process can take up to 8 hours" (Lerdo Pretrial Section).
• Alameda: "Pending Release" status means the release process has begun, and "This process may take several hours to complete. Any other legal holding authority located during this process, may result in the inmate not being released" (Sheriff's inmate locator).
• Fresno: After a court orders release, "This may take several hours from the time the criminal offender was 'released' in court" (Superior Court appearances page).

These agency estimates are not guaranteed maximum processing times for every booking. Releases also happen at night. In a July 6, 2026 response about Sacramento County Main Jail, Sheriff Jim Cooper reported year-to-date 2026 figures of 13,158 releases, including 2,012 (15.3 percent) between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. (Sheriff's response). The response describes "court-ordered or bail bond releases" as releases "which occur 24/7." Plan for a late-night pickup: a charged phone, a ride, a jacket, any medications, and an address where the person can go. Keep the release paperwork and court date; an unexcused failure to appear can lead to a warrant and bond forfeiture.

Posting Bail on Weekends in Ten California Counties

Each county publishes different information, and some publish almost none. This table uses only official sheriff and court pages read in September 2026. Where a sheriff does not post weekend bail hours online, we say so. Call the jail before traveling.

A few local details are worth knowing before a weekend trip to the jail:

• Santa Clara's cashier window is not open around the clock. Under the Sheriff's posted hours, the window closes at midnight and reopens at 5:00 a.m. The Sheriff also says "Most of those booked are cited and released or post bail on their charges" (Main Jail page, read September 2026).
• Orange County's second window keeps business hours. Only the Intake and Release Center in Santa Ana is listed as open 24 hours.
• Los Angeles County separates intake and housing. The Inmate Reception Center next to Men's Central Jail handles the county's male intake process; an arrest can also involve station or other agency booking. Our Men's Central Jail guide explains how the reception center, the jail, and the cashier functions fit together.
• San Diego routes cash bail through the court. The Sheriff says cash bail posted at a detention facility is refunded "Within 4-6 weeks after receiving confirmation from the court that the case is resolved or completed and bail has been exonerated." Our San Diego Central Jail guide covers that facility in detail.
• Sacramento phased out Night Court arraignments. The court's April 7, 2026 release says arraignments previously conducted in Night Court would move to 1:30 p.m. home-court calendars effective April 27. The Sheriff's July 2026 response says afternoon calendars "often continue until 6:00 PM," which can push court-ordered releases into the evening.

Real Cases: Weekends, Holidays, and the Wait for Court

County of Riverside v. McLaughlin (U.S. Supreme Court, 1991). The case began in Riverside County, whose policy, as the Court described it, excluded weekends and holidays from the time allowed before a judge looked at an arrest. The Court found that the policy could stretch detention far beyond two days and wrote that "Over the Thanksgiving holiday, a 7-day delay is possible." It set the 48-hour benchmark for probable cause review that still governs weekend arrests nationwide.

People v. Thompson (California Supreme Court, 1980). A man was arrested late on a Sunday night and booked around 3:15 a.m. Monday. Booking was essentially complete by 4:30 a.m., but the detective decided not to try for that morning's arraignment, citing "the time element" and lack of sleep, and the man was not arraigned until Tuesday. The Court held that the right to prompt arraignment "cannot be ignored because an officer desires some sleep" (opinion). The Court also held that the illegal delay did not by itself make the man's confession inadmissible.

Youngblood v. Gates (California Court of Appeal, 1988). The Los Angeles Police Department's "due-out" schedule counted the arraignment deadline as 48 hours from arrest. The court rejected that method under the statute's older "two days" wording and described the second-court-day approach used at the time. The case illustrates why a calendar formula must be read with the statute and decisions that actually govern it, rather than copied unchanged into a different legal framework.

Los Angeles Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols (2023). When the Los Angeles Superior Court announced early results of its new protocols on October 30, 2023, its news release explained why pre-arraignment release matters: "Arraignment typically occurs less than 48 hours after booking but can occur up to four days after arrest if the arrest falls at the beginning of a holiday weekend."

Sandoval v. Riverside County (California Superior Court, 2026). Plaintiffs sued the county, the Sheriff, and the Riverside County Superior Court over detention between arrest and arraignment. On January 28, 2026, Judge William D. Claster, assigned to case CVRI2502556, granted a preliminary injunction in part (ruling). That ruling prescribed relief for specified warrantless arrests and denied the requested preliminary relief against the Superior Court itself. It described plaintiffs who "were jailed in Riverside County for three to five days solely because they could not afford their cash bail." Later official records connect the same trial case to Court of Appeal proceeding E088847, summarily denied July 24, 2026, and Supreme Court proceeding S297895, whose August 26, 2026 disposition reads "Petition and Stay denied" (official case-information search, search S297895). Those entries concern that review proceeding; they do not establish a final merits judgment in the underlying lawsuit or an individual's current release eligibility. Ask counsel about the current orders if this litigation may affect a booking.

Sacramento's end of Night Court (2026). The Sacramento Superior Court's April 7, 2026 release announced that "Night Court arraignments will be discontinued effective April 27," and noted that Night Court arraignments and live streaming "were originally implemented in August 2020 as part of a pretrial program established during the COVID-19 pandemic." Three months later, the Sheriff told the Civil Grand Jury that afternoon calendars had "effectively doubled in size." That is a reminder that court scheduling decisions ripple into when people actually walk out of jail, on weekdays and weekends alike.

What the Data Shows, and What It Does Not

The sources reviewed for this guide did not provide a statewide weekend-bail count or a statewide comparison of weekend and weekday release times. The available figures answer narrower questions.

• Pre-arraignment release is widespread but not universal. The Judicial Council's April 2026 report says 29 of the 35 courts with prearraignment decision procedures permit release before arraignment. It reports 191,381 risk assessment reports during July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. These are not weekend-bail totals. Its separate booking and release analysis notes that Los Angeles data are missing.
• Night releases are documented at one large jail. In its July 6, 2026 response about Sacramento County Main Jail, the Sheriff reported year-to-date figures of 15.3 percent between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and 7.8 percent (1,029 of 13,158) between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Those figures cover release types beyond bail and should not be treated as a statewide or weekend-only rate.
• Holiday weekends stretch the wait for court. The Los Angeles court's October 2023 statement, quoted above, is the clearest official description we found.
• Advocates' estimates run longer. Civil Rights Corps, which represents the Sandoval plaintiffs, said in an October 15, 2025 update that in Riverside County the first hearing "for no good reason often does not occur until four or five days after their arrest." That is a party's characterization in active litigation, not a court finding.

What the data cannot tell a family is how long a particular release will take. Staffing, booking volume, holds, and the charge all matter, and no official source we found publishes weekend processing times.

In Their Words

These voices come from different seats in the system: the courts that set the rules, the agencies that run the jails, and people who have been held. Each one is quoted from a dated, linked source. McLaughlin and Thompson, quoted earlier, speak for the courts that set the deadlines. These are other seats.

"The common practice of conditioning freedom solely on whether an arrestee can afford bail is unconstitutional."

The California Supreme Court in In re Humphrey, decided March 25, 2021. In In re Kowalczyk, decided April 30, 2026, it explained that when detention is not warranted under the constitution's specified conditions and money bail is necessary, the amount must reflect an individualized assessment and generally be reasonably attainable. Neither decision guarantees own recognizance release in every case.

"The prearraignment period is typically the first 48 hours after arrest and the time frame an eligible individual is likely to post bail."

The Judicial Council of California, in its April 24, 2026 report to the Legislature on pretrial programs.

"mandatory releases (such as court-ordered or bail bond releases, which occur 24/7)"

Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper, in his July 6, 2026 response to the Civil Grand Jury, explaining why some late-night releases cannot be postponed until morning.

"shackled, hands and feet, for upwards of 12 hours at a time"

Violet Graham, who described three and a half days in Riverside County custody on a case the article says was never filed, in an interview quoted by the Coachella Valley Independent on April 21, 2026.

"The initial bail just comes from a schedule"

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, speaking on the John McGinness Show podcast on May 30, 2025, as quoted by the Coachella Valley Independent on April 21, 2026. The excerpt identifies the starting role of a bail schedule; the applicable release order and the court's later review determine the individual case.

Outside California: Federal Court, Idaho, and Texas

People search this question from every state, and the rules differ. If the arrest happened outside California, or the case is federal, California's bail schedules and Penal Code 825 do not apply. Our guide to bailing someone out of jail in another state covers the logistics.

• Federal court. A person arrested on federal charges must be taken "without unnecessary delay before a magistrate judge" under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 5(a)(1)(A). Release is then decided by a judicial officer at that appearance under 18 U.S.C. 3142(a), which lists recognizance release, release on conditions, temporary detention, or detention. A county jail's bail schedule is not the path out of a federal case.
• Idaho. Idaho Criminal Rule 5(b) generally requires an initial appearance without unreasonable delay and within 24 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, with a stated exception when the defendant's condition prevents appearance. Separately, Rule 5(d) requires a probable cause hearing after a warrantless arrest within 48 hours, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. Rule 5(c) addresses the probable cause requirement at or before the first appearance. Those are different rules, not a weekend exemption from all review. In Boise, the Ada County Sheriff gives the bond-payment location as the main Sheriff's Office lobby at 7200 Barrister Drive and lists cash, cashier's check, money order, or a bail bond, with an administrative fee per bond. Confirm the current payment instructions before traveling.
• Texas. Article 15.17 of the Code of Criminal Procedure requires a magistrate appearance without unnecessary delay and no later than 48 hours after arrest, in person or by videoconference. In chapter 17, article 17.033 provides specific release protections at 24 hours for a warrantless misdemeanor arrest and 48 hours for a warrantless felony arrest when probable cause has not been determined, including a personal-bond fallback. It also has a prosecutor-application postponement provision and medical-facility timing exceptions, so the headline hours are not the entire rule. Article 17.028 requires an individualized bail decision and bars using a schedule to bypass the required factors. Have local counsel apply the Texas rules and actual custody record rather than using California's calendar.

What Families Should Do

1. Get the facts first. Confirm the booked name, booking number, facility, every charge, and each bail amount.
2. Ask about holds by name. Probation, parole, other cases, out-of-county warrants, immigration, and source-of-funds holds can each outlast a bail payment.
3. Ask whether the booking needs a judge. If it does, ask whether posting the scheduled amount is still allowed.
4. Call the jail about hours and payment. Confirm where bail is taken at that hour, the accepted payment types, and the payee.
5. Consider a defense lawyer the same day. A lawyer can make a Penal Code 1269c request to an on-call judge. Penal Code 825(b) lets any California attorney visit an arrested person "at the request of the prisoner or any relative of the prisoner."
6. Read any bail bond agreement before signing. Know the premium, any collateral, and what the cosigner is promising.
7. Keep every receipt. Cash bail refunds usually go to the depositor named on the receipt.
8. Plan a late-night pickup. Bring a charged phone, identification, a jacket, and any needed medications.
9. Write down the court date immediately. After a holiday weekend, the next court day comes quickly.

How Bail Hotline Can Help

Everything above this section is written to be useful whether or not you ever call us. This is the one place we talk about ourselves.

Bail Hotline is a family-owned California bail bond company, in business since 2004 and licensed through our parent company, DMCG, Inc., with the California Department of Insurance (license #1845394). Our team answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at (888) 958-1228.

Arrested on a Friday night or before a holiday? This is when a 24/7 posting agent matters most

Regular court offices may close for the weekend. Our team keeps working. When a family learns about an arrest late on a Friday, or on the eve of a three-day holiday weekend, the first steps are finding the booking, understanding what can be posted, and getting an approved bond to the right jail window. That is the work we do every day of the week.

• We find the booking for you. Gathering inmate information is part of our agents' daily work at every jail, done quickly and at no charge, and every office holds jail-system accounts. We can help you confirm where the person is held and what the booking shows.
• Dedicated posting agents around the clock. When a bond is permitted and approved, our posting agents take it to the jail on Saturday night, Sunday morning, or a holiday, the same as on a Tuesday.
• Every cosigner is walked through the agreement. A weekend call is not a reason to rush a signature. We explain what you are signing before you sign it.
• A large, complicated, or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no. A weekend arrest in one county on another county's warrant does not end the conversation.
• After release, we help keep the case on track. Clients receive text court-date reminders, and if a court date is ever missed, we walk clients through the warrant process.
• Cosigners are not locked in. Any cosigner may sign out of a bond at any time while it is in good standing, meaning no past-due payments and the defendant is not missing court or daily online check-ins. We explain how that works case by case.

Every case is different. The judge makes the final decision about bail and release conditions, the jail controls its own release processing, and holds from other cases or agencies can keep someone in custody. We cannot promise a result or a release time. A willful failure to appear is treated differently from an honest mistake and needs prompt attention from the defense lawyer.

Find an office near the jail

For more answers about how bail and bail bonds work, read our bail FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you bail someone out of jail on a weekend in California?

Yes, when the booking permits bail. Before the first court appearance, Penal Code 1269b lets authorized officials accept the applicable warrant, schedule, or ordered bail amount in cash or by surety bond. Confirm the current order, any required review, other custody issues, and the facility's posting procedure.

Can you bail someone out on a Sunday?

Yes. Jails continue operating on Sunday while regular court offices may be closed. If the booking permits bail and nothing else prevents release, bail can be posted at an accepting facility. Confirm the jail's cashier hours first, because some windows close overnight.

Can you see a judge on the weekend?

Weekend magistrate review is available in many counties, and California law permits arraignments and magistrate duties on judicial holidays. Whether the defendant appears in a courtroom depends on the local calendar and case. Ask about the actual review or appearance rather than assuming all court activity stops.

Can you see a judge on a Saturday?

Saturday is a judicial holiday under Code of Civil Procedure 135, but section 134 permits criminal arraignments and magistrate duties on judicial holidays. A judge may review the arrest or a qualifying bail request during the weekend. Confirm the local procedure and any scheduled appearance.

If you get arrested on a Saturday, when do you get out?

It depends on the booking and release route. If bail is permitted and no other custody issue prevents release, it can be posted while the jail completes its release process. If judicial review is needed, ask whether an on-call magistrate can address it or whether an open-court hearing is required. The actual decision and any remaining holds determine what happens next.

What happens if you get arrested on a Saturday night?

The person is booked, and the jail checks for warrants and holds. Depending on the charge, they may be cited and released, released on $0 bail under a local protocol, reviewed by an on-call magistrate, or held with a scheduled bail amount that can be posted. Anyone remaining in custody must receive the judicial review and appearance required by the applicable rules.

Can someone be released from jail on a Sunday?

Yes. Jails release people every day of the week, including after bail is posted, on a citation, or under a court's pre-arraignment release order. Sacramento County's Sheriff, for example, told its Civil Grand Jury in July 2026 that court-ordered and bail bond releases happen around the clock.

Does it take longer to get out of jail on the weekend?

Weekend bail remains available. Some cases take longer if they require an open-court hearing or another issue must be resolved; on-call review may be available for other decisions. Release processing also varies by jail. The sources reviewed do not establish a statewide weekend-versus-weekday turnaround rule.

Do court holidays count in the 48-hour rule?

It depends which rule you mean. Penal Code 825 excludes Sundays and holidays from its appearance calculation, and Saturdays are judicial holidays under Code of Civil Procedure 135. The separate federal probable cause benchmark after a warrantless arrest does not pause for an ordinary weekend or holiday. Some state holidays, such as Columbus Day and Admission Day, are not judicial holidays.

Can bail be lowered on a weekend?

Sometimes. After a warrantless arrest for most bailable felonies, Penal Code 1269c lets the arrested person, a lawyer, a friend, or a family member ask an on-call magistrate for lower bail or own recognizance release. That option is not available for the serious offenses listed in Penal Code 1270.1(a).

Can I post bail at night?

Often yes, but it depends on the jail. San Bernardino County's Sheriff accepts bail 24 hours a day at any jail facility, while Santa Clara County's posted cashier hours run from 5:00 a.m. to midnight. Call ahead.

Can I pay bail at the courthouse on a weekend?

Usually not. Court clerks are among the officials allowed to accept bail, but courts are closed for regular business on judicial holidays under Code of Civil Procedure 134. On weekends, bail is posted at the jail.

Why We Publish This

Weekend arrests produce some of the most frightening calls a family ever makes, and much of the fear comes from not knowing what is possible before Monday. The honest answer is that a great deal is possible: scheduled bail can be posted, some people can be released without money, and on-call judges do work. Some things truly must wait for a courtroom, and families deserve to know which is which.

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws, bail schedules, court calendars, and jail procedures change. A criminal defense attorney can advise on a specific case.

Sources and Further Reading

California statutes

• Penal Code 825: the 48-hour arraignment rule and attorney visits.
• Penal Code 1269b (amended effective January 1, 2026) and 1269c: who accepts bail, bail schedules, and bail changes before arraignment.
• Penal Code 1270, 1270.1, 1275.1, and 1319.5: own recognizance release, hearings for listed offenses, source-of-funds holds, and supervision-related limits.
• Penal Code 849 and 853.6: release without charges and citation release.
• Code of Civil Procedure 134 and 135 (amended effective January 1, 2026); Government Code 6700 (amended effective March 26, 2026): court and state holidays.

Court decisions

• County of Riverside v. McLaughlin (1991), U.S. Supreme Court, via Justia.
• People v. Thompson (1980), California Supreme Court, via Justia.
• Youngblood v. Gates (1988), California Court of Appeal, via Justia.
• In re Humphrey (March 25, 2021) and In re Kowalczyk (April 30, 2026), California Supreme Court, via Justia.
• Sandoval v. Riverside County, ruling on preliminary injunction (January 28, 2026), posted by plaintiffs' counsel.

Judicial Branch and court sources

• Judicial Branch of California: Court Holidays.
• Judicial Council: Pretrial Services Program Year 4 report, April 24, 2026.
• Los Angeles Superior Court: Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols FAQ and October 30, 2023 news release.
• Alameda Superior Court: Pretrial Release Program.
• Orange County Superior Court: Court Appearance.
• Riverside Superior Court: Criminal Division and bail schedule effective October 2025.
• Kern Superior Court: 2026 felony bail schedule.
• Sacramento Superior Court: Night Court phase-out, April 7, 2026.

Sheriff and county sources (read September 2026)

• Los Angeles: LASD manual 5-03/090.10 and 5-03/090.60; custody page.
• Orange: cashier and bail information. San Bernardino: Corrections. Riverside: Inmate Information.
• San Diego: FAQ, Bail Bond Agency List, Pretrial Services.
• Sacramento: Main Jail, RCCC, FAQ, July 6, 2026 Grand Jury response.
• Alameda: inmate locator and locator FAQ. Kern: Lerdo Pretrial Section.
• Santa Clara: Administrative Booking, Main Jail, Office of Pretrial Services.
• Fresno: jail, booking, court appearances.

Reporting and advocacy

• Coachella Valley Independent, April 21, 2026, on the Riverside County injunction.
• Civil Rights Corps, October 15, 2025, on the Sandoval demurrer ruling.

Outside California

• Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 5 and 18 U.S.C. 3142, via Cornell Legal Information Institute.
• Idaho Criminal Rule 5 and Ada County Sheriff: Jail.
• Texas Code of Criminal Procedure chapter 15 and chapter 17, current statutory text read in September 2026.

Updated September 2026. Written for families trying to figure out how much bail will be for someone just arrested in California. Every amount in this guide was read from the county superior court’s own posted bail schedule in September 2026, and the law was checked against the current Penal Code, the California Constitution, and the California Supreme Court’s 2021 and 2026 bail decisions.

Quick answer: California has no single statewide bail amount for any crime. Each of the 58 county superior courts adopts its own bail schedule every year under Penal Code 1269b, so the same charge can cost very different amounts depending on the county. In the 2025 and 2026 schedules we read, the most common amounts were $50,000 for second degree robbery, $50,000 for first degree residential burglary, $30,000 for assault with a deadly weapon, $50,000 for felony corporal injury on a partner, $10,000 for misdemeanor domestic battery, $100,000 for rape or carjacking, $1,000,000 for murder, and $5,000 for a first misdemeanor DUI. But the schedule is only the starting point. Enhancements, prior convictions, probation or parole, and extra charges add money, and several counties, including Los Angeles, now set $0 bail before the first court date for many lower level charges. After arrest, a judge can raise or lower the amount and, under In re Humphrey (2021) and In re Kowalczyk (2026), must consider what the person can actually pay.

Bail Amounts by Crime in California at a Glance

“Most common amount” is the amount listed most often among the county schedules that give a clear dollar figure for that charge. “Range” runs from the lowest to the highest clear dollar amount we found. Los Angeles is shown separately because its schedule works differently (see Zero-bail codes).

In this guide: Why 58 schedules · How bail is set · What raises the number · Bail by type of crime · Zero-bail codes · Lowering bail · What you actually pay · Finding a bail amount · Real cases · The data · In their words · Outside California · County by county · What families should do · How Bail Hotline can help · FAQ · Sources

Why California Has 58 Bail Schedules, Not One

A bail schedule is a price list the court gives to the jail. It tells the jail how much bail to accept for each charge before a judge ever sees the case. California law puts that job on each county’s judges. Penal Code 1269b says: “It is the duty of the superior court judges in each county to prepare, adopt, and annually revise a uniform countywide schedule of bail for all bailable felony offenses and for all misdemeanor and infraction offenses except Vehicle Code infractions.”

The statute tells judges what to weigh, but not what the numbers should be. For felonies, the judges “shall consider the seriousness of the offense charged” and must add extra bail for enhancements such as using a gun, causing great bodily injury, or committing a new felony while already out on bail. For drug cases they must add bail “for offenses involving large quantities of controlled substances.” Every schedule also needs a catch-all amount for charges it does not list.

That design is why the numbers differ so much. In our September 2026 read, second degree robbery ranged from $25,000 in Fresno County to $100,000 in Lake and San Bernardino counties. A first misdemeanor DUI ran from $0 before court in several counties to $10,000 in counties such as Butte, Merced, and San Bernardino. The Judicial Council’s own pretrial workgroup noted the same pattern in 2017: “bail schedule amounts for the same offense can vary widely from county to county.”

Three more things surprise families:

• Many posted schedules are old. Of the 58 counties, 39 had a 2026 schedule online in September 2026 (San Joaquin’s is still marked tentative), 9 had a 2025 schedule, 6 posted schedules from 2024 or earlier (Alameda and Ventura 2024, Amador 2022, Inyo 2017, Calaveras 2016, and Alpine, which posts El Dorado County’s 2023 schedule), and 4 posted no criminal bail schedule at all (Colusa, Modoc, Tuolumne, and Yolo). Old schedules for Los Angeles and Monterey still rank high in Google, so always check the date on the document.
• Some counties price by sentence, not by crime. Solano, Humboldt, Del Norte, Imperial, Inyo, and Lassen price most felonies by the maximum prison sentence the charge carries. Solano, for example, starts at $25,000 for a charge with a 3 year top term and adds $15,000 for each year past 10.
• “Bail” on a traffic ticket is something else. The statewide Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule that the Judicial Council adopts under California Rules of Court, rule 4.102 covers traffic, boating, fish and game, and similar offenses. That “bail” is really the fine plus assessments paid up front, and under Vehicle Code 40512 it can be forfeited to end the case. It has nothing to do with getting someone out of jail, even though it often ranks for “California bail schedule.”

How a Bail Amount Is Set, Step by Step

1. Booking. The jail looks up each booked charge on the county schedule, adds any enhancements and priors the schedule requires, and that total becomes the amount the jail will accept. Under PC 1269b(a), the jail may accept bail “in the amount fixed by the warrant of arrest, schedule of bail, or order admitting to bail in cash or surety bond.”
2. Warrant arrests are different. If the arrest was on a warrant, the amount written on the warrant controls. Penal Code 815a tells the judge to set an amount that is “reasonable and sufficient for the appearance of the defendant.” Some warrants say no bail. Our guide to posting bail on an outstanding warrant covers that situation.
3. Many misdemeanors never reach bail. Under Penal Code 853.6, most people arrested for a misdemeanor must be released on a written promise to appear (a citation) unless a listed exception applies, such as an outstanding warrant, a risk that the offense would continue, or no identification.
4. Before the first court date, the number can move. Under Penal Code 1269c, after an arrest without a warrant for a felony or for violating a domestic violence restraining order, an officer can ask an on-call judge to raise bail above the schedule, and the arrested person “either personally or through his or her attorney, friend, or family member” can ask for lower bail or own recognizance release. If someone has asked and no order changing bail comes “within eight hours after booking,” the person can be released on posting the scheduled amount.
5. Some charges need a hearing first. For the crimes listed in Penal Code 1270.1, bail cannot go above or below the schedule, and there is no own recognizance release, until a hearing is held in open court. The list covers serious and violent felonies (except residential burglary), felony corporal injury and criminal threats, stalking, domestic battery, felony witness intimidation, and protective order violations where the person made threats, used violence, or went to the protected person’s home or workplace.
6. Arraignment. Within 48 hours, not counting Sundays and holidays, the person must be taken before a judge. Our guide to how long it takes to see a judge walks through the clock. At arraignment the judge decides release on the factors in Penal Code 1275: “the protection of the public, the seriousness of the offense charged, the previous criminal record of the defendant, and the probability of his or her appearing at trial.” The statute adds: “The public safety shall be the primary consideration.”
7. Misdemeanors lean toward release. At a misdemeanor arraignment, Penal Code 1270 says the person “shall be entitled to an own recognizance release” unless the judge finds on the record that release would compromise public safety or would not reasonably assure a return to court. Our explainer on release on own recognizance covers what that means.
8. Later changes. After the case moves forward, Penal Code 1289 lets the court “upon good cause shown, either increase or reduce the amount of bail.”

What Raises the Number: Enhancements, Priors, and Extra Charges

The charge line on the schedule is rarely the whole bill. PC 1269b(e) requires judges to “assign an additional amount of required bail for each aggravating or enhancing factor chargeable in the complaint.” Counties then decide how to stack everything, because no statute sets a single rule for multiple counts.

Los Angeles County’s 2026 Felony Bail Computation Worksheet shows how it works. Bail starts with the highest charge. Extra counts are added only if they involve separate victims or separate dates. Then the worksheet adds, among other things, $50,000 for possessing or using a firearm, $30,000 for great bodily injury, $50,000 for each serious, violent, or sex offense prior, and $25,000, added once, if other felony charges are pending or the person is on parole, felony probation, or probation supervision.

A worked Los Angeles example. Someone booked for second degree robbery ($50,000) with a firearm allegation ($50,000) while on felony probation ($25,000) faces a scheduled total of $125,000 before anyone asks a judge to change it.

Other patterns from the 2026 schedules:

• Committing a new felony while out on bail (Penal Code 12022.1) adds $25,000 in Los Angeles and Santa Clara, $30,000 in Solano, $50,000 in San Francisco, and $100,000 in Contra Costa.
• Prior strikes can multiply bail. Santa Barbara adds $1,000,000 when a current strike follows two or more strike priors, and Orange County enhances bail to $200,000 on non-serious, non-violent felonies for people with two or more strike priors.
• Theft losses can set the number. Orange County uses the scheduled amount or the amount of the loss, whichever is higher, for larceny and fraud offenses.
• Attempts are often half the completed crime. Monterey and Santa Clara use one half of the completed crime for most attempts, Riverside does the same for unlisted attempts, and San Francisco sets attempts at the same bail as the completed crime.

Bail Amounts by Type of Crime

The ranges below come from the county table later in this guide. Where a county uses a $0 code or prices charges by prison term, it is left out of the dollar range and noted instead.

Violent crimes

Violent charges carry the highest and most consistent amounts, because they are on the PC 1270.1 hearing list and are excluded from nearly every county’s zero-bail program. Second degree robbery was $50,000 in 27 of the 44 counties whose schedules list a clear amount. Carjacking was $100,000 in 33 of 48. Murder without special circumstances was most often $1,000,000 (20 counties), with $2,000,000 in Los Angeles, Mendocino, Mono, Santa Barbara, and Trinity (and in Calaveras County’s 2016 schedule), and no bail before a judge in counties such as San Diego, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma, and Solano. Murder with special circumstances is a capital crime, and Article I, section 12 of the California Constitution allows bail to be denied “when the facts are evident or the presumption great.”

Domestic violence

Misdemeanor domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) was most often $10,000 and ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, and felony corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) was most often $50,000. Domestic violence charges are on the PC 1270.1 list, so the scheduled amount usually cannot be lowered until a hearing, and most zero-bail programs exclude them. Our domestic violence bail guide covers every county’s domestic violence amounts, protective orders, and the hearing rule in depth.

Theft and burglary

Theft bail depends first on whether the charge is a felony. Since Proposition 47 (2014), theft of property worth $950 or less is generally petty theft, a misdemeanor, and many counties cite and release it. Proposition 36 (effective December 18, 2024) lets prosecutors add up thefts to cross the felony line, and it made petty theft or shoplifting with two or more prior theft convictions chargeable as a felony under PC 666.1. That statute says: “Upon an arrest for a violation of this section, the court shall require judicial review prior to release to make an individualized determination of risk to public safety and likelihood to return to court.” In practice, San Diego and Mono list no dollar amount for PC 666.1 and say not to release until a judge reviews the case, Santa Clara ($5,000) and San Luis Obispo ($20,000) list an amount but still require judicial review before release, and Orange County requires a magistrate’s approval before bail can be posted.

For felonies with a clear amount, first degree residential burglary was $50,000 in 35 of 51 counties, second degree commercial burglary was most often $20,000 as a felony, grand theft ran $10,000 to $50,000, and vehicle theft (VC 10851) was most often $25,000. Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Kern, Mendocino, Riverside, and Santa Cruz put commercial burglary on $0 book and release or cite and release before arraignment.

Drug charges

Simple possession of most drugs (HSC 11350, 11377) is a misdemeanor for most people, and many counties cite and release it. Proposition 36 created a “treatment-mandated felony” under HSC 11395 for possession of hard drugs with two or more qualifying priors, and like PC 666.1, many counties require a judge’s review before release on it. Possession for sale starts at the lowest quantity tier, most often $20,000, and climbs with weight: Trinity’s schedule reaches $5,000,000 for 100 pounds or more. The weight enhancement in HSC 11370.4 adds $10,000 in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.

Weapons

Felon with a firearm (PC 29800) was most often $50,000, ranging to $100,000 in Merced County, while carrying a concealed or loaded firearm ran from $0 in Los Angeles, Kern, Mono, and Riverside to $75,000 for a felony concealed firearm in San Francisco. A firearm allegation added to another charge is where amounts jump fastest: San Francisco adds $150,000 for PC 12022.5 personal firearm use. Knife charges are covered county by county in our California knife laws guide.

DUI and driving

A first misdemeanor DUI was $5,000 in 23 of the 37 counties that list a dollar amount, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, while Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Kern, Mendocino, Riverside, San Luis Obispo, Alpine, and El Dorado put it at $0 before court. Priors raise it: Butte’s schedule goes from $10,000 for a first DUI to $12,500 with one prior in 10 years. A DUI causing injury (VC 23153) was most often $50,000 as a felony and reached $250,000 in San Bernardino County. Felony evading (VC 2800.2) was most often $50,000.

General misdemeanors and unlisted charges

Unlisted misdemeanors are cheap or free in most counties: $0 in Los Angeles, Mono, San Luis Obispo, and Sonoma before arraignment, $500 in Kern and San Diego, $2,500 in Santa Barbara, $3,000 in San Francisco, and $3,500 in Monterey. Unlisted felonies range from $0 before arraignment in Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Mendocino, and Sonoma to $10,000 in Monterey, $15,000 in San Francisco, $20,000 in Mono, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara, and $25,000 in Shasta, or a prison-term chart in counties such as Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Solano.

Zero-Bail Codes: Los Angeles and the Counties That Followed

Since October 1, 2023, Los Angeles County has run Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols, and its 2026 schedules still say they “shall govern whether eligible arrestees in Los Angeles County are released from custody without conditions, released with non-financial conditions, or held in custody pending arraignment.” Most listed charges carry one of three codes instead of a dollar amount:

• CR (cite and release) and BR (book and release): the person is released on a promise to appear. “These arrestees are not required to post cash bail.”
• MR (magistrate review): “All offenses in the MR category are designated as $0 bail offenses,” but a judge reviews the arrest and may release the person, add non-financial conditions, or, in limited cases, hold them until arraignment.

The codes have limits. “Zero-dollar bail is not available for serious or violent crimes.” Charges on the PC 1270.1 list keep money bail. People on felony probation, parole, or post-release community supervision (PRCS) who are booked on a CR or BR charge go to a magistrate instead. An enhancement that requires money bail sets the bail even when the underlying charge is coded $0. And the codes only cover the time before arraignment: “Pre-arraignment orders pertaining to release and conditions are not binding upon the court at arraignment.” Families can ask a magistrate for lower bail or release by calling (213) 633-6350 “within two hours of booking.”

Other counties now use similar codes:

• Contra Costa (effective July 8, 2026) puts many felonies, including vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, and possession for sale, on $0 cite or book and release, but a person with “two or more failures to appear for any criminal case in the preceding twelve months” is subject to bail on the new arrest.
• Mendocino (August 6, 2026) sets unlisted felonies at $0 book and release, and the schedule repeats that “Zero-dollar bail is not available for serious or violent crimes.”
• Kern (December 29, 2025) sets $0 for cite and release misdemeanors and book and release felonies, and “Individuals arrested that have failed to appear more than one time in the current case are ineligible for BR.”
• Riverside (October 24, 2025) authorizes the Sheriff to release people booked on cite and release or book and release charges “with a signed promise to appear,” while still printing dollar amounts for other cases.
• Sonoma and Mono set $0 before arraignment for many unlisted or lower level charges.

A $0 code is not a promise of release. Holds from another county, immigration detainers, probation or parole holds, and recent failures to appear can all keep someone in custody even when the charge itself carries no bail.

Can Bail Be Lowered? The Ability-to-Pay Rule

Yes, and the California Supreme Court has made the argument stronger twice in five years.

In In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135, the court held: “The common practice of conditioning freedom solely on whether an arrestee can afford bail is unconstitutional.” When money bail is needed, “the court must consider the arrestee’s ability to pay the stated amount of bail.” A person can be held without an affordable option only after the judge finds by clear and convincing evidence that no less restrictive conditions would protect the public or make sure they return to court.

In In re Kowalczyk (April 30, 2026), a unanimous court went further. It held that “bail must be set in an amount reasonably attainable for the defendant,” based on “an individualized assessment of the totality of the circumstances” including “a defendant’s financial situation and resources available to satisfy a monetary bail order.” It also said “courts cannot use artificially high or objectively unattainable bail as an end run to effectuate pretrial detention where such detention is not authorized under section 12.” The court added limits: bail does not have to be “easily affordable or convenient,” and judges need not “accept unsupported, conclusory assertions of indigency.”

What that means in practice:

• The schedule is a starting point, not a verdict. In In re Brown (2022) 76 Cal.App.5th 296, the Court of Appeal said the scheduled amount “is appropriate only if the court first determines the arrestee can afford to post it.”
• Going above the schedule needs reasons. In In re Christie (2001) 92 Cal.App.4th 1105, the court said the judge had to “state what its considerations were in setting bail in excess of the bail schedule.”
• Going below the schedule on a serious or violent felony requires a finding of “unusual circumstances” under PC 1275(c), and the statute says that phrase “does not include the fact that the defendant has made all prior court appearances or has not committed any new offenses.” Brown held that this rule cannot be used to skip the ability-to-pay question.
• Proof matters. Bring pay stubs, rent, and a list of dependents to the bail hearing. A sworn statement of finances is what started the relief in Brown.
• Several 2026 schedules now say it out loud. San Luis Obispo’s June 2026 schedule tells judicial officers to “consider the person’s ability to afford bail,” and Santa Barbara’s June 2026 schedule cites Kowalczyk.

Some people can be held with no bail at all. Outside capital cases, Kowalczyk held that “a trial court has the authority to deny bail only as to offenses specified in section 12, subdivisions (b) and (c)”: violent or sexual assault felonies with a substantial likelihood of great bodily harm to others, and felonies where the person threatened great bodily harm and would likely carry out the threat. Section 12 itself requires those findings to be made by clear and convincing evidence, as the court explained in In re White (2020).

What the Bail Amount Means for What You Pay

The bail amount is what the court needs guaranteed. How a family meets it depends on the type of bail:

• Cash bail. Anyone may deposit the full amount with the court or jail under Penal Code 1295. It comes back when the case ends and every court date was kept, but if the defendant deposited it, the court can apply it to fines and restitution under Penal Code 1297. A third party who posted it gets it back “within 10 days after the person claims it by submitting the receipt.” Our guides on getting bail money back and what happens to bail money if charges are dropped explain the refund process.
• Property bond. Under Penal Code 1298, real estate can be pledged if its equity is “equal to twice the amount of the cash deposit required,” shown at a court hearing. That process takes time.
• Surety bail bond. A licensed bail agent posts a bond for the full amount, and the family pays a premium and signs an agreement. The California Department of Insurance says, “Each surety company must file rates with CDI and bail agents representing a surety must charge the same filed rates.” Every licensee must give a receipt showing the bail amount, the premium, any other charges, and any collateral (10 CCR 2083). Our comparison of cash bonds and surety bonds walks through the choice.
• Own recognizance or $0 codes. No money is posted, but the person signs a promise to appear and to follow conditions.

One thing to know before paying anyone: if a county’s schedule codes the charge as $0 before arraignment, the person may be released without bail at all, and a bail bond may not be needed.

How to Find Out Someone’s Bail Amount

1. Search the sheriff’s inmate locator for the county where the person was arrested. Most show the booking charges, and many show the bail amount. Our California inmate locator guide and how to find someone in jail for free list where to look.
2. Call the jail’s booking or records line. The bail amount, any holds, and the manner of release are public information under Government Code 7923.610.
3. Match the charges to the county schedule in the table below, then add enhancements. If the jail’s number is higher than the schedule line, an enhancement, a prior, a hold, a warrant amount, or a judge’s order is usually the reason.
4. Check the court’s case search after arraignment, when the judge’s amount replaces the schedule. Our bail bond records guide explains what the court file shows.

How This Plays Out: Real California Cases

Kenneth Humphrey, San Francisco (2017 to 2021). Humphrey was charged with robbery and burglary after taking $7 and a bottle of cologne from an elderly neighbor. The prosecutor asked for bail “in the amount of $600,000, as recommended by the bail schedule.” After a hearing the judge found “unusual circumstances warranting a reduction of bail to $350,000,” which Humphrey still could not pay. The Court of Appeal ordered a new hearing, he was released on non-financial conditions, and the Supreme Court’s 2021 decision made ability to pay part of every bail decision in California.

Gerald Kowalczyk, San Mateo County (2021 to 2026). Kowalczyk, who was homeless, tried six credit cards, three of them belonging to other people, to buy a hamburger. “At his arraignment, the trial court denied petitioner’s motion to be released from custody on his own recognizance and set bail at $75,000.” At the preliminary hearing he asked for bail “according to the bail schedule, which the court denied,” and bail was later denied outright. His case became the 2026 decision requiring bail that is “reasonably attainable.”

George Christie, Ventura County (2001). The schedule amount for his drug charges was $100,000, and the judge set $1 million. The Court of Appeal asked “if a sum of bail 10 times the presumptive amount specified in the bail schedule is excessive,” and sent the case back because the judge gave conclusions without the facts behind the jump. The appellate court did not say what amount would be reasonable.

Brown, Los Angeles County (2022). Bail on child sexual abuse charges went from $1.45 million to $3.45 million, then to $2.45 million. When Brown filed a declaration of indigency and asked for release or lower bail, the court denied the motion without weighing his finances. The Court of Appeal ordered a new hearing, saying the court “must consider the individual arrestee’s ability to pay and ‘set bail at a level the arrestee can reasonably afford.'”

William Avignone, San Diego County (2018). Avignone had been out on $100,000 bail for years and made his court dates. When the prosecutor later asked for “$600,000 bail for Avignone in accordance with the bail schedule,” the judge set $300,000. The Court of Appeal vacated the order: “A determination of ability to pay is critical in the bail context to guard against improper detention based only on financial resources.”

Bettie Webb, San Diego County (2019). Webb “posted a $50,000 bond in accordance with the bail schedule and was released.” At arraignment the judge added a search condition. The Supreme Court said trial courts have authority to impose reasonable public safety conditions on people released on bail, but because her case was moot it did not decide whether that search condition was valid. It is still a reminder that paying the scheduled amount and following release conditions are two separate obligations.

People v. Bankers Insurance Co., San Mateo County (2021). In a case that names our company, “the Surety, through its bail agent Bail Hotline Bail Bonds, posted a bond of $100,000.” After the bail was forfeited, the trial court missed its deadline to enter judgment, and the Court of Appeal held “This time limit is jurisdictional,” directing the court “to enter an order exonerating the bond.” (opinion)

What the Data Says

• California’s bail has long been high. A Public Policy Institute of California analysis of 2000 to 2009 felony data from large urban counties found that “The median bail amount in California ($50,000) is more than five times the median amount in the rest of the nation (less than $10,000).” (PPIC, July 2015) No newer statewide median has been published, because the federal data series behind it ended with 2009.
• Most people in California jails have not been sentenced. As of June 2025, “More than 79% of people in jail are awaiting either arraignment, trial, or sentencing.” (PPIC, January 2026) That figure includes people held on holds and people convicted but awaiting sentencing, not only people who could not post bail.
• Bail is a minority of quick releases outside Los Angeles. In the Judicial Council’s report for July 2024 through June 2025, counting people released within two days of booking to await trial, “Jail cite and release is the most common type of release, with 128,231; release on bail accounts for 70,038 releases.” The report does not include Los Angeles. (Judicial Council, April 2026)
• Los Angeles’s zero-bail codes, by the court’s own count. The court’s one-year study found release rates about the same, 71 percent before and 70 percent after the protocols, and new criminal activity per booking falling from 15 percent to 12 percent. The court wrote and sponsored both the policy and the study. (LA Superior Court, March 2025)
• An independent look at Los Angeles. The California Policy Lab found the protocols “decreased daily overall and pretrial county jail populations in the two months after implementation, with no effect on citywide crime.” (California Policy Lab, August 2024)
• A counterweight from the 2020 statewide $0 schedule. When California set most bail at $0 during COVID, PPIC found that in the first 10 weeks “someone arrested for a zero-bail offense was 8.2 percentage points more likely to be rearrested within 30 days.” (PPIC, November 2024)
• What families can cover. In the Federal Reserve’s survey fielded in October 2025, “63 percent of all adults said they would have covered” a $400 emergency expense with cash or its equivalent. (Federal Reserve, May 2026) Even a $5,000 misdemeanor DUI bail, posted in cash, is more than 12 times that amount.

In Their Words

“Everything, everything, I lost everything. I came home to my kids, so that was great.”

Gabriell Molex, a mother of two held for more than a month on $20,000 bail for two misdemeanors, speaking to KQED (May 23, 2017).

“[Low-risk people] are generally being released. Medium- to high-risk individuals are generally being temporarily held until arraignment.”

Samantha P. Jessner, Presiding Judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, on the zero-bail protocols, to LAist (October 30, 2023).

“Law enforcement is averse to the list of ‘book and release’ offenses because that approach offers little to no deterrence to those involved in a range of serious criminal offenses.”

Michel Moore, then Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, in a department statement (September 26, 2023).

“The baseline should be release (from jail) if someone doesn’t have the means to post bond and is not a violent person, that’s our position, but there is a sort of a rational limit to that when you imagine someone who simply refuses to come back to court.”

Joshua Martin, Deputy District Attorney in San Mateo County, the office that prosecuted Kowalczyk, to CalMatters (May 29, 2024).

“The fundamental question you have to ask yourself is, is money a good proxy for somebody’s culpability”

David Ball, law professor at Santa Clara University, in the same CalMatters article.

“This is being pushed as if poor people are languishing in jail. The reality is that people who are being charged with a crime are languishing in jail.”

Topo Padilla, then president of the Golden State Bail Agents Association, to CalMatters (August 9, 2017).

Outside California: Idaho, Texas, Nevada, and Federal Court

• Idaho (where Bail Hotline has offices in Boise and Twin Falls) uses one statewide misdemeanor bail schedule under Idaho Misdemeanor Criminal Rule 13, which is “advisory only” once a judge reviews the case. The schedule effective January 4, 2023 lists a first DUI at $500 for Idaho residents and $2,000 for nonresidents, and domestic battery as “No bond until court appearance.” Idaho Criminal Rule 46 says a court “must not require that bail be posted only in cash.” We found no public felony schedule for Ada or Twin Falls County.
• Texas barred personal bonds for people charged with offenses involving violence in SB 6 (2021), and voters approved Proposition 3 in November 2025, a constitutional amendment on denying bail for certain violent or sexual felonies.
• Nevada. In Valdez-Jimenez v. Eighth Judicial District Court (2020), the Nevada Supreme Court held that “bail may be imposed only where it is necessary to reasonably ensure the defendant’s appearance at court proceedings or to protect the community.”
• Illinois ended cash bail on September 18, 2023, after its Supreme Court upheld a law stating that “the requirement of posting monetary bail is abolished.” (Rowe v. Raoul)
• Federal court uses no bail schedule. Under 18 U.S.C. 3142, a judge “may not impose a financial condition that results in the pretrial detention of the person.”

If someone was arrested in another state, our guide to bailing someone out in another state explains how that works.

County-by-County Bail Schedules in California

Every amount below comes from the county superior court’s own posted bail schedule, read for this guide in September 2026, and the largest counties were checked a second time against the original documents. We report only what the schedule itself says. Where a schedule is a scanned image we could not fully read, leaves a charge out, or is not posted online, we say so rather than guess. Bail schedules change every year, and some change mid-year, so always confirm the current amount with the jail or the court before posting bail.

How to read the tables:

• The first amount is the felony amount, and “misd.” is the misdemeanor amount. A single amount marked “Misd.” means the schedule lists the charge only as a misdemeanor.
• Amounts are the base line: a first offense, no priors, no injury, second degree robbery, and the lowest drug quantity. A “+” means higher tiers exist. Enhancements, priors, and extra charges add to these numbers.
• $0 (CR), $0 (BR), and $0 (MR) (also written $0 CR, $0 BR, $0 MR) mean the schedule sets no money bail before arraignment: cite and release, book and release, or magistrate review. A plain $0 means the schedule lists $0 bail without a release code. A range such as “$10,000 to $25,000” means the schedule gives more than one base amount for that charge, and “or theft amount if higher” means the loss can set the bail. Kern’s “MR” lines carry dollar amounts, and San Joaquin prints dollar amounts next to its release codes, so read those counties’ sections.
• No release before judge means the schedule sets no bail, or says not to release until a judge reviews the case.
• Not listed means the schedule has no line for that charge. The county’s catch-all amount for unlisted charges then applies, and each county section gives it.
• (confirm) means the schedule itself is unclear or contradicts itself on that line.
• No schedule online means the court posts no criminal bail schedule, and Not readable means the posted scan could not be read for that line.
• An asterisk (*) after a county name means the schedule prices most felonies by maximum prison term instead of listing crimes. Its section lists the tiers.
• Charges not in the tables (attempted murder, human trafficking, elder abuse, identity theft, vandalism, fentanyl, cannabis sales, gross vehicular manslaughter, and resisting an executive officer) are covered in each county’s section when the schedule lists them.

Violent crimes by county

Battery, domestic violence, and sex offenses by county

Burglary and theft by county

Drugs and weapons by county

DUI, driving, and court by county

Each county section below gives the full list of charges its schedule prices, how that county adds up enhancements and extra charges, and its rules for release before court.

Alameda County

Alameda County still posts its 2024 schedule, which holds anyone arrested for murder until a judge sets bail, charges $50,000 for second degree robbery, and sets simple drug possession at $0.

• Violent and person crimes: murder and attempted murder, no bail until set by a court; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)) $30,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $60,000 felony, $20,000 misdemeanor; battery with serious injury $50,000 felony, $20,000 misdemeanor; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000 felony, $20,000 misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 242) $5,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000 felony, $15,000 misdemeanor.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $15,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) is printed “20K – 50K,” likely $20,000 as a misdemeanor and $50,000 as a felony (confirm with the court); violating a protective order (PC 273.6) has no amount listed. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; petty theft (PC 484) $2,500, or $15,000 with qualifying priors (PC 666); grand theft (PC 487) $20,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; vandalism $20,000 felony, $2,500 misdemeanor. Not listed: second degree burglary, shoplifting, Prop 36 theft (PC 490.3, 666.1), receiving stolen property, identity theft.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350) $0; possession for sale (HSC 11351, 11378) and sale or transport (HSC 11352, 11379) start at $10,000, plus weight add-ons up to $5,000,000; marijuana possession for sale (HSC 11359) $0 base. Not listed: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) and fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)) $50,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $40,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $40,000.
• Driving: DUI (VC 23152) $10,000, or $100,000 as a felony with three priors; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $75,000 plus $10,000 per victim (confirm with the court); gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $200,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run (VC 20001(b)(1)) $20,000, or $50,000 with serious injury or death. Driving on a suspended license is not listed.
• Court and police: not listed: resisting (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear. A new offense while out on a misdemeanor case (PC 1275) is $10,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $5,000 times the middle prison term; unlisted misdemeanors are $10,000 (wobblers), $5,000 (one-year), or $2,500 (six-month). A prior felony adds $5,000, one strike adds $100,000, and a felony while on bail or OR (PC 12022.1) adds $50,000. Bail is not “stacked” where PC 654(a) bars multiple punishment.
• Release before court: people arrested for a serious or violent felony (except residential burglary), or for PC 243(e)(1), 262, 273.5, 273.6, 646.9, or felony 136.1(c) or 422, “are ineligible for pre-court appearance release.” Felonies with four years or less normally qualify for own recognizance release.
• Schedule: Superior Court of California, County of Alameda 2024 Misdemeanor and Felony Bail Schedule, effective March 20, 2024 per the court’s web page (no date in the PDF). It is outdated and predates Prop 36.

Alpine County

Alpine County has no jail and uses El Dorado County’s 2023 schedule as its own, so murder carries no bail and second degree robbery is $50,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder, no bail; attempted murder is not listed separately (an attempt carries the same bail as the underlying crime); robbery $50,000; carjacking $200,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000 as a felony, $7,500 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $100,000; battery with serious injury $50,000 felony, $7,500 misdemeanor; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000 felony, $25,000 misdemeanor; simple battery $5,000; rape (PC 261) $150,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $500,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $75,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $7,500; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $50,000 felony, $25,000 misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior within 7 years; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $25,000, or $35,000 with injury. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $19,000; petty theft (PC 488), grand theft over $950 (PC 487(a)), and receiving stolen property are cite and release; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; felony vandalism $25,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $20,000. Not listed: shoplifting, Prop 36 theft (PC 490.3, 666.1).
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350) cite and release; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378 to 11379.6) $20,000 under 1/2 ounce, rising to $1,000,000 over 10 pounds; marijuana for sale (HSC 11359, 11360) $10,000. Not listed: HSC 11395 and fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $50,000; concealed firearm with a prior or gang tie (PC 25400(c)) $50,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $50,000.
• Driving: a first DUI is cite and release “when sober”; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000 felony, $25,000 misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; suspended license cite and release; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $25,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $3,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor; failure to appear (PC 1320) $20,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $10,000 and unlisted misdemeanors are cite and release. Felony probation adds $25,000, each prior felony $15,000, and parole or PRCS means no bail. “Jail staff will stack bail for all felonies at booking.”
• Release before court: misdemeanors without a listed amount are “C/R (cite & release),” which means no money bail.
• Schedule: 2023 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, Superior Court of California, County of El Dorado, adopted by the Notice of Adoption 2025 Uniform Countywide Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2025. Odd: the posted PDF is El Dorado County’s 2023 schedule, still under El Dorado’s header.

Amador County

Amador County still posts a felony-only schedule adopted January 1, 2022, which sets murder at $1,000,000 and second degree robbery at $50,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (not bailable with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000, or $1,000,000 if premeditated; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000, more if the victim is a minor; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000. Misdemeanor domestic battery is not listed. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; other burglary $20,000; petty theft with priors (PC 666) $20,000; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $20,000, rising with value; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $25,000; receiving stolen property $20,000, rising with value; identity theft (PC 530.5) $50,000. Not listed: shoplifting, Prop 36 theft, general vandalism.
• Drugs: possession with priors (HSC 11350, 11377) $10,000; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378, 11379) $30,000 up to 1 kilogram, up to $5,000,000 over 80 kilograms. Not listed: HSC 11395 and fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $35,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $35,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $35,000.
• Driving: felony DUI (VC 23550 or 23550.5) $100,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $50,000. Not listed: misdemeanor DUI, suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are priced by maximum prison term, from $20,000 for three years to $1,000,000 for life (read from a scan, so confirm with the court). Enhancements add money, such as $50,000 for a firearm, $50,000 per strike prior, and $25,000 for being on parole or felony probation. Multiple charges use the highest one unless there are separate victims or dates.
• Release before court: under PC 1270.1, people arrested for violent or serious felonies, or PC 136.1(c), 243(e)(1), 262, 273.5, felony 422, or 646.9, cannot get bail other than the scheduled amount “prior to a hearing in open court.”
• Schedule: Amador County Superior Court Felony Bail Schedule (2022 Felony Bail Schedule), effective January 1, 2022. It is outdated, predates Prop 36, and is a scanned felony-only document with no misdemeanor amounts.

Butte County

Butte County’s 2026 jail bail schedule sets murder at $1,000,000, robbery at $50,000 (or $35,000 when charged as second degree), and a first DUI at $10,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000; robbery (PC 211) $50,000, with second degree robbery (PC 212.5(c)) at $35,000; carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $60,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000 as a felony, $7,500 as a misdemeanor; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $7,500; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 felony, $7,500 misdemeanor; violating a domestic violence restraining order (PC 273.6) $15,000 felony, $7,500 misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000, or $100,000 with a person present; second degree burglary $15,000 felony, $3,000 misdemeanor; grand theft (PC 487) $15,000 felony, $3,000 misdemeanor; receiving stolen property over $950 $15,000 or the amount received, whichever is higher. Not listed: shoplifting, petty theft, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: possession for sale and sale or transport of narcotics (HSC 11351, 11352) $25,000 up to 2 ounces, up to $5,000,000 at 100 pounds; meth for sale (HSC 11378) starts at $15,000 for 100 pills or less. Not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)) $25,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $25,000. Not listed: loaded firearm.
• Driving: first DUI (VC 23152(a)) $10,000, $12,500 to $20,000 with priors, $50,000 as a felony; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $75,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $150,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $25,000, $100,000 with death. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000 felony, $3,000 misdemeanor; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b)) $15,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148).
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $15,000; unlisted misdemeanors are $3,000 (one-year and wobblers) or $1,000 (six-month). Bail “Stacks” unless noted: a firearm (PC 12022.5(a)) adds $50,000, one strike prior $100,000, and a new felony while charges are pending $25,000. People on parole, PRCS, or mandatory supervision get no bail.
• Release before court: the schedule says bail may not be raised by officers at booking, only “upon motion to a Judicial Officer.”
• Schedule: Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Butte, effective January 1, 2026 (Annual Order BCSC 2026-AO-02).

Calaveras County

Calaveras County still posts a schedule effective November 1, 2016, which sets $2,000,000 for murder and $50,000 for second degree robbery.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $2,000,000 (not bailable with special circumstances); attempted murder $1,000,000; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000, more if the victim is a minor; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000, or $150,000 if the victim is under 18; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor with injury. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000 as a felony, $15,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; other burglary $20,000; petty theft with priors (PC 666) $20,000; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $20,000, rising to $120,000 by value; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $25,000; receiving stolen property $20,000, rising by value; identity theft (PC 530.5) $50,000. Not listed: shoplifting, misdemeanor petty theft, Prop 36 theft, general vandalism.
• Drugs: possession with priors (HSC 11350, 11377) $10,000; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378, 11379) $30,000 up to 1 kilogram, up to $5,000,000 over 80 kilograms; marijuana for sale (HSC 11359, 11360) $20,000 up to 1 pound, using old pre-Prop 64 weight tiers. Not listed: HSC 11395 and fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $35,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $35,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $35,000.
• Driving: first DUI $5,000, $10,000 to $25,000 with priors, $100,000 as a felony; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000 felony, $20,000 misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; suspended license (VC 14601.1) $2,500; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $50,000.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the maximum prison term, from $20,000 for three years to $1,000,000 for life; unlisted Penal Code misdemeanors are $500. Enhancements add money, such as $50,000 for a firearm, $50,000 per strike prior, and $25,000 for being on parole, felony probation, or bail. Multiple felonies use the highest charge unless there are separate victims or dates.
• Release before court: under PC 1270.1, people arrested for violent or serious felonies, or PC 136.1(c), 243(e)(1), 262, 273.5, felony 422, or 646.9, cannot get bail other than the scheduled amount “prior to a hearing in open court.”
• Schedule: Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule (2016 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule), Superior Court of California, County of Calaveras, effective November 1, 2016. It is badly outdated and predates Prop 36 and Prop 64.

Colusa County

Colusa County does not post a felony or misdemeanor jail bail schedule online, so families will need to call the jail or court for the bail amount on a specific charge.

• Violent and person crimes: no schedule online. Not listed: murder, attempted murder, robbery, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, battery with serious injury, criminal threats, simple battery, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: no schedule online for domestic battery, corporal injury, or protective order violations. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: no schedule online. Not listed: burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, grand theft, Prop 36 theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft. Vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) appears only in the traffic schedule at a $6,220 citation total.
• Drugs: no schedule online. Not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: no schedule online. Not listed: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, loaded firearm.
• Driving: only traffic citation totals exist, and they are not booking bail: DUI (VC 23152(a,b)) $1,669; suspended license (VC 14601.1(a)) $1,300; evading (VC 2800.2(a)) $4,170; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(a)) $4,170. Not listed: DUI with injury, gross vehicular manslaughter.
• Court and police: no schedule online. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: no default amounts, enhancements, or rules for priors or multiple counts are posted.
• Release before court: the court posts no release rules or zero-bail codes.
• Schedule: the only posted schedule is the January 1, 2026 Traffic/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, announced in a 2026 Bail Schedule news post on April 17, 2026. It is a 131 page Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule for traffic and similar offenses, not a criminal jail schedule.

Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County’s 2026 schedule, effective July 8, 2026, makes many arrests $0 before arraignment under its Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol, while serious, violent, and domestic violence charges still require money bail, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000, or $1,000,000 if premeditated; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000 felony, $15,000 misdemeanor; battery with serious injury $50,000 felony, $15,000 misdemeanor; criminal threats (PC 422) $25,000 felony, $7,500 misdemeanor; simple battery is book and release; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $100,000 as a felony.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $20,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $50,000 felony, $30,000 misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000 felony, $30,000 misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary with a person present $50,000; other burglary, shoplifting, grand theft, and identity theft are book and release; petty theft is cite and release; Prop 36 aggregated theft (PC 490.3) is book and release, while repeat theft (PC 666.1) is $20,000 and needs a judge’s review; vehicle theft (VC 10851) is cite and release as a felony; receiving stolen property is book and release; felony vandalism (PC 594(b)(1)) $50,000, on a row labeled “church vandalism” (confirm with the court).
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) cite and release; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $20,000 with judicial review; possession for sale and sale or transport of narcotics (HSC 11351, 11352) are book and release; meth possession for sale (HSC 11378) is book and release at every quantity; meth sale or transport (HSC 11379) starts at $20,000 to $30,000 by quantity (confirm with the court whether money bail applies); any fentanyl case $100,000; marijuana for sale with a prior is book and release.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $50,000; concealed firearm with priors (PC 25400(a)) $50,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $50,000 felony, $15,000 misdemeanor.
• Driving: first DUI is book and release, $10,000 with one prior within 7 years, $30,000 with two; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000 and up as a felony, $25,000 misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; suspended license and misdemeanor hit and run are cite and release; felony hit and run is book and release.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) cite and release; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $20,000; failure to appear (PC 1320) book and release.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $0 book and release, though judges may start at $20,000 at arraignment; the Excel file also has a prison-term table for unlisted offenses, so confirm with the court. A felony while on bail or OR (PC 12022.1) adds $100,000. Separate victims, dates, or sex acts may be stacked; enhancements and priors are added once.
• Release before court: CR (cite and release) and BR (book and release) mean $0 bail, but people on felony probation, parole, PRCS, or mandatory supervision, or with two or more failures to appear in 12 months, must post the listed amount. “Zero-dollar bail is not available for serious (S) or violent (V) crimes.”
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, and the felony and misdemeanor release protocols, effective July 8, 2026. A July 8, 2026 standing order corrected the failure to appear rule. The schedules are Excel files, not PDFs.

Del Norte County

Del Norte County’s 2026 schedule has no list of charges: bail follows the maximum prison term, starting at $25,000 for a three-year maximum, and its own worked example puts second degree robbery at $45,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder, no bail until set by a court (no bail with special circumstances); robbery (PC 211, second degree) $45,000 in the schedule’s worked example. Not listed by name: attempted murder, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, battery with serious injury, criminal threats, simple battery, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $25,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $25,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: worked examples show first degree residential burglary (PC 459) $55,000; grand theft over $950 (PC 487) $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; receiving stolen property over $950 (PC 496) $25,000; vandalism over $400 (PC 594(b)(1)) $25,000. Not listed: second degree burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, Prop 36 theft, identity theft.
• Drugs: not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: not listed: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, loaded firearm.
• Driving: misdemeanor DUI, including DUI with injury (VC 23152, 23153), $5,000 first offense, $10,000 second, $25,000 third; felony hit and run (VC 20001(b)(2)) $25,000 in a worked example. Not listed: gross vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, evading.
• Court and police: not listed: resisting (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: felony bail follows the maximum term: 3 years $25,000, 4 years $35,000, 5 years $45,000, 6 years $55,000, 7 years $65,000, 8 years $75,000, 9 years $90,000, 10 years $105,000, then $15,000 per extra year, life $750,000, and life without parole $1,000,000. Each enhancement year adds to the total, a felony while on bail (PC 12022.1) is $30,000, and a felony probation violation means no bail. Misdemeanors are $2,500, $5,000, or $10,000 by maximum jail term.
• Release before court: people arrested for serious or violent felonies, PC 273.5, 243(e)(1), 646.9, felony 422, and certain 273.6 cases need a court hearing before release on other terms. Misdemeanor defendants are “entitled to release on his or her own recognizance unless release will compromise public safety.”
• Schedule: Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte, Bail and Penalty Schedule, effective January 1, 2026. It uses nearly the same term-based format as Humboldt County’s, so most charge amounts must be worked out from the term table.

El Dorado County

El Dorado County’s 2025 schedule lists first degree murder as no bail and second degree robbery at $50,000, while grand theft over $950 and receiving stolen property are cite and release.

• Violent and person crimes: first degree murder, no bail; attempted murder has no line of its own (an attempt carries the same bail as the underlying crime); robbery $50,000, or $200,000 in a residence; carjacking $200,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000 as a felony, $7,500 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $100,000; battery with serious injury $50,000 felony, $7,500 misdemeanor; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000 felony, $25,000 misdemeanor; simple battery $5,000; rape (PC 261) $150,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $500,000, up to $2,000,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $75,000 felony, $25,000 misdemeanor.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $7,500; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $50,000 felony, $25,000 misdemeanor, $100,000 with a recent prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $25,000, $35,000 with injury, $50,000 as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000, or $100,000 with a resident present; second degree burglary $20,000; petty theft (PC 488), grand theft over $950 (PC 487(a)), and receiving stolen property are cite and release; Prop 36 theft (PC 490.3) $20,000 and (PC 666.1(d)) $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; felony vandalism $25,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $20,000. Not listed: shoplifting.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) cite and release; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395(b)) $20,000, or $25,000 with a prior 11395 conviction; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378 to 11379.6) $20,000 under 1/2 ounce, up to $1,000,000; fentanyl for sale over 1 ounce adds $50,000, rising to no bail over 20 kilograms; marijuana for sale (HSC 11359, 11360) $10,000.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $50,000; concealed firearm with a prior or gang tie (PC 25400(c)) $50,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $50,000.
• Driving: a first DUI is cite and release “when sober”; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000 felony, $25,000 misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; suspended license cite and release; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $25,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $3,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor; failure to appear (PC 1320) $20,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $10,000 and unlisted misdemeanors are cite and release. Felony probation adds $25,000, each prior felony $15,000, and a serious or violent prior $250,000; parole or PRCS means no bail. “Jail staff will stack bail for all felonies at booking.”
• Release before court: misdemeanors without a listed amount are “C/R (cite & release),” meaning no money bail.
• Schedule: 2025 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, Rev. January 21, 2025 (no effective date printed). Alpine County still uses El Dorado’s older 2023 version.

Fresno County

Fresno County posts its 2026 schedule as web page tables, with some of the state’s lower amounts, such as $25,000 for robbery and $0 for simple drug possession and unlisted misdemeanors.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000; attempted murder is half the bail for the completed crime under the PC 664 rule (no dollar amount printed); robbery (PC 211) $25,000; carjacking $75,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $20,000; assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury $15,000; assault with a firearm $35,000; felony battery, including battery with serious injury, $25,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $20,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 242) $2,000; rape (PC 261) $50,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $40,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $50,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $25,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor, $50,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $20,000 as a felony or misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $30,000; other burglary $5,000 felony, $1,000 misdemeanor; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $2,500; theft (PC 484) $0 (confirm with the court for petty theft); grand theft (PC 487) $10,000; Prop 36 repeat theft (PC 666.1) is “No bail pending judicial review”; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $15,000 felony, $1,500 misdemeanor; receiving stolen property $7,500 felony, $2,500 misdemeanor; vandalism $10,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor; identity theft (PC 530.5) $20,000 felony, $0 misdemeanor. Not listed: PC 490.3.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350(a), 11377) $0; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) is no bail pending judicial review; possession for sale under 1 ounce $10,000 for narcotics (HSC 11351) or $5,000 for meth (HSC 11378), up to $100,000; sale or transport under 1 ounce $15,000 (HSC 11352) or $5,000 (HSC 11379), up to $125,000; marijuana for sale (HSC 11359, 11360) $0. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $75,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $25,000 felony, $2,000 misdemeanor; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $50,000 felony, $2,000 misdemeanor.
• Driving: first DUI $5,000, second $10,000, third $25,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000 felony with no priors, $7,500 misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; suspended license $0; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $15,000 plus $5,000 per extra victim.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)) $10,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000. Not listed: failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $5,000 (3 years or less), $10,000 (4 years), $15,000 (5 years), or $25,000 (8 years); unlisted misdemeanors are $0. Enhancements are separate rows, such as $100,000 for a felony while on bail or OR (PC 12022.1) and $10,000 per deadly weapon enhancement.
• Release before court: HSC 11395 and PC 666.1 are “No bail pending judicial review,” and the court notes the tables are for “trying to determine the amount necessary to bail a person out of jail.”
• Schedule: Criminal Bail Schedules 2026, web page tables labeled 2026 with no effective date printed.

Glenn County

Glenn County’s felony-only schedule, updated January 1, 2026, sets murder at $1,000,000 and second degree robbery at $35,000, but still cites several repealed code sections.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $150,000; robbery $35,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000; assault with a firearm $30,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; PC 422 is listed as “Terrorism” at $150,000 (confirm with the court for criminal threats); rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000, or $75,000 with force. Not listed: simple battery, human trafficking, elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000. Not listed: domestic battery, protective order violations. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $30,000; other burglary $15,000; grand theft (PC 487) $10,000 or the amount taken, whichever is higher; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $10,000; receiving stolen property over $950 $10,000 or the amount received, whichever is higher. Not listed: shoplifting, petty theft, Prop 36 theft, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: possession for sale of narcotics (HSC 11351) $25,000 up to 2 ounces, up to $5,000,000; meth for sale (HSC 11378) starts at $15,000; sale or transport (HSC 11352) $25,000 up to 2 ounces, meth (HSC 11379) from $20,000; marijuana for sale (HSC 11359) $10,000 up to 1 pound. Not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $15,000 and concealed firearm with a prior felony $20,000, both under old section numbers (PC 12021, 12025). Not listed: loaded firearm.
• Driving: felony DUI $25,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $40,000; vehicular homicide with DUI and gross negligence (PC 191.5) $50,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $35,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $20,000. Not listed: misdemeanor DUI, suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, from $10,000 for three years to $70,000 for 16 years, and $500,000 for life terms. “In the case of multiple offenses against a single defendant, bail is based on the total of the bail for each separate offense.” A felony while on bail adds $25,000 and each strike prior $20,000; mandatory supervision means no bail.
• Release before court: under PC 1270.1, no OR release is granted for serious or violent felonies, and officers may not raise bail for priors at booking; any increase must go in writing to the on duty magistrate.
• Schedule: Glenn County Superior Court Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Glenn, effective January 1, 2026. It is a scanned, felony-only document that still cites repealed sections (PC 12021, 12025, VC 23175).

Humboldt County

Humboldt County’s 2026 schedule has no list of charges: bail follows the maximum prison term, starting at $25,000 for a three-year maximum, and its own worked example puts second degree robbery at $45,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder, no bail until set by a court (no bail with special circumstances); robbery (PC 211, second degree) $45,000 in the schedule’s worked example. Not listed by name: attempted murder, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, battery with serious injury, criminal threats, simple battery, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $25,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $25,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: worked examples show first degree residential burglary (PC 459) $55,000; grand theft over $950 (PC 487) $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; receiving stolen property over $950 (PC 496) $25,000; vandalism over $400 (PC 594(b)(1)) $25,000. Not listed: second degree burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, Prop 36 theft, identity theft.
• Drugs: not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: not listed: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, loaded firearm.
• Driving: misdemeanor DUI, including DUI with injury (VC 23152, 23153), $5,000 first offense, $10,000 second, $25,000 third; felony hit and run (VC 20001(b)(2)) $25,000 in a worked example. Not listed: gross vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, evading.
• Court and police: not listed: resisting (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: felony bail follows the maximum term: 3 years $25,000, 4 years $35,000, 5 years $45,000, 6 years $55,000, 7 years $65,000, 8 years $75,000, 9 years $90,000, 10 years $105,000, then $15,000 per extra year, life $750,000, and life without parole $1,000,000. Each enhancement year adds to the total, a felony while on bail (PC 12022.1) is $30,000, and a felony probation violation means no bail until a magistrate makes a PC 1203.25 release decision. Misdemeanors are $2,500, $5,000, or $10,000 by maximum jail term.
• Release before court: people arrested for serious or violent felonies, PC 273.5, 243(e)(1), 646.9, felony 422, and certain 273.6 cases need a court hearing before release on other terms. Misdemeanor defendants are “entitled to release on his or her own recognizance unless release will compromise public safety.”
• Schedule: Humboldt County Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026. Del Norte County uses nearly the same term-based format, so most charge amounts must be worked out from the term table.

Imperial County

Imperial County’s short 2026 schedule lists few crimes by name and sets most felony bail by maximum prison term, starting at $10,000 for three years or less, with bail raised to the full alleged loss when that is higher.

• Violent and person crimes: murder with special circumstances, no bail (other murder follows the term chart, $1,000,000 for a life term); criminal threats (printed “Terrorist Threats,” PC 422) $20,000; rape (PC 261) $50,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $250,000, or $500,000 with a minor victim; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $10,000 as a misdemeanor. Not listed: attempted murder, robbery, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, battery with serious injury, simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $75,000 with a prior, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order with threats or violence (PC 273.6(d) or (e)) $10,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: Prop 36 repeat theft (PC 666.1) means no bail or OR release “except on order of the court.” Not listed: burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, grand theft, PC 490.3, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) is held for a court order, like PC 666.1. Not listed: simple possession, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: felon or other prohibited person with a firearm (PC 29800) $10,000; concealed firearm in a vehicle (PC 25400(a)(1)) $20,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor. Not listed: loaded firearm.
• Driving: felony DUI $50,000; misdemeanor DUI with one prior $5,000, with two or more $7,500 (no first offense line is printed); DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000 felony, $7,000 misdemeanor; felony evading (VC 2800.2(a)) $50,000; hit and run with injury or death (VC 20001) $75,000. Not listed: gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5), suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $10,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: for an unnamed felony, find the charge with the longest maximum prison term: 3 years or less $10,000, 4 years $25,000, 5 years $30,000, 6 years $35,000, 7 years $50,000, 8 years $55,000, 9 years $60,000, 10 years $75,000, 11 years $80,000, 12 years $85,000, 13 years $150,000, 14 years $200,000, 15 years $250,000, 16 years or more $500,000, life $1,000,000, and no bail for life without parole or death; if a charge has its own listed amount, the higher figure applies. Enhancements add money, such as $50,000 for a felony while on bail or OR and $50,000 per strike prior. Misdemeanors are $1,500 to $5,000 by maximum jail time.
• Release before court: charges listed in PC 1270.1 need a hearing before bail changes or OR release, and families may ask for lower bail under PC 1269c; “A judge is available 24/7 to review those requests.”
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule 2026, Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, titled 2026 with no effective or adoption date printed.

Inyo County

Inyo County still uses a 2017 standing order that lists almost no crimes by name: felony bail runs from $15,000 to $250,000 by maximum prison term, and murder is $1,000,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder (PC 187) $1,000,000; capital offenses $2,000,000 unless held without bail; attempted murder $500,000; stalking (PC 646.9) $100,000. Not listed: robbery, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, battery with serious injury, criminal threats, simple battery, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; misdemeanor corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $15,000; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $15,000, or PC 166(c) $10,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: not listed: burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, grand theft, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: meth possession for sale (HSC 11378) $25,000; meth sale or transport (HSC 11379(a)) $35,000. Not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, narcotics for sale (HSC 11351, 11352), fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: not listed: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, loaded firearm.
• Driving: felony DUI with priors $100,000; misdemeanor DUI with two priors in 10 years $25,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000, or $100,000 with a prior felony; felony evading (VC 2800.2(a)) $25,000; misdemeanor evading (VC 2800.1) $10,000; evading causing injury (VC 2800.3) $100,000. Not listed: first DUI, gross vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, hit and run.
• Court and police: not listed: resisting (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: any felony not named above, such as robbery, burglary, or felon with a firearm, is priced by its maximum prison term: 36 months or less (including county jail felonies) are $15,000, up to 48 months $25,000, up to 60 months $50,000, up to 72 months $100,000, and over 72 months $250,000. Misdemeanors follow the statewide Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule, or $5,000 if not in it. Multiple charges use the highest bail unless there are separate victims, dates, or sex acts.
• Release before court: under PC 1270.1, people arrested for violent or serious felonies, or PC 136.1(c), 243(e)(1), 262, 273.5, felony 422, or 646.9, cannot get bail other than the scheduled amount “prior to a hearing in open court.”
• Schedule: Order Adopting Bail Schedule, In Re the Matter of the Inyo County Bail Schedule (Standing Order No. SISOAD-17-046), effective September 1, 2017. It is badly outdated, predates Prop 36, and is a scanned typed order.

Kern County

Kern County’s 2026 schedule, effective December 29, 2025, pairs a Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol with money bail: many lower level arrests are $0, while second degree robbery is $60,000 and murder has no bail until arraignment.

• Violent and person crimes: murder, “NO BAIL until arraigned and then determined by Judicial Officer” (not bailable with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000, or $1,000,000 if premeditated, held until arraignment; robbery $60,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree, held until arraignment); carjacking $100,000, held until arraignment; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony, $0 cite and release as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000 felony; battery with serious injury $30,000 felony; criminal threats (PC 422) $20,000 felony, cite and release as a misdemeanor; rape (PC 261) $100,000 and lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $60,000, both held until arraignment; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $30,000 felony. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $30,000 felony, $15,000 misdemeanor, with $50,000 added for a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $10,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree residential burglary $40,000; second degree burglary, grand theft, vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)), receiving stolen property, and felony vandalism are $0 book and release, or cite and release as misdemeanors; petty theft (PC 484) $0 cite and release; Prop 36 repeat theft (PC 666.1) $20,000 with magistrate review. Not listed: shoplifting, PC 490.3, identity theft.
• Drugs: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $20,000; possession for sale (HSC 11351) $30,000 or meth (HSC 11378) $20,000; sale or transport (HSC 11352) $40,000 or meth (HSC 11379(a)) $30,000, plus weight add-ons; misdemeanor marijuana sale (HSC 11360(a)(2)) cite and release. Not listed: simple possession, fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800), concealed firearm (PC 25400), and loaded firearm (PC 25850) are $0 book and release as felonies, cite and release as misdemeanors.
• Driving: first DUI is $0 cite and release; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $200,000 felony; vehicular homicide with DUI and gross negligence (PC 191.5) $60,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) book and release, but $500,000 with serious injury or death. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148) cite and release; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $20,000 felony; failure to appear on a felony (PC 1320(b), 1320.5) $20,000, on a misdemeanor cite and release.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are book and release, priced at the middle term times $10,000; unlisted misdemeanors are cite and release. Each strike adds $75,000, a felony while on bail or OR $20,000, and PRCS, parole, or mandatory supervision $25,000. Separate victims, dates, and serious or violent felonies are added together.
• Release before court: CR (cite and release) and BR (book and release) mean $0 bail; MR sends the case to a magistrate who may release or set money bail; AR means “ineligible for release prior to arraignment.” People who “have failed to appear more than one time in the current case are ineligible for BR.”
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, Sorted by Offense, Superior Court of California, County of Kern (also posted at this address), revised December 19, 2025 and effective December 29, 2025.

Kings County

Kings County’s 2026 schedules set murder bail at $5,000,000 and put second degree robbery at $35,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $5,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000; robbery $35,000 (second degree) or $60,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor; battery with serious injury $50,000 felony, $15,000 misdemeanor; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000 felony, $20,000 misdemeanor; simple battery $5,000 (PC 242) or $10,000 (PC 243(a)), so confirm with the court; rape by force or fear (PC 261(a)(2)) $75,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000, $100,000 with force; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor. Not listed: human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000 felony, $15,000 misdemeanor, $50,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $15,000, or $50,000 as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $15,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $5,000; petty theft (PC 488) $5,000; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $10,000 or the amount taken, whichever is higher; Prop 36 repeat theft (PC 666.1) adds $15,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $20,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor; receiving stolen property $10,000 or the amount received, $5,000 misdemeanor; vandalism $15,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor; identity theft (PC 530.5) $10,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor. Not listed: PC 490.3.
• Drugs: possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $10,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) requires “JUDICIAL REVIEW PRIOR TO RELEASE FROM CUSTODY”; possession for sale starts at $20,000 for narcotics under 1 ounce (HSC 11351) or $10,000 for other controlled substances such as meth up to 2 ounces (HSC 11378); sale or transport (HSC 11352, 11379(a)) from $20,000, up to $5,000,000; fentanyl sale by weight adds $40,000 to $300,000; marijuana for sale (HSC 11359) $5,000 under 4 ounces.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)) $20,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $25,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor; loaded firearm (PC 25850(a)) $25,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor.
• Driving: first DUI $5,000, $50,000 as a felony; DUI with injury (VC 23153(a)) $50,000 felony, $10,000 misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $65,000, though a separate PC 191.5 row lists $100,000 (confirm with the court); suspended license $5,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $35,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $35,000 felony, $5,000 misdemeanor.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $5,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b), 1320.5) $25,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, from $15,000 for three years to $100,000 for 16 years, and $500,000 for life terms other than murder; unlisted misdemeanors are $1,500. Enhancements add money, such as $25,000 for a new felony while charges are pending or while on parole or felony probation, $100,000 for a firearm (PC 12022.5(a)), and $50,000 for a second strike. Separate victims or occasions get “Consecutive Bail.”
• Release before court: HSC 11395 arrests require “JUDICIAL REVIEW PRIOR TO RELEASE FROM CUSTODY,” and murder with special circumstances is no bail.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule for Kings County and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule 2026, labeled 2026 with no effective date printed. The misdemeanor schedule still uses repealed firearm sections PC 12025 and 12031.

Lake County

Lake County’s schedule, adopted February 2026, sets murder at $1,000,000 and second degree robbery at $100,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $200,000, or $1,000,000 if premeditated or against a police officer; robbery $100,000 (second degree) or $150,000 (first degree); carjacking $150,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000; assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury $25,000; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $20,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $15,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child under 14 (PC 288) $75,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a) or (b)) $50,000, or $1,000,000 for PC 236.1(c)(2); elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $20,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6 or 166(c)(1)) $10,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary (PC 460(a)) $50,000; burglary (PC 459, degree not stated) $15,000, so confirm with the court for second degree; grand theft of a firearm (PC 487(d)(2)) $15,000. Not listed: shoplifting, petty theft, other grand theft, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $25,000; concealed firearm by a convicted felon (PC 25400(c)(1)) $50,000. Not listed: loaded firearm.
• Driving: DUI (VC 23152) $5,000, $15,000 with one prior, $30,000 with two, $50,000 as a felony with three or more; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $30,000, or $50,000 with a prior; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $1,000,000, on a line that also mentions a prior (confirm with the court); felony evading (VC 2800.2) $35,000. Not listed: suspended license, hit and run.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 69) $15,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b), 1320.5) $20,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148).
• How the schedule adds up: “For any felony charge not listed on this schedule, the bail shall be $10,000,” and unlisted misdemeanors are $1,000. Multiple charges use the most serious one, but separate dates or victims are added together. “There is no limit on adding amounts for enhancements”: a felony while out on a felony adds $50,000 and a strike prior $100,000.
• Release before court: a felony violation of probation, parole, PRCS, or mandatory supervision means no bail, and officers who think scheduled bail is too low must ask a judge to raise it.
• Schedule: Lake County Superior Court Uniform Bail Schedule, adopted February 2026 (no effective date printed). The text has typos, such as “254(a)(4)” for PC 245(a)(4).

Lassen County

Lassen County’s criminal bail schedule is a four-page section at the end of its 2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules, effective January 1, 2026, listing about 30 crimes, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (first degree murder with special circumstances is not bailable); attempted murder $500,000; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd acts (PC 288) $100,000. Not listed: assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, battery with serious injury, criminal threats, simple battery, human trafficking, elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $25,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $30,000 as a misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000, printed in the misdemeanor column. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000. Not listed: second degree burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, grand theft, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: not listed: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, loaded firearm.
• Driving: not listed in the criminal section: DUI, DUI with injury, gross vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, evading, hit and run.
• Court and police: resisting arrest (PC 148) $10,000. Not listed: resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: any felony not named above, such as assault, theft, drug sales, DUI, or weapons, is priced by the maximum sentence on all charges and enhancements: 3 years $20,000, 4 years $25,000, 5 years $30,000, 6 years $35,000, 7 years $40,000, 8 years $45,000, 9 years $50,000, 10 years $55,000, 11 years $65,000, 12 years $70,000, 13 years $75,000, 14 years $80,000, 15 years $90,000, 16 years $100,000, and 25 years or more $1,000,000; most misdemeanors are $5,000. “If it is determined a prior conviction has occurred in any offense, bail will be doubled.” Multiple charges are capped at the highest bail plus half of the next highest.
• Release before court: a judge may depart from it “when good cause for such a deviation is shown.”
• Schedule: Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed within the County of Lassen, Adopted by Lassen County Superior Court Pursuant to Penal Code 1269b, part of the 2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules, effective January 1, 2026. The criminal section is only PDF pages 157 to 160, and the order’s date line is blank.

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County runs the state’s most unusual schedule: since October 1, 2023, most arrests carry $0 bail before the first court date under its Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols, while serious, violent, and domestic violence charges still carry money bail, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $2,000,000 (no release with special circumstances); attempted murder $1,000,000; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $30,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; felony criminal threats $50,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000, more if the victim is a minor; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000. Simple battery, assault likely to cause great bodily injury, human trafficking of an adult, and most elder abuse are $0 codes (book and release or magistrate review).
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $20,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $30,000 as a misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000 as a felony, $30,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary with a person present $50,000; burglary of an inhabited home with no one present goes to magistrate review; other burglaries, grand theft, identity theft, and felony vandalism are $0 book and release; shoplifting is book and release; petty theft, receiving stolen property, and vehicle theft (VC 10851) are $0 cite and release; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) goes to magistrate review; grand theft of a firearm $50,000.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) cite and release; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) goes to magistrate review; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378, 11379) are $0 book and release, with a $10,000 weight enhancement (HSC 11370.4) when it applies.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm (felony), and loaded firearm go to magistrate review.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI is book and release; felony DUI and DUI with injury go to magistrate review, or $100,000 with great bodily injury; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; felony evading causing serious injury $100,000; driving on a suspended license and hit and run are cite or book and release.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)(1)) cite and release; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) magistrate review; misdemeanor failure to appear (PC 1320) book and release.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $0 book and release. Enhancements add money even to $0 charges, for example $50,000 for a firearm, $25,000 if other felony charges are pending or the person is on parole, felony probation, or probation supervision, and $50,000 for each serious or violent prior. Extra counts add bail only for separate victims or separate dates.
• Release before court: CR (cite and release), BR (book and release), and MR (magistrate review) all mean $0 bail before arraignment, but people on felony probation, parole, or PRCS are referred to a magistrate. Charges listed in PC 1270.1 “are not eligible for non-financial conditions of release pre-arraignment.” Family members can ask a magistrate for lower bail or release by calling (213) 633-6350 “within two hours of booking.”
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026.

Madera County

Madera County’s 2026 felony schedule, which also lists selected misdemeanors, sets money bail for most serious charges, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, and sets attempted murder at $1,000,000, the same as murder.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $1,000,000; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $30,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000, $200,000 if the victim is under 18, $300,000 if under 14; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000, $200,000 with a minor victim; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $10,000 as a misdemeanor; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $30,000 as a felony, $20,000 as a misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; other burglary $25,000; grand theft (PC 487) $25,000, rising with value to $250,000; petty theft with a qualifying prior (PC 666) $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496) $25,000 and up by value; vandalism (PC 594) $15,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $50,000. Not listed: shoplifting, ordinary petty theft, Prop 36 theft.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) is listed only with qualifying priors, $25,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $25,000; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378, 11379) start at $10,000 under 28.34 grams and rise by weight. Not listed: fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $35,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $35,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $25,000.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152) $10,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) is listed only with a prior, $50,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $50,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies run $10,000 to $90,000 by maximum term ($500,000 for life terms), and “If a misdemeanor offense is not specifically listed in this schedule, bail shall be set in the amount of $5,000.” Add $50,000 for a new felony while out on bail or supervision, $50,000 for one serious or violent prior, and firearm enhancements from $100,000.
• Release before court: charges covered by PC 1270.1, including violent and serious felonies, PC 273.5, felony PC 422, and PC 646.9, need a hearing in open court before bail can change from the schedule. Arrests for felony probation, parole, mandatory supervision, or PRCS violations are “No Bail.”
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule (Including Selected Misdemeanors), labeled 2026 with no effective date printed. The posted PDF is a scan, and amounts were read from its OCR text rather than checked by eye, so confirm with the court.

Marin County

Marin County’s January 2026 schedules set money bail on nearly every charge and hold no bail at all for murder, while an unlisted misdemeanor defaults to an oddly precise $839.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail; attempted murder (PC 664/187) $500,000; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $75,000 (first degree), though a second row (PC 212.5(c)) lists second degree robbery at $35,000, so confirm with the court; carjacking (PC 215) $150,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000, $7,500 as a misdemeanor; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 242) $2,000; rape (PC 261) $200,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $150,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $25,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $7,500; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000 as a felony, $50,000 with a prior, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $5,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; other burglary $15,000; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $2,500; petty theft (PC 488) $602; grand theft (PC 487) $10,000 or the amount taken, whichever is higher; organized retail theft (PC 490.4) $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496) $10,000 or the amount, $602 as a misdemeanor; felony vandalism $5,000 to $35,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $10,000 plus $10,000 per victim. Not listed: Prop 36 theft (PC 490.3, 666.1).
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $5,000 as a felony, $2,500 as a misdemeanor; possession for sale starts at $5,000 (HSC 11378) or $10,000 (HSC 11351); sale or transport starts at $5,000 (HSC 11379) or $10,000 (HSC 11352), rising by weight; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359) from $5,000. Not listed: HSC 11395, fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)) $15,000; concealed or loaded firearm $20,000 as a felony, $3,500 as a misdemeanor.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI is $1,670 total bail on the traffic schedule; felony DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $500,000; suspended license (VC 14601.1) $1,301 total bail on the traffic schedule; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $35,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(a)) $50,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)) $2,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; failure to appear after OR release (PC 1320(b)) $100,000.
• How the schedule adds up: “The presumptive bail for any felony charge not specifically listed in the Felony Bail Schedule shall be $10,000.” Officers may add enhancements at booking, such as $25,000 for a new felony while charges are pending, but priors are added only by a judge. One incident gets bail for the highest charge only.
• Release before court: officers may raise bail for enhancements without a judge, and “may also seek a bail other than that provided by the presumptive Felony Bail Schedule as circumstances warrant by contacting a Judge.”
• Schedule: Felony Bail Schedule, January 2026, Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, January 2026, and Traffic Misdemeanor Bail and Penalty Schedule 2026, effective January 2026. Some pages inside the felony PDF are still headed January 2025.

Mariposa County

Mariposa County’s 2026 schedule sets money bail for almost every felony, such as $100,000 for first degree robbery, and puts any unlisted felony at $35,000 and any unlisted misdemeanor at $10,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $500,000; robbery $50,000 on a line labeled PC 212.5(b), which the schedule does not call second degree (confirm with the court), or $100,000 for first degree (PC 212.5(a)); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury $100,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $75,000. Not listed: simple battery, human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $75,000. Domestic battery and protective order violations are not listed, so the misdemeanor default applies. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $75,000; other burglary $50,000; grand theft (PC 487) $50,000; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $30,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496) $25,000 or the amount received, whichever is higher; identity theft (PC 530.5) $100,000. Not listed: shoplifting, ordinary petty theft, Prop 36 theft, general vandalism.
• Drugs: possession (HSC 11350) $20,000; possession for sale (HSC 11351) from $25,000 and (HSC 11378) from $30,000; sale or transport (HSC 11352) from $25,000 and (HSC 11379) from $30,000, rising by weight; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359(c), 11360(a)(3)(A)) $40,000. Not listed: HSC 11395, fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $50,000; concealed firearm with a prior felony or weapons violation (PC 25400) $100,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $50,000.
• Driving: felony DUI $100,000 (misdemeanor DUI is not listed); DUI with injury (VC 23153) $150,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $200,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $100,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: “IF NO BAIL LISTED FOR FELONY VIOLATION, BAIL SHALL BE $35,000.” The same page also prices unlisted felonies by top prison term, from $40,000 for three years to $100,000 for 16 years and $500,000 for life, so confirm with the court. Wobblers are $25,000, and unlisted misdemeanors $10,000 plus $5,000 per prior. Enhancements add large sums: $100,000 for a new felony while on bail, probation, or parole, $250,000 for using a non-firearm weapon, and $50,000 or more per prior.
• Release before court: bail follows the schedule at booking unless a magistrate sets a different amount or grants OR release, and “If no change in bail is approved by the magistrate within eight (8) hours after booking, bail shall be set according to the bail schedule.”
• Schedule: Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules for Mariposa County for 2026, effective January 1, 2026 (ordered January 5, 2026). The PDF is a scan, and the felony DUI line still cites an old Vehicle Code section (23175).

Mendocino County

Mendocino County’s schedules, effective August 6, 2026, put most lower-level felonies and misdemeanors at $0 bail before the first court date, while serious, violent, and domestic violence charges still carry money bail, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $2,000,000 (ineligible for release with special circumstances); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $1,000,000; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) and assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $30,000 each, $10,000 as misdemeanors; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 243(a)) $7,500; rape (PC 261) $100,000, more for minor victims; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $50,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery without injury (PC 243(e)) $20,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior, $30,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000 as a felony, $30,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000, or $100,000 with a person present; other burglary, grand theft, identity theft, and felony vandalism are $0 book and release; shoplifting is book and release; petty theft and receiving stolen property are $0 cite and release; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) is $0 cite or book and release; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $15,000, and the person must see a judge first.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) is cite and release; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $15,000 after seeing a judge; possession for sale, sale or transport, and cannabis for sale are $0 book and release. Not listed: fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800), concealed firearm (PC 25400), and loaded firearm (PC 25850) $15,000 each as felonies.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI is book and release; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $30,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; driving on a suspended license is cite and release; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $35,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $25,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) cite and release; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000, $7,500 as a misdemeanor; failure to appear (PC 1320) book and release.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $0 book and release unless covered by PC 1270.1, and unlisted misdemeanors are cite and release. Enhancements and priors are added once per case, such as $50,000 for a firearm, $25,000 for a felony while on bail, parole, or felony probation, and $50,000 per strike prior.
• Release before court: CR (cite and release) and BR (book and release) mean $0 bail, but people on felony probation, parole, or PRCS “will have bail set.” PTR means bail plus a pretrial risk assessment. “Zero-dollar bail is not available for serious or violent crimes.”
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective August 6, 2026.

Merced County

Merced County’s schedules, effective January 1, 2026, set money bail on nearly every charge, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery and $2,000 for simple battery or petty theft.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $500,000; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; simple battery (PC 242) $2,000; rape by force (PC 261(a)(2)) $200,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $150,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)) $100,000. Not listed: human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $5,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; other burglary $15,000, $2,000 as a misdemeanor; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $2,000; petty theft (PC 488) $2,000; grand theft (PC 487) $20,000; Prop 36 theft with two or more priors (PC 666.1) $20,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $40,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; receiving stolen property (PC 496) $10,000 or the amount received, whichever is higher; misdemeanor vandalism (PC 594(a)) $10,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $50,000.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; possession for sale (HSC 11351, 11378) from $15,000; sale or transport (HSC 11352, 11379) from $20,000, rising by weight; felony cannabis for sale from $10,000. Not listed: HSC 11395, fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)) $100,000; concealed or loaded firearm $50,000 to $100,000 as felonies, $20,000 as misdemeanors.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152) $10,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $200,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $20,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148) $2,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000; failure to appear (PC 1320(a), 1320.5) $10,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies run $20,000 to $100,000 by maximum prison term ($1,000,000 for life terms), and “The Bail for Any Misdemeanor Offense Not Specifically Set Forth Herein Shall Be $1,000.00.” Add $50,000 for a new felony while felony charges are pending, $20,000 on felony probation, and $75,000 for one strike prior. Extra counts add bail only for separate victims or occasions.
• Release before court: booking officers set bail from the schedule. A person arrested on several charges is released on “the highest bail for any single offense,” except for separate victims or occasions.
• Schedule: Felony Bail Schedule and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026. The felony DUI line still cites an old Vehicle Code section (23175).

Modoc County

Modoc County’s court does not post a felony or misdemeanor bail schedule online, so families cannot look up a bail amount in advance and need to call the court or the jail after an arrest.

• Violent and person crimes: no amounts online for murder, robbery, carjacking, assault, battery, criminal threats, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, or elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: no amounts online for domestic battery, corporal injury, or protective order violations. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: no amounts online for burglary, shoplifting, petty or grand theft, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, or identity theft.
• Drugs: no amounts online for possession, HSC 11395, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, or cannabis.
• Weapons: no amounts online for felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, or loaded firearm.
• Driving: no amounts online for DUI, DUI with injury, gross vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, evading, or hit and run.
• Court and police: no amounts online for resisting (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), or failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: with no posted schedule, there are no published defaults, enhancement add-ons, or rules for priors or multiple counts.
• Release before court: the court’s Local Rule 6.02 covers bail only as procedure. A defense request for bail or OR release will not be considered unless the District Attorney gets “adequate notice,” and later out-of-court requests go “to the judge who set such bail.”
• Schedule: none online. The court’s Forms and Filing page links only the Judicial Council’s 2019 traffic and infraction schedule, and its Local Rules, effective July 1, 2024, contain no bail amounts. Also see the Criminal Division page.

Mono County

Mono County’s 2026 schedule mixes money bail for serious charges, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, with $0 bail for many lower felonies and for any misdemeanor not listed, while some Prop 36 charges require a judge’s review before release.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $2,000,000 (ineligible for release with special circumstances); robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(4)) $30,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $30,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000, more for minor victims; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $50,000. Not listed: attempted murder (attempts follow the completed crime), assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)), simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $20,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior, $30,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000, or $20,000 for an inhabited dwelling with no one present; other burglary $20,000; grand theft (PC 487) $20,000 and up by value; petty theft (PC 666) $0; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) no release until a judge reviews it; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $25,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496) and felony vandalism $0; identity theft (PC 530.5) $50,000. Not listed: shoplifting.
• Drugs: possession with priors (HSC 11377) $0; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) no release until judicial review; sale or transport (HSC 11352, 11379) from $30,000; cocaine base for sale (HSC 11351.5) from $30,000; cannabis for sale $0. The HSC 11351 row has no amount printed, so confirm with the court. Not listed: fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $35,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) and loaded firearm (PC 25850) $0.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000 as a felony, $20,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $50,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: “Any felony not listed in the attached schedule shall have bail set in the amount of $20,000.” Unlisted misdemeanors are $0, and unlisted wobblers charged as misdemeanors $10,000. Add $50,000 for a firearm and $25,000 for a felony while on bail, parole, or felony probation.
• Release before court: PC 1270.1 charges cannot be released on a different amount “until a hearing has been held in open court.” PC 666.1 and HSC 11395 arrests stay in custody until a judge reviews risk and likelihood of returning to court.
• Schedule: 2026 Mono County Superior Court Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026 (Standing Order 26-01, filed March 23, 2026, file updated June 29, 2026). Most pages are scans, and several expected felony rows are missing.

Monterey County

Monterey County still uses its 2025 schedule, which sets fairly modest money bail for most charges, such as $40,000 for second degree robbery, and tells the jail to release most people arrested on misdemeanors on their own recognizance.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $1,000,000 if premeditated, $500,000 otherwise; robbery $40,000 (second degree) or $75,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215(a)) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $20,000; criminal threats (PC 422(a)) $30,000; rape (PC 261(a)(2)) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $40,000, $100,000 with a minor victim; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $30,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $20,000 as a felony, $7,500 as a misdemeanor, more with priors; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $7,500, or $40,000 as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000, or $75,000 with someone present; second degree burglary $10,000; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $10,000; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $10,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) needs judicial review before release on bail; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $15,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496(a)) $15,000; felony vandalism $7,500; identity theft (PC 530.5) $10,000. Not listed: shoplifting, ordinary petty theft.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $5,000 unless a felony penalty applies, then $10,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $10,000; possession for sale $20,000 (HSC 11378) or $30,000 (HSC 11351); sale (HSC 11352, 11379) $40,000; fentanyl weight add-ons from $50,000. Not listed: cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)) $20,000; concealed or loaded firearm $5,000, or $30,000 when a felony penalty applies.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153(a)) $30,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $200,000; suspended license (VC 14601.1) $1,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $30,000; hit and run with injury $10,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $5,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $10,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b), 1320.5) $20,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies and each unlisted enhancement are $10,000, and unlisted misdemeanors $3,500. Enhancements stack onto the charge, such as $20,000 for a felony while out on bail or OR, and serious or violent felonies are stacked.
• Release before court: “All misdemeanor fresh and misdemeanor warrant arrests shall be O.R’d” except PC 273.5, 273.61 (as printed), 646.9, 647.6, and DUI with priors. Some felony arrests, such as second degree burglary and simple drug possession, are considered for OR release.
• Schedule: Monterey County Bail Schedule 2025, effective February 13, 2025. No 2026 criminal schedule was posted as of September 2026.

Napa County

Napa County’s schedule, dated June 11, 2025, sets money bail such as $100,000 for robbery and $250,000 for carjacking, and lists murder and attempted murder as no bail.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail; attempted murder (PC 664/187) no bail; robbery (PC 211) $100,000 for second degree, while first degree rows print both $100,000 and $250,000, so confirm with the court; carjacking (PC 215(a)) $250,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $100,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $25,000; simple battery (PC 242) $5,000; rape (PC 261(a)(2)) $250,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $250,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $50,000. Many of these print the same amount for the misdemeanor version.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $25,000 as a felony or misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $10,000, or $25,000 for felony and repeat versions. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $100,000; second degree burglary $25,000; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $2,500, though one felony row lists $25,000 (confirm with the court); petty theft (PC 484/488) $1,000, $10,000 as a felony; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $10,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) $10,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $25,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496(a)) $10,000; felony vandalism $10,000; identity theft (PC 530.5(a)) $10,000.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $1,000, $10,000 as a felony; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $25,000; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378, 11379) $50,000, with no weight tiers; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359, 11360(a)) $25,000 as a felony. Not listed: fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)) $50,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) and loaded firearm (PC 25850(a)) $50,000 as felonies, $10,000 as misdemeanors.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152) $5,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000, even as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $500,000; suspended license (VC 14601.1, 14601.2) $1,000; evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(a)) $50,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $1,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $50,000; failure to appear (PC 1320, 1320.5) $10,000 to $25,000.
• How the schedule adds up: the posted file is a charge list with no rules for unlisted charges or multiple counts. Special allegation rows add money, such as $50,000 for a new felony while released on a felony, $100,000 for firearm use (PC 12022.53(b)), and $50,000 for great bodily injury.
• Release before court: no release or own-recognizance rules are printed in the schedule, so ask the court or jail about pre-arraignment release.
• Schedule: Napa Bail Schedule, dated June 11, 2025, with no effective date printed, posted on the court’s Fines and Fees page. That page also links a revision order effective July 29, 2025 that did not load, so later changes could not be checked.

Nevada County

Nevada County’s 2026 schedule sets money bail for nearly every arrest, such as $25,000 for second degree robbery, and caps same-day charges at double the highest single amount.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail; attempted murder follows the target crime, so no bail; robbery (PC 211) $100,000, with second degree robbery (PC 212.5(c)) at $25,000, so confirm with the court; carjacking (PC 215) $200,000; assault with a deadly weapon, with a firearm, or with force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1), (2), (4)) $25,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; simple battery (PC 242) $2,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)(b)) $100,000; misdemeanor elder abuse (PC 368(c)) $5,000. Not listed: criminal threats, human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000; violating a restraining order (PC 273.6(a)) $7,500, or $25,000 with injury. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; shoplifting (PC 459.5(a)) $1,500; petty theft (PC 488) $1,500; felony theft, receiving stolen property, and identity theft fall under a general line (PC 470 to 593(g)) at $10,000, rising to $25,000 with larger losses (no charge-specific line, so confirm with the court); misdemeanor receiving stolen property $1,500; misdemeanor vandalism $1,500. Not listed: second degree burglary, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft.
• Drugs: possession of certain drugs (HSC 11377(b)) $2,500 as a misdemeanor; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378, 11379) start at $35,000 and rise by weight; felony cannabis for sale starts at $10,000, misdemeanor cannabis sales are OR. Not listed: HSC 11350, HSC 11395, fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $50,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) and loaded firearm (PC 25850) $5,000 as misdemeanors.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152) $5,000, more with high BAC or priors; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $75,000; gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5) $100,000; suspended license (VC 14601.1) OR, or $5,000 with a prior DUI (VC 14601.2); felony evading (VC 2800.2) $25,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $25,000, property damage (VC 20002) $4,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $2,500; failure to appear (PC 1320(a)) $5,000. Not listed: resisting an executive officer (PC 69).
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $10,000 and unlisted enhancements $15,000 each. “If a detainee is booked for multiple offenses and enhancements occurring on the same date, bail will be limited to double the amount for the offense carrying the highest bail.” Add $25,000 for one strike, $150,000 for two or more.
• Release before court: OR means release without bail, and unlisted misdemeanors with six months or less are OR. Jail staff must weigh danger to the community and call the on-call magistrate when needed. Felony probation, mandatory supervision, or PRCS violation bookings are no bail.
• Schedule: 2026 Nevada County Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule for All Bailable Offenses, effective January 1, 2026 (adopted December 19, 2025). The court page mislabels this combined PDF as its misdemeanor and infraction schedule.

Orange County

Orange County’s 2026 schedule sets money bail for most felonies, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, and requires a magistrate’s approval before anyone can post bail on the new Prop 36 charges.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $500,000, or $1,000,000 if willful and premeditated; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $25,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(b)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior within 7 years, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $15,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; grand theft (PC 487) $20,000 or the amount taken, whichever is higher; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $20,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) set by prison term or loss, with a magistrate’s approval needed to post bail; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $20,000. Not listed: second degree burglary, shoplifting, ordinary petty theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $2,500 as a misdemeanor ($10,000 for a second offense), $20,000 as a felony; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) needs a magistrate’s approval to post bail; possession for sale (HSC 11351, 11378) from $25,000; sale or transport from $25,000 (HSC 11379) or $30,000 (HSC 11352), rising by weight; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359, 11360(a)(3)) $25,000. Not listed: fentanyl.
• Weapons: concealed firearm with a prior (PC 25400(c)(1)) $20,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850(a)) $20,000. Not listed: felon with a firearm.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI $2,500, second $10,000, third $15,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $100,000; suspended license for DUI (VC 14601.2) $2,500; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury or death (VC 20001) $50,000.
• Court and police: not listed: resisting (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies run $20,000 to $100,000 by maximum prison term, $1,000,000 for life terms, and unlisted misdemeanors use the Judicial Council’s statewide bail schedule amount or $500. “The highest bail amount for any one felony offense, plus enhancement, will apply.” One strike prior is $100,000. Parole and felony probation violations are no bail.
• Release before court: PC 1270.1 charges cannot be released on a different amount before a hearing in open court. For Prop 36 charges, “These violations require an Orange County Magistrate’s approval to post bail.” Pre-Trial Services answers questions at (714) 647-4581.
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, covering felonies and misdemeanors in one PDF.

Placer County

Placer County’s schedules, adopted January 14, 2026, set money bail for nearly every arrest, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, list all murder as no bail, and put misdemeanor domestic battery at a steep $25,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail, with bail decided at the first court appearance; attempted murder follows the completed crime, so no bail; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 for robbery of a residence; carjacking (PC 215) $200,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $100,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; simple battery (PC 242) $2,000; rape (PC 261) $150,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288) $150,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $50,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $25,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $50,000, plus $100,000 per felony prior; violating a restraining order (PC 273.6(a)) $25,000, $50,000 with injury or as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $60,000; second degree burglary $20,000; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $5,000; petty theft (PC 488, 490.2) $2,500; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $30,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) $20,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496) $7,500, $2,500 as a misdemeanor; felony vandalism $15,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $25,000.
• Drugs: simple possession $10,000 (HSC 11350) or $7,500 (HSC 11377(a)) as misdemeanors, $15,000 as felonies with qualifying priors; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $20,000; possession for sale and sale or transport start at $20,000 under half an ounce and rise by weight; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359(c), 11360(a)(3)) $25,000. Not listed: fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $25,000; concealed or loaded firearm $50,000 with a prior felony, stolen gun, or gang tie, $5,000 as misdemeanors.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152) $5,000, more with high BAC or priors; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000 for one victim; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $500,000; suspended license (VC 14601.1) OR, or $5,000 with a prior DUI; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $150,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $25,000, property damage (VC 20002) $2,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $5,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000; failure to appear (PC 1320(a)) $5,000.
• How the schedule adds up: “For any felony offense for which no presumptive bail is set forth, bail is fixed at $15,000.” Unlisted misdemeanors are $2,000, $1,000, or OR. Add $25,000 on parole or felony probation, $35,000 for a new felony while out on bail or OR, and double the bail for one serious or violent prior. “Bail shall not be stacked for multiple misdemeanor offenses.”
• Release before court: under PC 1270.1, bail “cannot be changed and release on own recognizance cannot be granted” for listed serious charges before a hearing in open court, and PC 1319.5 bars OR release for specified crimes. OR means release without bail. Felony probation, parole, PRCS, and mandatory supervision violations are no bail.
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform Placer Countywide Schedule of Bail for Bailable Felony Offenses and 2026 Uniform Placer Countywide Schedule of Bail for All Bailable Misdemeanor Offenses, effective January 14, 2026.

Plumas County

Plumas County’s Criminal Incarceration Bail Schedule, effective February 10, 2026, sets money bail for most arrests, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, and makes any unlisted felony $15,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $500,000, or $1,000,000 if willful and premeditated; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $30,000; simple battery (PC 242) $5,000 (hard to read on the scan, so confirm with the court); rape (PC 261) $200,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(b)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $25,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $15,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior within 7 years, $15,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a restraining order (PC 273.6(a)) $10,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: burglary (PC 459, not split by degree) $50,000, or $100,000 with an occupant present, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; grand theft (PC 487) $20,000 or the amount stolen, whichever is higher; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $10,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $10,000, $1,000 as a misdemeanor; receiving stolen property (PC 496) $2,000 as a misdemeanor; graffiti (PC 594(a)(1)) $5,000. Not listed: shoplifting, Prop 36 theft, identity theft. The misdemeanor petty theft rows are not readable.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $2,000 as a misdemeanor, $15,000 as a felony; possession for sale (HSC 11351, 11378) from $25,000; sale or transport from $25,000 (HSC 11379) or $30,000 (HSC 11352), rising by weight; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359, 11360(a)(3)) $25,000. Not listed: HSC 11395, fentanyl.
• Weapons: concealed firearm with a prior felony (PC 25400(c)(1)) $25,000, $20,000 as a misdemeanor; loaded firearm (PC 25850(a)) $20,000. Not listed: felon with a firearm.
• Driving: felony DUI $50,000, and misdemeanor DUI with a prior or injury $10,000 (the first-offense amount is not readable); DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000; gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5) $100,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $35,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001) $20,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $5,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $2,500 as a misdemeanor. Not listed: failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: “For all felony offenses and enhancements not listed, the bail amount shall be set at: $15,000.” Life terms are no bail, and unlisted misdemeanors are $2,000 or $1,000. One incident gets bail for the highest charge plus enhancements. Parole and felony probation violations are no bail; misdemeanor probation violations are $15,000.
• Release before court: PC 1270.1 bars release on any other amount before a hearing in open court for violent and serious felonies and for PC 243(e)(1), 273.5, 273.6, felony 422, and 646.9. “If a person is arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant, bail is set at the amount of the warrant.”
• Schedule: Criminal Incarceration Bail Schedule, effective February 10, 2026. The PDF is a scan, and a few rows could not be read.

Riverside County

Riverside County’s schedule, effective October 24, 2025, lets the Sheriff release many people without bail on a signed promise to appear, while serious and violent charges still carry money bail, such as $30,000 for second degree robbery.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (not bailable with special circumstances); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $70,000, or $1,000,000 if premeditated; robbery $30,000 (second degree) or $40,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $50,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)), assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)), and battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $30,000 each, book and release as misdemeanors; criminal threats (PC 422) $20,000; rape (PC 261) $60,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $60,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $80,000, sex trafficking $140,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $30,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $30,000 as a felony, $40,000 with a prior, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $5,000, or $20,000 as a felony with priors. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree residential burglary $40,000; second degree burglary, grand theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, and identity theft (printed as PC 529) are book and release; petty theft (PC 484) is cite and release; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) is book and release as a felony, cite and release as a misdemeanor; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) $20,000. Not listed: shoplifting.
• Drugs: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $20,000; possession for sale $20,000 (HSC 11378) or $30,000 (HSC 11351); sale or transport $30,000 (HSC 11379(a)) or $40,000 (HSC 11352), with weight add-ons from $30,000. Not listed: simple possession, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $20,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) book and release; loaded firearm with a prior felony (PC 25850(c)(1)) $20,000.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI is cite and release; felony DUI and DUI with injury (VC 23153) $20,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $60,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $20,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) book and release. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148) cite and release; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $20,000; failure to appear $20,000 on a felony, book and release on a misdemeanor.
• How the schedule adds up: “Presumptive bail is set at the middle term multiplied by $10,000” for unlisted felonies, and unlisted misdemeanors are cite and release. Enhancements add up, such as $50,000 per strike and $20,000 for a felony while out on bail or OR.
• Release before court: CR (cite and release) and BR (book and release) mean no bail is required, but these do not apply with “a prior failure to appear or other holds.” Their printed dollar amounts apply only then. AR charges require bail until arraignment review; PAR charges are treated as AR for now.
• Schedule: 2025 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective October 24, 2025 (the cover prints October 20, 2025). A second phase with magistrate review before arraignment has no start date yet.

Sacramento County

Sacramento County’s schedule, updated November 2025, sets money bail for felonies, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, but puts every misdemeanor not specifically listed at $0.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail, with the amount set at the first court appearance; attempted murder follows the underlying offense; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 in a residence; carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $75,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000, $25,000 as a misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 242) $5,000; rape (PC 261) $150,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $500,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior within 7 years, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $5,000, $10,000 with threats or violence, $50,000 with a prior within 7 years. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000, or $25,000 when it involves a non-stranger; second degree burglary $10,000; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $10,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) $10,000, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $20,000; receiving stolen property $5,000; felony vandalism $5,000 or the damage amount, whichever is greater; identity theft (PC 530.5) $25,000. Not listed ($0): shoplifting, petty theft.
• Drugs: felony possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $10,000 only with certain priors or sex offender registration; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $10,000, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378) start at $20,000 under half an ounce and reach $1 million over 10 pounds; fentanyl weight add-ons from $75,000 (the table rows are misaligned, so confirm with the court); cannabis for sale (HSC 11359) $10,000.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)) $50,000; concealed firearm with a prior felony, stolen gun, or gang tie (PC 25400(c)) $50,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $25,000.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI $1,000, $5,000 with priors; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $50,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $250,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $50,000, property damage (VC 20002) $5,000. Not listed ($0): suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $20,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: “For any felony offense for which no presumptive bail is set forth, bail is fixed at $10,000.” Multiple felonies take the largest amount plus enhancements, but two or more serious or violent felonies are added together. Add $25,000 for a new felony while out on bail or OR, and $25,000 for ten or more arrests, citations, or bench warrants in 12 months.
• Release before court: the schedule is “intended only to be used in setting an initial bail amount upon a person’s arrest prior to arraignment,” and “For any misdemeanor offense for which no presumptive bail is set forth, bail is fixed at zero.”
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules for Persons in Pretrial Custody, updated November 2025, with no separate effective date printed.

San Benito County

San Benito County still uses its 2025 schedule, which sets money bail for most charges, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, and lists murder and attempted murder as no bail until a judge sets an amount at arraignment.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail until arraignment; attempted murder (PC 664/187) no bail until arraignment; robbery (PC 212.5) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $25,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $25,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 242) $5,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $25,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $10,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $10,000; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $2,500; petty theft (PC 484/488) $1,000; grand theft of all types $10,000, or more with a large loss; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $10,000; misdemeanor receiving stolen property (PC 496(a)) $1,000; felony vandalism $10,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $25,000. Not listed: Prop 36 theft (PC 490.3, 666.1), felony receiving stolen property.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $10,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; possession for sale $10,000 (HSC 11378) or $25,000 (HSC 11351); sale or transport (HSC 11352, 11379) $25,000; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359, 11360(a)) $10,000. Not listed: HSC 11395, fentanyl.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $20,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400(c)) $25,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; loaded firearm (PC 25850(c)) $50,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI $5,000, $10,000 with a BAC of .15 or more; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $25,000 with no priors; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $25,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $25,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148) $1,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $10,000; failure to appear $10,000 on a felony, $5,000 on a misdemeanor.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies run $10,000 to $100,000 by maximum prison term, and unlisted misdemeanors are $1,000. Charges from separate courses of conduct add together. Add $25,000 for an offense committed while out on bail or OR.
• Release before court: violent felonies, sexual assault felonies, and felonies with threats of great bodily harm “must be reviewed by the Duty Judge prior to the setting of bail.” In any DUI case, defendants “SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR SORP RELEASE” (supervised OR release).
• Schedule: 2025 Felony Bail Schedule (with Misdemeanor Codes), effective January 16, 2025. No 2026 criminal schedule was posted as of September 2026.

San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County’s schedule, effective January 1, 2026 and revised June 4, 2026, sets bail mostly by category, $100,000 for violent felonies such as robbery and $50,000 for serious felonies, while most misdemeanors need no bail at all.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (special circumstances “will not be admitted to bail”); attempted murder (PC 664/187) $1,000,000; robbery (PC 211) $100,000, with no split by degree; carjacking (PC 215(a)) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or a firearm (PC 245(a)(1), (2)) $50,000; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $50,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000; rape (PC 261(a)(2)) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000. Not listed: assault likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(4)), simple battery, human trafficking, elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $25,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $75,000 with a prior, $25,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000, or $100,000 with a person present; grand theft of a firearm (PC 487(d)(2)) $50,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) allows no release before judicial review. Not listed: second degree burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, other grand theft, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) allows no release before judicial review. Not listed: simple possession, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: not listed: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, loaded firearm.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152) $10,000, $20,000 with one prior, $250,000 as a felony with three or more; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $250,000 as a felony, $50,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $50,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000. Not listed: suspended license, hit and run.
• Court and police: resisting a peace officer (PC 69/148) $10,000 as a misdemeanor. Not listed: failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: for other felonies a judge “may use” a chart from $30,000 up by maximum term, and “Judges may also set zero bail.” Enhancements add large sums: $250,000 for a felony while out on bail (PC 12022.1), $50,000 for a deadly weapon, $100,000 for a firearm, and $50,000 per prior strike. Each case needs its own bond.
• Release before court: “Unless noted below, bail is not required on misdemeanors.” PC 1270.1 charges, including misdemeanor PC 243(e)(1), 273.5, 273.6, and 646.9, need a hearing in open court before any change or OR release. PC 666.1 and HSC 11395 require judicial review before release.
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026 (adopted December 17, 2025, revised June 4, 2026).

San Diego County

San Diego County’s schedule, effective January 1, 2026, sets money bail for most charges, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery, adds charges together, and holds Prop 36 arrests until a judge reviews them.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail; attempted murder follows the completed offense; robbery (PC 211) $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215(a)) $75,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $50,000, $20,000 as a misdemeanor; battery with serious injury (PC 243(d)) $35,000; criminal threats (PC 422) $50,000, $15,000 as a misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 242/243(a)) $8,000; rape (PC 261(a)(2)) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $500,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $100,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000, $20,000 for a second offense; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5(a)) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior, $15,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $15,000, or $50,000 as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $25,000; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $2,000; petty theft $1,000, rising to $5,000 for a third offense; grand theft (PC 487(a)) $20,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) no release until judicial review; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $25,000; receiving stolen property (PC 496(a)) $20,000, $2,000 under $950; felony vandalism $20,000; identity theft (PC 530.5(a)) $50,000.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350(a), 11377(a)) $2,000 as a misdemeanor, $5,000 as a felony; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) no release until judicial review; possession for sale (HSC 11351, 11378) $20,000; sale or transport $20,000 (HSC 11379(a)) or $50,000 (HSC 11352(a)); fentanyl weight add-ons from $50,000; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359(c)) $10,000.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800(a)(1)) $50,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $25,000, $15,000 as a misdemeanor.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152(a)) $5,000, $15,000 for a second; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $100,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; suspended license (VC 14601.1(a)) $600; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $50,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $50,000.
• Court and police: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)) $5,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $20,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b), 1320.5) $20,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies run $20,000 to $100,000 by maximum term, and unlisted misdemeanors are $500 with a required court date. for two or more offenses, bail “shall be computed under this schedule for each of the charges and then added together (stacked),” with exceptions for one act or one transaction. Add $50,000 for a felony while out on bail or OR.
• Release before court: for PC 666.1 and HSC 11395, “DO NOT RELEASE UNTIL JUDICIAL REVIEW OF ARRESTEE’S RISK TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND LIKELIHOOD TO RETURN TO COURT.” Second and later misdemeanor offenses require a court appearance.
• Schedule: Bail Schedule (Felony, Misdemeanor and Infraction Bail Schedule), effective January 1, 2026.

San Francisco County

San Francisco’s schedule, effective July 1, 2026, sets fairly high money bail for violent charges, such as $75,000 for second degree robbery, and makes any unlisted felony $15,000 and any unlisted misdemeanor $3,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail until set by a judge; attempted murder (PC 664/187) $1,000,000; robbery $75,000 (second degree, PC 212.5(c)) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking (PC 215) $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) and assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) $75,000, $20,000 as misdemeanors; battery with serious injury $50,000 under the general PC 243 line (confirm with the court), $20,000 as a misdemeanor; criminal threats (PC 422) $25,000, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; rape (PC 261) $150,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a), (b)) $100,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $20,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $100,000 with a prior, $30,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a restraining order (PC 273.6) $30,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $75,000; second degree burglary $25,000; grand theft from a person (PC 487(c)) $25,000, misdemeanor grand theft $5,000; Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1) $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; misdemeanor receiving stolen property (PC 496) $5,000; felony vandalism $25,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $40,000. Not listed: shoplifting, ordinary petty theft.
• Drugs: possession for sale (HSC 11351, 11378) $25,000, or $50,000 if fentanyl; sale (HSC 11352, 11379) $30,000; cannabis for sale (HSC 11359) $10,000. Not listed: simple possession, HSC 11395.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $75,000; concealed firearm (PC 25400) $75,000; loaded firearm (PC 25850) $50,000; misdemeanor versions $10,000.
• Driving: first misdemeanor DUI (VC 23152) $5,000; DUI with injury (VC 23153) $20,000 as a misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior DUI; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $500,000; suspended license for DUI (VC 14601.2) $5,000; felony evading (VC 2800.2) $75,000; hit and run with injury (VC 20001(b)(1)) $20,000, or $50,000 with death or serious injury.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000; failure to appear after OR release (PC 1320) $5,000. Not listed: resisting (PC 148(a)(1)).
• How the schedule adds up: “For all unscheduled felonies, the bail amount is $15,000. For all unscheduled misdemeanors, the bail amount is $3,000.” Attempts carry the same bail as the offense. Add $50,000 for an offense while out on bail or OR, $100,000 per serious felony prior, and $150,000 for a firearm. Separate courses of conduct or victims add together.
• Release before court: charges covered by PC 1270.1 are marked with an asterisk in the schedule. Murder and a few other charges have “No bail until set by judge.”
• Schedule: 2026 Felony & Misdemeanor Bail Schedule (July 1, 2026), effective July 1, 2026 (approved June 23, 2026). The PDF is a scan with no text layer.

San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County tags every charge with both a bail amount and a release code, so many felonies with a listed amount, such as $20,000 for second degree burglary, are “book and release” with no bail required, and its 2026 schedule is still marked tentative.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail; attempted murder $500,000; robbery $90,000 (second degree) or $120,000 (first degree); carjacking $150,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $60,000; assault with a firearm $60,000; battery with serious injury $60,000; criminal threats $40,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; rape (PC 261) $180,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $180,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $80,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $30,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $30,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor, plus $40,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $10,000, or $20,000 as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $80,000; second degree burglary $20,000; theft (PC 484) and grand theft $20,000 or the value taken, whichever is greater; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $20,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851), receiving stolen property, felony vandalism, and identity theft $20,000 each. Not listed: shoplifting, PC 490.3.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $20,000 only with a prior; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $20,000; possession for sale $30,000 (HSC 11351) or $20,000 (HSC 11378); sale or transport $40,000 (HSC 11352) or $30,000 (HSC 11379(a)); fentanyl weight add-ons from $30,000 to $250,000; felony cannabis for sale $20,000.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, and loaded firearm $20,000 each.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; felony DUI $20,000; DUI with injury $30,000 as a misdemeanor, $20,000 as a felony plus $10,000 per misdemeanor prior; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $120,000; felony evading $20,000; hit and run with injury $20,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $20,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b)) $20,000. Not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148).
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are the middle prison term times $10,000, at least $20,000, and unlisted misdemeanors are $5,000. One prior strike may double bail and two may triple it, and being on bail or felony probation adds $20,000.
• Release before court: CR (cite and release) and BR (book and release) mean release on a promise to appear, and “the posting of bail shall not be required.” MR is magistrate review and AR is review at arraignment. People facing only misdemeanors are “entitled to release on their own recognizance” unless public safety or appearance is at risk.
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform County Bail Schedule (TENTATIVE), effective July 23, 2026. It is still labeled tentative, and page 3 still reads “Effective August 15, 2025,” so confirm with the court.

San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo County’s schedule, adopted by its judges on June 9, 2026, sets $20,000 for any felony it does not list and $0 for unlisted misdemeanors, while murder and attempted murder carry no bail before a judge sees the case.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail; attempted murder no bail; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000, or $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000, or $15,000 as a misdemeanor; battery with serious injury $50,000, or $15,000; criminal threats $50,000, or $15,000; rape of an adult (PC 261) $100,000, $250,000 if the victim is a minor; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking $100,000 for forced labor, $250,000 for sexual purposes; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $15,000 as a misdemeanor, rising to $100,000 or $25,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $10,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $20,000, or $0 as a misdemeanor; shoplifting $0, or $20,000 with priors; grand theft $20,000, or $2,000 as a misdemeanor; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $20,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $20,000; receiving stolen property $20,000; felony vandalism $20,000; identity theft $25,000. Not listed: basic petty theft, PC 490.3.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $0, or $10,000 with a prior; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $20,000; possession for sale and sale or transport $50,000; fentanyl weight add-ons from $10,000 to no bail above 20 kg; felony cannabis for sale $20,000.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $30,000; concealed firearm and loaded firearm $20,000 each, or $5,000 as misdemeanors.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $0; DUI with injury $25,000 with no priors, or $10,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; felony evading $50,000; hit and run with injury $25,000. Not listed: a basic suspended license charge.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)(1)) $0; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000; failure to appear (PC 1320(b)) $20,000, or $2,000 as a misdemeanor.
• How the schedule adds up: enhancements and priors are added to base bail, such as $50,000 for one strike and $25,000 for being on felony bail. Separate victims or dates stack, and a new misdemeanor while on bail or OR is at least $10,000.
• Release before court: charges under PC 1270.1 need a hearing before bail changes. Anyone arrested under HSC 11395 or PC 666.1 “cannot be released prior to judicial review.” Judges also weigh “the person’s ability to afford bail.”
• Schedule: 2026 Bail Schedule, Felony & Misdemeanor, effective June 15, 2026, with the adoption notice.

San Mateo County

San Mateo County adopted a new combined felony and misdemeanor schedule effective August 3, 2026, which leaves first and second degree murder to a judge and sets most unlisted misdemeanors at just $500.

• Violent and person crimes: murder bail set by a judge (no bail with special circumstances); robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000, or $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $50,000, or $15,000 as a misdemeanor; criminal threats $25,000, or $10,000; simple battery (PC 242) $5,000; rape (PC 261(a)) $100,000, up to $250,000 if the victim is under 14; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000, or $10,000. Not listed: attempted murder.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $15,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $10,000, or $5,000 as a misdemeanor; grand theft $10,000 or the loss amount if higher; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) goes to judicial review; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $10,000; misdemeanor receiving stolen property and vandalism $2,500 each; identity theft $25,000. Not listed: shoplifting, basic petty theft, PC 490.3.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $1,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) goes to judicial review; possession for sale and sale or transport $25,000; cannabis sale (HSC 11360) $10,000. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $25,000; concealed firearm $20,000; loaded firearm $35,000.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; DUI with injury $50,000, or $10,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; felony evading $25,000; hit and run with injury $50,000. Not listed: a basic suspended license charge.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000, or $5,000. Not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, from $10,000 for three years to $100,000 for seven or more. Being on bail or OR adds $50,000, a second strike adds $50,000, and separate courses of conduct stack.
• Release before court: most misdemeanors are cite and release; the misdemeanor schedule covers only exceptions. For PC 666.1 or HSC 11395, “the arrestee shall not be released prior to judicial review.” Serious and violent felony bail changes need a hearing on two days’ notice.
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective August 3, 2026. The misdemeanor section header says July 27, 2026.

Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County’s judges approved a new felony schedule effective June 2026 that sets ordinary murder at $2,000,000 and bars pre-arraignment release for 15 groups of arrestees, including anyone booked for a sex offense or intimate partner violence.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $2,000,000 (not bailable with special circumstances); attempted murder $1,000,000; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats $50,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000, $200,000 if the victim is under 18, $250,000 if under 14; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000, $200,000 with a minor; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: misdemeanor domestic battery or corporal injury (PC 243(e), 273.5(a)) $10,000, $20,000 with a prior; felony corporal injury (PC 273.5) $50,000, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $50,000 as a felony, $20,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary with a person present $50,000; non-residential burglary $20,000; petty theft with priors (PC 666) $20,000; grand theft $20,000, rising with value; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; receiving stolen property $20,000; felony vandalism $20,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $50,000; organized retail theft $20,000. Not listed: shoplifting, PC 490.3, PC 666.1.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $10,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $20,000; possession for sale and sale or transport $30,000 up to 1 kilogram, rising to $5,000,000; felony cannabis for sale $20,000. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, and loaded firearm $35,000 each.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; felony DUI $100,000; DUI with injury $100,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; felony evading $75,000; hit and run with injury $50,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000. Not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $20,000 and unspecified misdemeanors $2,500. Only the highest felony counts, plus add-ons such as $50,000 for a firearm, $50,000 per serious or violent prior, and $25,000 for a new felony while on felony probation or with charges pending.
• Release before court: a judge may release on OR or “upon $0 money bail and non-financial conditions.” Excluded from pre-arraignment release under PC 1270.1, 1319, and 1319.5 are sex offenses, intimate partner violence, a third DUI, DUI with injury or a .20 BAC, and anyone with a case pending.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, Felony and Specified Misdemeanor Arrests, effective June 2026. The cover also shows a stray “2004” graphic.

Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County’s 2026 schedule, adopted by its judges on January 27, 2026, releases people on most unlisted misdemeanors on their own recognizance and sets second degree robbery at $50,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder and attempted murder no bail at booking, with a judge setting bail at arraignment; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000, or $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $25,000; criminal threats $25,000, or $10,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $25,000, or $10,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $10,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $10,000; shoplifting with priors (PC 459.5) $10,000; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $5,000; grand theft of any type $10,000; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $5,000 after judicial review; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $10,000; felony vandalism $10,000; identity theft $25,000. Not listed: receiving stolen property (PC 496), PC 490.3.
• Drugs: felony possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $10,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $10,000 after judicial review; possession for sale $25,000 (HSC 11351) or $10,000 (HSC 11378); sale or transport $25,000; cannabis for sale $10,000. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $25,000; concealed firearm $25,000; loaded firearm $25,000, or $50,000 for a felon or gang member.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000, or $10,000 with a .15 BAC; felony DUI $100,000; DUI with injury $25,000 with no priors; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $250,000; felony evading $25,000; hit and run with injury $25,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $10,000; failure to appear (PC 1320(b)) $10,000, or $5,000 as a misdemeanor. Not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148).
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, from $10,000 for three years to $100,000 for seven or more. One strike adds $50,000, being on bail or OR adds $25,000, and separate courses of conduct stack.
• Release before court: unlisted misdemeanors get OR release unless the person was already out on bail or on supervision, which sets $10,000. PC 666.1 and HSC 11395 need judicial review first. In DUI cases, defendants “SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR S.O.R.P. RELEASE.”
• Schedule: 2026 Criminal Bail Schedule, effective January 27, 2026, through January 1, 2027 unless amended.

Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County sets unusually low amounts for many charges, with $5,000 for any unlisted felony and cite and release for second degree burglary, yet every murder charge is “BAIL DENIED” before a judge sees the case.

• Violent and person crimes: murder bail denied, with or without special circumstances; attempted murder $500,000 (premeditated) or $250,000 (second degree); robbery $40,000 (second degree) or $75,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000, or $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats $15,000, or $5,000; simple battery cite and release; rape (PC 261(a)) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $75,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $50,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $30,000, or $7,500.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $7,500; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor, $15,000 as a misdemeanor with a prior; violating a protective order $5,000 (PC 273.6) or $7,500 (PC 166(c)(1)). See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; felony second degree burglary cite and release, misdemeanor burglary $5,000; petty theft cite and release; grand theft $10,000, or $2,500; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $10,000 after judicial review; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $10,000; receiving stolen property $5,000, or $2,500; felony vandalism $5,000; identity theft $10,000. Not listed: shoplifting, PC 490.3.
• Drugs: misdemeanor possession (HSC 11377) $1,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $15,000 after judicial review; possession for sale $10,000 (HSC 11351) or $20,000 (HSC 11378); sale or transport $25,000 (HSC 11352) or $10,000 (HSC 11379); large quantity add-on $100,000; cannabis for sale $10,000. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $20,000; concealed firearm and loaded firearm $10,000 each.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; felony DUI with three priors $50,000; DUI with injury $25,000, or $10,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; felony evading $30,000; hit and run with injury $30,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148) $5,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $5,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320) $10,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $5,000 and unlisted misdemeanors $1,000. “Bail WILL NOT be accumulated” for one incident, but enhancements add to the top charge, such as $25,000 for a felony while on bail and $50,000 per strike.
• Release before court: cite and release means no bail. Anyone arrested under HSC 11395 or PC 666.1 “cannot be released prior to judicial review,” and any increase over the schedule needs a judge’s prior approval.
• Schedule: Criminal Bail Schedules, Felony & Misdemeanor, Adopted 2026, effective January 1, 2026. One misdemeanor page footer still reads February 6, 2025.

Shasta County

Shasta County keeps misdemeanor bail low, with $5,000 for domestic battery, $2,500 for a first DUI, and $390 for driving on a suspended license, while felonies run higher, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (first degree) or $750,000 (second degree), no bail with special circumstances; attempted murder $500,000; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats $25,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $25,000. Not listed: simple battery, human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor, $100,000 with a prior within seven years; felony protective order violation with a prior (PC 273.6(d)) $25,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $25,000, or $50,000 for an occupied residence; second degree burglary $10,000; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $25,000; grand theft $10,000 or the amount taken if higher; receiving stolen property $10,000 or the amount if higher; felony vandalism $25,000. Not listed: shoplifting, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft, identity theft.
• Drugs: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $25,000; possession for sale $10,000 (HSC 11378) or $25,000 (HSC 11351) for small amounts, and sale or transport $25,000, rising to $5,000,000; cannabis for sale with priors from $10,000. Not listed: simple possession, fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: concealed firearm or loaded firearm with a prior conviction $25,000. Not listed: felon with a firearm.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $2,500; felony DUI with three priors $50,000; DUI with injury $50,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $100,000; suspended license $390; felony evading $50,000, or $5,000 as a misdemeanor; hit and run with serious injury or death $25,000.
• Court and police: not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are listed as $25,000, but a closing section sets $5,000 per year of the top prison term, so confirm with the court. Unlisted misdemeanors are $1,000, and multiple misdemeanors take only the highest. Being on bail adds $25,000.
• Release before court: a third DUI in ten years is marked “DO NOT O.R.” A probation or parole violation before arraignment is $50,000, and special circumstance murder is no bail under PC 1270.5.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 20, 2026. It is a scanned file, and two pages of drug tiers and prior add-ons were not read.

Sierra County

Sierra County still posts its 2025 schedule, a scanned copy nearly identical to Nevada County’s that sets $10,000 for any unlisted felony and no bail for murder.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail; attempted murder follows the target crime, so no bail; robbery $100,000 under PC 211, but second degree robbery (PC 212.5(c)) is listed at $25,000, so confirm with the court; carjacking $200,000; assault with a deadly weapon or a firearm (PC 245(a)(1), (a)(2)) $25,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; simple battery (PC 242) $2,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; elder abuse with great bodily injury adds $35,000. Not listed: criminal threats, human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $25,000; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $7,500, or $25,000 with injury. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; shoplifting and petty theft $1,500 each (hard to read on the scan, so confirm with the court); grand theft, felony receiving stolen property, and identity theft fall under a $10,000 theft and fraud line that rises to $25,000 with larger losses; misdemeanor receiving stolen property $1,500. Not listed: second degree burglary, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft. Vandalism is not readable.
• Drugs: misdemeanor possession (HSC 11377(b)) $2,500; possession for sale and sale or transport $35,000, rising to $1,000,000 by weight; cannabis for sale $10,000 and up. Not listed: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395), fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $50,000; misdemeanor concealed firearm and loaded firearm $5,000 each.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; felony DUI with three priors $75,000; DUI with injury $75,000; gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5) $100,000; suspended license OR, or $5,000 with a prior DUI; felony evading $25,000; hit and run with injury $25,000, or $4,000 for property damage.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)(1)) $2,500. Not listed: resisting an executive officer (PC 69). Failure to appear is not readable.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $10,000 and unlisted enhancements $15,000. Charges from the same date are capped at double the highest bail. A new offense while released doubles its bail, and one strike adds $25,000.
• Release before court: minor misdemeanors with no jail are OR, and staff must weigh “Danger to the Community” and “call the on-call magistrate” if an arrestee might be dangerous. People booked only on a felony probation, mandatory supervision, or PRCS violation get no bail.
• Schedule: 2025 Sierra County Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule for All Bailable Offenses, effective January 1, 2025. No 2026 update is posted, and page 3 calls itself “the presumptive felony bail schedule for Nevada County.”

Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County’s short 2026 schedule keeps many amounts low, such as $50,000 for second degree robbery and $1,000 for most misdemeanors, but a single strike prior doubles the bail.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (non-capital first degree) or $500,000 (other non-capital), no bail for capital murder; attempted murder takes the bail of the completed crime; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000; assault with a firearm $100,000; battery with serious injury $50,000, printed under the battery on an officer line, so confirm with the court; criminal threats $25,000; simple battery (PC 242) $3,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $75,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $25,000. Not listed: human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor. Not listed: violating a protective order. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; other burglary $15,000; grand theft $15,000 or the amount taken if higher; receiving stolen property over $950 $15,000 or the amount if higher. Not listed: shoplifting, petty theft, Prop 36 theft, vehicle theft, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: not listed: simple possession, the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395), possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis. All drug felonies follow the top-term table.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm, felony concealed firearm, and felony loaded firearm $20,000 each.
• Driving: felony DUI with three priors $50,000; felony DUI with injury $50,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $100,000. Not listed: first misdemeanor DUI, suspended license, evading, hit and run.
• Court and police: not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, from $20,000 for three years to $100,000 for 16. Most Penal Code misdemeanors are $1,000 and wobblers charged as misdemeanors $3,000. “One Strike Prior: Double the amount of bail,” and only the highest felony counts.
• Release before court: PC 1270.1 charges, including domestic battery, corporal injury, and felony criminal threats, need a hearing before bail changes. Felony probation violations are “NO BAIL” until the first court date.
• Schedule: 2026 Local Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, with the court notice. Misdemeanor DUI and other traffic charges follow the statewide uniform schedule.

Solano County

Solano County’s five-page schedule lists almost no individual crimes: bail is priced by the longest possible prison term, starting at $25,000 for a three-year top term, so the charge’s maximum sentence decides the amount.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail until set by the court, and no bail with special circumstances. Not listed: attempted murder, robbery, carjacking, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a firearm, battery with serious injury, criminal threats, simple battery, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, elder abuse. The schedule’s worked example prices second degree robbery (PC 211) at $45,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)), corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5), and violating a protective order (PC 273.6) have no listed amounts and appear only on the hearing-required list. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: no amounts are listed. Worked examples price first degree burglary at $55,000, and grand theft, felony vehicle theft (VC 10851), receiving stolen property, and felony vandalism at $25,000 each.
• Drugs: not listed: simple possession, the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395), possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: not listed: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, loaded firearm.
• Driving: misdemeanor DUI and misdemeanor DUI with injury (VC 23152, 23153) $5,000 for a first offense, $7,500 for a second, $15,000 for a third. Not listed: felony DUI with injury, gross vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, evading, hit and run (a worked example prices felony hit and run at $25,000).
• Court and police: not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: find the charge’s maximum prison term, then read the table: 3 years $25,000; 4 years $35,000; 5 years $45,000; 6 years $55,000; 7 years $65,000; 8 years $75,000; 9 years $90,000; 10 years $105,000; add $15,000 for each year beyond 10. Life is $750,000 and life without parole $1,000,000. Enhancements add by the years they add, and being on bail when arrested (PC 12022.1) adds $30,000. Misdemeanors run $1,600 to $7,500 by jail term.
• Release before court: a person charged with misdemeanors “is entitled to release on his or her own recognizance” unless safety or appearance is at risk. Serious and violent felonies and PC 1270.1 charges need a hearing in open court, and felony probation violations are no bail.
• Schedule: Solano County Bail Schedule, effective January 14, 2026.

Sonoma County

Sonoma County still uses its schedule adopted June 24, 2025, which sets $0 bail before arraignment for any charge it does not list, such as second degree burglary or drug sales, unless an enhancement is alleged, while all murder charges carry no bail.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail, with or without special circumstances; attempted murder $1,000,000; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000, or $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $50,000, or $10,000; battery with great bodily injury (PC 243(d)) $35,000, or $10,000; criminal threats $30,000, or $10,000; rape (PC 261(a)(2)) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $125,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)(1)) $30,000, or $10,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $15,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $30,000 as a felony, $15,000 as a misdemeanor, up to $50,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $30,000 as a felony, $15,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; grand theft of a car or firearm (PC 487(d)) $10,000; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) set by a judge if pretrial release is denied. Not listed: second degree burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, other grand theft, vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) set by a judge if pretrial release is denied; large quantity add-on (HSC 11370.4) $100,000. Not listed: simple possession, possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl lines, cannabis for sale.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm (PC 29800) $30,000, or $15,000 as a misdemeanor; concealed firearm and loaded firearm with a prior felony $30,000 each.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $10,000; felony DUI with three priors $100,000; DUI with injury $100,000 as a felony, $30,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $175,000; felony evading $20,000; hit and run causing death or serious injury $100,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)) $5,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $10,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b)) $10,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted charges are $0 before arraignment, or $25,000 if an unpriced enhancement is alleged. A new felony while out on bail, OR, or pretrial release is at least $10,000. Strikes add $25,000, $100,000, or $250,000, and violent felonies stack.
• Release before court: pretrial assessments run seven days a week. PC 1270.1 charges “are not eligible for pre-arraignment supervised release consideration.” At arraignment, “$0 bail will be presumed to exonerate, and PTR will become presumptive.”
• Schedule: 2025 Criminal Bail Schedule (with Order Setting Bail Schedule), adopted June 24, 2025, with no effective date printed. No 2026 schedule is posted, and two scanned pages were not read.

Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County runs one of the higher schedules in the Central Valley, with no bail for murder until arraignment, $75,000 for second degree robbery, and an unusual $100,500 for a felony probation violation.

• Violent and person crimes: murder no bail until arraignment, then $2,000,000 for life with parole; attempted murder $500,000 (premeditated) or $250,000 (second degree); robbery $75,000 (second degree) or $150,000 (first degree); carjacking $250,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $75,000, or $3,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $75,000; battery with serious injury $75,000; criminal threats $75,000, or $5,000; simple battery (PC 242) $3,000; rape (PC 261(a)(2)) $250,000, other rape $150,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $150,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $250,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)) $75,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $75,000 as a felony, $7,000 as a misdemeanor, $150,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $5,000, or $50,000 as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $75,000; second degree burglary $20,000, or $3,000; shoplifting $2,000; petty theft $2,000; grand theft $20,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $60,000; receiving stolen property $20,000, or $2,000; felony vandalism $20,000; identity theft $50,000; organized retail theft from $50,000. Not listed: PC 490.3, PC 666.1.
• Drugs: possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $20,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; possession for sale and sale or transport $75,000 (HSC 11351, 11352) or $100,000 (HSC 11378, 11379); felony cannabis for sale $20,000. Not listed: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395), fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $75,000; concealed firearm with a prior $35,000 to $50,000; loaded firearm with a prior felony $50,000.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $3,000; felony DUI with three priors $75,000; DUI with injury $50,000, or $5,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $200,000; suspended license $1,020; felony evading $75,000; hit and run with injury $20,000.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)(1)) $3,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $25,000; felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b)) $50,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow Schedule A by top term, from $20,000 to $250,000 for a non-murder life term. Bail is set for every charge unless PC 654 applies. One strike doubles bail, being on bail or OR adds $50,000, and $500 is added after a missed court date.
• Release before court: “All defendants eligible for bail should be considered for own-recognizance release” unless flight risk or danger is found. For the serious charges listed in Rule 13, lawyers get two court days’ written notice and a hearing before bail moves either way.
• Schedule: Stanislaus County Superior Court Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026. Its General Information page still says effective October 1, 2023.

Sutter County

Sutter County’s 2026 schedules, approved December 1, 2025, set ordinary murder at $1,000,000 and a first misdemeanor DUI at just $1,801, but failure to appear on an OR release jumps to $11,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000, or $1,000,000 if premeditated; robbery $35,000 (second degree) or $50,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $40,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats $50,000; simple battery (PC 242) $2,500; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking $75,000 for forced labor, $150,000 for sex crimes; elder abuse (PC 368) $25,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000, or $75,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6(a)) $2,500, $5,000 with injury, or $20,000 as a felony with a prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; other burglary $15,000; petty theft $1,000; grand theft $15,000 or the theft amount if higher; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $15,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $15,000; receiving stolen property $15,000; felony vandalism $15,000, or $1,000 as a misdemeanor; identity theft $20,000. Not listed: shoplifting, PC 490.3.
• Drugs: possession with a qualifying prior (HSC 11350, 11377) $15,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $15,000; possession for sale $30,000 (HSC 11351) or $15,000 (HSC 11378) for small amounts, rising to $5,000,000; sale or transport $30,000 (HSC 11352) or $20,000 (HSC 11379); felony cannabis for sale $25,000. Not listed: simple misdemeanor possession, fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $25,000; concealed firearm $25,000, or $2,500 as a misdemeanor; loaded firearm $25,000, or $5,000 as a misdemeanor.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $1,801, or $11,000 with priors; felony DUI $100,000; DUI with injury $50,000; gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5) $100,000; suspended license $1,120; felony evading $50,000; hit and run with injury $25,000.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148) $2,500; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000; failure to appear on OR (PC 1320(a)) $11,000.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, $15,000 for three years up to $100,000 for 16. The most serious charge sets bail, plus add-ons such as $25,000 for being on bail and $50,000 for a second strike. Separate victims and consecutive sex crimes stack.
• Release before court: PC 1270.1 charges, including domestic battery and felony criminal threats, need a hearing in open court before bail changes. Felony probation or parole violations are no bail; misdemeanor violations are $11,000.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, approved December 1, 2025, with no separate effective date printed.

Tehama County

Tehama County’s short 2026 jail bail schedule sets $15,000 for any felony it does not list and $1,000,000 for ordinary murder, and it holds anyone arrested for the Prop 36 hard drug felony until a judge reviews the case.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000; robbery (PC 211) $50,000, though the degree lines are mislabeled and PC 212.5(c) is listed at $35,000, so confirm with the court; carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $60,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats $50,000, or $5,000 as a misdemeanor; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery, human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $5,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a domestic violence restraining order (PC 273.6) $15,000 as a felony, $5,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000, or $100,000 with a person present; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $15,000, or $3,000 as a misdemeanor; petty theft (PC 490.2) $15,000, printed in the felony column; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $15,000; receiving stolen property over $950 $15,000 or the amount if higher. Not listed: second degree burglary, grand theft, PC 490.3, vehicle theft, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) is no bail or release without judicial review; possession for sale $25,000 (HSC 11351) or $15,000 (HSC 11378) for small amounts, rising to $5,000,000; sale or transport $25,000; cannabis for sale $15,000 and up. Not listed: simple possession, fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $25,000; concealed firearm $25,000. Not listed: loaded firearm.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; felony DUI (VC 23550) $50,000; DUI with injury $75,000; gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5) $150,000; felony evading $50,000; hit and run with injury $25,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: felony failure to appear (PC 1320(b)) $100,000. Not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69).
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $15,000 and misdemeanors $3,000 or $1,000. “Bail ‘Stacks’ except where noted.” Add-ons include $25,000 for a new felony with charges pending and $100,000 for one strike.
• Release before court: HSC 11395 arrests get “No Bail or PTA Release without Prior Judicial Review.” Booking officers may not raise bail for priors; that takes a motion to a judge “with proof of valid enhancing prior.” Felony probation violations are no bail.
• Schedule: Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Tehama, effective January 1, 2026, with the court notice. The judges’ signature dates are blank in the posted copy.

Trinity County

Trinity County’s 2026 order sets some of the highest amounts in Northern California, including $2,000,000 for murder, $250,000 for first degree burglary, and $10,000 for a first misdemeanor DUI.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $2,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000; robbery (PC 211) $250,000, with second degree listed at $100,000, so confirm which applies; carjacking $250,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1)) $100,000, or $50,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a firearm $250,000, or $100,000; battery with serious injury $250,000; criminal threats $50,000, or $25,000; simple battery (PC 242) $25,000; rape (PC 261) $250,000, or $500,000 for forcible rape (PC 261(a)(2)); lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $500,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000. Not listed: human trafficking.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)(1)) $50,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $75,000 as a felony, $50,000 as a misdemeanor; violating a domestic relations order (PC 273.6) $50,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $250,000; second degree burglary $100,000, or $50,000; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $50,000; grand theft $50,000, or $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $50,000; receiving stolen property $50,000, or $25,000. Not listed: shoplifting, Prop 36 theft, vandalism, identity theft.
• Drugs: possession $25,000 (HSC 11350) or $10,000 (HSC 11377); the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $75,000; possession for sale and sale or transport $50,000 up to 1 pound, rising to $5,000,000; cannabis for sale $10,000 to $25,000. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, and loaded firearm $25,000 each.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $10,000, $25,000 with one prior; felony DUI $100,000; DUI with injury $250,000; gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5) $250,000; felony evading $100,000; hit and run with injury $50,000. Not listed: suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)) $25,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $50,000, or $25,000. Not listed: failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, from $25,000 for three years to $500,000 for ten or more, and unlisted misdemeanors are $5,000. Bail is “the sum” of the charge plus enhancements and priors, such as $25,000 for a new felony while on felony probation and $100,000 for a strike.
• Release before court: PC 1270.1 charges, including domestic battery and corporal injury, need a hearing in open court before bail changes. Requests to change the scheduled amount go “to the on-call magistrate,” and officers may not raise bail for priors at booking.
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform Bail Schedule, dated January 5, 2026, with no effective date printed. It is a scanned file, and several rows (including simple possession, DUI with injury, and the firearm charges) carry no felony or misdemeanor label, so confirm with the court.

Tulare County

Tulare County’s schedule, effective November 6, 2025, sets ordinary robbery at $75,000 and Prop 36’s treatment-mandated drug felony at $60,000, while simple drug possession carries $0 bail.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000; attempted murder half the bail for murder; robbery (PC 211) $75,000, or $150,000 for first degree (PC 213(a)(1)(B)); carjacking $75,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000; assault with a firearm $75,000; battery with serious injury falls under the general felony battery line at $25,000; criminal threats $75,000, or $25,000 as a misdemeanor; simple battery (PC 242, 243(a)) $10,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1(a)) $25,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $100,000, or $25,000.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $25,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000 as a felony, $25,000 as a misdemeanor, $75,000 with a prior; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $20,000 on the felony table, $25,000 as a misdemeanor. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $100,000; other burglary $25,000, or $10,000; shoplifting (PC 459.5) $10,000; theft (PC 484) and grand theft $25,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $50,000, or $25,000; receiving stolen property $25,000, or $10,000; vandalism $25,000, or $10,000; identity theft $25,000, or $10,000; organized retail theft $75,000. Not listed: PC 490.3, PC 666.1.
• Drugs: simple possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $0; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $60,000; possession for sale and sale or transport $60,000, rising to $100,000 over 1 kilogram; felony cannabis for sale $10,000. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm $50,000; concealed firearm $25,000, or $10,000; loaded firearm $50,000, or $25,000.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $10,000; felony DUI with priors $125,000; DUI with injury $125,000, or $25,000 as a misdemeanor; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5(a)) $150,000; suspended license $10,000; felony evading $75,000; hit and run with injury $60,000.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)) $10,000; resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000. Not listed: failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted Penal Code felonies run $50,000 to $150,000 by sentence, but unlisted drug felonies only $5,000 to $25,000, and unlisted misdemeanors $0. Enhancements add on, such as $100,000 for a felony while on bail or OR and up to $100,000 per strike.
• Release before court: “All defendants eligible for bail should be considered for own-recognizance release” unless flight risk or danger is found. PC 1270.1 charges need a hearing, and anyone may ask a magistrate for lower bail or OR “within eight (8) hours after booking.”
• Schedule: Tulare County Superior Court Bail Schedule, effective November 6, 2025, also posted as an accessible copy.

Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County’s court does not post a criminal bail schedule online, so families need to get amounts for any charge directly from the court or the county jail, though the court does use a probation risk assessment for release on own recognizance.

• Violent and person crimes: no amounts are posted for murder, robbery, carjacking, assault, battery, criminal threats, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, or elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: no amounts are posted for domestic battery, corporal injury on a partner, or protective order violations. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: no amounts are posted for burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, grand theft, Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1), vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, or identity theft.
• Drugs: no amounts are posted for possession, the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395), possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, or cannabis.
• Weapons: no amounts are posted for felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, or loaded firearm.
• Driving: no amounts are posted for DUI, DUI with injury, vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, evading, or hit and run.
• Court and police: no amounts are posted for resisting an officer (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), or failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: with no posted schedule, there are no published defaults, enhancement add-ons, or rules for multiple counts. Ask the court or jail how a specific booking was priced.
• Release before court: after reviewing a probation risk assessment, a judge can order “release of the above-named defendant on pretrial own recognizance” with conditions, such as reporting to Probation right after release. For property bonds, “a hearing must be held pursuant to Penal Code section 1298.”
• Schedule: none online. The court’s Local Rules of Court, effective August 27, 2026, cover bail only for property bonds, and its Pretrial Review of Risk Assessment Report and Pretrial Release Order (TUO-CR-PT-950) was revised February 23, 2026.

Ventura County

Ventura County still posts its 2024 schedule, which predates Prop 36 and doubles bail for any new offense committed while someone is already out on bail or OR, with second degree robbery at $50,000.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $500,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder takes the bail of the completed crime; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) $20,000; assault with a firearm $50,000; battery with serious injury $20,000; criminal threats (printed as “terrorism”) $20,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $50,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $100,000; elder abuse (PC 368(b)) $50,000, or $5,000 as a misdemeanor. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $10,000; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $20,000; violating a protective order (PC 273.6) $10,000, or $20,000 as a felony with a prior. Domestic violence bail doubles with a qualifying prior. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: first degree burglary $50,000; second degree burglary $10,000; grand theft from a person or of a car or firearm $20,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851(a)) $20,000; receiving a stolen vehicle (PC 496d) $20,000; identity theft (PC 530.5) $50,000. Not listed: shoplifting, petty theft, PC 490.3, PC 666.1, basic receiving stolen property, basic vandalism.
• Drugs: possession for sale and sale or transport (HSC 11351, 11352, 11378, 11379) $50,000, plus weight add-ons of $30,000 to $250,000; cannabis for sale $20,000. Not listed: simple possession, the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395), fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, and loaded firearm $50,000 each.
• Driving: a first misdemeanor DUI $5,000; felony DUI with priors $50,000; DUI with injury $50,000; gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (PC 191.5) $50,000; felony evading $50,000; hit and run with injury $50,000, or $100,000 with a death. Not listed: basic suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an officer (PC 148(a)) $5,000; felony failure to appear on OR (PC 1320.5) $20,000. Not listed: resisting an executive officer (PC 69).
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies are $10,000 and misdemeanors $2,500. One strike doubles bail, two strikes set $250,000, probation adds $10,000 per felony case, and violent crimes against separate victims stack up to $500,000.
• Release before court: for PC 1270.1 charges, pre-arraignment release at any amount other than the schedule “is forbidden.” People on felony probation or parole need a hearing before OR release. Families can ask police for Form 3000 to request lower bail or OR.
• Schedule: 2024 Bail Schedule, with no effective date printed. It is outdated, and no 2025 or 2026 version is posted.

Yolo County

Yolo County’s court does not post a felony or misdemeanor jail bail schedule online, only the statewide traffic and infraction schedule, so families need to call the sheriff to learn the bail on a criminal charge.

• Violent and person crimes: no amounts are posted for murder, robbery, carjacking, assault, battery, criminal threats, rape, lewd act with a child, human trafficking, or elder abuse.
• Domestic violence: no amounts are posted for domestic battery, corporal injury on a partner, or protective order violations. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: no amounts are posted for burglary, shoplifting, petty theft, grand theft, Prop 36 theft (PC 666.1), vehicle theft, receiving stolen property, vandalism, or identity theft.
• Drugs: no amounts are posted for possession, the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395), possession for sale, sale or transport, fentanyl, or cannabis.
• Weapons: no amounts are posted for felon with a firearm, concealed firearm, or loaded firearm.
• Driving: no criminal amounts are posted for DUI, DUI with injury, vehicular manslaughter, suspended license, evading, or hit and run.
• Court and police: no amounts are posted for resisting an officer (PC 148), resisting an executive officer (PC 69), or failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: with no posted criminal schedule, there are no published defaults, enhancement add-ons, or rules for multiple counts. The court’s local rules mention bail only for property bonds.
• Release before court: the court posts no pre-arraignment release rules. Its criminal page says, “For information about posting bail, please contact the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department at (530) 668-5245.”
• Schedule: none online. The court’s Fee & Bail Schedules page links only the statewide 2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, which covers traffic and infractions. See also the Criminal Division page.

Yuba County

Yuba County posts only a felony schedule, adopted December 23, 2025, which sets ordinary murder at $1,000,000 and felony criminal threats at an unusually high $150,000, while most misdemeanors get a flat $2,500.

• Violent and person crimes: murder $1,000,000 (no bail with special circumstances); attempted murder $500,000, or $1,000,000 if premeditated; robbery $50,000 (second degree) or $100,000 (first degree); carjacking $100,000; assault with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury (PC 245(a)(1), (a)(4)) $30,000; assault with a firearm $75,000; battery with serious injury $50,000; criminal threats $150,000; rape (PC 261) $100,000; lewd act with a child (PC 288(a)) $100,000; human trafficking (PC 236.1) $500,000; elder abuse (PC 368) $50,000. Not listed: simple battery.
• Domestic violence: domestic battery (PC 243(e)) $25,000, listed in the felony schedule even though it is a misdemeanor, so confirm with the court; corporal injury on a partner (PC 273.5) $50,000, or $100,000 with a prior; violating a court order with a prior (PC 273.6(d)) $50,000. See our domestic violence bail guide for more.
• Theft and property: residential burglary $50,000; other burglary $25,000; petty theft with a prior (PC 666) $15,000; grand theft printed as “< 20,000,” so confirm with the court; Prop 36 theft with priors (PC 666.1) $15,000; vehicle theft (VC 10851) $25,000; receiving stolen property $15,000 or the amount stolen; felony vandalism $15,000. Not listed: shoplifting, PC 490.3, identity theft.
• Drugs: possession (HSC 11350, 11377) $15,000; the Prop 36 treatment-mandated felony (HSC 11395) $15,000; possession for sale $30,000 (HSC 11351) or $15,000 (HSC 11378) for small amounts, rising to $5,000,000; sale or transport $30,000 (HSC 11352) or $20,000 (HSC 11379); cannabis for sale $15,000 and up. Not listed: fentanyl lines.
• Weapons: felon with a firearm, concealed firearm with a prior, and loaded firearm $25,000 each.
• Driving: felony DUI with three or more priors $100,000; DUI with injury $150,000; gross vehicular manslaughter (PC 191.5) $250,000; felony evading $100,000; hit and run with injury $50,000. Not listed: first misdemeanor DUI, suspended license.
• Court and police: resisting an executive officer (PC 69) $15,000. Not listed: resisting an officer (PC 148), failure to appear.
• How the schedule adds up: unlisted felonies follow the top prison term, $15,000 for three years up to $1,000,000 for life. Wobblers charged as misdemeanors are half the felony bail, but “At the booking stage, the Felony Bail Schedule will be applied to all wobbler offenses.” Add-ons include $30,000 for a felony while on bail and $50,000 for a second strike, and separate victims stack.
• Release before court: PC 1270.1 charges need “a noticed hearing” in open court before bail changes. Felony probation or parole violations are no bail, misdemeanor violations $15,000, and warrant-only bookings use the warrant amount.
• Schedule: 2026 Order, Felony Bail Schedule, effective January 2, 2026. No separate misdemeanor schedule is posted.

What Families Should Do

1. Find the booking. Search the sheriff’s inmate locator or call the jail. Write down every booked charge, the booking number, the bail amount, and whether there is a hold.
2. Check the charge against the county’s current schedule in the tables above, and look at the schedule date. If the jail’s amount is higher, ask whether an enhancement, a prior, a warrant, or an officer’s request under PC 1269c raised it.
3. Ask whether the charge is a $0 code. In Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Kern, Mendocino, Riverside, and other counties with release codes, the person may be released without any bail, and paying for a bond may not be necessary.
4. Ask about a lower amount early. A family member can ask the on-call magistrate for lower bail or own recognizance release before arraignment under PC 1269c, except on PC 1270.1 charges. In Los Angeles the number is (213) 633-6350, and the schedule says to call “within two hours of booking.”
5. Gather proof of finances for the arraignment or bail hearing: pay stubs, rent or mortgage, dependents, and any job the person would lose. After Humphrey and Kowalczyk, the judge must consider what the person can actually pay.
6. Talk to the defense lawyer or public defender about a bail reduction or release motion. A lawyer can also ask the judge to explain any amount set above the schedule.
7. Choose how to post: cash (returned at the end of the case, but a defendant’s own cash can be applied to fines), a property bond (equity of twice the amount), or a surety bond through a licensed bail agent. Get a receipt for every payment.
8. Read the release conditions before the person comes home. Protective orders, search terms, and no-contact orders can apply even after bail is posted.
9. Put every court date on a calendar. A missed date can lead to a warrant, a higher bail amount, and a forfeited bond.

How Bail Hotline Can Help

Everything above this section is written to be useful whether or not you ever call us. This is the one place we talk about ourselves.

Bail Hotline is a family-owned California bail bond company, helping families since 2004, licensed through our parent company, DMCG, Inc., with the California Department of Insurance (license #1845394). Our agents answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at (888) 958-1228.

The bail amount came back higher than you expected? This is where we do our best work

Most families first hear a bail amount on a phone call from the jail, and it is almost never the number they found online. A $50,000 robbery becomes $125,000 once a firearm allegation and a probation status are added. A misdemeanor that should have been cite and release comes back with bail because of an old failure to appear. A charge that carries $0 in one county carries $20,000 in the next. Families lose hours, and sometimes days, trying to understand a number before they can act on it. Making sense of that number quickly, and knowing what can and cannot change it, is where a bail company should shine brightest, and it is where we work hardest.

• We explain how the number was built. We look at the booked charges against the county’s current schedule and tell you, in plain language, which line set the base amount and which enhancements, priors, or holds added to it.
• We tell you when bail may not be needed. If a charge is coded for release without money bail in that county, we say so, so you do not pay for a bond you may not need.
• We are ready when the judge rules. If a magistrate review, a PC 1270.1 hearing, or a bail reduction request is coming, we work alongside the defense lawyer’s timeline so the bond can be posted as soon as the final amount is set. Our dedicated 24/7 posting agents move as soon as release is possible.
• Large bonds are not an automatic no. Felony charges with enhancements can reach six figures quickly. A large, complicated, or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no.
• We protect the cosigner. We walk every cosigner through the agreement before they sign, so nobody finds out what they promised after something goes wrong.
• We keep clients on track. Clients get text reminders of their court dates, so a missed date does not turn into a warrant and a higher bail amount.

Every case is different, and the judge makes the final decision on bail and on the terms of release. We are not lawyers, we cannot change a bail schedule or a judge’s order, and we cannot promise a result. But a family that understands the number from the first call can make better decisions, faster, about how to get their person home.

If something goes wrong while the case is open

• Call us first. A missed court date, a new arrest in another county, or a question about a warrant is easier to handle the same day. We walk clients through clearing warrants and getting back in front of the court.
• If a client does go missing, we work with American Locator and Recovery, a trusted partner we have worked with for a long time, to help bring them back to court, which protects the cosigner too.

Find the office closest to the court handling the case:

Questions about how bail works before you call? Our bail FAQ answers the common ones, and our beginner’s guide to bail bonds covers the basics.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is bail for a misdemeanor in California?

It depends on the county and the charge, and many misdemeanors carry no bail at all. Under Penal Code 853.6, most people arrested for a misdemeanor must be released on a citation unless an exception applies. When a misdemeanor does carry bail, amounts in the 2026 schedules commonly run from about $1,000 to $10,000, with unlisted misdemeanors set anywhere from $0 (Los Angeles, Mono, San Luis Obispo, Sonoma) to $5,000 (Madera, San Joaquin, Trinity). Misdemeanor domestic battery is higher, most often $10,000.

How much is bail for a felony in California?

Felony bail starts around $10,000 to $20,000 for lower level property and drug felonies, is most often $50,000 for charges like second degree robbery, residential burglary, and felony corporal injury, $100,000 for carjacking and rape, and $1,000,000 or more for murder. Enhancements and priors add to the base amount, and several counties set $0 before arraignment for many nonviolent felonies.

How much is bail for a DUI in California?

A first misdemeanor DUI was $5,000 in 23 of the 37 counties that list a dollar amount, and ranged from $1,000 to $10,000. Several counties, including Los Angeles, Riverside, and Kern, set $0 before court for a first DUI. Priors raise the amount, and a DUI causing injury, charged as a felony under VC 23153, was most often $50,000.

How much is bail for assault in California?

Assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245(a)(1)) was most often $30,000, assault with a firearm (PC 245(a)(2)) most often $50,000, and battery causing serious bodily injury (PC 243(d)) most often $50,000. Simple battery, a misdemeanor, was most often $5,000 in counties that list it. Domestic assault is covered in our domestic violence bail guide.

Is there a statewide bail schedule in California?

No. Each county’s superior court judges adopt their own criminal bail schedule every year under Penal Code 1269b. The statewide Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule is for traffic and similar offenses, where “bail” means the fine. The only statewide criminal bail schedule in recent memory was the Judicial Council’s emergency $0 schedule during COVID, which ended June 20, 2020.

Where can I find the Los Angeles County felony bail schedule?

The Los Angeles Superior Court posts a 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and a 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, both effective January 1, 2026. Older 2022 versions still show up in search results, so check the date on the cover. Most listed charges carry $0 codes before arraignment, while serious, violent, and domestic violence charges keep money bail.

Where can I find the Santa Barbara or Monterey County bail schedule?

Santa Barbara’s 2026 felony schedule, effective June 2026, and Monterey’s 2025 schedule, effective February 13, 2025 (the most recent posted as of September 2026), are linked in their county sections above, along with their key amounts and release rules.

I was told bail is $20,000. How much do I have to pay?

To post cash bail, the full $20,000 goes to the court or jail and comes back when the case ends if every court date is kept. With a surety bail bond, a licensed bail agent posts the full $20,000 and you pay a premium set by the surety’s rates filed with the California Department of Insurance, plus any collateral the agreement requires. Call a licensed agent for the exact figure for your case, and get a receipt that lists every charge.

How can I find out someone’s bail amount online?

Search the sheriff’s inmate locator for the county where the person was booked, which usually shows charges and often shows bail. If it does not, call the jail: the bail amount, holds, and manner of release are public information under Government Code 7923.610. Our California inmate locator guide lists where to look.

Can bail be lowered in California?

Yes. Before arraignment, a family member can ask the on-call magistrate for lower bail or own recognizance release under PC 1269c, except for PC 1270.1 charges. At or after arraignment, the defense can ask the judge to reduce bail, and after In re Humphrey (2021) and In re Kowalczyk (2026) the judge must consider what the person can actually afford.

What does zero bail mean in California?

Zero bail means the county schedule sets no money bail before the first court appearance for certain charges, so the person is released on a promise to appear or after a judge’s review. Los Angeles, Contra Costa, Kern, Mendocino, Riverside, and others use codes such as cite and release (CR), book and release (BR), and magistrate review (MR). It does not apply to serious or violent felonies, and holds, probation or parole status, or recent failures to appear can still keep someone in custody.

How does bail work when there are multiple charges?

Most schedules start with the highest charge and add bail for enhancements and priors. Extra charges are usually added only when they involve separate victims or separate dates, as in Los Angeles, Kern, and Trinity, though San Diego stacks charges more broadly and Monterey stacks serious or violent felonies. Each county section explains its own rule.

How much is bail for murder in California?

Murder without special circumstances was most often $1,000,000, and $2,000,000 in Los Angeles, Mendocino, Mono, Santa Barbara, and Trinity. Several counties, including San Diego, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo, and Sonoma, set no bail until a judge decides. Murder with special circumstances is a capital crime, and bail can be denied under Article I, section 12 of the California Constitution.

Why We Publish This

Families call us every day with a bail amount they do not understand, often after finding an old schedule or someone else’s guess online. We read every county’s current schedule so this page can give real numbers with dates and links, and explain the rules that move them. This guide is general information, not legal advice. For advice about a specific case, talk to a criminal defense lawyer or the public defender.

Sources and Further Reading

California law

• Penal Code 1269b (countywide bail schedules), 1269c (changing scheduled bail before arraignment), 1270, 1270.1, 1275, 1289, 815a, 853.6, 1295, 1297, 1298, 12022.1
• Penal Code 490.2 (Proposition 47), 490.3 and 666.1 (Proposition 36), Health and Safety Code 11395
• California Constitution, Article I, section 12 and section 28
• Vehicle Code 40512, California Rules of Court, rule 4.102, and the 2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules
• Government Code 7923.610 (public arrest and booking information)
• California Department of Insurance, Bail Bonds consumer information, and 10 CCR 2083

County bail schedules

• Each county’s current schedule is linked, with its effective date, in that county’s section above. Los Angeles: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Court decisions

• In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135
• In re Kowalczyk (Apr. 30, 2026, S277910)
• In re White (2020) 9 Cal.5th 455
• In re Brown (2022) 76 Cal.App.5th 296
• In re Christie (2001) 92 Cal.App.4th 1105
• In re Avignone (2018) 26 Cal.App.5th 195
• In re Webb (2019)
• People v. Bankers Ins. Co. (June 10, 2021, A157633)

Research and data

• Public Policy Institute of California, Pretrial Detention and Jail Capacity in California (July 2015), What Happened When California Suspended Bail during COVID? (November 2024), and California’s County Jails (January 2026)
• Judicial Council of California, Pretrial Detention Reform: Recommendations to the Chief Justice (October 2017) and Report to the Legislature: Pretrial Services Program Year 4 (April 2026)
• Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Effects of Risk-Based Pre-Arraignment Release (March 2025)
• California Policy Lab, The Short-Term Impacts of Bail Policy on Crime in Los Angeles (August 2024)
• Federal Reserve, Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2025 (May 2026)

Reporting

• KQED, Push to Limit Money Bail Gains Steam in California (May 23, 2017)
• LAist, Early Data Appears To Show Zero Bail Policy Effects (October 30, 2023)
• LAPD, Chief Michel Moore Statement on Cash Bail (September 26, 2023)
• CalMatters, How a lost credit card and $7 cheeseburger reignited California’s debate over excessive bail (May 29, 2024), To fix ‘unfair’ bail system, will California copy Kentucky? (August 9, 2017)

Outside California

• Idaho: Criminal Rule 46 and Misdemeanor Criminal Rule 13
• Texas: SB 6 (2021)
• Nevada: Valdez-Jimenez v. Eighth Judicial District Court (2020)
• Illinois: Rowe v. Raoul (2023)
• Federal: 18 U.S.C. 3142

Quick answer: Yes, you can arrange your own bail in California if release on bail is authorized and you can meet the applicable cash-payment or approved bond requirements. You do not automatically need someone else to fund the entire transaction. The practical challenge is accessing money, communicating and completing paperwork while in custody. First confirm the current bail amount, any remaining hold and the facility's payment procedure; having enough money does not by itself complete release.

Updated September 27, 2026. This guide addresses California adult criminal bail and the practical steps for arranging your own release from custody. It uses current California law and official local payment/property instructions. Federal, juvenile and postconviction custody can involve different rules.

Your Main Options at a Glance

In this guide: What arranging your own bail means | Check eligibility and the amount | Communication from custody | Using your own money | Cash bail | A commercial bond | Help from another person | If you cannot pay | Release and conditions | Checklist | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

What Does Bailing Yourself Out Actually Mean?

It means taking responsibility for arranging an authorized release using your own resources or an approved bond arrangement. It does not necessarily mean that you can personally walk to a bank or cashier while still in custody. The money and paperwork may need to move through the jail's approved procedures or an authorized helper.

California law recognizes a defendant's own participation. Penal Code 1275.1(h) expressly preserves the right to apply for release on bail personally or through the listed representatives, including an attorney, licensed bail agent, friend or family member. An application is still different from an approved release or a completed transaction.

The two questions to separate are what release is legally available and how to carry it out from custody. The first concerns the case and court orders. The second concerns accessible funds, acceptable payment, signatures and processing. Solving one does not automatically solve the other.

For a broader introduction to the system, see the beginner's guide to bail bonds. This article concentrates on the steps you can organize for your own release.

First Confirm That Bail Can Be Posted

Obtain the current booking and case information before committing money. Confirm your name as recorded, booking number, facility, case number if available, and the amount or release status that currently applies. A prior booking, old screenshot or amount from another county may describe a different situation.

Penal Code 1269b addresses acceptance of cash or an authorized surety bond in the amount fixed by a warrant, bail schedule or order. It distinguishes the judge's amount after a court appearance from the warrant or schedule amount used before that appearance. Bail therefore does not always begin with a judge setting a new number in your presence immediately after arrest.

Ask whether the amount is currently postable and whether another court decision is required. If the record says no bail, an unfamiliar hold or a status you do not understand, get that clarified through counsel and the responsible agency. A zero or blank field should not be treated as proof that the transaction is ready.

Check every custody basis

Section 1269b ties release after posting bail to the offense on which the bail is posted. Another case, warrant, sentence or independently lawful custody basis may remain. Ask what each unresolved entry concerns and which court or authority controls it.

The fact that you can fund one bond is useful, but it does not establish that every other matter has been cleared. If you are already serving a sentence or dealing with another form of custody, ask counsel which release rules actually apply rather than treating the pretrial bail process as universal.

How to Start the Process From Inside Jail

Communication is an early practical step. Ask staff how to make the appropriate call and how requests for documents, property or money are handled at your facility. Keep the booking number and current information available for the person assisting you.

Penal Code 851.5 gives an arrested person the right to at least three completed telephone calls immediately upon booking and, except where physically impossible, no later than three hours after arrest. The listed contacts include an attorney, a bail bondsman, and a relative or other person. The statute distinguishes local calls from calls at the arrestee's expense outside the local area.

The attorney call described by the statute is protected from monitoring and recording. Do not assume that every other call has the same status. Use the appropriate attorney channel for legal discussions, and use the bail conversation to clarify the release transaction and required documents.

Make the first conversation useful

Explain that you are asking about arranging your own release. Give the confirmed booking details and ask what information is still needed. Identify where your funds are located, whether you can access them through an approved process, and whether any helper will be involved.

Write down or retain the instructions you receive when possible. If one person is helping with the transaction, keep their role clear: obtaining information, delivering an authorized payment, receiving released property or considering a separate signed obligation are different tasks.

If a communication problem prevents you from understanding instructions, raise it with staff and counsel. Guessing at a payment destination or signing something you have not understood can create an avoidable problem.

How to Check Whether You Can Access Your Money

Money may be in a bank account, in property taken during booking, in a jail trust account or with someone outside. Those locations involve different access procedures. Ask where the money is held and which approval is required to release or use it.

An inmate-account deposit is not automatically a bail payment. A positive balance also does not establish that funds can be transferred immediately to a bail transaction. Identify the specific process before asking someone to deposit more money into an account.

Local examples show why the procedure matters

The Orange County Sheriff's Theo Lacy FAQ says that releasing personal property requires the incarcerated person's signature and that release of funds through the cashier requires a signed Cash Withdrawal Form. This is a local example of an authorization process, not a statewide promise that every trust balance can immediately be applied to bail.

At Sacramento County's RCCC, the official inmate-funds page describes a Property/Money Release form requested from floor staff, signed and forwarded for approval. Its posted instructions say money releases are reviewed Monday through Thursday. That illustrates why the existence of money and the timing of access can differ.

Confirm the current rules at your actual facility before relying on either example. Do not use another jail's form, pickup instructions or schedule simply because the purpose sounds similar.

Keep the money's purpose and recipient clear

Confirm whether you are making a court bail deposit, paying a company charge, placing money in a trust account or arranging a separate property transaction. Ask for the correct identifying information and receipt. Similar payment amounts do not make the transactions interchangeable.

If another person will act for you, follow the bank's and jail's actual authorization procedures. Explain the task precisely and keep a record of what was authorized. Do not assume that a casual message can replace a required signature or approval.

Arranging Your Own Cash Bail

Cash bail generally requires the full amount that must be deposited for the authorized release. The accepting agency's rules determine which payment methods are available and what verification is needed. The word cash does not mean every facility will accept every check, card or electronic transfer.

Confirm the exact amount, payee, location, hours relevant to the transaction and required identification. Ask whether a proposed check must be for the exact amount and whether the issuing institution must be contacted. An otherwise available payment may not be usable until those requirements are met.

For example, Orange County's dedicated cashier and bail page separates bail payments from inmate-account deposits and gives specific verification and payee instructions. A payment method accepted for bail may be excluded for a trust-account deposit. Follow the section for the transaction you are actually making.

Keep the deposit record

Retain the receipt and confirm the depositor information, case and bond references, amount and contact details. Ask how the deposit will be addressed when the court orders its release or another disposition. Do not assume a return is immediate, unconditional or payable to whichever person happened to deliver the instrument.

Cash posted with the court is also different from the premium charged for a commercial bond. Our cash bond versus surety bond guide explains that distinction. Compare the actual obligations and the amount of money tied up, not just whether one route feels more independent.

Arranging a Bond Directly With a Bail Agent

You can discuss an eligible bond arrangement directly with a licensed bail agent. Whether the company approves the arrangement and requires another signer or collateral depends on the actual transaction and its terms. The ability to call an agent is not a guarantee of approval without a cosigner.

A commercial surety bond is an undertaking backed by a surety insurer. The agent does not ordinarily take your premium and then deposit the entire face amount of the bond as cash with the court. The premium is a separate charge, and collateral may separately secure an obligation.

Ask for the total agreed charge, what must be paid now, any remaining payment obligation, what security is required and which documents you must sign. Have unfamiliar terms explained before accepting them. Do not assume every form concerns only the initial payment.

Obtain the paperwork you should receive

California's bail-transaction statement rule, section 2083, requires the specified statement to be delivered to the arrestee or principal negotiating person at release or immediately afterward. It includes transaction, charge, payment and collateral information. Ask how you will receive and retain your copies while in custody or after release.

If a cosigner is involved, that person needs to understand their own documents. A person helping deliver money does not answer every question about who guaranteed what. The cosigner-role guide explains the broader responsibilities without treating every helper as the same type of signer.

When Someone Else Helps With Your Money or Paperwork

Arranging your own bail can still involve practical help. You might authorize someone to obtain a permitted payment instrument, deliver it to the correct counter or receive property released through the jail's process. That does not remove the need to identify who is signing any separate financial agreement.

Explain the task and the limits of the authorization. Give the helper the correct booking and payment details, and ask them to keep the receipt and confirmation. Avoid an arrangement where several people act on different amounts or outdated instructions without telling one another.

If the company requests that the helper sign a guaranty, indemnity or collateral document, pause to have that specific obligation explained. The helper's role may be changing from carrying out an errand to accepting a financial commitment. Neither of you should assume the two are automatically equivalent.

If no one outside can assist

Tell the jail staff, your lawyer and the bail agent that you are trying to arrange the matter from custody without an outside helper. Ask which steps you can complete directly and which require a permitted alternative. A facility may have a particular process for a signature, money release or document delivery; do not invent your own substitute.

Keep the legal-release question moving at the same time. If the obstacle is an unaffordable amount rather than a missing errand, ask counsel about review of the release terms. If it is an administrative problem, identify the precise missing step so the appropriate office can address it.

What If You Cannot Afford the Current Amount?

Inability to pay does not mean the only possible course is waiting in jail until trial. Ask defense counsel about the available legal request, supporting financial information and nonfinancial release alternatives. Do not assume that a failed bond application is the same as a court ruling on every possible release route.

Penal Code 1270 provides for own-recognizance release in noncapital cases and addresses the specified misdemeanor-arraignment situations. OR is a court-authorized release with continuing obligations, not a commercial bond purchased at no charge. Our California OR guide explains that process.

The California Supreme Court's Humphrey decision requires individualized consideration of financial circumstances and less restrictive alternatives. Its April 2026 Kowalczyk decision further addresses constitutional detention limits and generally attainable monetary bail. Neither means every defendant automatically receives OR or that an existing order changes without the appropriate process.

Give counsel accurate information about income, accessible resources and practical release arrangements. Do not claim that a relative's money is available when that person has not agreed to provide it. A proposal should reflect what you can actually do, including attending court and complying with any ordered conditions.

A funds-source hold is a separate issue

If the court has imposed a source-of-funds hold under Penal Code 1275.1, simply calling the money your own does not resolve the court's question. The statute addresses probable cause to believe bail-related consideration was feloniously obtained and the required showing after that determination.

Work with counsel on the actual declaration, records and hearing requirements. Supply accurate information about the funds and any proposed loan. This is different from an ordinary cashier asking for verification of a check, and neither process should be bypassed by changing how a payment is described.

After Payment, Confirm Release and the Next Court Date

An accepted payment or bond and physical release are separate steps. Ask whether the transaction was accepted for the correct matter, whether another custody basis remains, and what processing is still required. A company receipt, bank confirmation and completed jail release each show a different event.

Follow the facility's actual pickup and property instructions. If someone is collecting you, give them a confirmed destination and current status rather than a guaranteed time based on a general webpage estimate. Company availability does not set the jail's processing schedule.

Before leaving, obtain the next court date, location and conditions. Paying with your own money does not cancel appearances, contact restrictions, reporting or other requirements that actually apply. If a condition is unclear or conflicts with work, travel or another obligation, have it clarified through the appropriate legal process.

Keep the transaction documents with the release papers. They may be needed for a later payment question, deposit return, collateral issue or proof of the arrangement. Update your contact information through the correct channels if it changes so future notices can reach you.

Two Hypothetical Self-Bail Situations

These examples are fictional and illustrate the process. They are not approval predictions or stories about company clients.

Enough money exists, but access needs authorization

A person has funds in a bank account and some money held by the jail. After confirming that bail is postable, they ask staff about the relevant withdrawal or property process and ask the accepting cashier which instrument is required. An authorized helper handles the permitted outside task and keeps the receipt.

The important steps are confirming release eligibility, gaining lawful access to the funds and using the right payment route. Merely knowing the account balance did not complete those steps.

A bond conversation reveals a separate court issue

A person contacts an agent directly and is ready to discuss the agreement. The current record, however, shows a court decision or another matter that must be addressed before release can be completed. The person gives the information to counsel and confirms the actual status before treating company approval as the final release decision.

The direct bond discussion remains useful, but the company transaction does not replace the court process. The person continues asking which step is pending rather than assuming every delay concerns payment.

A Step-by-Step Self-Bail Checklist

1. Confirm the current booking and case. Keep the correct identifying information and facility together.
2. Verify the release status. Ask whether the amount is postable and whether another court decision or custody basis remains.
3. Contact the appropriate people. Use the available calls to reach counsel, a licensed agent if needed and any trusted helper.
4. Identify accessible funds. Separate bank money, booking property, trust-account money and another person's resources.
5. Check the transaction instructions. Confirm the exact amount, payee, accepted method, destination and verification requirements.
6. Understand what you and any helper sign. Distinguish payment, indemnity, collateral and other obligations.
7. Keep receipts and copies. Confirm that the payment or bond was accepted for the correct matter.
8. Verify processing and release instructions. Do not assume a receipt alone means physical release is complete.
9. Take the next court date seriously. Keep the release order, hearing details and continuing conditions in one place.

How Bail Hotline Can Help

Everything above this section is written to be useful whether or not you ever call us. This is the one place we talk about ourselves.

Bail Hotline has been family-owned since 2004 and operates through DMCG, Inc., licensed by the California Department of Insurance under license 1845394. Our team is available 24/7 at (888) 958-1228.

Trying to arrange your own release? Start with a clear bond conversation.

Tell our team that you are calling about your own booking and explain which parts of the process you can handle directly. Bring the current booking, facility and bail information to the discussion. We can explain the bond process and the agreement questions that need attention, including the role of any person helping you.

Every cosigner is walked through the agreement. Dedicated posting agents work around the clock, and a large, complicated or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no; we consider the specific situation. Our support also includes text court-date reminders and appropriate warrant walk-through assistance when a court-date problem needs attention.

Every case is different, and the judge makes the final decision on court matters. We do not promise approval without a cosigner, a particular court result or a release time. Clear information lets the conversation focus on the bond arrangement that may be available in your actual case.

Use the locations directory for another office or read the bail FAQ for general questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a family member to pay my bail?

Not automatically. You can seek to arrange your own authorized release using accessible funds or an approved bond arrangement. A helper may still be needed for a practical step, and a company may require a separate signer under its terms. Confirm the actual requirements instead of assuming every role is the same.

Can I contact a bondsman directly from jail?

California's telephone-call statute includes a bail bondsman among the listed contacts. Ask staff how to make the appropriate call and provide your confirmed booking information. Direct contact does not guarantee approval or eliminate the documents and conditions of the transaction.

Can I use money held in my jail account?

Ask the facility about its permitted withdrawal or application process. A trust-account balance is not automatically an available bail payment, and written authorization or approval may be required. Follow the actual local instructions before asking anyone to send additional funds there.

Does a bail agent pay the court the entire bond amount in cash?

A commercial surety bond is generally an undertaking backed by an insurer, distinct from a full cash deposit with the court. The premium and any collateral have separate roles. Have the actual agreement explained before treating the company charge as the court's bail deposit.

Can I use a card or personal check to bail myself out?

Acceptance depends on the relevant agency and transaction rules. Verify the payment method, amount, payee and any required approval directly before relying on a card or check. Do not apply an inmate-account deposit rule to bail, or one county's policy to every jail.

If I cannot pay, do I have to stay until trial?

Ask counsel about available review and nonfinancial release options. California has OR procedures and constitutional requirements for individualized consideration. The result depends on the case; neither inability to pay nor a failed company application is a complete description of every possible legal route.

Does paying with my own money remove release conditions?

No. The actual court order and any agreement still govern appearances and other obligations. Obtain the current instructions and have unclear terms addressed through the appropriate process. The source of the payment does not decide every condition.

Why might I still be in custody after payment is accepted?

Confirm whether processing is complete and whether another case or independently lawful custody basis remains. The payment may address one matter while another step is unresolved. Ask for the specific status instead of relying on a general release-time estimate.

Sources and Scope

The main California sources are Penal Code 1269b, 1275.1, 1270, 851.5, the actual Humphrey and Kowalczyk opinions, and the bail-transaction statement rule. The California Department of Insurance's bail guidance provides additional consumer information.

Orange County and Sacramento instructions are local examples of funds and transaction procedures. They do not establish a universal statewide cashier schedule, payment method or time to release. Check current instructions at the facility handling the actual booking. This guide offers general information, not legal advice or approval of a particular bond, payment or loan.

Quick answer: A commercial bail bond without an additional co-signer depends on the agency's approved terms for the particular case. Ask who must sign, who must pay and whether any property must be pledged. No co-signer does not mean no premium, no collateral or no contractual responsibility. A defendant can apply personally for release on bail, but that does not require a private company to issue a bond on the requested terms. If the offered arrangement does not work, discuss other authorized release options with counsel.

Updated September 27, 2026. This guide helps California defendants and families compare a proposed bond when another co-signer is unavailable or unwilling. It uses current California statutes, bail regulations and Department of Insurance guidance. The approved documents and actual custody circumstances determine what is available in an individual case.

Start by Separating the Offer's Labels

In this guide: What no co-signer means | Court and company decisions | Make the request clear | No collateral and payment plans | Compare actual offers | Someone helping | If the offer does not fit | Changing an existing bond | Examples | Decision checklist | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

What Does a No Co-signer Bail Bond Actually Mean?

In an application conversation, no co-signer generally means the agency is being asked to proceed without another person guaranteeing a specified obligation. It does not describe a separate kind of court release with one standard set of terms. The actual proposed agreements show who is responsible.

The California Department of Insurance describes commercial bail bonds as surety bonds underwritten and issued through licensed bail agents representing licensed surety insurers. The insurer's role on the court bond is different from a friend or family member's private promise. A bond without an additional family guarantor is still a commercial surety arrangement.

The defendant may still make substantial promises

Read the defendant's own agreement rather than focusing only on whether someone else's signature appears. The documents may address payment, reimbursement of specified losses or expenses, collateral, contact requirements and other obligations. Removing an additional signer from the proposal does not automatically remove those terms.

Civil Code 2772 defines indemnity as a contract protecting another from specified legal consequences. An indemnity agreement, a premium-payment obligation and property security are related concepts, but they are not identical. Ask which promise each document creates and who is making it.

For the broader responsibilities of someone who does agree to sign, see our California bail bond co-signer guide. Here, the main task is deciding whether an available proposal works when an additional guarantor is not part of the plan.

Court Release and Company Approval Are Different Decisions

First confirm the person's current custody and release information. Identify the booking, case, amount and any other hold. An application for a bond cannot be evaluated reliably from an old amount or another person's case.

Penal Code 1269b addresses acceptance of cash or a surety bond under the applicable warrant, schedule or court order. It also makes clear that release upon posting concerns the offense for which bail is posted. A separate custody basis can therefore remain relevant.

The court's amount does not supply the private agreement's signers, payment schedule or collateral terms. Those need to be identified in the actual agency proposal. Likewise, a company discussing an application does not mean the jail has approved release or that all other holds have been resolved.

A defendant may apply personally, but approval is another question

Penal Code 1275.1(h) expressly recognizes that a defendant may apply personally for release on bail, as well as through the specified other people or entities. A relative is not the only person who can initiate that request.

That provision does not promise a no-cosigner commercial offer or require a particular agency to accept the defendant's requested terms. Keep the right to seek release separate from the agreement a company is prepared to issue.

How to Ask About a Bond Without an Additional Co-signer

Describe the situation directly: the defendant is seeking an arrangement without another person guaranteeing the obligation. Then ask the agency what it would require for that particular application. Do not rely only on an advertisement or an informal use of the phrase no cosigner.

A useful question is whether the proposed arrangement requires any person other than the defendant to promise payment, reimburse losses or pledge property. If the answer is yes, identify that person's precise role. A form labeled reference, contact or responsible party should be explained before someone assumes the title excludes financial responsibility.

Ask what information is needed and why

Have the current booking and case information available. Ask which applicant records or other details the agency needs to evaluate the request, how to provide them and who will make the decision. Supply accurate information and identify anything that is still being confirmed.

Do not treat a credit score, income figure or property value found online as a universal approval threshold. This guide does not supply an underwriting formula. Ask the actual provider to identify the requirements for the proposed transaction rather than predicting approval from a single personal characteristic.

If the defendant is in custody, clarify how communication and execution of the relevant documents will work. Someone may be able to relay information, but the agency still needs to establish whose consent and signature are required. A friend helping with a call should not assume that every document sent afterward is merely informational.

Distinguish an inquiry from a completed offer

Record whether the agency is gathering information, discussing possible terms or presenting an approved arrangement for execution. A conversation about what might be available is not the same as a final offer that covers the current case.

Before making a commitment, confirm the complete proposed terms and any outstanding approval conditions. If the circumstances change, such as a different bail amount or an additional case, ask whether the earlier proposal still applies.

Do Not Confuse No Co-signer With No Collateral or Financing

These labels answer different questions. No co-signer concerns another person's promise. No collateral concerns pledged security. A payment plan concerns the timing of a payment obligation. None of those descriptions automatically supplies the other two.

An approved arrangement without another guarantor may still involve the defendant's money or property. An arrangement without pledged property may still require another person's signature. A financed premium may create an unpaid balance even though no collateral was required.

Identify the owner and the obligation secured

If property is proposed, ask who owns it, who must authorize its use and what obligation it secures. Do not treat a family member's asset as the defendant's property merely because the family wants to help. The necessary consent and documents must be clear.

Our no-collateral bail bond guide explains that separate question. It also addresses why the absence of a pledged asset does not erase every possible personal financial obligation.

Payment timing does not determine who is liable

A smaller initial payment does not, by itself, show that the total commitment is smaller or that no one else must guarantee it. Identify the total agreed premium obligation, the amount due now, later installments, required signers and any separately supported charges.

If another person is asked to guarantee installments, that is a meaningful part of the proposal even if the marketing headline emphasizes something else. Have the role and documents explained rather than assuming a payment plan is automatically a no-cosigner arrangement.

Compare the Actual Obligations Before Choosing

Compare complete proposals on the same facts. The relevant question is which available arrangement the participants can understand and meet. There is no universal best option based solely on the presence or absence of an additional signature.

Potential advantages of an approved no-cosigner arrangement

If the final agreement does not require another guarantor, a friend or relative is not taking on that additional promise through this transaction. The defendant can evaluate the approved obligations without asking someone else to accept that role.

This can simplify a family's decision about who is willing to commit financially. It does not mean the defendant has no responsibility, that the terms are automatically more affordable or that every applicant will receive such an offer.

Potential limits and tradeoffs

The desired arrangement may not be offered on acceptable terms for the particular case. The defendant may still need to meet payment or security requirements, provide information and comply with the agreement after release. An application also does not resolve a separate court hold.

If the alternative proposal includes another guarantor, that person's willingness and understanding matter. A faster answer to a family disagreement is not necessarily an informed financial decision. Compare the actual commitments without pressuring someone to sign a promise they do not understand or cannot accept.

Get a clear explanation of charges

Title 10, section 2081 limits what a California bail licensee may collect in a bail transaction. It distinguishes premium, collateral and specified expense reimbursement. An unfamiliar charge should be explained by reference to the actual agreement and applicable rule.

The absence of a co-signer does not itself establish the price or payment schedule. Ask for the complete written proposal, not just an amount described over the phone. A deposit, a premium payment and security held as collateral should not be treated as interchangeable labels.

When a Friend or Relative Helps Without Intending to Guarantee Debt

A person can support the process in different ways: locating case information, helping arrange a call, organizing documents or providing practical support after release. Identify what that person is actually agreeing to do instead of treating every helpful act as the same contractual role.

If the person will make a payment, pledge an asset or sign a document, clarify that step separately. The purpose, recipient and terms matter. Do not assume that a casual description such as just helping settles the legal effect of a signed agreement.

Read the signature's purpose before signing

Ask which document is being signed and whether it creates a payment obligation, indemnity promise, security interest, acknowledgment or something else. Review the full document, including incorporated terms, rather than only the signature page.

Section 2099 requires the bail licensee to tender a copy of an executed document to the person executing it while bail is negotiated. Section 2084 separately addresses written guarantor agreements and prompt delivery of a copy upon execution. Keep the documents that actually record the role.

If a proposal described as no co-signer later requires another person's guarantee, pause to have the change explained before accepting it. The question is whether the final arrangement is understood and acceptable, not whether everyone remembers the same advertising phrase.

Verify the provider before sharing application information

The Department of Insurance's consumer tips recommend checking an agent's license and being alert to websites that imitate government or jail services. Use the department's bail information and license-check links to identify the provider.

Confirm the business and its contact route before sending sensitive documents or money. A search result or unsolicited message should not be mistaken for the court or jail. This verification is especially useful when a stressed family is comparing several offers by telephone.

What to Discuss if No Acceptable Bond Arrangement Is Available

An agency's proposed terms and the court's release options are different subjects. If the private arrangement does not work, tell counsel what the actual obstacle is: no willing guarantor, an unaffordable payment obligation, unavailable security or another issue. A precise explanation is more useful than saying only that bail is impossible.

Ask about court-authorized alternatives

Penal Code 1270 addresses own-recognizance release, including its qualified misdemeanor provisions. Counsel can assess whether an OR request or another review of the release conditions is appropriate. Such a request is not a guarantee of approval or immediate release.

Our own-recognizance guide explains that route. A court-authorized nonmonetary release is different from an agency agreeing to waive an additional private guarantor.

Compare cash bail only if it is actually available and feasible

Cash bail generally involves the full required deposit through the authorized court or custody process, rather than purchasing a commercial surety bond. Confirm the current amount, accepted payment method, depositor information and any additional custody issue before treating it as an available option.

The money's treatment also differs from a commercial premium. Ask the receiving court or agency about the applicable deposit and return procedures rather than assuming every payment in a bail-related transaction follows one rule. The California bail-amount guide provides broader context for the court side of the decision.

If a new borrowing arrangement is being considered to fund any option, understand that separate obligation as well. This guide does not recommend a lender or determine what debt a person can afford. Avoid solving one unclear commitment by entering another one without understanding it.

An Existing Co-signer Is Not Removed by a New Advertisement

This guide primarily concerns a proposed bond. If someone has already signed, a later advertisement for a no-cosigner product does not itself change the existing agreement or release that person from an obligation.

Ask the agency and, where appropriate, counsel how the current arrangement can be reviewed. Identify any unpaid balance, property security and court issue before assuming a replacement is simple. Get clear written confirmation of an actual agreed change and its scope.

For that different process, see removing a co-signer's name from a bail bond. Do not assume a private request to withdraw automatically cancels a court order, replaces the bond or erases every signed promise.

Three Hypothetical Application Situations

These examples are fictional comparisons, not client outcomes, price quotations or approval predictions.

The defendant asks to be the only private obligor

The defendant asks an agency to evaluate a proposal without an additional guarantor. The agency identifies the proposed payment, documents and any security requirement. The defendant checks the complete terms before deciding whether the arrangement is acceptable. The inquiry alone is not treated as an approved bond.

The offer says no collateral but includes a friend's guarantee

A family sees an offer that requires no pledged property, then receives an agreement asking a friend to guarantee a payment obligation. They identify the difference between collateral and a personal guarantee. The friend reviews the actual commitment rather than assuming the no-collateral label also meant no co-signer.

A relative will help with logistics but will not guarantee debt

A relative helps gather the booking number and organize a call but does not want to undertake a financial guarantee. That limitation is stated clearly. If the proposed arrangement later requires the relative's signature or property, the family reviews that new request as a separate decision rather than silently expanding the original offer of help.

A Focused Checklist Before Committing

1. Confirm the current case and custody information. Use the correct defendant, booking, amount and hold information.
2. State the requested arrangement plainly. Explain whether another guarantor, pledged property or a payment plan is available.
3. Identify every required signer. Ask what each document obligates that person to do.
4. Compare the complete terms. Separate premium, balance, expenses, security and remaining approval conditions.
5. Keep the actual records. Obtain executed documents and receipts for the steps completed.
6. Resolve mismatched descriptions. If the papers differ from the offer, get the difference explained before proceeding.
7. Discuss alternatives when necessary. Counsel addresses court-release options; the agency explains its proposed bond agreement.

Section 2083 requires a numbered transaction statement at release or immediately afterward to the specified recipient. It includes charges, amounts received, any unpaid balance and collateral information. Keep that record with the agreements so the approved arrangement can be understood after the urgent application stage has passed.

How Bail Hotline Can Help

Everything above this section is written to be useful whether or not you ever call us. This is the one place we talk about ourselves.

Bail Hotline has been family-owned since 2004 and operates through DMCG, Inc., licensed by the California Department of Insurance under license 1845394. Our team is available 24/7 at (888) 958-1228.

No willing co-signer? Start with the actual bond requirements.

Bring the current case information and explain the situation. Our team can discuss the bond process and the agreement questions that need attention, including who would need to sign. Every cosigner is walked through the agreement so the commitment is clear.

Dedicated posting agents are available around the clock. A large, complicated or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no; we consider the particular case. Support through the case includes text court-date reminders and appropriate warrant walk-through assistance when an appearance problem arises.

Every case is different, and the judge makes the final decision on court matters. We explain the available bond steps without promising a no-cosigner approval, a court outcome or a particular release time. The goal is a clear understanding of the actual arrangement before anyone commits.

Use our locations directory for another office and the bail FAQ for general process questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a defendant ask for bail without a relative making the application?

Yes. Penal Code 1275.1(h) recognizes a defendant's personal application for release on bail. That does not guarantee the court's decision or a private agency's approval of a no-cosigner commercial agreement. Confirm both the release route and the actual offer.

Does no co-signer mean no collateral?

No. Another person's guarantee and pledged security are different issues. The proposed agreement may address one, both or neither in a particular way. Ask about each separately instead of relying on the headline.

Does no co-signer mean the bond is free or has no payment obligation?

No. The defendant may still have a premium agreement and other lawful contractual responsibilities. Confirm the total obligation, current payment, balance and any security. A commercial premium is different from money deposited directly as cash bail.

Is there one credit score that guarantees a no-cosigner bond?

This guide provides no universal underwriting cutoff or approval formula. Ask the provider which requirements apply to the actual application and whether the proposal has been approved. An online number or another person's experience is not a guarantee.

Can someone help with information without intending to guarantee the bond?

Practical assistance and a financial promise are different roles. Make the intended help clear, and have any proposed signature, payment or property commitment explained separately. Keep the documents recording what the person actually agreed to do.

What if the paperwork asks for a guarantor after I was told no co-signer?

Ask the agency to explain the difference before proceeding. Identify the obligation being guaranteed and whether the proposal changed. Do not assume that a form's label or an earlier conversation settles the meaning of the final documents.

What if no offered commercial arrangement works?

Tell counsel the specific obstacle and ask about the court-authorized release options appropriate to the case. Cash bail, OR release and a different approved commercial proposal involve different requirements. None should be assumed available without checking the current circumstances.

Can an existing co-signer simply switch to a no-cosigner arrangement?

A new advertisement or request does not itself change an existing agreement. Have the agency and counsel as appropriate review the current obligations and any proposed modification. Obtain confirmation of the actual completed change before assuming the original signer has been released.

Sources and Scope

The guide uses current Penal Code 1269b, 1275.1 and 1270; Civil Code 2772; the cited title 10 bail regulations; and Department of Insurance licensing and consumer guidance. It does not supply a standardized underwriting policy, determine an individual's debt or promise that a particular company will issue a requested bond.

The useful comparison is between the actual available arrangements: who signs, what each person promises, what is paid or pledged, and what remains subject to approval. Keep the court's release decision and the private contract review clear throughout that process.

Updated September 2026. Written for California families, cosigners, and anyone who has been arrested and wants to know who can see what. It explains the law behind public access to bail and arrest records: what the jail must release, what the court file shows, when a cosigner’s name becomes public, what stays private, and how records get sealed. Checked against the California Constitution, the Public Records Act, the Penal Code, the Rules of Court, published court decisions, and each county’s own records pages. For step-by-step lookups, see our companion bail bond records guide.

Quick answer: Mostly yes, but not all of it, and not for the same reason. In California, the facts of an arrest and the bail are public by law: police and sheriffs must release the person’s name, the charges, “The amount of bail set,” and “The time and manner of release” to anyone who asks (Gov. Code 7923.610). The bail bond itself is filed in the criminal case, and court records are presumed open (Rule of Court 2.550). What is not public is the bail company’s own file, including the cosigner’s application, finances, and agreement, and your statewide criminal history, which only listed agencies may see. A cosigner’s name usually never appears in the court file. It can become public in three situations: when that person deposits cash bail at the court, when they put up a house that is recorded as collateral, or when a court holds a hearing on where the bail money came from. Records can later be sealed, but sealing does not reach copies that private websites already made.

Bail and Arrest Records at a Glance

Short on time? This table is the whole article in miniature. Every row is explained and sourced below.