Bail Bond Industry

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.

In this guide: The short legal answer | Where the right of access comes from | What the jail must release | What the court file shows | Who posted bail | Are bail hearings open? | Are bond conditions public? | What stays private | Mugshots | People-search sites | Who can use the record | Sealing and Clean Slate | Real cases | The data | In their words | Outside California | County records table | What families should do | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

The Short Legal Answer: Three Kinds of Bail Records, Three Sets of Rules

“Is bail public record?” sounds like a yes or no question. In California it is really three questions, because an arrest and a bail bond create records in three different places, and a different body of law controls each one.

1. Law enforcement records (the jail and the arresting agency). These fall under the California Public Records Act, which makes a specific list of arrest facts public, including the bail amount, and lets agencies keep their investigation files closed.

2. Court records (the criminal case file). The bail bond is filed in the criminal case. Courts are not covered by the Public Records Act at all. Access to court files comes from a separate tradition: the common law, the First Amendment, and the California Rules of Court, which start from the rule that “court records are presumed to be open” (Rule 2.550(c)).

3. Private records (the bail company’s file). The application, the cosigner’s agreement, receipts, and financial information belong to a licensed private business. They are open to state insurance regulators, not to the public.

So the honest answer is:

• The fact of an arrest, the charges, and the bail amount: public.
• The bond and what happens to it in court: public, with most documents viewable at the courthouse rather than online.
• Who guaranteed the bond, their finances, and what they pledged: private, with three specific exceptions covered below.
• A person’s full criminal history across the state: not public.

Much of what ranks online for this question gets that split wrong. Some pages say who posted bail is secret by law everywhere. Others say “all arrest records” are open. Neither is right for California, and the difference matters to anyone who has just cosigned a bond or who is worried about what an employer or neighbor can find.

Where the Right to See These Records Comes From

The California Constitution

Since voters passed Proposition 59 in 2004, the state Constitution has said: “The people have the right of access to information concerning the conduct of the people’s business” (Cal. Const. art. I, sec. 3(b)(1)). It also sets a rule for reading every law on the subject. A law “shall be broadly construed if it furthers the people’s right of access, and narrowly construed if it limits the right of access” (art. I, sec. 3(b)(2)). The same section also preserves the separate constitutional right to privacy, which is why the answer to most records questions is a balance rather than a flat yes.

The Public Records Act covers police and sheriffs, not courts

The California Public Records Act (often shortened to CPRA) was renumbered in 2023 and now begins at Gov. Code 7920.000. It covers state and local agencies, which include sheriffs and police departments. It does not cover courts. The definition of “state agency” excludes the bodies created by Article VI of the Constitution, which is the article that creates the courts (Gov. Code 7920.540), and the list of “local agencies” does not include courts either (Gov. Code 7920.510).

That has practical effects:

• A Public Records Act request to a sheriff gets a determination within 10 days of receipt, which can be extended by up to 14 days in unusual circumstances (Gov. Code 7922.535). The agency may charge only the “direct costs of duplication” unless a specific statutory fee applies (Gov. Code 7922.530). In 2025, the Legislature added a cyberattack that takes an agency’s systems offline as another reason to extend the deadline (AB 370, Stats. 2025, ch. 34).
• A request to a court for a case file is not a Public Records Act request. The court follows the Rules of Court and charges the fees set by state law, commonly $0.50 a page, $40 to certify a document, and $15 for a search that takes more than 10 minutes. The courts’ own public records rule, Rule 10.500, covers court budgets, contracts, and other administrative records, and says it “does not apply to, modify or otherwise affect existing law regarding public access to adjudicative records.”

Courts are open by tradition and by the First Amendment

California courts recognized long ago that “court records are public records, available to the public in general, including news reporters, unless a specific exception makes specific records nonpublic” (Estate of Hearst (1977) 67 Cal.App.3d 777). The U.S. Supreme Court held that the First Amendment gives the public a qualified right to attend criminal preliminary hearings, in a case that began in a Riverside County courtroom (Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court (1986) 478 U.S. 1). The California Supreme Court later applied the same right to civil proceedings and set out the test a judge must meet before closing a courtroom (NBC Subsidiary (KNBC-TV), Inc. v. Superior Court (1999) 20 Cal.4th 1178).

The Rules of Court now put that test in writing for court records. A judge may seal a record only after expressly finding that “there exists an overriding interest that overcomes the right of public access,” that the interest would likely be harmed without sealing, that the sealing “is narrowly tailored,” and that no less restrictive means would work (Rule 2.550(d)). The parties cannot simply agree to it: “the court may not permit a record to be filed under seal based solely on the agreement or stipulation of the parties” (Rule 2.551).

What the Jail Must Tell Anyone Who Asks

Police investigation files are generally exempt from disclosure (Gov. Code 7923.600), and the California Supreme Court has held that the exemption covers investigation records even before any enforcement action is “concrete and definite” (Haynie v. Superior Court (2001) 26 Cal.4th 1061). But the Legislature carved the basic facts of every arrest out of that shield. Police and sheriffs “shall make public” (Gov. Code 7923.610):

• “The full name and occupation of every individual arrested,” plus a physical description including date of birth
• The time, date, and place of arrest, and “The time and date of booking”
• “All charges the individual is being held upon, including any outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions, parole holds, and probation holds”
• “The amount of bail set”
• “The time and manner of release or the location where the individual is currently being held”

Two limits come with that list.

Safety and investigations. An agency may hold back an item if releasing it would endanger someone involved in an investigation or the investigation itself. That exception works item by item, not as a blanket reason to refuse everything.

Current activity, not a history database. A 1993 appellate decision held that this duty covers current police activity and does not force an agency to compile years of past arrest information on request (County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Kusar) (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 588). That is one reason California has no statewide archive where anyone can look up old bail amounts.

Some details about an arrest are protected on purpose:

• Home addresses. Police release an arrested person’s current address only to a requester who declares under penalty of perjury that the request is for a scholarly, journalistic, political, or governmental purpose, or for a licensed private investigator, and the address may not be used to sell a product or service (Gov. Code 7923.620).
• Victims. For sex offenses, domestic violence, stalking, and other listed crimes, a victim’s name may be withheld at the victim’s request (Gov. Code 7923.615; PC 293).

In practice, most sheriffs publish the booking facts through an online inmate locator, and many list the bail amount there. When a locator leaves the bail amount out, the jail’s records or custody line still has to give it to you. The county table below lists where each sheriff takes records requests, and our guides on how to read California jail records and how to find someone in jail cover the locators themselves.

What the Court File Makes Public About a Bail Bond

Money or a bond posted at the jail does not stay at the jail. It “shall be transmitted immediately to the judge or clerk of the court” handling the case (PC 1269b). From then on, the bond is part of the criminal case file, and the law requires it to say a good deal about itself.

• The docket entry. “Upon filing, the clerk shall enter in the register of actions the date and amounts of such bond and the name or names of the surety or sureties thereon” (PC 1269). The “surety” on a commercial bond is the insurance company, not the family member who cosigned.
• The bail agency. Every bond must carry “the bail agent license number of the owner of the bail agency issuing the undertaking along with the name, address, and phone number of the agency” (PC 1278(b)).
• The agent’s authority. The agent signs under a power of attorney from the insurer that must be “on file in the office of the clerk of the county” (PC 1276).
• What happens to the bond. Forfeiture notices, reinstatements, and exoneration are court orders, so they land in the same public file. Our guides to what happens if your bond is revoked and what “bond exonerated” means explain those steps.

The judge’s reasons go on the record

The Constitution requires that “When a judge or magistrate grants or denies bail or release on a person’s own recognizance, the reasons for that decision shall be stated in the record and included in the court’s minutes” (Cal. Const. art. I, sec. 28(f)(3)). The California Supreme Court has repeated that duty twice in recent years. In In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135, it held that courts must consider a person’s ability to pay and state their reasons on the record. In In re Kowalczyk, decided April 30, 2026, it held that bail must be set in an amount “reasonably attainable” given the defendant’s circumstances and again told courts to state their bail findings in the record. The result is that the “why” behind a bail amount, not only the number, ends up in the public minute order.

Online or at the courthouse

“Public” does not always mean “online.” For criminal cases, courts must offer electronic access to documents “at the courthouse” to the extent feasible, not remotely (Rule 2.503(c)). Courts can post indexes, calendars, and registers of actions online, but those online versions must leave out a list of personal details, including Social Security numbers, “Any financial information,” victim and witness information, and dates of birth (Rule 2.507(c)). The rule does not define “financial information,” and courts differ on what they show online; Los Angeles, for example, says it has no plans to put bail or bond status online. A presiding judge may allow remote access to documents in a case with an “extraordinarily high” number of requests (Rule 2.503(e)), which is rare.

How long the record lasts

Courts keep criminal files on a schedule set by statute (Gov. Code 68152). For most felonies, the court must “retain judgment permanently” and keep other documents “for 50 years or the maximum term of the sentence, whichever is longer.” Dismissed felony charges are kept for three years, most misdemeanors for five years, and dismissed misdemeanors for one year. A bond’s docket entries live as long as the case file does.

Who Posted Bail: When a Name Becomes Public, and When It Does Not

This is the most searched question about bail records, and the answer depends almost entirely on how the bail was posted.

A commercial bail bond

When a family buys a bail bond, the cosigner (the law calls this person the guarantor or indemnitor) signs a private contract with the bail company. The bond that goes to court is a promise by the insurance company. Nothing in the Penal Code’s bail chapter requires the cosigner’s name on that bond or on the docket. The paperwork the cosigner signs stays in the bail company’s file, and that file is open to “the commissioner or the commissioner’s representatives,” meaning the state Insurance Commissioner, not the public (10 CCR 2100).

So if you are trying to learn which friend or relative bailed someone out, the court record will usually tell you only which bail company wrote the bond. The company will not tell you who signed. (For what the role involves, see our guide to your role as a bail bond cosigner.) For how to see the bond itself, see our bail bond records guide.

When a house is used as collateral

Real estate works differently, because land records are public in their own right. Los Angeles County’s consumer affairs department warns homeowners: “When you bail someone out of jail, the bail bond company will record a Deed of Trust against your home” (LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs). Any document “affecting the title to or possession of real property may be recorded” with the county recorder (Gov. Code 27280), and recorder indexes can be searched by name. A search of the homeowner’s name can turn up a deed of trust in favor of a bail company, even though the same person appears nowhere in the criminal case. When the bond is exonerated and the obligation ends, the lien should be released, and our guide to removing a bail bond lien on property covers that step.

The Penal Code also lets “any other person” put up bonds or “any equity in real property which he or she owns” directly with the court instead of using a bail company (PC 1298). That is a transaction with the court itself. The law requires “A hearing, at which witnesses may be called or examined,” to value the equity, which must be worth twice the cash bail, so the owner and the property become part of the court’s own record.

Cash bail

Anyone may deposit the full bail amount in cash (PC 1295). When they do, “a receipt shall be issued in the name of the depositor” (PC 1297), and the refund goes to that person when they turn in the receipt. The depositor’s name becomes part of the court’s own records. That is the one payment method where the law builds a non-defendant’s name into the case. Our guide to cash bond vs. bail compares the two.

The source-of-funds hearing (the “bail hold”)

A judge can order a hold on release when a peace officer or prosecutor files a sworn declaration, or the judge finds probable cause, that the money or collateral behind the bail was “feloniously obtained” (PC 1275.1). If the declaration is not acted on within 24 hours, the person must be released once the bail is posted. At the hearing, the defendant must show “that no part of any consideration, pledge, security, deposit, or indemnification paid, given, made, or promised for its execution was obtained by felonious means.” The “execution” is the posting of the bail. Those words reach the premium, the collateral, and a cosigner’s promise, so the hearing can involve family finances, bank records, and property.

The same statute gives families a privacy tool. “At the request of any person providing any portion” of the money or security, the judge “may close it to the general public to protect the person’s right to privacy in his or her financial affairs.” The closure is not automatic. The person who put up the money has to ask, and the judge decides. These holds are uncommon, but if one is placed, ask the defense lawyer about requesting a closed hearing before anyone testifies about their finances.

A collection lawsuit

If a bail company sues a cosigner over unpaid premium or a forfeited bond, that lawsuit is an ordinary civil case, and civil court files are public. The cosigner’s name, and whatever the pleadings say about the debt, become part of that record. Without a lawsuit, the cosigner’s role stays in the private file. If you want off a bond entirely, our guide on how to get your name off a bail bond explains the options.

Are Bail Hearings Open to the Public?

Yes. In California, bail hearings happen in open court as a rule, and closing one takes specific findings.

• Some bail decisions must be made in open court. For people arrested for serious or violent felonies, specified domestic violence crimes, stalking, criminal threats, and certain protective order violations, a judge may release them on less than scheduled bail or on their own recognizance only after “a hearing shall be held in open court” (PC 1270.1).
• The First Amendment reaches pretrial hearings. The U.S. Supreme Court held that “Public access to such preliminary hearings is essential to the proper functioning of the criminal justice system” and that closure needs findings that it “is essential to preserve higher values and is narrowly tailored to serve that interest” (Press-Enterprise, 478 U.S. 1). A federal appeals court applied the same reasoning to bail hearings specifically (United States v. Chagra (5th Cir. 1983) 701 F.2d 354). That decision does not bind California courts, but no California case has held the opposite.
• Preliminary hearings can be closed only on the defendant’s request and a finding that closure “is necessary in order to protect the defendant’s right to a fair and impartial trial” (PC 868).
• The financial exception. A source-of-funds hearing can be closed at the request of the person who put up the money, as described above.

Anyone can walk into most arraignment courtrooms and watch bail being argued. What is said there, and the judge’s reasons, go into the record.

Are Bond Conditions Public Record?

Generally, yes. Conditions of release, such as no-contact orders, travel limits, drug testing, or electronic monitoring, are set by court order and recorded in the minutes, so they are part of the public case file. The practical limit is access, not secrecy. For criminal cases, most counties show the next court date and basic case events online, while the minute order that lists the conditions is usually viewed at the courthouse or ordered by mail.

Some pieces tied to conditions are handled more carefully:

• Protective orders. A criminal protective order is a court order, but the protected person’s contact details are kept out of the public paperwork, and victim information must be left out of online court indexes (Rule 2.507(c)).
• Safe at Home participants. Victims of domestic violence, stalking, sexual assault, human trafficking, and certain other threats can enroll in the Secretary of State’s Safe at Home program, which gives them a substitute address to use on public records.

For a step-by-step look at finding a bond amount and conditions in a specific case, see the lookup section of our bail bond records guide.

What Stays Private: The Cosigner’s File and Your Criminal History

The bail company’s file

A licensed bail agency must keep “complete records of all business done” under its license, and those records “shall be open to inspection or examination by the commissioner or the commissioner’s representatives at all reasonable times” (10 CCR 2100). No regulation gives the public that right, and the Public Records Act does not apply, because a private bail company is not a government agency. Your application, employment details, references, financial statements, and the terms of your agreement stay between you, the company, and state regulators.

You have your own right to that paperwork. The bail company must give you copies of anything you sign (10 CCR 2099) and a receipt for any collateral (10 CCR 2083). One document is required by statute rather than by contract: if you cosign a payment plan for the premium, you must be given a “Notice to Cosigner” before you become obligated on the debt (Civ. Code 1799.91). Our own history with that notice is in the section about us. Collateral is held “in a fiduciary capacity” and kept separate from the company’s own money (10 CCR 2088).

Which general privacy law protects a cosigner’s data is less settled than people assume. California’s Insurance Information and Privacy Protection Act covers insurance agents and “insurance institutions” (Ins. Code 791.02), and its definition of agent reaches the chapter that licenses bail agents, but we found no court decision or Department of Insurance ruling applying it to a bail transaction. The California Consumer Privacy Act applies only to businesses above set size thresholds (Civ. Code 1798.140). The clear, confirmed rule is the regulation: the file is for you, the company, and the Insurance Commissioner.

Your statewide criminal history

The Department of Justice’s statewide record, the “state summary criminal history information” or rap sheet, lists arrests, charges, and outcomes. It goes only to agencies and people the law names, such as courts, police, prosecutors, and the person it covers (PC 11105). Local agencies keep a similar local summary with its own list of who may receive it (PC 13300). Handing a state rap sheet to someone not authorized to receive it is a misdemeanor (PC 11142). You can request your own record through the Department of Justice record review process.

That creates a real gap between what is public and what feels public. Each arrest’s booking facts and each court case are open one at a time. The compiled history that ties them together is not. In 1994, a court refused to let a data reseller buy bulk copies of Los Angeles County’s criminal case database, explaining that “there is a qualitative difference between obtaining information from a specific docket or on a specified individual, and obtaining docket information on every person against whom criminal charges are pending” (Westbrook v. County of Los Angeles (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 157).

Juvenile records

A juvenile case file “may be inspected only by” the people and agencies listed in Welf. & Inst. Code 827. Juvenile records can also be sealed by petition (WIC 781) or, in many cases, after satisfactory completion of probation (WIC 786). Juvenile court does not use bail, so there is no juvenile bail bond to look up.

Mugshots: The Least Settled Part of the Law

Booking photos cause more worry than any other arrest record, and the law behind them is thinner than most people expect.

No statute or court decision requires their release. The First Amendment Coalition reports that there is “no California case that discusses whether the Public Records Act requires release of booking photographs” (FAC). Sheriffs rely instead on a 2003 Attorney General opinion, which concluded that “A sheriff has discretion to furnish copies of photographs of arrested persons, commonly known as ‘mug shots,’ in response to a request from a member of the general public, including the news media; however, once a copy is furnished to one member of the general public, a copy must be made available to all who make a request” (Opinion No. 03-205). Attorney General opinions guide agencies but do not bind courts.

A mugshot is not a confidential rap sheet. When a newspaper ran two arrested men’s booking photos and robbery victims recognized them, the men argued police had illegally released criminal history information. The Court of Appeal disagreed: “A mug shot is not a ‘record or information obtained from a record’ within the meaning of the statutes here relied upon” (People v. McCloud (1983) 146 Cal.App.3d 180).

Police social media is limited. A police department or sheriff “shall not share, on social media, booking photos of an individual arrested on suspicion of committing a nonviolent crime” unless a narrow exception applies, such as a fugitive or an imminent threat, and must remove a posted booking photo within 14 days unless an exception applies (PC 13665, added by AB 1475 in 2021 and amended by AB 994 in 2023). The rule covers social media, not a sheriff’s own inmate locator.

Pay-to-remove sites are illegal. Anyone who publishes booking photos may not “solicit, require, or accept the payment of a fee or other consideration” to remove, change, or stop publishing one. A person who is charged can sue for the greater of $1,000 per violation or actual damages, plus attorney’s fees, and each payment counts as a separate violation (Civ. Code 1798.91.1). In 2018, the Attorney General filed criminal charges against four people behind Mugshots.com, alleging they took “more than $64,000 in removal fees from approximately 175 individuals with billing addresses in California” and more than $2 million nationally (California DOJ, May 16, 2018). Those were charges, not findings of guilt.

Federal agencies treat mugshots as private. A federal appeals court held in 2016 that “Individuals enjoy a non-trivial privacy interest in their booking photos” under the federal Freedom of Information Act (Detroit Free Press v. DOJ (6th Cir. 2016)), and the U.S. Marshals Service’s policy is not to release post-arrest booking photos except for law enforcement purposes (USMS policy). Those rules apply to federal agencies, not to California sheriffs.

People-Search Sites, Data Brokers, and the Delete Act

Search a name after an arrest and you will likely find “arrest record” and “court record” sites that are not run by any government. They exist because each underlying record is public, and California privacy law has a hard time reaching copies of public records.

The Consumer Privacy Act does not cover public records. Its definition of personal information excludes “information that is lawfully made available from federal, state, or local government records” (Civ. Code 1798.140(v)(2)). A deletion request under that law does not force a site to remove a copied arrest or court entry.

The Delete Act and DROP. California’s Delete Act (Civ. Code 1798.99.80 and following) requires data brokers to register with the California Privacy Protection Agency. The agency’s free Delete Request and Opt-out Platform, called DROP, opened to Californians on January 1, 2026, and registered data brokers had to start processing those requests on August 1, 2026 (CPPA). DROP can reach a broker’s own profiles, but information the government makes available to the public is outside what it can delete. It is still worth using, because many people-search profiles mix public court entries with addresses, relatives, and phone numbers that are not public records.

Copied records are often wrong. A 2019 National Consumer Law Center review of background reports for 101 people found that “74 percent of total criminal charges reported on 101 participants’ reports did not have matches in official state reports” (NCLC, Broken Records Redux). In 2015, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau said that “nearly 70 percent of criminal history disputes consumers filed with GIS resulted in some change or correction,” in an action against two screening companies that ordered $10.5 million in relief (CFPB, October 29, 2015).

A people-search site is not a background check company, legally. When a report is used for a job, an apartment, or a license, the company selling it is a consumer reporting agency with duties under federal and California law, including accuracy and dispute rights. The next section explains what those laws let employers and screeners use.

Who Can Use a Bail or Arrest Record Against You

A record being public does not mean anyone can use it for anything. California limits how employers, landlords, background check companies, and licensing boards use arrests, and one exception matters while a bail case is open.

• Employers and applications. Employers may not ask about “an arrest or detention that did not result in conviction” or sealed and dismissed convictions (Labor Code 432.7). But the law “shall not prevent an employer from asking an employee or applicant for employment about an arrest for which the employee or applicant is out on bail or on their own recognizance pending trial.” A pending case is fair game for that question until it ends.
• The Fair Chance Act. Employers with five or more employees may not ask about conviction history before a conditional job offer, may not consider arrests without conviction, diversion, or sealed or dismissed convictions, and must do an individualized assessment and give written notice and at least five business days to respond before withdrawing an offer over a conviction (Gov. Code 12952; 2 CCR 11017.1). Los Angeles and San Francisco have their own local fair chance ordinances.
• Background check companies in California. An investigative consumer report may not include arrest or conviction records that “antedate the report by more than seven years,” and an arrest must stop being reported once it is learned that “a conviction did not result” (Civ. Code 1786.18). Records of a case still waiting on judgment can be reported. The California Supreme Court confirmed in 2018 that employers must follow this law’s separate disclosure and consent rules (Connor v. First Student, Inc. (2018) 5 Cal.5th 1026).
• Federal credit reporting law. The federal Fair Credit Reporting Act bars reporting arrest records older than seven years, but that limit does not apply to jobs expected to pay $75,000 a year or more (15 U.S.C. 1681c). California’s own seven-year rule in Civil Code 1786.18 has no similar salary exception.
• Housing. Under California’s fair housing regulations, housing providers may not consider arrests that did not lead to a conviction, and must assess criminal history individually rather than using blanket bans (Civil Rights Department FAQ).
• Professional licenses. A licensing board “shall not deny a license on the basis of an arrest that resulted in a disposition other than a conviction” (Bus. & Prof. Code 480).

Making a Record Private Again: Sealing and Clean Slate

Most California bail records do not stay public forever. The law offers several ways to close them, and one of them now happens without anyone filing anything.

Sealing an arrest that did not end in a conviction. A person can petition to seal such an arrest (PC 851.91). Sealed records are marked “ARREST SEALED: DO NOT RELEASE OUTSIDE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR,” a notation that “shall be included on all master court dockets, digital or otherwise,” and knowingly spreading a sealed record without authorization can bring a civil penalty of $500 to $2,500 (PC 851.92). The bail bond sits in the same case docket, so its entries are covered by the same seal. The state’s self-help guide walks through the forms.

Automatic relief (“Clean Slate”). Since July 2022, the Department of Justice grants relief on qualifying arrests and convictions without a petition (PC 851.93, 1203.425). For relieved convictions, courts may not disclose information about the conviction to anyone other than the person or a criminal justice agency, with exceptions the statute lists. The Department explains the process on its automatic record relief page, and you can confirm whether relief was granted by requesting your own record.

Other routes. Diversion programs carry their own sealing rules, factual innocence relief under PC 851.8 lets an arrest be treated as if it did not occur but is hard to win, and a conviction can be dismissed under PC 1203.4. The statutes are not interchangeable. In one unpublished 2021 decision, a man whose drug conviction had been dismissed after treatment was told he could not use the arrest-sealing statute, because the dismissed conviction “still exists for some purposes” (People v. Wohn (Cal. Ct. App., May 24, 2021, E075800)). Unpublished decisions cannot be cited as precedent, but the lesson holds: ask a lawyer which remedy fits the case.

What sealing does not do. Sealing and automatic relief control what courts and the Department of Justice release from that point forward. Neither statute orders private websites to delete copies they made before the seal. If an old arrest shows up in a background check used for a job or apartment, California’s reporting rules above give you the right to dispute it. If it shows up on a people-search site, use DROP and the site’s own removal process, and never pay a site to remove a mugshot.

How This Plays Out: Real Cases

The newspaper mugshot that solved a different crime. In 1983, two men arrested on an unrelated felony had their booking photos printed in a San Francisco newspaper. Victims of an earlier series of robberies recognized them, and new charges followed. The men argued that releasing the photos broke the laws protecting criminal history records. The Court of Appeal held that a mugshot is not that kind of record (People v. McCloud (1983) 146 Cal.App.3d 180). The lesson for families: a booking photo can circulate even though the person’s rap sheet stays confidential.

The reseller who wanted everyone’s case files. A records reseller wanted monthly computer copies of Los Angeles County’s criminal case database so it could build its own private database and sell the information. Each case was public, but the court refused, writing that “It is the aggregate nature of the information which makes it valuable to respondent; it is that same quality which makes its dissemination constitutionally dangerous” (Westbrook v. County of Los Angeles (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 157). One case at a time is public. A compiled database is treated differently.

The request for years of arrest data. When a requester asked Los Angeles County for extensive past arrest information, the Court of Appeal held that the arrest disclosure law covers current information about police activity, not a duty to assemble historical files (County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Kusar) (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 588).

The closed preliminary hearing. A Riverside County magistrate closed a 41-day preliminary hearing in the case of a nurse accused of killing hospital patients and refused to release the transcript. The U.S. Supreme Court held the public had a qualified First Amendment right to attend and that closure required specific findings (Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court (1986) 478 U.S. 1). It is the foundation for treating California’s pretrial courtrooms, including bail arguments, as open.

The sealed transcripts in a celebrity trial. In the civil case between actress Sondra Locke and Clint Eastwood, a trial judge closed parts of the proceedings and sealed transcripts. The California Supreme Court reversed and held that “Substantive courtroom proceedings in ordinary civil cases are ‘presumptively open,'” requiring findings before any closure (NBC Subsidiary (KNBC-TV), Inc. v. Superior Court (1999) 20 Cal.4th 1178). Those findings are now written into Rule 2.550.

The school bus driver’s background check. Eileen Connor’s employer ran background checks on her that covered her criminal record and other personal history. The California Supreme Court held that employers ordering that kind of report must follow the state’s Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act, writing that “An employer seeking other information that is obtained by any means must comply with ICRAA” (Connor v. First Student, Inc. (2018) 5 Cal.5th 1026).

The dismissed conviction that could not be sealed as an arrest. A Riverside County man completed drug treatment, and his conviction was dismissed. When he later asked to seal the arrest under the statute for arrests that did not end in conviction, the court said no, because the conviction “still exists for some purposes” (People v. Wohn (Cal. Ct. App., May 24, 2021, E075800), unpublished). Unpublished opinions are not precedent, but the case shows why the right sealing statute matters.

The mugshot removal charges. In 2018, California’s Attorney General charged four people behind Mugshots.com with extortion, money laundering, and identity theft over an alleged pay-for-removal scheme. “This pay-for-removal scheme attempts to profit off of someone else’s humiliation,” Attorney General Xavier Becerra said (California DOJ, May 16, 2018). The announcement described charges, not convictions.

What the Data Says

California does not publish a count of bail bonds posted each year, and no statewide report tracks how often sheriffs or courts deny records requests. What official and academic sources do show is how large the record system is and how often copies go wrong.

What the numbers mean for families:

• The state’s own records are incomplete. When only about six in ten arrests have a recorded outcome, a record can show an arrest with no dismissal attached. That gap is one reason private reports built from those records go wrong.
• Relief is common, but not universal. Automatic relief has reached millions of records, yet it covers only qualifying cases and does not pull copies back from private websites.
• The Judicial Council notes that its Year 4 figures do not include Los Angeles, so they undercount statewide bookings.
• Public posting is not neutral. The PNAS study was national rather than California specific, but it helps explain why California restricted police social media posting of booking photos.

In Their Words

A woman whose mugshot stayed online (The Marshall Project, November 11, 2021): “We live in a society where you’re supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but I was found guilty the minute that mugshot went up.” Julie Levitch, whose charges were dropped (The Marshall Project).

A researcher who studies online criminal records (same article): “It should be a legislative change, and then we wouldn’t have to rely on a judicial interpretation of what is a public record in the digital age.” Sarah Lageson, Rutgers University sociologist.

A reporter arguing for access (same article): “I just don’t think it’s a good public policy to be releasing less government documents.” Nate Carlisle, investigative reporter in Salt Lake City.

The author of California’s police mugshot law (Mountain View Voice, July 27, 2021): “These mug shots are often unflattering and do nothing to warn the public of an ongoing public safety threat, as the suspect is already in custody at the time of posting.” Assemblymember Evan Low, author of AB 1475 (Mountain View Voice).

A police chief who stopped routine mugshot releases (same article): “This policy emerges from compelling research suggesting that the widespread publication of police booking photos in the news and on social media creates an illusory correlation for viewers that fosters racial bias,” said San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott.

The U.S. Supreme Court, on open pretrial courtrooms (1986): “Public access to such preliminary hearings is essential to the proper functioning of the criminal justice system.” (Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court).

California’s Attorney General, on paid mugshot removal (2018): “This pay-for-removal scheme attempts to profit off of someone else’s humiliation.” Xavier Becerra (California DOJ).

These voices do not agree, and that is the point. Open records let the public watch how police and courts use their power. The same openness lets an arrest that ended in nothing follow a person for years. California’s law tries to keep both values in view.

Outside California: Federal Court, Idaho, and Texas

Federal court. Federal bail is governed by 18 U.S.C. 3142. The judge must “conduct an inquiry into the source of the property” offered as collateral (3142(g)(4)) and “may not impose a financial condition that results in the pretrial detention of the person” (3142(c)(2)). The information pretrial services gathers “shall be used only for the purposes of a bail determination and shall otherwise be confidential” (18 U.S.C. 3153(c)). Under the federal judiciary’s privacy policy for electronic case files, “pretrial bail or presentence investigation reports” and Criminal Justice Act financial affidavits are kept out of the public file. Other filings are available on PACER, with personal identifiers redacted under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 49.1.

Idaho (Boise and Twin Falls). Idaho court records are open under Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32, which lists exempt records such as presentence reports and unreturned warrants; bail is not on that list. The state’s iCourt portal says “Sealed cases and certain information that is exempt from disclosure by court order or Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32 will NOT appear on the Portal.” Law enforcement investigatory records are covered by Idaho Code 74-124. A person arrested but not charged within one year may ask to have the criminal history record expunged and “may have the official court file thereof sealed” (Idaho Code 67-3004(10)). Ada County publishes an inmate roster.

Texas. The Texas Supreme Court held in 1975 that basic police booking records are public while offense reports can be withheld: “The records referred to as the Houston Police Blotter, Show-up Sheet, and Arrest Sheet are public records available to the press and public under the Open Records Act” (Houston Chronicle Publishing Co. v. City of Houston). If someone is held in another state, our guide to bailing someone out in another state explains the process.

County by County: Where to Request Sheriff and Court Records

California has one Public Records Act and one set of court rules, but 58 sheriffs and 58 superior courts, each with its own request channel. This table lists where each county’s sheriff takes records requests and how each court provides copies of a criminal file. The information comes from each sheriff’s and court’s own website, checked in September 2026 for our bail bond records guide, which also covers online case searches and jail locators for every county.

A few rules apply everywhere:

• Sheriffs answer under the Public Records Act. They must decide within 10 days whether they will release records, with up to 14 more days in unusual circumstances (Gov. Code 7922.535). You do not have to give a reason for asking.
• Courts are not covered by that Act. Court copy fees are set by state law: $0.50 a page, $40 to certify, and $15 for a search over 10 minutes. Criminal documents are generally viewed at the courthouse rather than online.
• Clearance letters are local. A sheriff’s clearance letter or local records check covers only that agency’s own records. For a statewide record, use the Department of Justice record review.
• Fees and portals change. Confirm with the office before you send money.

What Families Should Do

1. Assume the arrest facts are public. The name, charges, bail amount, and release information can be given to anyone who asks. Plan conversations with employers or family with that in mind.
2. Decide how to post bail knowing what each method records. Cash bail puts the depositor’s name on a court receipt. A commercial bond names the insurance company and bail agency. Pledging a house creates a recorded deed of trust.
3. Read before you sign. A cosigner’s agreement is private, but it is still a binding contract. Ask what you are promising, get copies of everything you sign, and keep the collateral receipt.
4. If a source-of-funds hold is placed, ask about closing the hearing before anyone testifies about family finances (PC 1275.1).
5. Make every court date. A missed date adds a forfeiture and often a warrant to the public case file. Our guide to what happens if your bond is revoked explains how to fix it.
6. Use official sources, not people-search sites. The sheriff and the court are the records that count. The county table above lists where to ask.
7. When the case ends, close the loop. Confirm the bond was exonerated, get collateral back, and make sure any lien on a home is released.
8. If the case ended without a conviction, look into sealing. Request your own record to see whether automatic relief was granted, or petition under PC 851.91.
9. Clean up what private sites copied. Submit a request through the state’s DROP platform, dispute errors in any background check used against you, and never pay to have a mugshot removed.

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, 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.

Worried about who will find out? This is where we do our best work

Many people who call us are not only scared for the person in jail. They are scared for themselves. A mother wonders whether her employer will see that she signed a bail bond. A husband does not want the neighbors searching his name and finding his home tied to a criminal case. A young adult cosigning for a sibling asks, quietly, whether this follows her forever. Those are fair questions, and the honest answers are better than most people fear. Giving families those answers before they sign is where we work hardest.

• We tell you what becomes public before you sign. The arrest facts and the court case are public. Your role as a cosigner on a bond we write is not part of the court file, which names the insurance company and our agency (PC 1269, 1278).
• Your paperwork stays in your file. Your application and agreement are kept under state bail regulations that open them to the Insurance Commissioner, not the public (10 CCR 2100). You receive copies of everything you sign.
• If you pledge property, you will know exactly what gets recorded. We explain the deed of trust before anything is filed with the county recorder, and what it takes to release it when the case ends.
• We help keep the public file clean. Clients get text reminders of their court dates, because a missed date is what adds a forfeiture and a warrant to the public record. If a date is missed, we walk clients through clearing the warrant step by step.
• A large, complicated, or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no. Tell us where the person is held, and we will talk through the options.

Every case is different. Courts, sheriffs, and county recorders decide what their own records show, and judges decide whether a hearing is closed. We cannot control what a news outlet or a website publishes, and we cannot promise any record will stay private. What we can promise is that you will understand what you are signing and what it puts on the record before you sign it.

Our own cosigner notices, and what changed

This article is about cosigner paperwork, so here is ours. In October 2022, a class action was filed against our company, DMCG, Inc., on behalf of people who cosigned bail premium payment plans in California and were not given the “Notice to Cosigner” that state law requires before a cosigner becomes obligated on the debt (Civ. Code 1799.91). The case is Abeyta v. DMCG, Inc., No. 3:22-cv-07089-SI, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. In the words of the court-approved settlement website, “Bail Hotline denies that it did anything wrong. The Court hasn’t decided who is right” (Abeyta settlement site).

Rather than litigate for years, the company settled. It agreed to pay $4.5 million into a settlement fund in equal installments over four years, to correct its forms so that a Notice to Cosigner is always included before any payment plan agreement and carries a signature and date line, and to stop collection efforts and automatic payment plans for class members. The court granted final approval on May 2, 2025, and the agreement is monitored by the court.

Bail Hotline went through a rigorous restructuring and retraining, so that there is no doubt that every client, cosigner and defendant alike, is informed before signing. That is why the first thing we say about ourselves on this page is about what you will know before you sign, and not about speed or price.

While the case is open

• Court-date reminders and warrant help, as described above.
• If a client goes 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 within the window, which protects the cosigner too.

When the case ends

When the court exonerates the bond, liability on the bond ends and any collateral must be returned. Call us with the case number, and we will confirm the bond’s status with you.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are bail bonds public records in California?

Mostly. The bail amount and how a person was released are public arrest information under Gov. Code 7923.610, and the bond is filed in the criminal case, where court records are presumed open. The bail company’s own file, including the cosigner’s paperwork, is not public.

Is bail information public record?

Yes. Police and sheriffs must release “The amount of bail set” and “The time and manner of release or the location where the individual is currently being held” to anyone who asks, unless releasing a specific item would endanger a person or an investigation. The court file also records the bond’s date, amount, and surety.

Can you find out who posted bail for someone?

Sometimes. If the bail was a commercial bond, the court record shows the insurance company and the bail agency, not the family member who cosigned, and the bail company will not share its file. If someone deposited cash, the court’s receipt is in that person’s name. A home pledged as collateral usually shows up as a recorded deed of trust.

Is a cosigner’s name public record?

Not usually. No California statute puts a cosigner’s name on a commercial bail bond or the court docket. It can become public if the cosigner pledges real estate that is recorded, if the court holds a source-of-funds hearing that stays open, or if the bail company later sues the cosigner.

Are bond conditions public record?

Generally, yes. Release conditions are set by court order and entered in the minutes, which are part of the public case file. For criminal cases, most counties make those documents available at the courthouse rather than online, and protected persons’ contact details are kept out of public paperwork.

Are bail hearings open to the public?

Yes, as a rule. Certain bail decisions must be made after “a hearing shall be held in open court” (PC 1270.1), and closing any courtroom requires specific findings. A source-of-funds hearing can be closed at the request of the person who put up the money, to protect their financial privacy.

Is bond information public if the case was dismissed?

The docket entries stay in the court file until the file’s retention period ends, which is three years for dismissed felony charges and one year for dismissed misdemeanors (Gov. Code 68152). An arrest that did not end in a conviction can also be sealed by petition or through automatic relief, after which the record is marked for release only inside the criminal justice system.

Are mugshots public record in California?

It is up to the sheriff. No statute or court decision requires release. A 2003 Attorney General opinion says a sheriff has discretion, but once a photo is given to one member of the public it must be given to all who ask. Police may not post booking photos for nonviolent arrests on social media except in narrow cases, and websites may not charge to remove a mugshot.

Can an employer see that I was arrested and bailed out?

An employer may ask about an arrest for which you are currently “out on bail or on their own recognizance pending trial” (Labor Code 432.7). Once a case ends without a conviction, employers may not ask about or consider it, and California background check companies must stop reporting it when they learn no conviction resulted.

Can I get my arrest or bail record removed from the internet?

Sealing and automatic relief limit what courts and the Department of Justice release, but they do not order private websites to delete copies. Use the state’s DROP platform for data brokers, dispute errors in background checks used against you, and report any site that demands payment to remove a booking photo.

Is my rap sheet public?

No. California’s statewide criminal history goes only to the agencies and people listed in PC 11105, and giving it to an unauthorized person is a misdemeanor. You can request your own record from the Department of Justice.

Can I file a Public Records Act request with the court for a bail bond?

No. Courts are not covered by the Public Records Act. Ask the court clerk for the case file under the Rules of Court, and send Public Records Act requests to the sheriff or police department for booking records. The county table lists both channels.

Why We Publish This

Bail Hotline has helped California families through arrests since 2004. Some of the hardest calls we get are not about how to post bail. They are about what happens to a family’s privacy afterward. Most pages online answer that question with a guess, or with rules from another state. We wrote this to give families the actual California law behind what is public, what is private, and what can be cleared.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws, court rules, and county procedures change. For advice about a specific case, talk to a criminal defense lawyer or the public defender’s office in the county handling the case.

Sources and Further Reading

California Constitution and statutes

• Cal. Const. art. I, sec. 3(b) (right of access) and sec. 28(f)(3) (bail reasons on the record)
• California Public Records Act: Gov. Code 7920.510, 7920.540, 7922.530, 7922.535, 7923.600, 7923.610, 7923.615, 7923.620
• Court records and recording: Gov. Code 68152, 27280
• Bail: PC 1269, 1269b, 1270.1, 1275.1, 1276, 1278, 1295, 1297, 1298, 868
• Criminal history, victims, and mugshots: PC 293, 11105, 11142, 13300, 13665, Civ. Code 1798.91.1
• Sealing and relief: PC 851.8, 851.91, 851.92, 851.93, 1203.4, 1203.425, WIC 781, 786, 827
• Use of records and privacy: Labor Code 432.7, Gov. Code 12952, Civ. Code 1786.18, 1798.140, 1798.99.80, Bus. & Prof. Code 480, Ins. Code 791.02

Rules and regulations

• California Rules of Court 2.503, 2.507, 2.550, 2.551, 10.500
• Bail regulations: 10 CCR 2083, 2088, 2099, 2100
• Fair Chance Act regulations: 2 CCR 11017.1
• Attorney General Opinion No. 03-205 (2003), booking photographs

Court decisions

• Estate of Hearst (1977) 67 Cal.App.3d 777
• People v. McCloud (1983) 146 Cal.App.3d 180
• Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court (1986) 478 U.S. 1
• County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Kusar) (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 588
• Westbrook v. County of Los Angeles (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 157
• NBC Subsidiary (KNBC-TV), Inc. v. Superior Court (1999) 20 Cal.4th 1178
• Haynie v. Superior Court (2001) 26 Cal.4th 1061
• Connor v. First Student, Inc. (2018) 5 Cal.5th 1026
• In re Humphrey (2021) 11 Cal.5th 135
• People v. Wohn (May 24, 2021, E075800), unpublished
• In re Kowalczyk (Cal. Apr. 30, 2026)
• United States v. Chagra (5th Cir. 1983) 701 F.2d 354
• Detroit Free Press, Inc. v. U.S. Dept. of Justice (6th Cir. 2016)

Research and data

• Bureau of Justice Statistics, Survey of State Criminal History Information Systems, 2020 and 2022
• California Policy Lab, Automatic Record Relief in California (October 2024)
• SEARCH, Clean Slate State Profile: California (July 2025)
• Judicial Council of California, Pretrial Services Program Year 4 report (April 2026)
• National Consumer Law Center, Broken Records Redux (December 2019)
• CFPB action against GIS and BGC (October 2015)
• University of Chicago summary of Rappaport, Grunwald, and Nyarko, PNAS (November 2022)

Government guidance

• California DOJ, record review and automatic record relief
• California Courts self-help: clean your record
• California Privacy Protection Agency, data brokers and DROP
• Secretary of State, Safe at Home
• LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, Using Your Home for Bail
• First Amendment Coalition, mugshots and the CPRA

Reporting

• The Marshall Project, “Mugshots Stay Online Forever” (November 11, 2021)
• Mountain View Voice, new mugshot law (July 27, 2021)
• California DOJ, charges in Mugshots.com case (May 16, 2018)

Outside California

• 18 U.S.C. 3142, 3153, Fed. R. Crim. P. 49.1, federal judiciary privacy policy, U.S. Marshals booking photo policy
• Idaho Court Administrative Rule 32, Idaho Code 74-124, 67-3004
• Houston Chronicle Publishing Co. v. City of Houston (Tex. 1975)

Updated September 2026. Written for California families trying to find a bail bond, a bond amount, or the person or company behind a bond, with a lookup guide for all 58 counties. Checked against the Penal Code, the Government Code, the California Rules of Court, the Department of Insurance’s bail regulations, and each county court’s and sheriff’s own website. If the case is in federal court, Texas, or Idaho, jump to the out-of-state section.

Quick answer: A California bail bond leaves three different sets of records, and each one lives in a different place. The jail’s booking record, kept by the sheriff, shows who was booked, the charges, the bail amount, and how the person was released. State law requires police and sheriffs to give out the bail amount and “the time and manner of release” to anyone who asks. The court file holds the bond itself, and the court clerk must enter the bond’s date, amount, and insurance company on the case docket. The bail company’s own file holds the application, the cosigner’s agreement, receipts, and collateral records. That file is not a court record, and it is not posted anywhere. So you can usually find out whether a bond was posted, for how much, and which bail company and insurer stand behind it. You usually cannot find out which friend or relative cosigned. Online, most California courts show only indexes, calendars, and dockets for criminal cases; the documents themselves can be viewed only at the courthouse under state court rules. Some courts charge for a name search (Los Angeles charges $4.75), and some have no online criminal search at all. After a case ends without a conviction, many arrest records can be sealed, and the state has already cleared millions of old records automatically.

Bail Bond Records at a Glance

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

In this guide: What counts as a bail bond record | What the court file shows | Are bail bonds public? | Look up a bond by name | Who posted bail | Bond amount and conditions | Bond status terms | Your own paperwork | What stays private | People-search sites | Real cases | The data | In their words | Outside California | All 58 counties | What to do | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

What Counts as a “Bail Bond Record” in California

People search for “bail bond records” as if there were one file somewhere with everything in it. There is not. When someone is arrested and bailed out in California, three separate systems each write down part of the story.

1. The jail’s booking record. The sheriff (or the police department that made the arrest) records the booking: name, booking number, charges, bail amount, where the person is housed, and eventually how and when they left. This is the record behind every county’s inmate locator. California’s Public Records Act makes a specific list of these facts public. Police and sheriffs “shall make public” the arrested person’s name, the time and place of arrest and booking, the charges, “The amount of bail set,” and “The time and manner of release or the location where the individual is currently being held” (Gov. Code 7923.610). The one exception is when releasing a particular item would endanger someone’s safety or an investigation.

2. The court’s case file. Bail posted at the jail still ends up at the court. Money and bonds taken at the jail “shall be transmitted immediately to the judge or clerk of the court” handling the case (PC 1269b). From then on, the bond is part of the criminal case file at the superior court, along with the charges, the minute orders from each hearing, and any later forfeiture or exoneration. For a detailed look at jail-side records, see our guide to California jail records.

3. The bail company’s file. When a family buys a bail bond, the paperwork they sign stays with the bail agency: the application, the guarantor (cosigner) agreement, the premium receipt, any collateral receipt, and the statement of charges. California’s bail regulations require the agency to keep “complete records of all business done” and to open them to the Insurance Commissioner (10 CCR 2100). Nothing in the law makes this file public.

Most confusion online comes from mixing these three up. A family member who asks “who posted bail?” is usually asking about the third file, which is the one they cannot see. A reporter or employer looking for “bail records” is usually looking at the first two, which are largely public.

What the Court File Shows About a Bail Bond

A California bail bond is a written promise, called an “undertaking of bail.” With a commercial bond, the promise is made by an insurance company (the surety) through a licensed bail agent. The law spells out what must be on it and what the court must record.

• The docket entry. “Upon filing, the clerk shall enter in the register of actions the date and amounts of such bond and the name or names of the surety or sureties thereon” (PC 1269). The register of actions is the court’s running list of everything that happens in a case.
• The bail agency’s identity. Every bond “shall contain the bail agent license number of the owner of the bail agency issuing the undertaking along with the name, address, and phone number of the agency” (PC 1278(b)). You can check that license, and any discipline, for free on the Department of Insurance’s license lookup.
• The agent’s authority. A bail agent signs the bond for the insurance company under a power of attorney that must be “on file in the office of the clerk of the county” (PC 1276).
• The paper can go, the entry stays. Once it is shown to the court, by sworn statement or testimony, that more than three years have passed since the bail was exonerated or released, the court must order the paper bond destroyed (PC 1269). The docket entry remains.

Here is how the pieces divide between the court and the bail company:

What about the “bond number”? Bail bonds carry an identifying number. San Francisco’s monthly court report on bail bonds, for example, lists each one with a “Bond #.” In the bail industry, that number is usually the insurance company’s power of attorney number for the bond. It is how the court, the jail, the insurer, and the bail agent keep track of a bond. There is no public database where you type in a bond number and get an answer. With the bond number and the case number, the court clerk or the bail agency named on the bond can tell you where it stands.

Why the online docket may not show bail. State court rules require courts to leave “Any financial information” out of the calendars, indexes, and registers they put online (Rule 2.507(c)). The rule does not say whether a bail amount counts as financial information, and courts handle it differently. The Los Angeles court says it has “no plans to provide bail/bond status online.” The docket kept at the courthouse is the reliable place to look.

Are Bail Bonds Public Records in California?

Partly. The official parts of a bail bond, meaning the fact that it was posted, the amount, the insurance company, the bail agency, and any forfeiture or exoneration, are public court and law enforcement records. The private contract between a family and a bail company is not. Our companion article, Are Bail Bonds Public Records?, covers the access rules in depth. Here is the short version.

• California starts from openness. The state Constitution says “the writings of public officials and agencies shall be open to public scrutiny” and tells courts to read any law limiting access narrowly (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 3(b)). Court rules add: “Unless confidentiality is required by law, court records are presumed to be open” (Rule 2.550(c)).
• Police and sheriff records follow the Public Records Act. The booking facts listed in Gov. Code 7923.610, including the bail amount, must be released. The investigation files behind an arrest generally do not have to be (Gov. Code 7923.600).
• Court files follow court rules, not the Public Records Act. The Act’s definition of a state agency leaves out the courts (Gov. Code 7920.540). Criminal case files are open under the court rules and the constitutional right of access, and you request them from the court clerk.
• Public does not mean online. For criminal cases, courts that keep registers of actions, calendars, and indexes electronically must put them online where feasible, but the case documents themselves “may not” be offered remotely (Rule 2.503(c)). You see those at a courthouse terminal or order copies.
• Some things are never public. Juvenile files (Welf. & Inst. Code 827), sealed arrests, and the bail company’s private file are not open to the public. See what stays private below.

Four claims you will read online that are wrong for California

Almost every page that ranks for these searches is a bail company blog with no sources, and the same few mistakes travel from page to page. Here is what California law actually says.

1. “If someone cosigned the bond, their name becomes part of the public record.” Not in California. Nothing in the Penal Code’s bail chapter requires a cosigner’s name on the court’s copy of a commercial bond. The cosigner’s agreement stays in the bail company’s file (10 CCR 2084, 2098). Federal court is different; see the out-of-state section.
2. “Look it up on PACER.” PACER covers federal courts only. A California state case is looked up on the county superior court’s own system. The PACER language on many bail sites was copied from the federal court’s bond postings page for the Central District of California, which applies only to federal cases.
3. “Bondsmen follow a Code of Ethics that keeps your information confidential.” There is no attorney-style ethics code or privilege for bail agents. Their duties come from the Insurance Code and the Department of Insurance’s regulations, which require them to keep records, give you copies, and open their files to state regulators.
4. “The money you pay a bail company is collateral.” The premium is a fee for the bond. Collateral is separate property pledged to secure it, and it must be returned when the bond ends (10 CCR 2088.2). See our guide on getting money back from a bail bond.

How to Look Up a Bail Bond by Name

There is no single statewide bail bond database in California. You look in two places, the jail and the court, in that order.

Step 1: Start with the jail

The sheriff’s booking system knows first. Most counties post an online inmate locator, and every county’s jail will answer basic questions by phone. What you can expect to learn, because the law makes it public, is whether the person is in custody, the charges, the bail amount, any holds from other agencies, and whether and how they were released (Gov. Code 7923.610). If the person was released on a bail bond, the jail’s record will usually say so.

A few practical points:

• Give it a few hours. Los Angeles County says records “will not be available for bookings that occurred within the last 2 hours.”
• Expect a robot check or an account. Many locators, including those in Los Angeles, San Diego, and Sacramento counties, make you pass a human check (a reCAPTCHA or similar) before you can search. Orange County’s system requires an account and “does not provide the ability to view inmate charges.”
• The bail amount is usually one click in, if it is there at all. In Los Angeles and Ventura, open the person’s record by clicking the booking number and the bail is on it. In San Diego, click the person’s last name. Stanislaus goes further and lists the bail and court date for each separate charge. Sacramento shows bail information while the person is still in custody, and stops showing it once they are released. San Bernardino’s record carries a bail field along with the arrest details and the current housing. Riverside’s lookup confirms custody without an amount, and many other county lists show only a name, a booking date, and a housing location. When the amount is not there, use the phone number in the county guide.
• A few counties put bail right on the list. Napa County’s public In Custody Report has a “Charges & Bail” column, and Marin County’s booking log shows bail with a warning that it “may be an approximation.” Most others show only a name, a booking date, and a housing location. The county guide below says what each county’s tool is confirmed to show.
• Phone lines often tell you more. Sacramento County’s Main Jail line will “provide bail amount,” and San Joaquin and Yolo counties list the charges, bail, and court date among what their jail staff will tell callers.

Not sure which county? Our guides on how to find out if someone is in jail and the California inmate locator guide walk through statewide options.

Step 2: Search the court’s case index

Once you know the county, the superior court’s online system can confirm the case, the case number, and the next court date. The rules that shape what you will find:

• Name search is allowed, but not by birth date. In 2021 a California appeals court held that letting the public search Riverside’s criminal index by date of birth or driver’s license number conflicted with the court rules (All of Us or None v. Hamrick (2021) 64 Cal.App.5th 751). Courts changed their systems. Ventura County’s court, for example, says that “Effective June 21, 2021,” you “may no longer search with a Date of Birth or Driver’s License Number.” Expect several people with the same name.
• Some courts charge. Los Angeles charges $4.75 per name search for guest users, even when nothing is found. Riverside sells name searches starting at $1 per name, with case-number searches free. Many smaller courts, such as Butte, Glenn, Lake, Sutter, and Yuba, let anyone search without paying or registering.
• Some courts have no online criminal index at all. Santa Barbara and Del Norte both say “An online Criminal index is not available at this time.” Merced’s criminal case lookup “Can only be accessed from the public computer” at the courthouse. Several small counties have no online case search.
• Accounts and limits are common. Kern, Humboldt, Madera, San Joaquin, and several other courts require a free account, and many limit public searches, often to 45 a day.

Step 3: Go to the courthouse, or ask the clerk

For the bond itself, the minute orders, and the release conditions, go to the courthouse’s records or criminal window, or send a written request. The fees are set by state law: $0.50 a page for copies, $40 to certify a document, and $15 for any clerk search that takes more than 10 minutes (Gov. Code 70627, 70626). Viewing a file at the courthouse does not carry a listed fee. Bring the case number if you have it; many courts will not look up criminal records by phone.

One change worth knowing: San Luis Obispo County’s court announced that “Effective July 1st, 2026 the Court will no longer provide case summaries in response to third-party case information requests.” Other courts may follow.

Step 4: If it is a federal case, use PACER

Federal cases, such as immigration-related crimes or federal drug and fraud charges, are on PACER. See the out-of-state section.

How to Find Out Who Posted Bail for Someone

This is one of the most searched questions about bail records, and the honest answer has three parts.

What the court file will show. For a commercial bail bond, the court file shows the insurance company and the bail agency, because both must appear on the bond (PC 1278(b)). For cash bail, the court’s receipt is issued “in the name of the depositor,” and if someone other than the defendant put up the cash, the refund goes back to that person after the case (PC 1297). So the court knows which company wrote a bond, and it knows who deposited cash.

What the jail will tell you. The jail must disclose “the time and manner of release” (Gov. Code 7923.610). In practice that tells you whether the person left on a bail bond, on cash bail, on their own recognizance, or on a citation. It does not tell you who paid.

What neither will show: the cosigner. The family member or friend who signed with the bail company, and anyone who pledged collateral, appears in the bail company’s file, not on the court’s bond. The exception is a “source of funds” hold. If a police officer or prosecutor files a sworn declaration showing probable cause, or the judge has probable cause, a judge may put a hold on the person’s release until the defendant proves that no part of the money or collateral was obtained through a felony (PC 1275.1). At that hearing, the judge “may close it to the general public” at the request of the person who provided the money, “to protect the person’s right to privacy in his or her financial affairs.”

Two counties publish bond lists. San Francisco’s Superior Court posts a monthly Bail Bonds Report, described as “a monthly summary of bail bonds filed in the Criminal Division.” The reports list each bond by filing date and docket number, with the bond amount, the bail bond company, the insurance company, and whether the bond was later exonerated or forfeited. Kern County’s court posts a bi-weekly “Exonerated Bond Report” intended for bail agencies. Most counties publish nothing like this.

Will the bail company tell you? Usually not, if you are not a party to the bond. Their file includes the cosigner’s personal and financial information, and privacy laws may limit what an insurance licensee can share. If you are the cosigner, you already have a right to copies of what you signed (10 CCR 2099).

The simplest route is often to ask the person who was released. If you are worried a bond was paid for with stolen money, that is what the Penal Code 1275.1 hold exists for, and prosecutors use it (People v. Pollard, below).

How to Find Someone’s Bond Amount and Bond Conditions

The bail amount

The bail amount is one of the facts police and sheriffs must release: “The amount of bail set” (Gov. Code 7923.610). The fastest way to get it is the county’s inmate locator or the jail’s phone line. In 1993, a California appeals court called this list “patently the type of information which would be relevant to current and contemporaneous police activity.” It held that the duty to release it covers current information, including bail, and does not require an agency to dig up and compile years of old arrest records for someone who asks (County of Los Angeles v. Superior Court (Kusar) (1993) 18 Cal.App.4th 588).

Three things can make the number confusing:

• The booking amount usually comes from the county bail schedule. The judges in every county must adopt, and revise every year, a countywide schedule for bailable felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions other than Vehicle Code infractions (PC 1269b), and the jail uses it until a judge weighs in. Our guide to bail amounts by crime explains how schedules work.
• A judge can change it. Under In re Humphrey (2021) and the California Supreme Court’s April 30, 2026 decision in In re Kowalczyk, a judge must consider what the person can afford, so the bail set in court may be lower (or different) than the schedule. When a judge grants or denies bail or own-recognizance release, the state Constitution requires that “the reasons for that decision shall be stated in the record and included in the court’s minutes” (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 28(f)(3)).
• A hold can make bail meaningless. The jail must also disclose “All charges the individual is being held upon, including any outstanding warrants from other jurisdictions, parole holds, and probation holds” (Gov. Code 7923.610). If there is a hold, posting bail on the local charge may not get the person out.

Bond conditions

Release conditions, such as a protective order, no-contact terms, drug testing, GPS monitoring, or a travel limit, are set by the judge and written into the court’s orders and minute orders. They are court records, so they are public unless sealed or confidential. But for criminal cases, those documents can be viewed only at the courthouse, not online (Rule 2.503(c)). To see them:

1. Ask for the minute order from the hearing where release was granted, at the courthouse records window or by written request ($0.50 a page).
2. Ask the defense lawyer. The defendant’s lawyer has every order in the case.
3. If you are a protected person, the prosecutor’s victim services office can tell you the terms of a protective order. Several sheriffs also offer free custody-status alerts through VINE, which San Diego’s Sheriff describes as “an anonymous service provided at no cost to the public.”

What is not public: pretrial services and own-recognizance reports prepared for the judge. Santa Clara County’s court, for example, lists “O.R. reports” among the records it does not release.

How to Check Bail Bond Status (and What the Words Mean)

“Bond status” means where the bond stands right now: active, finished, or in trouble. The court docket is the official record. The jail’s record will show only the release. The bail agency on the bond can also tell a party to the bond where things stand.

What about codes like “COMB”? People search for this one a lot, and we could not find any official definition from a California court, a jail, or the federal courts. Bond status codes are abbreviations built into each jail’s or court’s software, and there is no national code list. If you see a code you do not understand, call the jail’s records desk or the court clerk and ask what it means for that case. Be wary of any website that gives you a confident definition without naming the agency that uses it.

Proof a bond is finished. Some courts issue a certificate showing a bond was discharged. Solano County’s court lists a “Certificate of Discharge of Bail Bond” at $40 per document. Proof of exoneration matters because it is what triggers the return of any collateral (10 CCR 2088.2).

Your Own Bail Paperwork: What the Bail Company Must Give You

If you signed for a bail bond, you do not have to go looking for your own records. California’s bail regulations require the bail company to put them in your hands. These rules come from Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, which the Department of Insurance enforces.

• A numbered statement at release. Right when the person is released, or immediately after, the licensee must give the arrestee (or, if someone else arranged the bail, the main person who arranged it) “a numbered document” that includes the name of the insurance company, the amount of bail, the premium, “The total amount of all charges,” and “A description of and receipt for any collateral received” (10 CCR 2083).
• A copy of everything you sign. The licensee “shall tender a copy of any document which is executed by any person with whom bail is negotiated to such person at the time of the execution thereof” (10 CCR 2099).
• Your cosigner agreement in writing. “All guarantor agreements shall be in writing,” and a copy must be delivered to the guarantor promptly after signing (10 CCR 2084). Our guide to your role as a bail bond cosigner explains what that agreement means.
• No waiving your rights. A bail licensee cannot require a cosigner or collateral depositor to waive any right they have in the transaction (10 CCR 2087).
• Collateral comes back when the bond ends. Collateral “shall be returned to the person who deposited it,” and for a bond, “immediately upon the entry of any order by an authorized official by virtue of which liability under the bond is terminated” (10 CCR 2088.2). If a lien was placed on property, see how to remove a bail bond lien.
• How long the company keeps records. “Five years after the final completion of all parts of a bail transaction, a bail licensee may destroy the bail licensee’s records pertaining to such transactions” (10 CCR 2104). Keep your own copies longer than that.
• Check the license. The bail agency’s license number is printed on the bond. The Department of Insurance’s license lookup shows “the license status and discipline history” of any bail agent. The Department says there are “approximately 2,300 bail agents and organizations in California licensed by CDI” (CDI bail page).