Updated September 2026. Written for anyone who carries a knife in California, and for families whose person was just arrested with one. Checked against the official California Penal Code text (September 2026), published California court decisions, the Ninth Circuit’s 2026 switchblade ruling, and each county superior court’s own bail schedule.

Quick answer: California lets adults own almost any knife and carry most of them. A folding pocketknife of any blade length can be carried in your pocket as long as it is closed (Penal Code 16470). A fixed-blade knife, like a Bowie knife or a double-edged dagger, can be carried openly in a sheath hanging from your waist (PC 20200), but hiding one on your body is a crime that can be charged as a felony (PC 21310). Switchblades and butterfly knives with blades 2 inches or longer cannot be carried on you, kept in the driver or passenger area of a car in public, or sold (PC 21510), though the statute does not list keeping one stored at home. A short list of disguised knives, plus throwing stars and metal knuckles, are illegal even to own. Schools, public buildings, and airports set their own blade limits, and several cities, including Los Angeles, ban carrying a 3 inch or longer blade in plain view. There is no statewide maximum blade length and no permit that makes concealed carry of a fixed blade legal.

California Knife Laws at a Glance

The numbers that matter, in one place:

In this guide: How California decides | Pocketknives | Fixed blades | Switchblades and butterfly knives | Knives illegal to own | Where you cannot bring a knife | City and county rules | Brandishing, assault, and self-defense | Minors | Guns | After an arrest | Real cases | Data | In their words | Outside California | County by county | Checklist | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ | Sources

The Two Questions That Decide Almost Every California Knife Case

California does not rank knives by blade length the way many people assume. Almost every case turns on two questions.

1. What kind of knife is it? The Penal Code sorts knives into a few legal groups: ordinary folding knives, “dirks or daggers” (any knife or instrument “capable of ready use as a stabbing weapon that may inflict great bodily injury or death,” under PC 16470), switchblades (PC 17235), and a short list of “generally prohibited weapons” (PC 16590). Most fixed-blade knives are dirks or daggers under this definition, whether they have one edge or two.

2. How and where are you carrying it? Concealed or in plain view, on your body or in a bag, in a car, at a school, in a courthouse, or inside a city that has its own ordinance.

Three things surprise most people:

• There is no statewide maximum blade length. The numbers people repeat online (2.5 inches, 3 inches, 4 inches) each come from a specific place rule or a city ordinance, not a general limit.
• There is no knife permit. California’s concealed carry license process covers firearms only. No license makes it legal to hide a fixed blade on your body.
• Cities can add their own rules. California has a law preempting local rules on firearm registration and licensing (Gov. Code 53071), but no knife preemption law, and a Los Angeles appellate court held in 1985 that “Local regulation of knives, dirks, or daggers carried or worn in plain view has not been precluded by virtue of state preemption” (People v. Gerardo). That is why the county guide below matters.

Most of these sections were renumbered on January 1, 2012, when the Legislature moved the old weapons statutes (former PC 12020 and the old switchblade section, 653k) into new sections without changing how they work. Older cases and some county bail schedules still use the old numbers.

Pocketknives and Folding Knives: The “Exposed and Locked” Rule

This is the question most people are really asking, and the answer is good news for anyone who carries a pocketknife for work or everyday use.

Under PC 16470, a nonlocking folding knife, a folding knife that is not a switchblade, or a pocketknife counts as a dirk or dagger “only if the blade of the knife is exposed and locked into position.” In plain terms:

• Closed, it is legal to carry concealed, at any blade length, under state law. A 4 inch locking folder closed in your pocket is not a concealed dirk or dagger.
• Open and locked, it becomes a dirk or dagger. Carrying it that way hidden on your body can be charged under PC 21310.
• Open but not locked is not enough. In People v. Castillolopez (2016), police found a Swiss Army knife with a blade open in a man’s jacket pocket in San Diego. The California Supreme Court held the blade was not “locked into position” because it closed with simple pressure on its back: “A pocketknife blade is ‘locked into position’ if it is ‘firmly fixed’ in position by means of or as if by the interlacing or interlocking of parts.”

Two older cases show how this plays out for ordinary people. In In re George W. (1998), a Los Angeles County teen on probation had a closed Gerber locking knife in his front pocket that he used at work at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium “to open boxes and cut plastic bands.” The Court of Appeal reversed his conviction because there was no evidence the blade was open and locked. In In re Luke W. (2001), a Contra Costa County teen’s credit card style multi-tool was not a dirk or dagger because its blade could only be pulled out with both hands.

Knives in a bag or a car. PC 21310 covers a dirk or dagger “concealed upon the person.” A 2013 appellate case held that knives in a backpack the defendant was leaning on were not carried on his person, but in 2016 the California Supreme Court ruled, in a gun case, that everything inside a backpack you are wearing is on your person, and disapproved the earlier case’s reasoning (People v. Wade). Do not assume a fixed blade in a backpack you are wearing is safe. A fixed blade in a closed glove box or trunk is not “upon the person” under the statute’s words, but switchblades follow a different rule (next sections), and some cities ban dangerous weapons in cars.

Fixed-Blade Knives: Bowie Knives, Daggers, Double-Edged Knives, and Kukris

Owning any of them is legal. California has no ban on owning Bowie knives, hunting knives, daggers, double-edged knives, kukris, machetes, or swords.

Carrying one openly is legal under state law. PC 20200 says: “A knife carried in a sheath that is worn openly suspended from the waist of the wearer is not concealed within the meaning of Section 16140, 16340, 17350, or 21310.” The statute describes a sheath hanging from your belt, in sight. It does not protect a sheath covered by a jacket or shirt, and the jury instruction for this charge uses the words “substantially concealed” (CALCRIM 2501).

Hiding one on your body is a crime that can be a felony. PC 21310 punishes anyone “who carries concealed upon the person any dirk or dagger” with up to one year in county jail, or 16 months, 2, or 3 years under the felony sentencing rules of PC 1170(h). Prosecutors choose whether to charge it as a misdemeanor or a felony, which is why lawyers call it a “wobbler.”

Why you carry it does not matter, but knowing you carry it does. In People v. Rubalcava (2000), a San Diego man had a knife with a roughly three inch blade in his coin pocket under a long shirt and said it was a letter opener. The California Supreme Court held that prosecutors do not have to prove he meant to use it as a weapon. The court added that “A defendant who does not know that he is carrying the weapon or that the concealed instrument may be used as a stabbing weapon is therefore not guilty of violating section 12020,” the old number of the concealed dirk law. In People v. Mitchell (2012), a man who said his 5 inch fixed blade was for fishing and self-defense lost his challenge to the law; the court held the concealed dirk ban does not violate the Second Amendment.

Double-edged knives are not banned. A double edge makes a knife more clearly a stabbing instrument, so it is a dirk or dagger: legal to own and to carry openly in a waist sheath, illegal to carry hidden on your body. A double-edged automatic knife is still a switchblade if its blade is 2 inches or more.

Kitchen knives can be dirks or daggers too. A 1992 Kern County case held that one particular rounded-tip, serrated bread knife was not a dirk or dagger (People v. Barrios), but that case came before the current statutory definition, and the test today is whether the item is “capable of ready use as a stabbing weapon.” Do not assume a kitchen knife tucked in a waistband is legal.

Switchblades, Automatic Knives, and Butterfly Knives

What counts as a switchblade. Under PC 17235, a switchblade is a knife “having the appearance of a pocketknife,” including spring-blade, snap-blade, and gravity knives, “the blade or blades of which are two or more inches in length” and which open “by a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device.” That covers button automatics and out-the-front (OTF) knives. Note the wording: “two or more inches,” so a blade of exactly 2 inches counts.

What does not count. A knife that opens “with one hand utilizing thumb pressure applied solely to the blade of the knife or a thumb stud attached to the blade” is not a switchblade, “provided that the knife has a detent or other mechanism that provides resistance that must be overcome in opening the blade, or that biases the blade back toward its closed position.” If you are unsure about a knife, ask two questions: does it open only by pressure on the blade or a thumb stud, and does it resist opening when closed? If both answers are yes, it is outside the definition.

What PC 21510 actually bans. It is a misdemeanor to do any of three things with a switchblade that has a blade 2 inches or longer (PC 21510):

1. “Possesses the knife in the passenger’s or driver’s area of any motor vehicle in any public place or place open to the public.”
2. “Carries the knife upon the person.”
3. “Sells, offers for sale, exposes for sale, loans, transfers, or gives the knife to any other person.”

Because the statute sets no specific punishment, the general misdemeanor rule applies: up to six months in county jail, a fine up to $1,000, or both (PC 19).

At home. Keeping a switchblade stored at home is not one of the three listed acts. Carrying one on your body is a different matter, even on private property. In In re S.C. (2009), police searched a teen on a Petaluma porch and found a flip-open knife in his shorts. The court held the “public place” wording applies only to the vehicle clause: “By having the knife in his pocket, thereby carrying it on his person, appellant violated the plain language of this clause.” The Ninth Circuit noted in 2026 that the parties “fiercely debate” whether carrying a switchblade inside your own home is covered, and said, “We need not decide that issue today.”

Why butterfly knives are treated as switchblades. A balisong opens by swinging its handles, a “flip of the wrist” motion named in the definition. In 1989 the Court of Appeal held that butterfly knives are switchblades under the old version of the same law, explaining that the definition’s language “is intended to cover different types of knives which operate similarly to those expressly listed” (People ex rel. Mautner v. Quattrone). The later exception for thumb-opening knives with a detent does not describe a balisong. So a butterfly knife with a blade 2 inches or longer follows the switchblade rules: illegal to carry, to keep in the car’s passenger area in public, or to sell or give away. We found no California case on unsharpened butterfly “trainers.” The definition turns on how the knife opens and its blade length, not on whether the edge is sharp, so treat a trainer with a 2 inch or longer blade with the same caution.

The federal lawsuit did not change this. Knife Rights, Inc. sued in federal court in San Diego to strike down California’s switchblade law. The trial court ruled for the state in 2024. On January 30, 2026, a Ninth Circuit panel affirmed, holding that “Plaintiffs’ facial challenge fails because they cannot establish that California’s switchblade regulations are unconstitutional in every one of their applications” (Knife Rights, Inc. v. Bonta, No. 24-5536). The panel upheld the ban on concealed carry of switchblades and expressly declined to rule on the law’s other parts. On July 16, 2026, the full court refused to rehear the case, over dissents from eight judges (order). Knife Rights said it was evaluating its options, including a U.S. Supreme Court petition. As of September 2026, PC 21510 is fully in force.

A 2023 Ninth Circuit decision striking down Hawaii’s butterfly knife ban (Teter v. Lopez) is sometimes cited online as making balisongs legal. It never struck down California’s law. The full Ninth Circuit later agreed to rehear the case, which vacated the 2023 decision, and after Hawaii changed its law in 2024, the full court held the case moot and vacated the trial court’s judgment on January 22, 2025 (en banc opinion).

Knives That Are Illegal to Own at All

For a short list of items, possession itself is a crime. Each of these sections punishes anyone who makes, imports, sells, gives, lends, “or possesses” the item, with up to one year in county jail or 16 months, 2, or 3 years as a felony:

Narrow exceptions cover museums and historical societies open to the public and film or TV productions (PC 17715, 17720). There is no general collector exception.

Undetectable knives are different. Plastic, ceramic, or carbon fiber knives made to beat metal detectors are covered by PC 20810, which punishes whoever “commercially manufactures” them or imports, exports, keeps, or offers them “for commercial sale.” Personal possession is not listed. A fixed-blade undetectable knife hidden on your body can still be a concealed dirk or dagger, and all knives are banned in airport carry-on bags.

Where You Cannot Bring a Knife, Even a Legal One

K-12 schools. PC 626.10 bans bringing or possessing on the grounds of any public or private K-12 school “any dirk, dagger, ice pick, knife having a blade longer than 2 1/2 inches, folding knife with a blade that locks into place, razor with an unguarded blade,” among other items. That is a wobbler, up to one year in jail or up to 3 years as a felony. A locking folder is banned at school at any blade length. Razor blades and box cutters are a separate misdemeanor at K-12 schools. In In re Rosalio S. (1995), a Poway High School case about a Leatherman tool, the court held that only the sharpened part of the blade counts toward 2 1/2 inches. Exceptions include school activities at a teacher’s direction and knives carried for a lawful job.

Colleges and universities. PC 626.10(b) covers “any dirk, dagger, ice pick, or knife having a fixed blade longer than 2 1/2 inches” at UC, CSU, community colleges, and private universities, with exceptions for use in a residence or food preparation. A folding knife that is closed is not on the college list.

State and local government buildings, including courthouses. PC 171b bans bringing into any state or local public building, or into a public meeting that must be open to the public, a switchblade, any of the prohibited weapons listed above, or “Any knife with a blade length in excess of four inches, the blade of which is fixed or is capable of being fixed in an unguarded position by the use of one or two hands.” The law says a public building “includes, but is not limited to, a building that contains a courtroom.” It is a wobbler. Security screening at many courthouses and county buildings turns away smaller knives too. Kern County, for example, bars “All knives, including pocket knives and Leatherman-type tools” from county buildings (Kern County Code 20.01.010). If you have court, leave the knife at home.

The State Capitol. PC 171c applies the same over-4-inch rule to the Capitol, the state office building at 1021 O Street in Sacramento, and legislative offices.

Airports. PC 171.5 makes it a misdemeanor to bring a fixed or lockable blade over 4 inches, a box cutter, or a straight razor into an airport’s screened area. Federal rules are stricter: the TSA allows knives in checked bags only, not carry-ons, except rounded butter knives and plastic cutlery (TSA).

Federal buildings and courthouses. Federal law bans dangerous weapons in federal facilities but exempts “a pocket knife with a blade of less than 2½ inches in length” (18 U.S.C. 930). A blade of exactly 2 1/2 inches is not covered by the exception. Post offices ban “dangerous or deadly weapons” without defining knives (39 CFR 232.1).

National parks. The Park Service rules treat as a weapon anything “the possession of which is prohibited under the laws of the State” (36 CFR 1.4). In our reading, that brings California’s knife bans (switchblades, concealed dirks) into Yosemite, Joshua Tree, and other parks here.

Transit. LA Metro’s code of conduct says: “No weapons, flammable materials, or dangerous objects” (Metro). In San Francisco, the penalty for the city’s concealed weapon loitering rule doubles to a $1,000 fine on a Muni platform or vehicle or within 25 feet of a bus zone (SF Police Code 1291(g)).

Parks and county property. Many cities and counties add their own park rules, such as Irvine’s ban on “exposed knives, daggers, and martial arts weaponry” in city parks and Santa Maria’s ban on fixed-blade knives in parks. The county guide below lists the ones we found.

City and County Knife Ordinances

Because California has no knife preemption law, cities and counties can regulate knives carried in plain view, and many do. Some of these ordinances date to the 1950s. Where an old local rule overlaps with something state law already covers (concealed dirks, switchblades), it may not be enforceable to that extent, and several say so themselves: Oakland’s, Modesto’s, and Richmond’s carry rules state they do not apply to any act that is already a state crime. The plain view bans are the ones courts have clearly upheld.

Los Angeles. Municipal Code 55.10 says: “No person shall wear or carry in plain view any knife or dagger upon any public street or other public place or in any place open to the public.” It applies to a “knife, dirk or dagger having a blade 3 inches or more in length,” plus ice picks and razors. It does not apply to carrying “for use in a lawful occupation, for lawful recreational purposes, or as a recognized religious practice,” or while traveling to or from those activities. It has been on the books since 1988. A violation is a misdemeanor (up to six months and $1,000), or an infraction up to $250 if the City Attorney charges it that way (LAMC 11.00).

Put state and city law together and the result in the city of Los Angeles is strict: a fixed blade of 3 inches or more cannot be carried hidden (state law) or in plain view (city law), unless you are carrying it for work, recreation, or religious practice. A closed folding knife in a pocket is not in plain view and is not a dirk or dagger, so it is covered by neither rule.

The most common local rules we found (read September 2026; details and links in each county’s section below):

San Francisco is often described online as having a 3 inch carry ban. Its Police Code does define a 3 inch knife as a “dangerous or deadly weapon,” but only for rules against carrying one concealed while loitering, fighting, or hanging around places that sell alcohol, and it exempts “ordinary tools or equipment carried in good faith for uses of honest work, trade or business or for the purpose of legitimate recreation” (SF Police Code 1291).

Orange County has no county knife ordinance that we could find. Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, and Irvine have local rules, summarized in the Orange County section.

Using or Showing a Knife: Brandishing, Assault, and Self-Defense

Carrying is one set of laws. Pulling a knife out in an argument is another, and the penalties climb fast.

Brandishing. PC 417(a)(1) covers anyone who, “except in self-defense,” in front of another person, “draws or exhibits any deadly weapon whatsoever, other than a firearm, in a rude, angry, or threatening manner.” It is a misdemeanor with a minimum of 30 days in county jail.

Assault with a deadly weapon. PC 245(a)(1) punishes an assault “with a deadly weapon or instrument other than a firearm” by two, three, or four years in state prison, up to one year in county jail, a fine up to $10,000, or both. No one has to be hurt. Charged as a felony, it is a “serious felony” under PC 1192.7(c)(31), which makes it a strike under California’s Three Strikes law. That is why the choice between a misdemeanor and a felony matters so much for families.

Using a knife during another felony adds a year in state prison (PC 12022(b)(1)), and “any felony in which the defendant personally used a dangerous or deadly weapon” is a serious felony (PC 1192.7(c)(23)).

Everyday tools count. In People v. Aledamat (2019), a Los Angeles man argued with a food truck owner, pulled a box cutter, extended the blade, and thrust it toward the man “from three or four feet away,” saying he would kill him. The California Supreme Court said a box cutter is not a deadly weapon by design, but the assault with a deadly weapon conviction stood because of how he used it.

Self-defense. California law allows reasonable force against an imminent threat. The standard jury instruction says the defendant must have “reasonably believed that the immediate use of force was necessary” and “used no more force than was reasonably necessary to defend against that danger,” and adds: “A defendant is not required to retreat” (CALCRIM 3470). At home, the law presumes a reasonable fear of death or great bodily injury when someone “unlawfully and forcibly enters” (PC 198.5). But “A bare fear” is not enough (PC 198), and pulling a knife in a fistfight can turn a misdemeanor scuffle into a felony.

“I carry it for protection” is not a defense to carrying. Self-defense can justify using force at the moment of danger. It does not make carrying a concealed dirk legal. The jury instruction for the carry charge says: “The People do not have to prove that the defendant used or intended to use” the dirk or dagger as a weapon (CALCRIM 2501).

Minors and Knives

We found no statewide California law setting a minimum age to buy, own, or carry an ordinary legal knife outside school. Minors face the same carry laws as adults, usually in juvenile court, and several of the cases in this guide (George W., Luke W., Rosalio S., S.C.) were juvenile cases.

• School. PC 626.10 (above) is the criminal rule. School discipline uses a different definition: the Education Code’s definition of “knife” includes “a weapon with a blade longer than 3 1/2 inches, a folding knife with a blade that locks into place, or a razor with an unguarded blade,” along with dirks and daggers, and for possession of a knife “of no reasonable use to the pupil” the principal must recommend expulsion unless expulsion is inappropriate in the circumstances or another form of correction would work (Ed. Code 48915). Brandishing a knife at another person is on the mandatory expulsion list.
• Local rules. San Francisco bans selling any knife other than a table knife to a minor, except by a parent or guardian (Police Code 1293). Los Angeles County and Lancaster require a minor buying a 3 inch or longer knife to be with an adult and the seller to keep a record. El Monte bars anyone under 18 from carrying a knife on public property. Alameda County and Hayward bar minors from possessing “dangerous weapons,” which include 3 inch knives, with work and recreation exceptions.

What About Guns?

Many readers arrive here looking for gun rules too, so a short note. Knife and gun laws overlap in a few places: the same public building law (PC 171b) covers firearms and knives, brandishing has separate subsections for firearms with their own penalties (PC 417), and schools are covered by separate gun and knife statutes. Beyond those overlaps, California gun law is its own large body of rules, with licensing, registration, and a firearms preemption law that knives do not have. This guide does not cover it. If a family member was arrested on a gun charge, the bail steps in the after an arrest section below still apply, and our guide to bail amounts by crime is a starting point.

After a Knife Arrest: What Happens Next

Most knife possession cases start in one of two ways.

1. A citation. For many misdemeanors, officers can write a citation with a promise to appear in court and release the person on the spot.
2. A booking. If the person is taken to jail, the county’s bail schedule sets a starting amount for each charge, and a judge can later raise it, lower it, or release the person without money, on their own recognizance. Since In re Humphrey (2021), California judges must consider a person’s ability to pay when setting bail.

The bail number depends heavily on the county and the charge. From the schedules we read for this guide (September 2026):

• Straight possession charges are often low or zero. Los Angeles County sets $0 for a concealed dirk or dagger and a switchblade. Fresno’s 2026 schedule lists misdemeanor concealed dirk and switchblade at $0. Other counties list a concealed dirk or dagger anywhere from $5,000 (Santa Clara, San Benito) to $35,000 (Stanislaus), and Trinity lists $50,000 on a row it labels “MFG. DEADLY WEAPON: DIRK/DAGGER.”
• Assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm is where the numbers jump: $20,000 (Fresno, Ventura), $25,000 to $30,000 in many counties, $50,000 in Sacramento, El Dorado, Glenn, Marin, and Napa, $60,000 in San Joaquin, $75,000 in Stanislaus, and $100,000 in Trinity.
• Many schedules do not list the knife charges at all. Then the schedule’s catch-all rule for unlisted offenses applies, and several counties list knife sections under their pre-2012 numbers.

Scheduled amounts are only the starting point. People on probation, parole, or supervision, or with past missed court dates, are often excluded from $0 release, and a knife arrest can also trigger a probation violation (what that means). For how quickly a judge sees someone after arrest, see how long it takes to see a judge. To find where a person is being held, use our guide to finding out if someone is in jail.

How This Plays Out: Real California Cases

Each of these is a published California decision. Most involve ordinary people, not violent crime.

• The Swiss Army knife that was open but not locked. San Diego, 2016. A friction-held blade is not “locked into position,” so it was not a dirk or dagger (Castillolopez). Lesson: for folding knives, open and locked is the line.
• The work knife in a teen’s pocket. Los Angeles County, 1998. A closed locking Gerber used to open boxes at a civic auditorium job was not a dirk or dagger (George W.).
• The credit card multi-tool. Contra Costa County, 2001. A blade that could only be pulled out with two hands was not “capable of ready use” (Luke W.).
• The “letter opener” under a long shirt. San Diego, 2000. Intent to use it as a weapon does not matter; knowing you are carrying it does (Rubalcava).
• The fishing knife at a trolley stop. Court of Appeal, 2012. Security officers at a trolley stop found a concealed knife with a 5 inch fixed blade; the man said he had forgotten it. The conviction stood (Mitchell).
• The Leatherman at Poway High. San Diego County, 1995. Only the sharpened edge is measured against the 2 1/2 inch school limit (Rosalio S.).
• The flip-open knife on a porch. Petaluma, 2009. Carrying a switchblade on your person is illegal even off the street (In re S.C.).
• The box cutter at a food truck. Los Angeles, 2019. A tool becomes a deadly weapon by how it is used (Aledamat).
• The hunting knife at cruise night. City of Commerce, 1985. Cities may ban knives worn in plain view (Gerardo).

What the Data Shows

California publishes data on knives used in violent crime, but not on knife law violations.

• Homicides. California recorded 1,374 homicides in 2025, down 17.5% from 1,666 in 2024, though the Department of Justice cautions that not all agencies submitted a full year of 2025 data, so comparisons with earlier years need care. Where the weapon was known, 213 of 1,351 (15.8%) involved a knife, which the Department of Justice defines as “Any instrument used to cut or stab,” compared with 904 (66.9%) involving firearms. In 2024 the knife count was 260 of 1,605 (16.2%) (Homicide in California 2025, Table 18).
• Assaults and robberies. In 2024, 19,070 of California’s 126,465 aggravated assaults (15.1%) involved a knife or cutting instrument, and 4,212 of 21,782 armed robberies (19.3%) did (Crime in California 2024, Tables 6 and 7).
• Nationally. FBI data for 2025 counted 1,509 homicide offenses involving a knife or cutting instrument, from agencies covering 89.5% of the U.S. population (FBI, Reported Crimes in the Nation 2025).

What California does not publish. There is no statewide count of arrests, charges, or convictions under PC 21310, 21510, or any other knife statute. The Department of Justice’s public arrest data folds weapons into a felony “all other” category and counts only the most serious offense per arrest (DOJ arrest data notes). School discipline data combines knives, firearms, and explosives into one “Weapons Possession” category (CDE). We found no peer-reviewed study measuring whether California’s switchblade or concealed dirk laws reduce violence.

What research does say. A study of inner-city junior high students found that “47% had carried knives” among boys, and that being threatened with a knife and getting into fights were key risk factors, which points partly to fear as a driver of carrying (Webster et al., American Journal of Public Health, 1993). U.S. trauma center data from 2007 to 2014 found stab wounds about as common as gunshot wounds but far less often fatal in the hospital (1.0% versus 9.5% in the later period) (Sakran et al., 2018). Research from Britain found that a Glasgow police campaign against knife carrying “reduced the number of serious stabbings for a period of 10 months, but subsequently numbers surpassed those prevailing before its implementation” (Bleetman et al., 1997), and that kitchen knives, not specialty knives, were by far the most common knives in homicides in England and Wales (Farrell and Davies, 2024).

In Their Words

• Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, Ninth Circuit, January 30, 2026, writing for the panel that upheld California’s switchblade law, concluded that “states may ban the concealed carry of dangerous edged or impact weapons, such as switchblade knives,” because they can cause devastating injury or death. (opinion)
• Judge Tung, Ninth Circuit, dissenting from the July 16, 2026 order denying rehearing: “A tradition prohibiting only one form of carry (concealed) but permitting another form of carry (open) does not justify prohibiting all forms of carry (concealed and open), which California’s ban does.” (order)
• Knife Rights, in an August 24, 2024 post after the trial court ruled against the challenge: “Not at all unexpectedly, unfortunately the Court chose to go well outside the Supreme Court precedent clearly established in Heller and Bruen and ruled against us.” (Knife Rights)
• California Court of Appeal, In re S.C., 2009: “A switchblade carried on the person represents a constant threat to others, whether carried in public or in private.” (opinion)
• A teen charged in Los Angeles County, as the Court of Appeal recounted, 1998: he “used the knife in his work at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to open boxes and cut plastic bands which secured groups of chairs.” His conviction was reversed. (In re George W.)
• Janice Hahn, Los Angeles County Supervisor and Chair of the Metro Board of Directors, April 28, 2025, announcing the second phase of Metro’s weapons detection pilot: “Let me be clear: weapons do not belong on Metro. There is no room for compromise on that.” (Supervisor Hahn)
• Sgt. Christopher Mahurin, Santa Rosa Police Department, March 15, 2023, after two students were arrested with knives on campus weeks after a fatal school stabbing: “In both cases, the teachers and school administrators acted quickly, followed established safety protocols, and immediately reported the incidents to law enforcement.” (NBC Bay Area)

Outside California: Federal Law, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas

Federal law. The Federal Switchblade Act bans shipping switchblades in interstate commerce and bans making, selling, or possessing them in federal territories and Indian country, with exceptions that include the armed forces and a person “who has only one arm” carrying a blade of 3 inches or less (15 U.S.C. 1241 to 1245). A 2009 amendment excludes assisted-opening knives with “a bias toward closure.” It does not make owning a switchblade inside California a federal crime; California’s own law is what applies here. Switchblades generally cannot be mailed (18 U.S.C. 1716).

Idaho (Bail Hotline has offices in Boise and Twin Falls). Idaho’s concealed weapons law says a “deadly weapon” does not include “any knife with a blade six (6) inches or less” (Idaho Code 18-3302). Since July 1, 2024, Idaho cities and counties may not pass their own knife rules (Idaho Code 18-3327), with exceptions such as schools and courthouses. On school property, Idaho uses the federal definition, so only pocketknives with blades under 2 1/2 inches are outside the ban (Idaho Code 18-3302D).

Nevada. Nevada’s concealed weapons law lists machetes and “other dangerous or deadly weapon[s],” and no longer names dirks, daggers, or switchblades (NRS 202.350). Because “dangerous or deadly weapon” is not defined there, carry large fixed blades openly if you drive to Las Vegas or Reno.

Arizona. Adults 21 and over can generally carry knives concealed, and people under 21 may carry a pocket knife concealed (A.R.S. 13-3102), and cities cannot pass their own knife rules (A.R.S. 13-3120).

Texas. A “location-restricted knife” is one “with a blade over five and one-half inches,” barred in places like schools, courts, and bars (Tex. Penal Code 46.01). Texas repealed its old ban on Bowie knives, daggers, and swords in 2017.

County-by-County Knife Rules and Bail in California

Knife law is mostly statewide, but two things change from county to county: the bail amount a jail uses when someone is booked on a knife charge, and the local ordinances that add rules on top of state law. For each of California’s 58 counties, we read the superior court’s own posted bail schedule in September 2026 and checked county and city codes for knife rules.

How to read this guide:

• Scheduled bail is the starting amount set by each county’s judges before any hearing. A judge can raise it, lower it, or release the person without money, and the jail applies exceptions (for example, for people on probation or parole). Always confirm the current amount with the jail or the court before posting bail.
• “Not listed” means the schedule has no line for that charge, so the schedule’s catch-all rule for unlisted offenses applies. Where we could read that rule, we give it. Several schedules still list knife crimes under their pre-2012 section numbers (12020 for a concealed dirk, 653k for switchblades).
• $0, “cite and release,” and “book and release” mean the schedule calls for release without bail, unless an exception applies.
• Outdated means the newest schedule the court posts online is older than 2025. Some courts post scanned images that cannot be read as text, and a few post no criminal schedule at all. We say so rather than guess.
• Local knife rules are the county code (for unincorporated areas) and the codes of the county’s largest cities and Bail Hotline office cities, checked in September 2026. “None found” means we searched and found no knife rule; it does not guarantee there is none.

Alameda County

Oakland and Berkeley both make it a local offense to carry a knife with a blade 3 inches or longer, open or concealed, unless it is carried in good faith for work or recreation. The court still posts a 2024 bail schedule.

• Scheduled bail (2024 Misdemeanor and Felony Bail Schedule, effective March 20, 2024, per the court’s listing; outdated): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony and $10,000 as a misdemeanor (printed on the 245(a) row). For unlisted felonies, bail is “calculated by multiplying $5,000 by the midterm for that offense.” Unlisted misdemeanors are $10,000 for “wobblers” (charges that can be filed either way), $5,000 for one year offenses, and $2,500 for six month offenses.
• Local knife rules: In unincorporated areas, County Code 9.12.060 bars giving a minor a “dangerous weapon” (which includes any knife with a blade 3 inches or more, or any snap-blade or spring-blade knife, 9.12.050) and bars a minor from possessing one. It is a minors rule, not an adult carry ban. Oakland Municipal Code 9.36.020 makes it unlawful to carry or possess a dangerous weapon, defined in 9.36.010 as including “Any knife having a blade three inches or more in length, or any snap-blade or spring-blade knife,” with a defense for good faith carry for “lawful occupation or employment or for the purpose of lawful recreation.” Oakland 9.36.040 also bars selling, carrying, or possessing switchblade-type knives (older local rule; state law also covers this conduct), and park rule 12.64.020 bars cutting devices other than a pocketknife in parks. Berkeley 13.68.020 bans carrying a knife with a blade 3 inches or longer (13.68.010), with the same work and recreation defense. Hayward 3-4.10 bars giving such knives to minors or possession by minors.
• Schedule: 2024 Misdemeanor and Felony Bail Schedule.

Alpine County

Alpine County’s court posts El Dorado County’s 2023 schedule, which as we read it lists $10,000 for a concealed dirk or dagger and $50,000 for assault with a deadly weapon. We read it only once, so confirm any amount with the court.

• Scheduled bail (El Dorado County’s 2023 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, revised August 1, 2023; outdated): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $10,000; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $25,000; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000. For unlisted felonies the schedule says: “Any felony offense without presumptive bail listed including H&S Codes $10,000.” We could not read the amount for unlisted misdemeanors.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code online. Alpine has no incorporated cities.
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Amador County

Amador County’s court posts only a 2022 felony schedule, and it is a scanned image we could not read. The county code has an old rule against carrying a concealed deadly weapon in any public place.

• Scheduled bail (2022 Felony Bail Schedule; outdated): the file is a scanned image, so we could not read the amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)). No misdemeanor schedule is posted. Call the jail or the court for current amounts.
• Local knife rules: In unincorporated areas, County Code 9.72.010 says “Any person found in any public place within the county with a concealed deadly weapon upon his person” can be fined $25 to $100 or jailed 25 to 100 days (1985). The code does not define “deadly weapon” or mention knives (older local rule; state law also covers this conduct). Ione’s park rule 12.04.020 says “No firearms or dangerous weapons are allowed,” without defining the term. Jackson’s code had no knife hits; its weapons article could not be opened.
• Schedule: 2022 Felony Bail Schedule.

Butte County

Butte County’s 2026 jail bail schedule does not list any knife possession charge. Unlisted felonies default to $15,000 and most unlisted misdemeanors to $3,000, while felony assault with a deadly weapon is $30,000.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Jail Bail Schedule, Annual Order BCSC 2026-AO-02, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony (the misdemeanor column is blank). For unlisted charges the schedule says “All Misdemeanors unless stated $3,000 (12 mo & ‘wobblers’) $1,000 (6 mo violations)” and “All Felonies unless stated $15,000.” A “wobbler” is a charge that can be filed as a felony or a misdemeanor.
• Local knife rules: In Oroville (county seat), park and public space rule 9.04.030(M) says no person other than peace officers “shall possess, carry or use firearms or weapons of any description.” That wording may reach knives; how the city applies it to pocketknives is not clear. Chico’s park rule (12.18.310) covers firearms and projectile weapons only, and we could not search the full Chico code. We could not check the county code online.
• Schedule: 2026 Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Butte.

Calaveras County

Calaveras County’s court still posts a 2016 schedule. It lists $30,000 for assault with a deadly weapon and, as we read it, none of the knife possession charges, so those fall under its catch-all rules.

• Scheduled bail (2016 Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective November 1, 2016; outdated): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart based on the maximum prison term, from $20,000 to $1,000,000. Unlisted misdemeanors: “UNLISTED PENAL CODE MISDEMEANOR – $500.00.” The 2016 file may use old section numbers, so confirm with the court.
• Local knife rules: No knife carry rule found in the county code (its weapons chapter and park rule cover firearms and projectiles). We could not check the code of Angels Camp, the only city.
• Schedule: 2016 Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Colusa County

Colusa County’s court does not post a custody bail schedule for Penal Code weapon charges. The only schedule online is the statewide traffic and misdemeanor schedule, which does not list any of these knife charges.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule, effective January 1, 2026; traffic and citation amounts only): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) are all not listed. The amounts in this schedule are for tickets and citations, not for someone held in jail.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code or the City of Colusa’s code online.
• Schedule: No custody bail schedule is posted. Call the Colusa County jail or the court to ask about bail. The court’s traffic schedule is here: January 1, 2026 Traffic/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County’s 2026 bail tables are posted only as spreadsheet files we could not read, but the court’s cover sheets set $0 bail for any felony or misdemeanor the tables do not list. Richmond bans carrying a knife with a blade 3 inches or longer.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules, effective July 8, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)): not retrieved, because the charge tables are .xlsx files. The felony cover sheet says unlisted felonies get “zero dollars ($0)” and are designated “BR,” meaning book and release (booked, then released without bail). The misdemeanor cover sheet sets $0 and “CR,” meaning cite and release (a written notice to appear in court instead of booking), though it also says conditions “may be set at a starting point of $250.00.” The replaced 2025 schedule listed $20,000 for a felony concealed dirk or dagger and $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon; confirm current amounts with the court.
• Local knife rules: Richmond Municipal Code 11.12.020 makes it “unlawful for any person to carry upon his person or to have in his possession or under his control any dangerous weapon,” which 11.12.010 defines to include a knife with a blade 3 inches or more or any snap-blade or spring-blade knife. There is a defense for good faith carry for work or recreation, and 11.12.030 bars selling spring-blade or snap-blade knives. A search of the county code found no knife rule. Martinez and Concord were not checked.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, with felony and misdemeanor front sheets.

Del Norte County

Del Norte County’s 2026 schedule does not name any knife charge, so bail is set by its charts based on the maximum sentence for the offense.

• Scheduled bail (Bail and Penalty Schedule, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) are all not listed. Felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies (it starts at $25,000 for a 3 year maximum). The misdemeanor chart lists $2,500 for a 90 day maximum, $5,000 for 180 days, and $10,000 for 365 days. Confirm with the court how the charts apply.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code online. No knife rule found in Title 9 of the Crescent City code (its parks chapters were not checked).
• Schedule: 2026 Bail and Penalty Schedule.

El Dorado County

El Dorado County’s 2025 schedule sets $10,000 for a concealed dirk or dagger and $25,000 for bringing a weapon into a public building. South Lake Tahoe bars minors from having a 3 inch or longer knife without parental consent and supervision.

• Scheduled bail (2025 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, revised January 21, 2025; no 2026 edition posted): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $10,000 as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed, and unlisted misdemeanors are “C/R (cite & release),” meaning a ticket and a promise to appear instead of jail; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed, and unlisted felonies are $10,000; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $25,000 as a felony; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $10,000 under a misdemeanor row “417 Brandishing a weapon” that does not name the subdivision; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000 as a felony.
• Local knife rules: A search of the county code for “knife” found only a parks weapons section (9.46.240), which we did not read. In South Lake Tahoe, 4.75.010(A) defines a dangerous weapon to include “Any knife having a blade three inches or more in length, or any snapblade or springblade regardless of the length of the blade.” Section 4.75.040 makes it unlawful for a minor to possess one, unless 4.75.050’s written parental consent and adult supervision apply. Section 4.75.020 bars entering private land with a dangerous weapon without the owner’s written consent. We could not check Placerville’s code.
• Schedule: 2025 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Fresno County

Fresno County’s 2026 court schedule sets $0.00 bail for a misdemeanor concealed dirk or dagger and for a switchblade, but $20,000.00 for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

• Scheduled bail (Criminal Bail Schedules 2026, a court web page with no effective date beyond “2026”): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $0.00 as a misdemeanor (no felony row found); switchblade (PC 21510) $0.00 as a misdemeanor; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) has no row of its own, but “417+ M Exhibiting firearm or deadly weapon in rude manner” is $5,000.00; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $20,000.00 as a felony. Unlisted Penal Code misdemeanors default to $0.00. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: A search of the Fresno County code on Municode found no knife rule. A search of the City of Fresno’s code found no knife carry rule (it returned only a disposition section).
• Schedule: Criminal Bail Schedules 2026.

Glenn County

Glenn County’s 2026 schedule still lists concealed dirk or dagger under the old section number, PC 12020, at $25,000. Felony assault with a deadly weapon is $50,000.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Jail Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed under that number; the schedule has an older row, “Section 12020 … Dangerous Weapons, Manufacture, Sale, Possession; Carrying Explosive or Concealed Dirk or Dagger,” at $25,000; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed, and whether the jail uses the same old $25,000 row is not clear, so confirm with the jail; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies. We found no general amount for unlisted misdemeanors.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code or the codes of Willows and Orland.
• Schedule: 2026 Glenn County Bail Schedule.

Humboldt County

In Eureka, a 1956 city rule makes it unlawful to carry a concealed knife with a blade 3 inches or longer. Humboldt County’s 2026 schedule names no knife charge, so bail is set by its maximum sentence charts.

• Scheduled bail (Humboldt County Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) are all not listed. Felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies (from $25,000 for a 3 year maximum). The misdemeanor chart lists $2,500 for a 90 day maximum, $5,000 for 180 days, and $10,000 for 365 days.
• Local knife rules: No knife carry rule found in the county code (partial check). Eureka Municipal Code 133.02 makes it unlawful “to carry concealed upon his person any dangerous or deadly weapon,” or to carry one near places selling alcohol. Section 133.01 includes “Any knife with a blade three inches or more in length” and any spring-blade or switchblade knife. Work tools and legitimate recreation are exempt (133.04), and 133.05 bars selling, carrying, or possessing any spring-blade knife (older local rule; state law also covers this conduct).
• Schedule: Humboldt County Bail Schedule 2026.

Imperial County

Imperial County’s 2026 schedule lists none of the main knife charges except brandishing, so most knife cases fall under its general charts; if a deadly weapon use enhancement is charged, the schedule adds $50,000.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule; no effective date printed): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor, on a row labeled “Brandishing a Firearm” even though it cites (a)(1); assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) not listed. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies, which starts at “3 years or less $ 10,000” and rises with the maximum sentence. Unlisted misdemeanors run from $1,500 (90 days maximum) to $5,000 (364 days). The “Use of a deadly or dangerous weapon” enhancement (PC 12022(b)(1)) adds $50,000.
• Local knife rules: A search of the county code found no knife rule. El Centro’s code was not checked.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Inyo County

Inyo County’s court posts a schedule last updated in July 2017, and it is a scanned image we could not read. Call the jail or the court for current amounts.

• Scheduled bail (Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, last updated July 2017; outdated): the scanned file could not be read, so we have no amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)).
• Local knife rules: No knife carry rule found in the county code (its weapon sections cover firearm discharge). Bishop Municipal Code 9.24.060 lets the city suspend a person from parks for “Possession of an illegal weapon (as defined by the state Penal Code) in a city park or recreation area,” which follows state law rather than adding a stricter blade rule.
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Kern County

Kern County buildings ban all knives, even pocketknives and multi-tools. The 2026 schedule lists $5,000 for misdemeanor brandishing and $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon, but no knife possession charge.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony Bail Schedule, revised December 19, 2025, effective December 29, 2025; it also covers some misdemeanors): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony, $10,000 if filed as a misdemeanor. For unlisted charges the schedule says “Misdemeanor Penal Code Offenses Not Listed” “$500,” and unlisted felonies are set by a formula based on the sentence (“Mid Term of Sentence x $10K”).
• Local knife rules: County Code 20.01.010 bars from county buildings “All knives, including pocket knives and Leatherman-type tools,” and any knife with a blade over four inches (adopted 2017). In Bakersfield, 9.52.010 says “no person shall carry a dangerous weapon, as defined in the Penal Code of the state, on his or her person while in any public building within the city.” It adds no blade length. We did not check Bakersfield’s park or other chapters.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule.

Kings County

Kings County’s 2026 schedules list amounts for every knife charge we checked: $10,000 for a felony concealed dirk or dagger, $10,000 for misdemeanor brandishing, and $25,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

• Scheduled bail (2026 felony and misdemeanor schedules; no effective date printed): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $10,000 as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed under that number, but the misdemeanor schedule lists the old number, “653K POSSESSION / SALE OF SWITCHBLADE KNIFE,” at $5,000; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) $20,000 for the felony row “626.10 POSSESS WEAPON AT SCHOOL,” $10,000 for a knife at a school (626.10(a)) or college (626.10(b)), and $10,000 as a misdemeanor; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $10,000 as a felony, while the misdemeanor courthouse row is printed at $25,000; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor. Unlisted misdemeanors are $1,500. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: A search of the Kings County code on Municode found no knife rule. Hanford’s code has no “knife” results; its park rule (12.16.060) allows suspension from parks for possessing an illegal weapon as defined by state law.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Lake County

In Clearlake, a city rule bans carrying any knife with a blade 2 inches or longer in plain view in public, the reverse of state law. Lake County’s 2026 schedule lists $25,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

• Scheduled bail (Uniform Bail Schedule, adopted February 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony. The schedule says: “For any felony charge not listed on this schedule, the bail shall be $10,000.” and “For any misdemeanor charge not listed on this schedule, the bail shall be $1,000.”
• Local knife rules: No knife carry rule found in the county code (its park rule covers firearms). Clearlake Municipal Code 5-6.7 says “No person shall wear or carry in plain view any knife or dagger while in any public place,” with exceptions for work, lawful recreation, and religious practice. Lakeport 9.20.010 bars having “any hatchet, ax, machete, brush knife or other device” in the city park, other than a legal pocket knife or food cutlery (1970).
• Schedule: Lake County Superior Court Uniform Bail Schedule.

Lassen County

Lassen County’s 2026 schedule is a very long file, and we could not retrieve its criminal bail pages. Call the jail or the court for the amount on any knife charge.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules, effective January 1, 2026): we could not retrieve the rows for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)). The traffic amounts at the front of the file do not apply to knife charges.
• Local knife rules: No knife carry rule found in the county code (its weapons chapter covers firearm discharge only) or in Susanville’s code (its parks text was only partly checked).
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules.

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County’s 2026 schedules set $0 bail for most knife possession charges, including a concealed dirk or dagger, but $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon. The city of Los Angeles and the unincorporated county also ban carrying a 3 inch or longer knife in plain view.

• Scheduled bail (2026 felony and misdemeanor schedules, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed, so the rule for unlisted offenses applies: $0, “book and release” as a felony (booked, then released without bail) or “cite and release” as a misdemeanor; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed, $0, cite and release; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) $0, book and release; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed, $0; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $0 with “magistrate review,” meaning the person is booked and a judicial officer decides any release conditions; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony, magistrate review as a misdemeanor. The schedule lists exceptions that can take a person out of $0 release, so confirm with the jail.
• Local knife rules: In unincorporated areas, County Code 13.62.020 makes it unlawful “to carry on his person, in plain view, any knife or dagger,” meaning a blade of 3 inches or more or any spring-blade knife, with exceptions for work tools, lawful recreation, and religious practice (13.62.030). In the city of Los Angeles, Municipal Code 55.10 bans carrying “in plain view any knife or dagger upon any public street or other public place” (blade 3 inches or more), with the same kinds of exceptions; it is a misdemeanor or, if the City Attorney chooses, an infraction. Glendale (9.24.050) and Santa Monica (3.29, adopted 2023 and covering swords) have similar 3 inch plain view bans. Pasadena 9.84.020 bars concealing a knife with a blade of 5 inches or more in a public place or a vehicle. El Monte 9.28.020 bars anyone under 18 from carrying a knife on public property. We found no knife carry rule in Long Beach’s code.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Madera County

Madera County’s 2026 schedule lists only one of the knife-related charges we checked: $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon. Unlisted misdemeanors are set at $5,000.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony Bail Schedule, Including Selected Misdemeanors, effective January 2, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000. The schedule says an unlisted misdemeanor’s bail “shall be set in the amount of $5,000.” Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: A search of the Madera County code on Municode for “knife” found only emergency powers sections. The county code has a weapons article, but the chapter we saw covers firearm discharge. We could not check the City of Madera’s code.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule (Including Selected Misdemeanors).

Marin County

In unincorporated Marin County, the county code makes it a misdemeanor to carry a concealed knife with a blade 3 inches or longer, on your body or hidden in your vehicle. Felony assault with a deadly weapon is $50,000.

• Scheduled bail (Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules, January 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $10,000 as a felony (not on the misdemeanor schedule); switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $50,000 as a felony; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $3,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000 as a felony (not on the misdemeanor schedule). Unlisted felonies are $10,000. “The presumptive bail for any misdemeanor charge not specifically listed in the Misdemeanor Bail Schedule shall be $839.00.”
• Local knife rules: County Code 6.52.010 (from 1953) makes it a misdemeanor to carry “concealed upon his person, or concealed within any vehicle” a knife with a blade three inches or more, or any snap-blade or springblade knife, with up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine (an older local rule that is stricter than state law, which allows a closed folding knife to be carried concealed). It does not apply to a licensed hunter or fisherman while hunting or fishing. County Code 6.52.020 makes it a misdemeanor to draw or show a knife “in a rude, angry or threatening manner.” San Rafael’s code was not checked.
• Schedule: Felony Bail Schedule, January 2026 and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, January 2026.

Mariposa County

Mariposa County’s court posts a 2026 schedule, but it is a scanned image we could not read. Call the jail or the court for current amounts.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, per the court’s home page): the scanned file could not be read, so we have no amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)).
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code online. Mariposa has no incorporated cities.
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Mendocino County

Mendocino County’s 2026 schedules set $0 bail for most knife charges, including a concealed dirk or dagger, but $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon. Ukiah bans having any spring blade knife, whatever the blade length.

• Scheduled bail (2026 felony and misdemeanor schedules, effective August 6, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed, so the rule for unlisted offenses applies: $0 and “BR” as a felony (“book and release,” meaning booked, then released without bail) or $0 and “CR” as a misdemeanor (“cite and release,” meaning released on a written promise to appear); switchblade (PC 21510) not listed, $0, cite and release; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) book and release ($0); weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed, $0; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) book and release ($0); assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor. The unlisted felony rule “does not include crimes listed in Penal Code section 1270.1, subdivision (a),” so confirm with the jail.
• Local knife rules: No knife carry rule found in the county code (its weapon rules cover firearms). Ukiah City Code 6201 bans possessing “any type of spring blade or push button knife, regardless of the length of the blade,” whether concealed or not; 6200 bars selling them. Penalty: up to $500 or six months (1956; older local rule; state law also covers this conduct).
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Merced County

Merced County’s 2026 schedules set $20,000 for a felony concealed dirk or dagger and also $20,000 for a misdemeanor switchblade charge. Felony assault with a deadly weapon is $30,000.

• Scheduled bail (2026 felony and misdemeanor schedules, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $20,000 as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) $20,000 as a misdemeanor; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony. The misdemeanor schedule says bail for “Any Misdemeanor Offense Not Specifically Set Forth Herein Shall Be $1,000.00.” Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code or the City of Merced’s code online.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Modoc County

Modoc County’s court does not post a bail schedule online. Call the jail or the court (530-233-6516) to ask about bail on a knife charge.

• Scheduled bail: no schedule posted, so no amounts are available for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)).
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code or in the code of Alturas, the only city (its online code was last updated in 2023).
• Schedule: No schedule posted online. Call the jail or the court.

Mono County

Mono County’s 2026 misdemeanor schedule lists $25,000 for brandishing a deadly weapon, far above its $0 default for unlisted misdemeanors. We found no felony section in the posted file.

• Scheduled bail (2026 schedule, Attachment B, misdemeanor offenses; file updated June 29, 2026; no effective date printed): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $25,000, “Brandishing a deadly weapon or firearm”; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) not listed, and no felony schedule was found. The schedule says: “Any other misdemeanor offense not listed below is set at $0.00 bail.” A “wobbler” (a charge that can be a felony or a misdemeanor) charged as a misdemeanor “shall have bail set in the amount of $10,000.” Ask the court about felony amounts.
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code or in the Mammoth Lakes code (its park weapons rule names firearms, air guns, slingshots, and bows, not knives).
• Schedule: 2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Monterey County

In Salinas, it is unlawful to have any spring-blade or push-button knife at all, and knives with a fixed blade or a blade over 3 inches are barred from city buildings and parks. Monterey County’s 2025 schedule sets $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

• Scheduled bail (2025 Criminal Bail Schedule, effective February 13, 2025; no 2026 edition posted): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $15,000 as a felony, $7,500 as a misdemeanor; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor. For unlisted felonies “the presumptive bail for each is $10,000; for unlisted misdemeanors or misdemeanor enhancements, the presumptive bail is $3,500.”
• Local knife rules: A search of the Monterey County code on Municode found no knife rule. Salinas 21-43 makes it unlawful to possess, “whether concealed upon his person or not, any type of spring-blade or push-button knife, regardless of the length of the blade” (state law also covers switchblades), and 21-42 bars selling them. Salinas 21-56 bars bringing “any knife with a fixed blade or a blade longer than three inches” into city-owned buildings, parks and recreation areas, with a tools exception and a check-in area. A Monterey city weapons section (22-21) appeared in a search, but we did not read it.
• Schedule: 2025 Criminal Bail Schedule.

Napa County

Napa County’s schedule sets $10,000 for a concealed dirk or dagger and $50,000 for assault with a deadly weapon, even when that assault is charged as a misdemeanor.

• Scheduled bail (June 11, 2025 schedule; no 2026 edition posted): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $10,000 as a misdemeanor and $10,000 as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) $1,000 as a misdemeanor (the schedule also prints a $10,000 felony row for 21510(b)); knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not retrieved, because our copy of the schedule was cut off; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not found in the part we could read, so confirm with the court; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not retrieved; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000 as a felony and $50,000 as a misdemeanor.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code online, and the City of Napa’s code page did not load.
• Schedule: Napa Bail Schedule, June 11, 2025.

Nevada County

Nevada County’s 2026 schedule lists $1,000 for a switchblade and $25,000 for assault with a deadly weapon. In Grass Valley city parks, carrying a knife with a blade over 3 inches is a local violation.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; the schedule says “If a detainee is booked for a felony offense not set forth in the bail schedule, the bail shall be $10,000,” and lists $2,000 for misdemeanors with a 1 year maximum; switchblade (PC 21510) $1,000; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10(a)) $5,000; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $2,500; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000, with no separate felony and misdemeanor amounts.
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code. Grass Valley 12.32.010 defines a dangerous or deadly weapon to include “any knife or sword with a blade exceeding three inches in length” and any spring-blade or push-button knife, and 12.32.050 bars people in parks to “Brandish or carry any dangerous or deadly weapon.” No knife rule found in the Truckee or Nevada City codes.
• Schedule: 2026 Nevada County Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Orange County

Orange County’s 2026 schedule lists only one of the main knife charges: $25,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon. Garden Grove and Huntington Beach have concealed weapon rules, and Irvine bans exposed knives in city parks.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Uniform Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony, not listed as a misdemeanor. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies, based on “state prison top term potential.” For unlisted misdemeanors, the schedule points to the Judicial Council Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule.
• Local knife rules: No knife rule was found in the county code. Garden Grove 8.32 defines a dangerous weapon to include a knife with a blade of three inches or more or any snap-blade or spring-blade knife. It bars loitering on a public street with one concealed (8.32.020), loitering with one concealed where liquor is sold (8.32.040), and having one “in any automobile” (8.32.050, with an exception for work and sport tools). It also bars selling such knives to a minor without an adult present (8.32.060). Huntington Beach 9.80.010 bars carrying a concealed “dirk or other dangerous weapon” without a permit (older local rule; state law also covers this conduct), but says an ordinary penknife or pocketknife is not a dangerous weapon (9.80.020). Irvine 3-4-122 bans “exposed knives, daggers, and martial arts weaponry” in city parks, except at city-sanctioned events. No knife rule was found in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, or the city of Orange.
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform Bail Schedule.

Placer County

We could not open Placer County’s bail schedules, so no amounts are given here. Auburn, the county seat, bans carrying or displaying a knife in a way that intimidates others or causes alarm.

• Scheduled bail (the court’s fee schedule page lists felony and misdemeanor schedules effective January 9, 2025; a 2026 edition may exist, so confirm with the court): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)): not retrieved. Call the court or the jail for current amounts.
• Local knife rules: The county code has no “knife” results. In county recreation areas, 12.24.020(H) says “No person shall possess a weapon unless possession is authorized under the California Penal Code.” Auburn 9.34.010 makes it unlawful to carry, exhibit, display or draw a “dagger, sword, knife or other cutting or stabbing instrument” in a way that “either manifests an intent to intimidate another or that warrants alarm for the safety of other persons.” It has no blade length limit. We found no knife rule in Roseville’s code.
• Schedule: Placer court fee schedule page, which lists both bail schedules.

Plumas County

Plumas County bans hunting knives (a fixed or locking blade over 3.5 inches) at the county fairgrounds. Its 2026 bail schedule is a scanned image we could not read.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Criminal Incarceration Bail Schedule, effective February 10, 2026): the scanned file could not be read, so we have no amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)). Call the jail or the court.
• Local knife rules: County Code 5-7.01 says “Firearms and hunting knives shall not be allowed on the fairgrounds unless such weapons are in the possession of peace officers.” A hunting knife means a blade over 3.5 inches that is fixed or locks open (1980). Section 5-7.02 bars using a knife or other weapon to hunt or injure wildlife at the Feather River College and Courthouse Annex premises. No knife rule found in Portola’s code (last updated online in 2023). Quincy, the county seat, is unincorporated.
• Schedule: 2026 Criminal Incarceration Bail Schedule.

Riverside County

Riverside County’s schedule (October 2025) sets $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon and $2,500 for brandishing, but does not list a concealed dirk, a switchblade, or school and public building knife charges.

• Scheduled bail (Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective October 20, 2025; no 2026 edition posted): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $2,500 as a misdemeanor, with the release category “CR”; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony (category “AR”) and $5,000 as a misdemeanor (category “BR”). For unlisted felonies, “Presumptive bail is set at the middle term multiplied by $10,000.” Unlisted misdemeanors with a maximum of 180 days or less are $2,500; our read showed $5,000 for longer ones, so confirm with the court.
• Local knife rules: A search of the county code found no knife rule, and Ordinance 514 covers only firearms. A search of the city of Riverside’s code found no knife carry section. Murrieta 12.08.110 bars having “any firearm, air gun, illegal knives” or other weapons in any public park. Indio and Banning were not checked.
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Sacramento County

Sacramento County’s schedule does not list most knife charges, so unlisted felonies default to $10,000 and unlisted misdemeanors to zero. The city of Sacramento treats a 3 inch or longer knife as a dangerous weapon and bans one in a car, with work and sport exceptions.

• Scheduled bail (Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules for Persons in Pretrial Custody, updated November 2025): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $50,000 as a felony. The schedule says “For any felony offense for which no presumptive bail is set forth, bail is fixed at $10,000,” and for unlisted misdemeanors “bail is fixed at zero.”
• Local knife rules: County Code 9.42.010 bans dangerous weapons, including any “dagger, knife,” in or on county buildings and grounds (1976), with exemptions for officers and county staff. In the city of Sacramento, 9.32.010 defines a dangerous weapon to include “any knife with a blade three inches or more in length; any snap-blade, spring-blade or push-blade knife, regardless of the length of the blade.” Section 9.32.050 makes it unlawful “to have in his or her possession, in any automobile, any dangerous or deadly weapon,” except “ordinary tools or equipment carried in good faith” for work or sport. Sections 9.32.020 and 9.32.040 bar loitering on streets or near bars with a concealed one, and 9.32.060 bars selling or giving away spring-blade knives (state law also covers switchblade sales).
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules for Persons in Pretrial Custody.

San Benito County

Hollister bans carrying a knife or dagger in plain view into event areas. San Benito County’s 2025 schedule sets $5,000 for a felony concealed dirk or dagger and $25,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

• Scheduled bail (2025 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule; the effective date is left blank): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $5,000 as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) $10,000, though the reads of the schedule disagreed on whether this row is in the felony or misdemeanor part, so confirm with the court; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor. Unlisted misdemeanors are $1,000. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: Hollister 9.06.030 says “No person shall wear or carry any knife or dagger in plain view into or upon any event area,” with knife defined by a 3 inch blade (9.06.010; adopted 2002). We could not check the county code online.
• Schedule: 2025 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County’s 2026 schedule says bail is not required on most misdemeanors, and no misdemeanor knife or weapon charge is on its list of exceptions. Fontana bars having a knife with a 3 inch or longer blade in a car, except as a work or sport tool.

• Scheduled bail (Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, revised June 4, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed, and “Unless noted below, bail is not required on misdemeanors”; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)): one read showed $50,000 on the serious felony list and a later read did not find a separate row, so confirm with the court. As a misdemeanor, no bail is required. For other felonies, “the Judge may use the following chart, in their sound discretion,” starting at “3 years or less $30,000,” and “Judges may also set zero bail.”
• Local knife rules: No knife rule was found in the parts of the county code we could search. Fontana 16-131 to 16-136 define a dangerous weapon to include “Any knife with a blade three inches or more in length.” Fontana bars carrying one concealed while loitering (16-132), concealed “while in a school or upon school premises” (16-133), concealed near bars or places the public attends (16-134), and having one “in any automobile” (16-135, with a tools and sport exception). Victorville 13.24.030 bars selling or giving switchblade-type knives to anyone under 18, with a parent or guardian exception. The cities of San Bernardino and Rancho Cucamonga were not checked.
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

San Diego County

San Diego County’s 2026 schedule sets $10,000 for misdemeanor brandishing of a weapon other than a firearm and $10,000 for misdemeanor assault with a deadly weapon. We could not read the felony pages.

• Scheduled bail (2026 schedule, effective January 1, 2026; misdemeanor pages only): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not found on the misdemeanor pages, felony pages not retrieved; switchblade (PC 21510) not found on the misdemeanor pages; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not found on the misdemeanor pages; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not found on the misdemeanor pages; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $10,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $10,000 as a misdemeanor, felony amount not retrieved. Call the jail or the court for felony amounts.
• Local knife rules: In county parks, County Code of Regulatory Ordinances 41.117 (amended effective January 13, 2023) bans possessing items including a “blowgun or throwing knife.” No county rule on carrying ordinary knives was found. The city of San Diego’s weapons article (Municipal Code Chapter 5, Article 3) has no knife section. Vista and Santee were not checked.
• Schedule: San Diego Superior Court Bail Schedule.

San Francisco

San Francisco has no general ban on carrying a 3 inch knife. Its Police Code makes it a local misdemeanor to carry one concealed while loitering on the street, fighting, or near bars, with a higher fine on Muni.

• Scheduled bail (Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Index and Schedule, 2026 to 2027, effective July 1, 2026): the posted schedule is a scanned image we could not read, so we cannot report amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)). Call the jail or the court.
• Local knife rules: Police Code 1291(a) defines a dangerous weapon to include “any knife with a blade three inches or more in length” and any spring-blade, switch-blade, or snap-blade knife. Section 1291(b) makes it unlawful “while carrying concealed upon his person any dangerous or deadly weapon, to loaf or loiter upon any public street, sidewalk, or alley.” Other subsections cover fights and loitering near “any place where intoxicating liquors are sold.” Work tools and “legitimate recreation” are excepted. The penalty is up to six months and/or $500, or up to six months and/or $1,000 on a Muni platform or vehicle or within 25 feet of a bus zone. Section 1292 bars selling, carrying, or possessing switchblade-type knives (older local rule; state law also covers this conduct). Section 1293 bars knowingly selling any knife other than a table knife to a minor, with a parent or guardian exception.
• Schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Index and Schedule.

San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County’s 2026 schedule lists $20,000 for a concealed dirk or dagger but marks it for cite and release. Both the county and Stockton bar having a knife with a 3 inch or longer blade in a car, with a tools exception.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Uniform County Bail Schedule, marked tentative, effective July 23, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $20,000 “CR,” meaning “cite and release”: the person is released on a signed promise to appear “with no posting of bail required” (confirm with the jail if an exception applies); switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $60,000 “AR” (“Arraignment Review Only”). Unlisted felonies use the schedule’s chart (from $20,000). “Misdemeanors Not Specifically Addressed in this Bail Schedule $5,000.”
• Local knife rules: In unincorporated areas, County Code 4-2000 defines a dangerous or deadly weapon to include “any knife with a blade three (3) inches or more in length.” Section 4-2005 says “No person shall have in his possession, in any automobile, any dangerous or deadly weapon,” except ordinary tools. Other sections cover loitering, fights, bars, and schools while armed, and spring-blade knife sales (4-2006). Stockton 9.52.020(D) has the same car rule, excepting tools for “honest work, trade or business” or “legitimate sport or recreation.”
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform County Bail Schedule.

San Luis Obispo County

The city of San Luis Obispo bans carrying a knife with a blade of 3 inches or more in any public place, with work and recreation defenses. The county’s 2026 schedule sets $20,000 for a felony concealed dirk or dagger.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Bail Schedule Felony and Misdemeanor, effective June 15, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $20,000 as a felony, in a grouped row labeled “Possession of specified weapons”; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) the two reads of the schedule disagreed, so confirm with the court; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $20,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $2,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony, $10,000 as a misdemeanor. For unlisted charges, “the pre-arraignment presumptive bail for felonies shall be $20,000” and “for misdemeanors shall be $0.”
• Local knife rules: A search of the county code on Municode for “knife” found only emergency powers sections. In the city of San Luis Obispo, 9.16.010(B) counts “Any knife having a blade of three inches or more in length” as a dangerous weapon, and 9.16.020(B) makes it unlawful “to carry upon his or her person … in any public place within the city any dangerous weapon.” A person has a defense if the knife was carried in good faith “for use in his or her lawful occupation or employment or for the purpose of lawful recreation.”
• Schedule: 2026 Bail Schedule Felony and Misdemeanor.

San Mateo County

San Mateo County’s court still posts 2023 bail schedules. They list $5,000 for misdemeanor dirk or switchblade possession and $25,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon. The county code bans possessing a switchblade.

• Scheduled bail (Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules, effective May 1, 2023; outdated): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $5,000 as a misdemeanor (grouped “Dangerous weapons” row), not listed as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) $5,000 as a misdemeanor (same row); knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony, and $10,000 on the general PC 245 misdemeanor row. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies, based on the “prison top term potential.” “Bail on all misdemeanors not otherwise specified below is set at $1,000.”
• Local knife rules: In unincorporated areas, County Code 3.16.020 (from 1956) says “No person shall sell, offer for sale, expose for sale, keep, carry, possess, loan, transfer, or give to any other person any switch-blade knife” (older local rule; state law also covers this conduct). Chapter 3.16 also defines a dangerous weapon to include a knife with a blade 3 inches or more; we did not read the sections that apply that definition. Redwood City, San Mateo, and Daly City were not checked.
• Schedule: Felony Bail Schedule and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Santa Barbara County

The city of Santa Barbara bans carrying a knife with a blade of 3 inches or more in plain view in public. The county’s 2026 schedule sets $5,000 for a switchblade and $30,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony Bail Schedule with a misdemeanor section, effective June 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) $5,000, listed under the misdemeanor heading; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony. For unlisted charges the schedule says “Bail For Unlisted Felony Offenses: $20,000” and “UNSPECIFIED MISDEMEANOR OFFENSES 2,500.”
• Local knife rules: A search of the Santa Barbara County code on Municode found no knife rule. City of Santa Barbara 9.10.010(A): “No person shall wear or carry in plain view any knife or dagger upon any public street or other public place or in any place open to the public.” It covers blades of three inches or more and exempts lawful work and recreation, including travel to and from (adopted 1988). In Santa Maria, park rule 8-20.02(f) says “Weapons, fixed blade knives, and firearms are prohibited” (effective 2020); we found no general knife carry rule there.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule.

Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County’s 2026 schedule sets $5,000 for a felony concealed dirk or dagger and $25,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon. A search of San Jose’s code found no knife section.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Criminal Bail Schedule, dated January 27, 2026; the effective date line is blank): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $5,000 as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) $10,000 as a felony (misdemeanor amount unclear, so confirm with the court); weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $5,000 as a misdemeanor, not listed as a felony; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000 as a felony. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies, based on the “state prison top term potential.” For misdemeanors, the schedule calls for most people to be released on their own recognizance (their own promise to return to court), with limited exceptions; confirm with the court.
• Local knife rules: In county parks, Ordinance Code B14-31.1(a) bars having any “throwing knife or axe, or any other weapon or device capable of injuring or killing any person” outside designated areas. A search of San Jose’s code for “knife,” “knives,” and “dagger” found no sections.
• Schedule: 2026 Criminal Bail Schedule.

Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County’s 2026 schedule marks a concealed dirk or dagger as cite and release, with no dollar amount, while felony assault with a deadly weapon is $30,000.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Criminal Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) “CITE AND RELEASE,” meaning a written notice to appear in court instead of bail; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed under that number, but the schedule prints the old section number, “653K POSSESSION OF SWITCHBLADE KNIFE,” at $1,000 as a misdemeanor; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed under that number, but a felony row numbered “626.1” for a weapon (not firearm) on school or college grounds is $10,000, so confirm with the court; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $15,000 as a felony; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 on a general PC 417 misdemeanor row; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony and $10,000 as a misdemeanor. Unlisted felonies are $5,000 and unlisted misdemeanors $1,000, each “with mandatory court appearance.”
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code’s public peace title (its weapons chapter covers firearms) or in the City of Santa Cruz’s public safety title, which lists only firearm chapters.
• Schedule: 2026 Criminal Bail Schedules, Felony and Misdemeanor.

Shasta County

In Redding, a knife with a blade 3 inches or longer counts as a “dangerous or deadly weapon,” and carrying one concealed while loitering on a street or near a bar is a city offense. Shasta County’s 2026 schedule is a scanned image we could not read.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule; effective date could not be read): the scanned file could not be read, so we have no amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)). Call the jail or the court.
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code (its weapon rules cover firearms). Redding Municipal Code 10.56.010 covers “any knife with a blade three inches or more in length; any springblade, switchblade or snapblade knife.” It is unlawful to carry one concealed and “loaf or loiter upon any public street” (10.56.040), to loiter with one near places selling alcohol (10.56.030), or to fight while armed (10.56.020). Ordinary tools are excepted (10.56.050). Section 10.56.060 bars selling, carrying, or possessing any switchblade (older local rule; state law also covers this conduct).
• Schedule: 2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Sierra County

Sierra County’s court posts a 2025 schedule, but the file is over 30 MB and we could not open it. Call the jail or the court for current amounts.

• Scheduled bail (2025 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule; no effective date shown): we could not retrieve the amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)). No 2026 edition is posted.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code online or the code of Loyalton, the only city.
• Schedule: 2025 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County’s 2026 schedule lists $3,000 for misdemeanor brandishing of a deadly weapon. Most other knife charges are not named, and unlisted misdemeanors fall under a $1,000 rule.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Local Bail Schedule, adopted effective January 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $3,000, “Brandishing Deadly Weapon (other than firearm)”; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) the schedule we read lists $25,000, but it was not clear whether that is the felony amount, so confirm with the court. For misdemeanors: “All sections of the penal code shall have a bail of $1,000.00 (One Thousand Dollars).” Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code or in the code of Yreka, the county seat.
• Schedule: 2026 Local Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Solano County

Solano County’s 2026 schedule does not list charges by name. Bail for every knife charge comes from a chart based on the charge’s maximum sentence, and the felony chart starts at $25,000.

• Scheduled bail (Solano County Bail Schedule, effective January 14, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)): none listed by name. “Bail shall be set according to the following table, based upon the maximum term allowable for the charged offense, together with applicable enhancements.” The felony chart runs from $25,000 (3 years) to $105,000 (10 years). The misdemeanor chart is $1,600 (90 days), $5,000 (180 days), and $7,500 (365 days). Ask the court or a lawyer which line applies to a specific charge.
• Local knife rules: No knife carry rule found in the county code. County park rule 19-150 bars using or discharging a weapon in a county park, not carrying a knife. In Fairfield parks, City Code 12B.2.1(p) bars possessing “any deadly weapon”; the code does not say whether an ordinary pocketknife counts. Vallejo was not checked.
• Schedule: Solano County Bail Schedule 2026.

Sonoma County

Sonoma County’s court posts its bail schedule as a scanned image we could not read, so call the jail or the court for knife charge amounts.

• Scheduled bail (2025 bail schedule order, per the file name; no date could be read): amounts for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) could not be read. No 2026 edition was linked as of September 11, 2026.
• Local knife rules: A search of the county code found no knife rule. Santa Rosa’s weapons chapter (10-24) covers only firearms; its parks rules were not checked.
• Schedule: 2025 Bail Schedule Order.

Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County’s 2026 schedule lists $35,000 for a concealed dirk or dagger and $75,000 for assault with a deadly weapon. Modesto bars carrying a knife with a 3 inch or longer blade, with a work and recreation defense.

• Scheduled bail (Bail Schedule, January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $35,000; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed in the felony section; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) $20,000 (school or college grounds); weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $20,000; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed alone in the felony section (brandishing with serious bodily injury, 417(a)(1)/417.6, is $50,000); assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $75,000. We could not read the misdemeanor pages; ask the court.
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code (its park weapon rule is defined to cover hunting weapons). Modesto Municipal Code 4-2.03(a) makes it a misdemeanor to carry concealed “any pistol, dirk, bowie-knife … or any other dangerous weapon, except he first have a written permit to do so from the Chief of Police.” Section 4-2.03.1 counts a knife with a 3 inch or longer blade, or any spring-blade knife, as a dangerous weapon and makes it “unlawful for any person to carry upon his person or to have in his possession or under his control any dangerous weapon.” Good faith carry for work or lawful recreation is a defense, and the rule does not reach acts that are state crimes.
• Schedule: 2026 Bail Schedule.

Sutter County

Sutter County’s 2026 schedules set $15,000 for a felony concealed dirk or dagger, $1,000 for a switchblade, and $2,500 for misdemeanor brandishing a weapon other than a firearm.

• Scheduled bail (2026 felony and misdemeanor schedules, approved December 1, 2025): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $15,000 as a felony; switchblade (PC 21510) $1,000 as a misdemeanor; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $2,500 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony. Unlisted non-traffic misdemeanors are $1,000. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code or Yuba City’s code online.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule.

Tehama County

Tehama County’s 2026 jail bail schedule does not list any knife possession charge. Unlisted felonies default to $15,000 and many unlisted misdemeanors to $3,000, while felony assault with a deadly weapon is $30,000.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Jail Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000 as a felony (the misdemeanor column is blank). For unlisted charges the schedule says “All Misdemeanors unless stated $3,000 (12 mo & ‘wobblers’)” and “All Felonies unless stated $15,000.” A “wobbler” is a charge that can be filed as a felony or a misdemeanor.
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code online, and the sections of Red Bluff’s code did not load.
• Schedule: 2026 Jail Bail Schedule.

Trinity County

Trinity County’s 2026 schedule lists $100,000 for felony assault with a deadly weapon and $50,000 for a row it labels “MFG. DEADLY WEAPON: DIRK/DAGGER” under PC 21310.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Uniform Bail Schedule order, dated January 5, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) $50,000, printed as “MFG. DEADLY WEAPON: DIRK/DAGGER,” with no felony and misdemeanor split shown; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed (only brandishing a firearm, 417(a)(2), at $25,000); assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $100,000 as a felony, $50,000 as a misdemeanor. For unlisted misdemeanors, “THE PRESUMPTIVE BAIL SHALL BE: $5,000.” Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code. Trinity has no incorporated cities.
• Schedule: 2026 Uniform Bail Schedule order.

Tulare County

Tulare County’s schedule, as we read it, lists $25,000.00 for a misdemeanor concealed dirk or dagger and $25,000.00 for misdemeanor brandishing. Our reads of this file were not fully consistent, so confirm any amount with the court.

• Scheduled bail (Bail Schedule revised November 6, 2025; no 2026 edition posted): the schedule we read lists concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) at $25,000.00 as a misdemeanor; switchblade (PC 21510) at $5,000.00 as a misdemeanor; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) has no row of its own, but “417+ M Exhibiting firearm or deadly weapon in rude manner” is $25,000.00; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $25,000.00 as a felony. Unlisted misdemeanors default to $0. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies.
• Local knife rules: Visalia’s code has a “Weapons” chapter (9.28), but we could not retrieve its text. We could not check the county code online.
• Schedule: Bail Schedule, revised November 6, 2025.

Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County’s court does not post a bail schedule online. Call the jail or the court to ask about bail on a knife charge.

• Scheduled bail: no schedule posted, so no amounts are available for a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)), or assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)).
• Local knife rules: No knife rule found in the county code (no weapons chapter) or in the code of Sonora, the only city. Sonora 9.04.030 makes it a misdemeanor to use “any sling, slung-shot or other missile or weapon” in the city, but it does not mention knives.
• Schedule: No schedule posted online. Call the jail or the court.

Ventura County

Ventura County’s court still posts a 2024 schedule, which sets $20,000 each for a knife at school, a weapon in a courthouse, and felony assault with a deadly weapon.

• Scheduled bail (2024 Bail Schedule, no effective date printed; outdated): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) not listed; switchblade (PC 21510) not listed; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) $20,000 as a felony (“STABBING INSTRUMENT AT SCHOOL”); weapon in a public building (PC 171b) $20,000 as a felony (“WEAPON INTO COURTHOUSE”); brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) $5,000 as a misdemeanor; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $20,000 as a felony, which doubles for some domestic violence cases with certain prior convictions. For unlisted offenses, the schedule sets $10,000 for felonies, $2,500 for most misdemeanors, and half the felony bail for “17(b)” misdemeanors (charges that can be filed as either a felony or a misdemeanor).
• Local knife rules: A search of the county code found no knife rule. Oxnard and the city of Ventura were not checked.
• Schedule: 2024 Bail Schedule.

Yolo County

Yolo County’s court does not post a felony or misdemeanor bail schedule for people in jail. Davis treats a 3 inch or longer knife as a dangerous weapon and bans one in a vehicle or while loitering concealed.

• Scheduled bail (no custody schedule posted; the court posts only its 2026 traffic schedule): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310), switchblade (PC 21510), knife on school grounds (PC 626.10), weapon in a public building (PC 171b), brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) and assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)): no schedule posted.
• Local knife rules: In Davis, 26.02.010 defines a dangerous weapon to include “Any dirk or dagger, any knife with a blade three inches or more in length, any snapblade or springblade knife.” Section 26.02.040 says “It shall be unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession, in or upon any vehicle, any dangerous or deadly weapon”; we could not confirm whether it has a work tools exception. Sections 26.02.020 and 26.02.030 bar loitering or fighting while carrying one concealed, and 26.02.050 bars selling springblade knives (state law also covers switchblade sales). Woodland’s code only bars street vendors from selling knives. We could not check the county code online.
• Schedule: No custody bail schedule is posted. Call the Yolo County jail or the court to ask about bail. See the Yolo court fee and bail schedules page.

Yuba County

Yuba County’s 2026 schedule has no row just for knives. A grouped “dangerous weapons (other than firearm)” row at $15,000 covers a range of section numbers that includes the dirk and switchblade laws; confirm with the court.

• Scheduled bail (2026 Felony Bail Schedule, adopted December 23, 2025, effective January 2, 2026): concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) and switchblade (PC 21510) have no row of their own; the schedule lists “19910-23025 DANGEROUS WEAPONS (other than firearm)” at $15,000, and both section numbers fall inside that range; knife on school grounds (PC 626.10) not listed; weapon in a public building (PC 171b) not listed; brandishing (PC 417(a)(1)) not listed; assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm (PC 245(a)(1)) $30,000. Unlisted felonies are set by the schedule’s chart for unlisted felonies. For misdemeanors the schedule says “Other misdemeanors: $2,500.”
• Local knife rules: We could not check the county code or Marysville’s code online.
• Schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule.

What to Do: A Practical Checklist

If you carry a knife:

1. Carry folding knives closed. A closed folding knife in your pocket is legal to carry concealed under state law at any blade length. Do not carry it locked open.
2. Carry fixed blades openly in a waist sheath, or not at all in public. Do not cover the sheath with a jacket or shirt. Check your city’s rules first, because Los Angeles and many other cities ban 3 inch or longer knives in plain view.
3. Leave switchblades and butterfly knives at home. Do not carry one on your body, and do not keep one in the driver or passenger area of your car.
4. Know the places with their own limits. Schools (2 1/2 inches and any locking folder), courthouses and government buildings (over 4 inches, and often any knife at the screening line), airports (no knives in carry-ons), and federal buildings (under 2 1/2 inches only).
5. Never pull a knife to make a point. Brandishing carries at least 30 days in jail, and an assault with a deadly weapon can become a strike.

If someone you love was arrested on a knife charge:

1. Find out where they are and what they are charged with. The exact code section matters: a concealed dirk, a switchblade, and an assault with a deadly weapon are very different cases. Our jail search guide explains how to look someone up.
2. Check the county’s bail schedule in the county guide above, then confirm the amount and any holds with the jail. Many knife possession charges carry $0 bail in the schedules we read; assault with a deadly weapon usually does not.
3. Ask about holds. A probation or parole hold can keep someone in custody even if bail is posted.
4. Get a lawyer involved early, especially if self-defense is part of the story or the charge was filed as a felony. The public defender is available if the person cannot afford a lawyer.
5. Write down the court date and keep every document. A missed date turns a small case into a warrant.

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.

When a knife comes out in a fight, this is where we do our best work

Most knife arrests start with something ordinary: a work knife in the wrong pocket, a camping knife on a belt in the wrong city, or an argument that got out of hand. The charge that follows can be anything from a $0 citation to a felony assault with a deadly weapon carrying $25,000 to $100,000 in scheduled bail, and a possible strike. That second kind of case is where a bail company should shine brightest, and it is where we work hardest. Someone who was defending themselves, or who made one bad decision in a heated moment, should be home with their family and working with a lawyer, not waiting in a cell while the details are sorted out.

• We know the knife charges and the county schedules. Which charges are cite and release, which are set by the schedule’s catch-all rules, and which, like felony assault with a deadly weapon, carry real bail. If the schedule calls for release without bail, we tell you so.
• We move the moment bail is set. Our dedicated 24/7 posting agents are ready to post as soon as the jail or a judge sets the amount, day or night.
• Getting out early matters in a self-defense case. A person who is home can meet with a defense lawyer, help find witnesses, and keep a job while the case is decided.
• 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 second arrest.
• Large bonds are not an automatic no. A large, complicated, or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no.

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 tell you whether a knife is legal to carry in your situation, and we cannot promise a result. But a fast, well-handled release gives a person the best chance to fight the charge from 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 warrant from an old knife citation is easier to handle the same day. We walk clients through what a warrant means and how to deal with it (see posting bail on an outstanding warrant).
• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are butterfly knives illegal in California?

Owning one is not a listed crime, but carrying one is. California courts treat a butterfly knife (balisong) as a switchblade, and PC 21510 makes it a misdemeanor to carry one with a blade of 2 inches or more on your person, keep it in the driver or passenger area of a car in public, or sell, lend, or give it to someone. Storing one at home is not one of the listed acts. The penalty is up to six months in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

Why are butterfly knives illegal in California?

Because the switchblade definition covers any knife whose blade is released by “a flick of a button, pressure on the handle, flip of the wrist or other mechanical device,” and a balisong opens with a flip of the wrist. The Court of Appeal applied that language to butterfly knives in 1989 (People ex rel. Mautner v. Quattrone). The Ninth Circuit upheld California’s switchblade law in January 2026, so the rule still stands.

What size knife is legal to carry in California?

There is no statewide maximum. A closed folding knife of any length can be carried in a pocket, and a fixed blade of any length can be carried openly in a sheath at the waist. The limits that do exist are tied to the type of knife or the place: 2 inches for switchblades, 2 1/2 inches at schools, 3 inches for plain view carry in Los Angeles and several other cities, and 4 inches in courthouses, government buildings, and airport secure areas.

What knives are illegal in California?

Illegal to own at all: belt buckle knives, cane swords, lipstick case knives, writing pen knives, air gauge knives, shobi-zue, ballistic knives, plus throwing stars and metal knuckles. Illegal to carry or sell: switchblades and butterfly knives with blades of 2 inches or more. Illegal to carry hidden on your body: fixed blades and any folding knife that is open and locked. Undetectable knives are illegal to make or sell commercially, not to own.

Are pocketknives legal to carry in California?

Yes. Under PC 16470, a folding knife or pocketknife is treated as a dirk or dagger only if the blade is “exposed and locked into position.” Closed, it can be carried in your pocket at any blade length under state law. The exceptions are places with their own rules, such as K-12 schools (no locking folders at all) and federal buildings (blades under 2 1/2 inches only), and a few cities with blade length rules.

Can you carry a knife for self-defense in California?

You can carry a legal knife in a legal way, and self-defense law lets you use reasonable force against an imminent threat. But carrying for protection is not a defense to a carry charge. Prosecutors do not have to prove any intent to use a concealed dirk or dagger as a weapon, and California has no knife permit. Using a knife beyond what is reasonably necessary can lead to an assault with a deadly weapon charge.

Are Bowie knives legal in California? Can you carry one?

Yes, Bowie knives are legal to own. You can carry one openly in a sheath “worn openly suspended from the waist” (PC 20200). Hiding one under a jacket or in a waistband is carrying a concealed dirk or dagger, which can be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. In Los Angeles and several other cities, carrying one in plain view is also banned unless you are carrying it for work, recreation, or religious practice.

Are double-edged knives legal in California?

Yes, to own. California has no double-edge ban. A double-edged fixed blade is a dirk or dagger, so the same rules as any fixed blade apply: legal to carry openly in a waist sheath, illegal to carry hidden on your body. A double-edged automatic or out-the-front knife with a blade of 2 inches or more is a switchblade.

What are the knife laws in Los Angeles?

On top of state law, Los Angeles Municipal Code 55.10 bans carrying a knife with a blade of 3 inches or more “in plain view” in public, except for work, recreation, or religious practice. Unincorporated Los Angeles County has a similar rule (County Code 13.62), and Glendale and Santa Monica have their own. A closed folding knife in a pocket is not affected. See the Los Angeles County section.

What are the knife laws in Orange County?

We found no Orange County ordinance on carrying knives, so state law controls in unincorporated areas. Several cities add rules: Garden Grove treats a 3 inch knife as a dangerous weapon for rules on loitering, bars, and cars; Huntington Beach bars carrying a concealed dirk; and Irvine bans “exposed knives, daggers, and martial arts weaponry” in city parks. Orange County’s 2026 bail schedule lists felony assault with a deadly weapon at $25,000. See the Orange County section.

Can I keep a knife in my car in California?

Usually, yes. The concealed dirk law covers knives “concealed upon the person,” so a fixed blade in a glove box or trunk is not covered by its words. Switchblades are different: PC 21510 bans having one in the driver or passenger area of a car in any public place. Some cities, including Sacramento, Stockton, and Fontana, ban “dangerous weapons” in cars, with exceptions for work and sport tools.

Are switchblades legal in California now?

No. Knife Rights, Inc. challenged California’s switchblade law in federal court, but the Ninth Circuit rejected the challenge on January 30, 2026 and refused to rehear it on July 16, 2026. Carrying a switchblade with a blade of 2 inches or more, keeping one in a car’s passenger area in public, or selling one remains a misdemeanor as of September 2026.

Is carrying a concealed knife a felony, and how much is bail?

Carrying a concealed dirk or dagger (PC 21310) is a wobbler: up to one year in county jail as a misdemeanor, or 16 months, 2, or 3 years as a felony. Bail depends on the county. In the 2026 schedules we read, it ranges from $0 in Los Angeles County to $35,000 in Stanislaus County and $50,000 in Trinity County, and many schedules do not list it at all. See the county guide.

Why We Publish This

Bail Hotline has helped families since 2004, and knife charges are some of the most confusing calls we get, because the law depends on the type of knife, how it was carried, and which city it was in. Most pages on California knife law repeat blade limits that do not exist statewide, call butterfly knives illegal to own, or still describe the switchblade lawsuit as undecided. We wrote this guide to be the page we wish every family had: the statutes in plain English, the cases that decide close calls, the local rules, and the real bail numbers from every county’s own schedule. It is general information, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation or case, talk to a criminal defense lawyer or your public defender.

Sources and Further Reading

California law

• California Penal Code sections 16470 (dirk or dagger), 17235 (switchblade), 16590 (generally prohibited weapons), 20200 (sheath rule), 21310 (concealed dirk or dagger), 21510 (switchblades), 20810 (undetectable knives), 626.10 (schools), 171b (public buildings), 171c (State Capitol), 171.5 (airports), 417 (brandishing), 245 (assault with a deadly weapon), 12022, 1192.7, 197, 198, 198.5, and 19.
• Education Code 48915 and Government Code 53071.
• Judicial Council jury instructions: CALCRIM 2501 (concealed dirk or dagger) and CALCRIM 3470 (self-defense).
• Los Angeles Municipal Code 55.10; Los Angeles County Code 13.62; San Francisco Police Code 1291 to 1293. Other local codes are linked in each county section.
• Each county superior court’s bail schedule, linked in its county section.

Court decisions

• People v. Castillolopez (Cal. 2016); People v. Rubalcava (Cal. 2000); People v. Aledamat (Cal. 2019); People v. Wade (Cal. 2016); In re Humphrey (Cal. 2021).
• In re George W. (1998); In re Luke W. (2001); People v. Mitchell (2012); In re Rosalio S. (1995); In re S.C. (2009); People v. Barrios (1992); People v. Gerardo (1985); People ex rel. Mautner v. Quattrone (1989).
• Knife Rights, Inc. v. Bonta (9th Cir. Jan. 30, 2026) and the order denying rehearing (July 16, 2026); Teter v. Lopez en banc opinion (Jan. 22, 2025).

Data and research

• California Department of Justice, Homicide in California 2025 and Crime in California 2024; arrest data notes.
• FBI, UCR Summary of Reported Crimes in the Nation, 2025.
• California Department of Education, suspension data file structure.
• Webster, Gainer, and Champion, American Journal of Public Health (1993); Sakran et al., Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery (2018); Bleetman et al., Journal of Accident and Emergency Medicine (1997); Farrell and Davies, Crime Science (2024).

Reporting and statements

• Courthouse News, Ninth Circuit upholds California’s switchblade ban (Jan. 30, 2026).
• Knife Rights, August 24, 2024 statement and July 17, 2026 update.
• Supervisor Janice Hahn, Metro weapons detection pilot, phase 2 (Apr. 28, 2025); LA Metro customer code of conduct.
• NBC Bay Area, Santa Rosa students arrested for allegedly having knives (Mar. 15, 2023).

Outside California

• 15 U.S.C. 1241 to 1245 (Federal Switchblade Act); 18 U.S.C. 930; 18 U.S.C. 1716; 36 CFR 1.4; 39 CFR 232.1; TSA knives guidance.
• Idaho Code 18-3302, 18-3302D, and 18-3327; NRS 202.350; A.R.S. 13-3102 and 13-3120; Texas Penal Code 46.01.

Updated September 2026. Written for California families, cosigners, and anyone who posted bail, with a section for every one of the state’s 58 counties. The law here is checked against the Penal Code, the state’s bail regulations in Title 10 of the California Code of Regulations, and published California court opinions through 2025. If the case is in federal court, Texas, or Idaho, jump to the out-of-state section.

Quick answer: “Bond exonerated” (or “bail exonerated”) means the court has ended the bail obligation. The bail company is released from its promise to pay the full bail amount, and any cash or property posted with the court becomes returnable. It does not mean the person was found innocent, and it does not by itself mean anyone was released from jail. In California, bail is normally exonerated when the case ends: at sentencing or a grant of probation, when the case is dismissed (after a 15-day hold), or when the person is taken into custody after a verdict. It can also happen mid-case, for example when the bail company surrenders the defendant or when a person who missed court comes back within the 180-day window. What happens to the money depends on what was paid. Cash posted by a family member comes back to the person named on the receipt. Cash the defendant posted can go to fines and restitution first. The premium paid to a bail company is not refunded. Collateral must be returned once the bond is exonerated, as long as the premium was paid.

Bond Exonerated at a Glance

Short on time? This table is the whole article in miniature. Each row gets a full, sourced explanation below.

In this guide: What it means | When bail is exonerated | What does not exonerate a bond | Motion to exonerate | Getting your money back | How to confirm it | Real cases | The numbers | In their words | Outside California | All 58 counties | When the case ends | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

What “Bond Exonerated” Means

To exonerate something is to release it from a duty. When a California court exonerates bail, it releases the bail from its job. The Fresno County Superior Court’s glossary gives the clearest definition we have found. Bail exoneration is “the refund of a bail deposit to the depositor or release of liability to a surety company.” A surety company is the insurance company behind a bail bond. Madera County’s court glossary puts it this way: bail “which is ordered exonerated, is ordered returned to the party who posted it either on his own behalf, or on behalf of another.”

The Penal Code uses the word the same way. When a case is dismissed, “his bail is exonerated, or money deposited instead of bail must be refunded” (PC 1384). In another section, the law describes the same result as the bail being “released of all obligations under the bond” (PC 1305(a)(2)).

So there are really two kinds of exoneration, depending on how bail was posted:

• A bail bond is exonerated. The bail company and its insurer no longer owe the court anything if the defendant fails to appear. For the family, that also ends the cosigner’s risk of having to cover a forfeiture.
• Cash bail is exonerated. The money deposited with the court is no longer needed to guarantee court appearances, so it can be refunded (or applied to what the law allows, covered below).

What the words on court papers mean

Families usually meet the word on a docket, a minute order (the clerk’s written record of what happened at a hearing), or an online case summary. Here is how to read the common entries.

What exonerated bail does not mean

Three misunderstandings cause most of the confusion.

• It does not mean the person was found innocent. A bond is exonerated after a guilty plea and sentencing just as it is after a dismissal. Bail exoneration says nothing about guilt.
• It does not mean the person was released. Often it is the reverse. When a judge takes a defendant into custody after a guilty verdict, the law says “their bail is exonerated” (PC 1166(c)). The bond ends because the jail, not the bond, is now what guarantees the defendant’s presence.
• It does not always mean the case is over. Bail is exonerated at the end of most cases, but it can also be exonerated in the middle of one, for example after a surrender or when a forfeiture is set aside. The case keeps going.

The other “exonerated”: wrongful convictions

Some people searching this phrase are thinking of a different kind of exoneration: a person cleared of a crime they did not commit. That is a separate process with its own law. In California, a court can find a person “factually innocent” when it throws out a conviction (PC 1485.55), and the state pays compensation of “one hundred forty dollars ($140) per day of incarceration,” a rate that took effect July 1, 2024 and is updated each year for inflation (PC 4904). One example: Miguel Solorio was arrested in 1998 for a fatal drive-by shooting in Whittier that he did not commit, was sentenced to life without parole, and lost 25 years before he was freed. The Northern California Innocence Project reports that on December 13, 2023, “the Los Angeles County Superior Court found Solorio factually innocent.” None of that has anything to do with a bail bond. A bond is exonerated in every kind of case, guilty or not.

When Is Bail Exonerated in California?

California does not have one rule that says “the bond ends here.” Different sections of the Penal Code end the bail at different moments. Here is every path we found, in the order families usually meet them.

At the end of the case

• Sentencing or probation. This is the normal ending. If the defendant “does appear for judgment and judgment is pronounced upon him or probation is granted to him, then the bail shall be exonerated” (PC 1195). The bond itself promises that the defendant, if convicted, “will appear for pronouncement of judgment or grant of probation” (PC 1278). So the bond usually runs all the way to sentencing.
• A guilty verdict followed by custody. After a jury convicts, the defendant is generally taken into custody unless the judge decides, after weighing public safety and “the probability of the defendant failing to appear,” that the person can “remain out on bail” (PC 1166). If the person is taken into custody, the bail is exonerated. If the judge lets the person stay out, the bail keeps going until sentencing.
• Dismissal. When a judge dismisses the case, the bail is exonerated and a cash deposit “must be refunded” (PC 1384). There is a catch that surprises many families. “The bail shall not be exonerated until a period of 15 days has elapsed since the entry of the order of dismissal” (PC 1303). If, within those 15 days, the defendant is arrested and charged with an offense “arising out of the same act or omission,” the bail “shall be applied” to the new charge, and the clerk must mail notice to the bail company and its agent.
• No charges filed. If “no complaint is filed within 15 days from the date of arraignment,” the court cannot forfeit the bail, and the bail is “released of all obligations under the bond” (PC 1305(a)(2)). The court can stretch that period to as long as 90 days from the original arraignment date if the prosecutor or the defendant asks for more time.
• A not-guilty verdict. An acquittal ends the case, and with it the need for bail. Ask the clerk for the minute order showing the bail was exonerated.

If the case is dismissed and charges are dropped, see our separate article on what happens to bail money if the charges are dropped.

Before the case ends

• The bail company surrenders the defendant. A bail company, a person who deposited cash, or the defendant can surrender the defendant to custody. The court then “may, upon notice of five days to the district attorney,” order the bail exonerated. If the defendant is released on their own recognizance or on another bond before the judge rules, the court “shall” exonerate it (PC 1300(a)(4)). A person who deposited cash can get the deposit back the same way, with the officer’s certificate showing the surrender (PC 1302). More on this in our guide to bond surrender.
• Cash replaces a bond. If the full amount is deposited in cash in place of an existing bail bond before any forfeiture, “upon the deposit being made the bail is exonerated” (PC 1296).
• The two-year rule. A bail bond “shall be exonerated two years from the effective date of the initial bond, provided that the court is informed in writing at least 60 days prior” (PC 1304). This mostly matters to bail companies on very long cases, and the court can decline and state its reasons.

After a missed court date

A missed court date does not end the bond. It starts a clock. The court declares the bail forfeited, and the law then gives the defendant, the family, and the bail company 180 days to fix it (when the clerk mails a forfeiture notice, 180 days from the mailing date plus 5 days). Our article on what happens when a bond is revoked covers that window in detail. Here are the ways it ends in exoneration:

• The defendant comes back to court in time. If the defendant appears “either voluntarily or in custody after surrender or arrest” within the window, the court “shall, on its own motion at the time the defendant first appears,” vacate the forfeiture and exonerate the bond (PC 1305(c)(1)). The same applies when the person is surrendered or arrested in the county and released before the court date (1305(c)(2)).
• The defendant is surrendered or arrested in another county. The court “shall vacate the forfeiture and exonerate the bail” (1305(c)(3)), but the California Supreme Court has held that someone must file a motion within the 180 days to get that relief (see Indiana Lumbermens below). Since 2013, a late motion can still be filed, with good cause, within 20 days after the court mails notice that it entered judgment on the forfeiture (PC 1305.6(b)).
• The judge reinstates the bond instead. “In lieu of exonerating the bond, the court may order the bail reinstated and the defendant released on the same bond,” if the bail company had notice and has not surrendered the defendant (1305(c)(4)). See our guide to bail reinstatement.
• The defendant died or cannot ever appear. The bond is exonerated if the defendant “is deceased or otherwise permanently unable to appear in the court due to illness, insanity, or detention by military or civil authorities,” and the absence is “without the connivance of the bail” (1305(d)). A temporary illness or detention does not end the bond, but it pauses the clock (1305(e)).
• The defendant is in custody elsewhere and the prosecutor will not bring them back. If the defendant is held in another jurisdiction and “the prosecuting agency elects not to seek extradition,” the court “shall vacate the forfeiture and exonerate the bond on terms that are just” (1305(f)). A similar rule applies when a bail agent finds and temporarily detains the defendant outside California, with a local officer present who identifies the person, and the prosecutor declines to extradite (1305(g)).
• A late appearance after continuous custody. If the defendant was arrested in the county within the window but did not reach court until after it, and stayed “in continuous custody from the time of his or her arrest until the court appearance,” the court “may, in its discretion, vacate the forfeiture and exonerate the bond” (PC 1305.6).

When the court misses its own deadlines

The rules bind the court too. If the clerk fails to mail a required forfeiture notice within 30 days, or mails it to the wrong address, “the surety or depositor shall be released of all obligations under the bond” (PC 1305(b)(3)). And once the window closes, the court has 90 days to enter judgment against the bail company. If it does not, “the right to do so expires and the bail is exonerated” (PC 1306(c)). That is exactly what happened in a 2021 appeal involving a bond our company wrote, described below.

What Does Not Exonerate a Bond

These events feel like they should end the bond. They do not.

• A guilty plea. Pleading guilty does not exonerate bail when sentencing is set for a later date. The California Supreme Court held that the rule for jury verdicts “does not apply in this context” and that nothing in it “abrogates Seneca’s contractual obligation,” meaning the bail company’s promise continued to sentencing (People v. Seneca Ins. Co. (2003) 29 Cal.4th 954). In that case, the defendant pleaded guilty in Tulare County, then missed sentencing, and the bail was forfeited.
• A dismissal after a missed court date. “A dismissal of the complaint, indictment, or information after the default of the defendant shall not release or affect the obligation of the bail bond” (PC 1306(d)). If the forfeiture came first, the dismissal does not wipe it out.
• Being in jail somewhere else, by itself. Custody in another county or state can be grounds to exonerate the bond, but only if someone asks the court on time. The bond is not ended just because the person is locked up elsewhere.
• A bail increase. A judge can raise bail mid-case “upon good cause shown” and order the defendant into custody unless the higher amount is posted (PC 1289). How the old bond is closed out when a new one is posted is handled case by case, so ask the clerk.
• A transfer or diversion. We found no California statute that automatically exonerates bail when a case is transferred or a defendant enters a diversion program. Ask the clerk or the defense lawyer how the court handled the bail in that case.

Is Exoneration Automatic, or Do You Need a Motion?

Searchers often ask what a “motion to exonerate bond” is and whether they need to file one. For most families, the answer is no. The court usually handles it.

Usually automatic. At sentencing, probation, dismissal, or remand, the judge or clerk ends the bail as part of closing the case (PC 1195, 1166, 1384). After a missed court date, if the defendant comes back to court within the window, the court acts “on its own motion” (1305(c)(1) and (c)(2)). When the court misses its 90-day deadline, the bail is exonerated by law (PC 1306(c)). When a cash deposit replaces a bond, the bond ends when the deposit is made (PC 1296).

Usually needs a motion. Other paths need a written request, called a motion, filed with the court:

• surrender or arrest in another county (1305(c)(3));
• death or permanent disability (1305(d));
• custody elsewhere with no extradition (1305(f) and (g));
• an extension of the 180-day window (PC 1305.4);
• the late-appearance rule (PC 1305.6);
• the two-year rule (PC 1304, written notice at least 60 days ahead).

Who files, and how. A motion to vacate a forfeiture “may be made by the surety insurer, the bail agent, the surety, or the depositor of money or property” (PC 1305(j)). In practice, the bail company files it for a bond, and the family or their lawyer files it for a cash deposit. The moving party must give the prosecutor written notice “at least 10 court days before” the hearing on most of these motions (1305(k)). A motion filed within the 180 days can be heard up to 30 days after the window closes (1305(j)). When relief is granted, the court generally charges the bail company a payment to cover the cost of returning the defendant to custody (PC 1306(b)). Local courts add their own rules. In Los Angeles, for example, motions to reinstate and exonerate bail must be “in writing and supported by appropriate declarations and points and authorities” when the defendant is not surrendered in open court (Local Rule 8.3(f)).

What an “order exonerating bond” is. It is the court’s written order, usually a line in the minute order, saying the bail is exonerated. The bail company uses it to close the bond and release collateral. A family can use it to confirm the cosigner’s risk is over. If a docket reads “exonerate bond ordered,” the judge has granted it.

Getting Your Money Back: Cash Bail, Premium, and Collateral

“Do you get bail money back?” depends on which money you mean. There are three kinds, and the rules for each are different.

Cash bail posted with the court

This is money deposited for the full bail amount, usually at the jail or the court clerk’s window. California’s rule is in Penal Code 1297:

• The receipt matters. “When money has been deposited, a receipt shall be issued in the name of the depositor.” Keep it. It is how the refund is traced and claimed.
• If a family member or friend posted it, “the deposit after judgment shall be returned to that person within 10 days after the person claims it by submitting the receipt.” And “if a claim is not made within 10 days of the exoneration of bail, the clerk shall immediately notify the depositor of the exoneration of bail.”
• If the defendant posted it, the clerk applies it to what the defendant owes first. After “satisfying restitution to the victim or the Restitution Fund, fines, and costs,” the clerk “shall refund the surplus, if any, to the defendant.”
• A third party can agree to let it pay a fine. The Los Angeles court’s cash bail FAQ says bail can be applied to a fine only if “the depositor is the defendant or a third party who signed the bail receipt giving the Court permission to do so at the time of deposit.” Orange County’s court says the same on its traffic division page. Read the bail receipt before signing it.

So the answer to “do you get bail money back if guilty?” is yes for a family member who posted cash, once the bail is exonerated at sentencing. For a defendant who posted their own cash, a guilty result usually means fines, fees, and restitution come out first.

How long it takes. No state law sets a refund deadline for the court itself, and most courts do not post one. The ones that do:

The county guide below lists what each of the 58 courts says, including Madera, Tuolumne, and Yuba, which also post six-to-eight-week estimates.

Property bonds

Some families post real estate as bail through the court. Once the bail is exonerated, Santa Clara’s court explains, “the Court will release any claim to the property that was posted as bond” (criminal FAQs). Releasing the lien on the property is a clerk process that varies by county, so ask the clerk what document you need to record with the county recorder. For liens held by a bail company rather than the court, see how to remove a bail bond lien on property.

The premium paid to a bail company

The premium is the fee paid to a bail company for posting a bond. It pays for the company’s promise to cover the full bail if the defendant does not appear. The company takes on that risk the day the defendant is released, which is why the premium is not returned when the bond is later exonerated. The California Department of Insurance tells consumers: “Premiums are nonrefundable even if charges are dropped.”

There are two narrow exceptions, both involving a surrender:

• A court order. If a bail company surrenders a defendant who “has not failed to appear or has not violated any order of the court” and the judge finds no good cause, the judge “may, in its discretion,” order the premium returned in whole or in part (PC 1300(b)).
• An early surrender. A bail company that surrenders the defendant before the next required court date must return “all premium paid,” unless it can show the risk was substantially increased (for example, by information the defendant hid), in which case it may keep certain out-of-pocket expenses (10 CCR 2090). The Department of Insurance summarizes this as “the bail fee is refundable minus administrative costs.”

A bill that would have allowed partial premium refunds when charges are dismissed soon after a bond is posted, SB 562, was “held in committee” on August 13, 2026, and is not law (LegiScan). For more on how the premium works, see how bail bondsmen make money.

If bail is exonerated, do I still have to pay? Yes, if there is an unpaid balance. Exoneration ends the bond, not the contract with the bail company. A premium that was financed and paid in installments is still owed after the case ends. What exoneration does end is the cosigner’s exposure to a forfeiture. Once the bond is exonerated, no one can be asked to pay the full bail amount.

Collateral

Collateral is property or money a family gives a bail company to secure the bond: a car title, a deed of trust on a house, cash. California’s bail regulations treat it strictly.

• It is held “in a fiduciary capacity,” kept “separate and apart from any other funds or assets” (10 CCR 2088).
• It “shall be returned 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). An order exonerating the bond is that kind of order.
• The bail company has a duty “to determine promptly whether such obligation has been discharged upon request for return of the collateral.” If it fails to seek the order ending its liability, it must return the collateral immediately once it had the right to get that order.
• The one exception: collateral that also secures premium or charges that “remained unpaid at the time of exoneration.” After a demand for payment, the company may pursue that collateral “in the manner provided by law.”
• The company must keep records showing when collateral was received and, “If the collateral was returned, the date of its return and the name of the person to whom it was returned” (10 CCR 2100).

The Department of Insurance sums it up: “Collateral or liens are not released until after the bail has been paid and the case is settled with the bond being exonerated” (CDI). If you put up a car, see using a car title for bail.

Unclaimed bail money

Refund checks get lost, and people move. Money a superior court holds that “remains unclaimed for three years shall become the property of the superior court” after the court publishes notice (Government Code 68084.1). Money held by a county treasury follows a similar three-year rule (Government Code 50050). Courts publish these notices one at a time, often without saying which items are bail. Sierra County’s court published a 2023 notice of intent to escheat covering its “court bail trust” account. The county guide below lists the current notices we found. If you posted cash years ago and never got it back, call the court’s finance or accounting office with the case number and your receipt.

For the broader question of getting money back from a bail company, see our guide to money back from bail bonds.

How to Confirm a Bond Was Exonerated

Families often assume the bond ended and then find out months later that it did not, or the reverse. Here is how to check.

1. Get the case number. It is on the bail receipt, the bail bond paperwork, and any court notice. If you do not have it, our guide to bail bond records explains how to find it.
2. Look up the case online. Many California courts have a free online case index or portal (the county guide below lists each one). Look for the last hearing and its result: “sentenced,” “probation granted,” “dismissed,” or a line reading “bail exonerated.” Many portals do not show bail status at all. Los Angeles says it has “no plans to provide bail/bond status online” (court FAQ).
3. Ask the clerk for the minute order. The minute order for the final hearing should show what happened to the bail. The criminal clerk can tell you, and most courts sell copies for a small per-page fee, with a higher fee for a certified copy.
4. Check the calendar if the case was dismissed. Bail is held for 15 days after a dismissal (PC 1303). If the defendant was arrested and charged again for the same act within that time, the old bail may have moved to the new charge.
5. Ask the bail company. If a bond was posted, the bail company keeps its own record of the exoneration and uses it to return collateral. Ask for a copy of the order or minute order, and for a written record of when collateral was returned.
6. If you posted cash, watch the mail. Most courts mail the refund to the name and address on the receipt. If you have moved, tell the clerk in writing and include the case number and receipt number.

For the records side of this, including what bail information is public, see are bail bonds public records.

How This Plays Out: Real California Cases

These published appeals show how exoneration works in real cases. We describe the facts in plain English and leave the defendants unnamed.

Our own case: when the court missed its deadline. In August 2018, Bail Hotline Bail Bonds, as agent for Bankers Insurance Company, posted a $100,000 bond in San Mateo County. The defendant missed a court date in September 2018, and the bail was forfeited. He was later found in custody in the Alameda County Jail on federal charges. The trial court denied the bail company’s motion to set aside the forfeiture in April 2019, but it never entered judgment against the bail company within the next 90 days. The Court of Appeal held that “This time limit is jurisdictional” and that because summary judgment was not entered by July 15, 2019, the trial court’s “right to [enter summary judgment] expire[d] and the bail is exonerated.” Its instruction to the trial court: “The trial court is directed to enter an order exonerating the bond” (People v. Bankers Ins. Co., June 10, 2021, A157633). The lesson for families: the court’s deadlines are as strict as yours.

He walked into court to fix it. An Alameda County defendant on a $50,000 bond missed court in February 2016, and the bail was forfeited. In August, still inside the 180-day window, he came to court on his own one morning to clear his bench warrant. The bail agent was not there, so the judge put the matter over to the afternoon, and he did not come back. The Court of Appeal held that his voluntary morning appearance required the judge to vacate the forfeiture right then. “The judgment is reversed. The forfeiture is vacated, and the bail bond is exonerated” (People v. Accredited Surety & Casualty Co., Aug. 30, 2018, A150209). The court noted that “The law traditionally disfavors forfeitures and this disfavor extends to forfeiture of bail.”

In jail in another county, but nobody filed in time. A Los Angeles County defendant on a $35,000 bond missed court on driving charges, and the bail was forfeited. About 90 days later he was surrendered in San Bernardino County on other charges. The bail company never filed a motion to set aside the forfeiture within the 180 days. The California Supreme Court held that the motion had to be filed in time, explaining that “The surety’s contractual obligation on its bond is the same whether the defendant eventually returns to custody in the county where bail was granted, or elsewhere” (People v. Indiana Lumbermens Mut. Ins. Co. (2010) 49 Cal.4th 301). The lesson: if your person is sitting in another county’s jail after missing court, tell the bail company that day. Custody alone does not end the bond. The paperwork does.

The court must follow the statute. A Stanislaus County defendant on $40,000 bail was later arrested and held in another county. The trial court refused to exonerate the bail until the question of transportation costs was settled. The Court of Appeal reversed: “Once the conditions for setting aside a forfeiture and exonerating bail are met under section 1305, the court must act in line with that statute” (People v. North River Ins. Co., May 28, 2025, F088076).

The court moved the hearing without telling anyone. In a San Mateo County case, the defendant was out on $300,000 bail after a jury verdict, waiting to be sentenced at 10:00 a.m. The court moved the hearing an hour earlier on its own and declared the bail forfeited at 9:18 a.m. The Court of Appeal found “there is no indication in the record that appellant, as guarantor of defendant’s appearance, had any reason to know the hearing would be held an hour earlier,” and ordered the bond exonerated (People v. International Fidelity Ins. Co., Feb. 8, 2018, A145993). The case also shows that bail can continue after a guilty verdict when a judge allows it.

A guilty plea does not end the bond. In the Tulare County case behind People v. Seneca Ins. Co. (2003) 29 Cal.4th 954, the defendant pleaded guilty and then failed to appear for sentencing, and $70,000 in bail was forfeited. The California Supreme Court held that the bail company’s obligation continued after the plea. The practical point for families: until sentencing, the bond, and the cosigner’s promise, are still live.

What the Numbers Show (and What California Does Not Publish)

Hard numbers on bail exoneration are scarce. Here is what exists, with its limits stated plainly.

• Most bonds never reach forfeiture, according to the one county estimate we found. In an October 4, 2016 memo to the Board of Supervisors, Santa Clara County’s Acting County Counsel wrote, without citing a data source: “Typically less than 20% of all bonds filed go into forfeiture proceedings and less than 1% of all surety bonds filed are ultimately forfeited” (County Counsel memo, via San Jose Inside). The same memo said the county had “not been able to obtain information about the percentage of forfeited surety bonds that are actually collected by the court.”
• Premiums are real money that never comes back. A UCLA study of Los Angeles Police Department arrests from 2012 through 2016 estimated “$193,786,349 in nonrefundable bail bond deposits to bail bond agents” (UCLA Million Dollar Hoods, “The Price for Freedom”). In San Joaquin County, over five months of 2016, the ACLU and Color of Change estimated that “nearly 200 people” paid bail companies in cases “where no case was even filed and the charges were dropped,” and that the companies “would likely have charged these families around $400,000” (Color of Change and the ACLU, May 2017).
• Many people jailed on felonies are never convicted. Human Rights Watch found that from 2011 through 2015, California police “arrested and jailed 1,451,441 people for felonies, nearly half a million of whom spent time in jail though they were ultimately found not guilty, their cases were dismissed” or no charges were filed (Human Rights Watch, April 11, 2017). Those are exactly the cases in which families learn the premium is not refunded.
• Most people in California jails have not been sentenced. The Public Policy Institute of California reported in January 2026 that “More than 79% of people in jail are awaiting either arraignment, trial, or sentencing” (PPIC, California’s County Jails), using June 2025 data.
• Bail is one of several ways out. In the Judicial Council’s latest statewide pretrial report, covering July 2024 through June 2025 and 57 courts (Los Angeles is excluded), “release on bail accounts for 70,038 releases” within two days of booking, compared with 20,408 own-recognizance releases by a judge and 8,819 releases to pretrial monitoring (Judicial Council, April 24, 2026).

What California does not publish. There is no statewide count of bonds exonerated versus forfeited, no statewide total of forfeiture money collected, no statewide figure for premiums paid in cases that end in dismissal, and no statewide total of unclaimed cash bail. No law sets how fast a court must refund cash bail, and we found no audit of actual refund times. The Judicial Council’s latest report gives court appearance results for only two counties, Solano and Yolo. The most recent bail outcome numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics are from 2009 and cover felony defendants in the nation’s 75 largest counties, where “17% of released defendants missed a scheduled court appearance” (BJS, December 2013).

In Their Words

The end of a bail bond looks different from every seat in the system.

The cosigner. Sherrie Lewis-Sonza, who lives in San Francisco on a fixed income from disability and Social Security, cosigned a bail bond. “I don’t recall how much the bail bond was, but it was huge, and they knew that I couldn’t afford it. But they still did it,” she told KQED. A legal clinic, working with other pro bono lawyers, later got more than $23,000 of her debt eliminated (KQED, March 25, 2022). Yaman Salahi, a partner at Edelson PC, a law firm that has filed class-action suits against bail bond companies, told KQED, “They tend to go after the co-signers because they view those people as more creditworthy and able to pay.”

The family whose case was dropped. Human Rights Watch described a Sonoma County woman whose charges were dropped after her family paid a bondsman: “The prosecutor dropped the charges, but she still pays $350 per month to the bondsman.” In Alameda County, it reported, one woman “twice borrowed money from her grandmother to pay non-refundable bail bond fees totaling $3,500, even though the prosecutor did not file charges against her either time” (Human Rights Watch, April 2017).

The court. Santa Clara’s court tells people who posted cash exactly when to expect it: “The bail refund will be mailed within 30 business days after the disposition of the case, or 30 business days after the order of exoneration” (criminal FAQs). And the appellate courts keep repeating a principle that favors families: “The law traditionally disfavors forfeitures and this disfavor extends to forfeiture of bail” (Accredited Surety, 2018).

The state’s top lawyer. When Attorney General Rob Bonta and Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara filed a court brief in 2021 defending Californians who cosign bail premium financing agreements, Bonta said, “Ignoring consumer protection laws, bail bond agents take advantage of Californians when they are at their most vulnerable” (Attorney General press release, August 25, 2021).

The bail industry. Bail agents see the bond as a promise about one thing: showing up. “We write bonds for appearance. We do not write bonds for performance,” E. Thom Rumberger, a representative of Accredited Surety and Casualty Co., told Congress in 1998, as quoted by the Marshall Project. Scott Hall, then president of a national bail agents’ association, put the agent’s side bluntly: “Every time I sign my name [to a bail bond] I’ve got to bring a body or bring a check” (The Marshall Project, February 23, 2015). That is why exoneration matters so much to the company too. It is the moment that promise is finally released.

Outside California: Federal Court, Texas, and Idaho

Some of the search traffic for these questions comes from outside California, and the rules differ in ways that matter to a family’s money. The short version, current as of September 2026:

Federal court. “The court must exonerate the surety and release any bail when a bond condition has been satisfied or when the court has set aside or remitted the forfeiture” (Fed. R. Crim. P. 46(g)). Federal courts require a judge’s order to release the money. The Northern District of California’s finance office says, “A court order to return the funds or to exonerate the bond is required to release the criminal bond” (N.D. Cal. finance FAQ). Money that belongs to the defendant must be held and applied to “any assessment, fine, restitution, or penalty” on the prosecutor’s motion, but “This section shall not apply to any third party surety” (28 U.S.C. 2044).

Texas. Cash posted as a bond is refunded on the court’s order to the person named on the receipt, less a clerk’s fee of “five percent of the withdrawal but that may not exceed $50,” a fee that does not apply when the defendant is found not guilty or the charges are dismissed without a guilty plea (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.02; Local Gov’t Code 117.055). Texas statutes usually say a bond is “discharged” rather than exonerated. A surety can end its liability before a forfeiture by surrendering the defendant to the sheriff or by filing an affidavit that the defendant is already in jail. On the affidavit route, “the bond is discharged and the surety is absolved of liability” once the jailing is verified (art. 17.16). After a forfeiture, only the listed causes “will exonerate the defendant and his sureties” (art. 22.13).

Idaho. Idaho spells out when “The court shall order the bail exonerated,” including when the defendant “has appeared for all court proceedings as ordered and all charges for which the bail has been posted have been resolved by acquittal, dismissal or sentencing” (Idaho Code 19-2922). Idaho differs from California in one way families should know: when bail was posted in cash, the clerk “shall” apply it to “fines, fees, costs and restitution imposed in the case,” and even to amounts owed in the defendant’s other cases, before refunding what is left to the person who posted it (Idaho Code 19-2908). A parent who posts cash in Idaho can lose some or all of it to the defendant’s debts. For property bonds, “the order exonerating the bond must release the lien” (Idaho Criminal Rule 46).

Elsewhere. In Florida, the clerk “shall withhold” unpaid court costs and fees from a cash bond posted by anyone other than a licensed bail agent (Fla. Stat. 903.286). A New York court FAQ for New York City criminal cases says that “Except in the instance where a court case results in a dismissal or acquittal, 3% will be deducted from posted bail upon its refund” (NY Courts). Illinois ended cash bail on September 18, 2023 (Illinois State Bar Association).

If your case is in another state, the California rules above do not apply. Read your bail receipt and talk to the clerk or your lawyer.

County-by-County Guide: Confirming Exoneration and Getting Cash Bail Back

California has one set of bail laws but 58 superior courts, and each one handles the paperwork a little differently. Once a case ends, the practical questions are local. How do you confirm the bail was exonerated? Where was the cash posted, and who sends the refund? Does the court say how long it takes? Is there unclaimed money waiting?

Each county section below answers those questions from the court’s, sheriff’s, or county’s own website, checked in September 2026. Where an official source did not say, we say so rather than guess, and the answer is the same everywhere: call or visit the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt. The statewide rules in Penal Code 1297 apply in every county whether or not the court posts them. Websites and procedures change, so confirm details with the clerk. To find someone in custody first, see how to find out if someone is in jail and our California inmate locator guide.

Only a handful of courts post their refund process at all. Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Santa Clara, Madera, Tuolumne, and Yuba state a refund time in writing, and San Diego’s Sheriff does. Most of the rest say nothing online.

Alameda County

Alameda County’s seat is Oakland. The court posts no cash bail refund process online, so ask the criminal clerk.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Alameda. The Criminal Case Portal searches by name or case number, free and without registration.
• Confirm the exoneration: Online access “does not include access to documents,” and the court does not say whether the portal shows bail status. Request the minute order through the Public Records Web Portal (account required). Copies are $0.50 per page (posted charges).
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Santa Rita Jail in Dublin: (925) 551-6500 (Sheriff’s facility page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The court posts Unclaimed Funds Instructions and Forms (no date printed). Claims go to escheat@alameda.courts.ca.gov or the Finance Division, (510) 891-6014; claims over $1,000 must be notarized. The packet does not mention bail, and no current list or deadline was found.
• Local note: Local Rule 4.110 says bail schedules will be revised “annually or at such other time the committee determines it is necessary,” but as of September 2026 the newest posted schedule was dated March 20, 2024 (2024 bail schedule).

Alpine County

Alpine County’s seat is Markleeville. The court has no online records, so everything goes through the clerk.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Alpine.
• Confirm the exoneration: Call the clerk at (530) 694-2113, or mail the records request form to PO Box 518, Markleeville, CA 96120.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Alpine has no jail; the court refers families to El Dorado County Jail.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Amador County

Amador County’s seat is Jackson. Its free online portal shows charges and dispositions.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Amador. The free Online Portal needs a logon account and covers cases from 2002.
• Confirm the exoneration: For the minute order, use the record search request form: $0.50 per side, $40 to certify.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Sheriff: (209) 223-6500.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Butte County

Butte County’s seat is Oroville. The jail takes cash bail, and the Sheriff says cashier’s checks and money orders should be made out to the specific court the person is bailing out of.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Butte. The court’s case information page links a free case portal. No account is needed.
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status. For a copy of the minute order, call the Criminal Division at (530) 532-7011. Copy fees are not posted.
• Where cash bail is posted: Butte County Jail, 7 Gillick Way, Oroville, (530) 552-1600. The Sheriff’s Corrections Division page says: “We accept only cash, money orders, cashier’s checks, or a bond from a licensed Bail Bondsman.”
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online for criminal cases. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt. The court’s only refund statement is on its traffic page and covers traffic cases only.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: The court’s 2026 Jail Bail Schedule took effect January 1, 2026, under Annual Order BCSC 2026-AO-02.

Calaveras County

Calaveras County’s seat is San Andreas, and anyone can read a case’s register of actions online.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Calaveras. The free public portal needs no account.
• Confirm the exoneration: We could not confirm that the register lists bail exoneration, so ask the clerk for the minute order.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s Pay Bail or Work Release Fees Online page could not be read.
• Getting cash bail back: The court posts refund steps for traffic trials only. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Colusa County

Colusa is the county seat. The court’s online calendar portal is “temporarily unavailable until further notice,” so families must phone or visit the court to confirm an exoneration.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Colusa. Its online calendar portal is down.
• Confirm the exoneration: Call (530) 458-5149, option 4, for “limited case information, including fines owed, warrant status, and court dates.” For the minute order, write or visit 532 Oak Street, Colusa, CA 95932, with a self-addressed stamped envelope and a check payable to Colusa Superior Court. The criminal page lists “$.50 per page,” $40.00 per certification, and a $15.00 search fee per name if you do not know the case number.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s Department is at 929 Bridge Street, Colusa, (530) 458-0200 (state Attorney General listing).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County’s seat is Martinez. The court posts no cash bail refund process, and its February 2026 unclaimed funds notice covered uncashed court refund checks.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa. The free Court Public Portal needs no registration. On September 10, 2026, it showed an error “PREVENTING CASE DATA FROM LOADING.”
• Confirm the exoneration: The court’s records page says “Minutes, Case Documents and Orders are not available online.” Request the minute order with form CR-114 (50 cents per page, $40.00 to certify).
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Martinez Detention Facility: (925) 335-4600 (Sheriff’s facility page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Its general information page says only: “If you posted a bail bond, contact the bail company.” For cash bail, call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: The court’s February 2, 2026 notice proposed escheating $1,163,437.51 held more than three years. Its press release says: “These are uncashed refund checks the Court had issued for overpayments.” Claims were due April 3, 2026; bail is not mentioned. Escheatment Desk: 925-608-2605.
• Bail bond notes: The court’s Local Rules effective January 1, 2025 include Rule 4.6, on relief from bail forfeiture (effective January 1, 2018).

Del Norte County

Del Norte County’s seat is Crescent City. There is no online criminal index, so everything goes through the court’s records office.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte, 450 H Street, Room 209, Crescent City, (707) 464-8115.
• Confirm the exoneration: Request the minute order with the records request form, in person, by mail, or at records@delnorte.courts.ca.gov. Allow up to 14 business days.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

El Dorado County

El Dorado County’s seat is Placerville. The court posts a local form, CR-023, that the person who posted cash bail signs to get the money back or to put part of it toward a fine.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of El Dorado. The public portal is free but requires an account.
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status. Order the minute order on Local Form M-55: $0.50 per page, $40.00 per certified document plus copies. Phone: (530) 621-5047.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk.
• Getting cash bail back: The court’s Local Forms page lists CR-023, Release of Cash Bail Monies Posted (Eff. 01/01/05). The person who posted the bail signs to have it all returned, or to use part “to pay fine” with the balance mailed back. The form does not say where to file it or how long a refund takes, so ask the criminal clerk.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: The local rules, revised January 1, 2026, include Rule 5.10.02, “Bail Forfeitures.”

Fresno County

Fresno County’s seat is Fresno. The court’s glossary defines bail exoneration as “the refund of a bail deposit to the depositor or release of liability to a surety company,” but the court posts no refund steps.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Fresno. The case information page links the public portal, with optional registration and no stated fee.
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status or minute orders. For a copy of the minute order, contact the Criminal Division, 1100 Van Ness Ave., Room 401, (559) 457-1801. A 2020 court fee notice, addressed to out-of-state and federal agencies, lists “$.50 per page copy fee” and “$40.00 certified copy fee.”
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s Booking & Classification page says only that inmates can use phones “to arrange bail through friends, family, or bail agents.”
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297). The court’s glossary confirms the refund goes “to the depositor,” meaning the person who posted it.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Glenn County

Willows is the county seat. The court has a free online case index, but neither the court nor the Sheriff posts how cash bail is taken or refunded.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Glenn, 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows. The case index page links a free portal. “An account is not required to search for public cases or hearings.”
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status. The court records page says to use the online index or view the file in person at the courthouse. Fees are not posted. Criminal clerk: (530) 934-6446, option 2.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s jail page covers visiting and inmate account deposits only. Jail: (530) 934-6428.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: The court’s 2026 Jail Bail Schedule took effect January 1, 2026.

Humboldt County

Humboldt County’s seat is Eureka. The Sheriff says cash bail is made out to “Humboldt Superior Court,” so the court holds the money and refund questions go to its Criminal Division.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt. Online Case Access needs an account and shows “disposition status,” but not documents.
• Confirm the exoneration: Request the minute order by letter or in person at 421 I Street, Eureka; the clerk quotes the cost. Criminal Division: 707-445-7256 option 1, criminaldept@humboldtcourt.ca.gov.
• Where cash bail is posted: At the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, per the Sheriff’s Bail page. Anyone may post it in cash, traveler’s checks, money orders, or certified checks for the exact amount, made out to “Humboldt Superior Court.” No personal or business checks.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the Criminal Division with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: The Sheriff’s Bail page warns that the jail “will never contact you to collect a bail payment.”

Imperial County

Imperial County’s seat is El Centro. The court posts no refund process, but its local form CR-04 lets the person who posted cash bail authorize the court to use it to pay the defendant’s fine.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, El Centro Criminal Courthouse, 650 Wake Ave. The free public case search works by case number.
• Confirm the exoneration: The court does not say whether the case search shows bail status. For the minute order, email crimrecords@imperial.courts.ca.gov or call (760) 482-2245.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Jail information: (442) 265-2266 (Sheriff’s jail page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297). Local form CR-04, Bail Authorization (revised January 1, 2024) lets a depositor authorize the court to apply bail “as payment of the fine in the case,” and shows any refund due. Sign it only if you agree to have that money go toward the fine.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Inyo County

Inyo County’s seat is Independence. The court posts refund rules for traffic bail only; for criminal cash bail, contact the Criminal Division.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Inyo. There is no online case search. Criminal Division: (760) 872-3038.
• Confirm the exoneration: Records requests are “in-person or by mail only” (Records Search Requests). Mail the request form to PO Box 1508, Bishop, CA 93515.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Kern County

Kern County’s seat is Bakersfield. Since May 2023, the court no longer mails exoneration slips; it tells people to check bond status on its website instead.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Kern. The case information search page links the portal, which requires an account. No fee is stated.
• Confirm the exoneration: A court memo dated May 5, 2023 says the court “will no longer issue exoneration slips nor provide mailings for exoneration or discharge of bonds.” It sends people to the website to check bond status; whether the public can see cash bail status is not confirmed. For the minute order, use the Judicial Records Request form: copies are 50 cents per page and certified documents $40.00 (fee sheet).
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s Justice IRC page says to call (661) 391-7500 or use Inmate Search “for bail information, court dates.”
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The court posts Unclaimed Funds Instructions and Forms (Rev. 01.2026). Claims over $1,000 must be notarized. The packet does not mention bail or give a deadline, and no current escheat notice was found.
• Bail bond notes: The case information search page posts an Exonerated Bond Report “intended for Bond Agencies to receive bi-weekly Bond Reports.”

Kings County

Kings County’s seat is Hanford. The court tells defendants to bring “Bond receipts, cash bail receipts, etc.” to court, but it posts nothing on how cash bail is refunded.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Kings. The public portal requires an account and states no fee.
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status. Criminal Division: (559) 582-1010. For the minute order, send the Request for Record Search and Copies: $0.50 per page and $40.00 for certification, paid in advance.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s booking and inmate information page has no bail information.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: The criminal page says that if you posted a bail bond for a set court date, or were ordered to come back, you cannot change the date.

Lake County

Lake County’s seat is Lakeport. The Sheriff takes bail “by paying the entire amount in cash,” but no official site explains how that money comes back.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Lake. The free public portal searches cases and calendars; the court notes it is not the official record.
• Confirm the exoneration: Order the minute order with the research and copy request form: $0.50 per page, $40.00 to certify. Criminal Division: 707-263-2374.
• Where cash bail is posted: Ask the Sheriff’s Office (707-262-4200). Per the Sheriff’s Bail Information page: the full amount in cash, or a bail bond. Bail for out of county cases is posted the same way. The payee is not stated.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site. The Sheriff’s Unclaimed Money page covers money held by the Sheriff’s Office and does not mention bail.

Lassen County

Lassen County’s seat is Susanville. Its free online case index shows each case’s register of actions.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Lassen, (530) 251-8205. The free Case Index and Calendar Portal covers cases filed after about 1994.
• Confirm the exoneration: The portal lists “documents filed, hearings held and scheduled.” For the minute order, use the request e-form, 50 cents per page.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Jail: (530) 251-5245.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County’s seat is Los Angeles. It is one of the few courts that states a refund time in writing: allow four to six weeks for the depositor to receive the refund.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. Finding a case number by name costs $4.75 per search on the court’s name index. With the number, the free Criminal Case Summary shows the case and its dispositions.
• Confirm the exoneration: The court’s FAQ says it has “no plans to provide bail/bond status online.” Ask the clerk’s office at the courthouse that handled the case for the minute order, or mail a prepaid copy request to the Certification Unit, 111 N. Hill Street, Room 112C, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
• Where cash bail is posted: At Sheriff custody facilities, including the Inmate Reception Center at 450 Bauchet Street and Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood (Sheriff’s custody page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court’s cash bail FAQ says to “allow 4-6 weeks processing time for the depositor to receive the refund.” The check comes from the county Auditor-Controller’s Office. If it has not arrived after six weeks, contact the clerk’s office with the defendant’s name, the bail amount, the case number, and the receipt number. Bail goes toward a fine only if the defendant posted it, or if the person who posted it signed permission on the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: On January 6, 2026, the court announced a webpage for claiming unclaimed funds it holds in trust, with a claim deadline of February 20, 2026 (now passed), under Government Code 68084.1. The notice does not say whether bail refunds were among the funds.
• Bail bond notes: Local Rule 8.3(f) requires motions to reinstate and exonerate bail to be “in writing and supported by appropriate declarations and points and authorities” when the defendant is not surrendered in open court (Chapter 8 of the local rules, effective January 1, 2022).

Madera County

Madera County’s seat is Madera. It is one of the few courts that states a refund time in writing: about 6 to 8 weeks from the court order, with no form needed.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Madera. The public portal takes a free account. The county’s Inmate Inquiry lists each charge with its bond type, bond amount, and case number.
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status. Ask the Criminal Division in person, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Copies are $.50 per page, and mail requests need a money order or cashier’s check payable to “Madera Superior Court.”
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The jail is at 195 Tozer St., Madera, (559) 675-7951 (corrections page).
• Getting cash bail back: The criminal page says “Refunds on cash bail are processed automatically upon court order.” It adds that the refund takes about 6 to 8 weeks from the date of the order. If you have moved, call the Criminal Division (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: The court’s 2025 Notice of Intent to Escheat listed $132,044.87, with a claim deadline of March 31, 2026 (now passed). It does not mention bail, but a May 2, 2023 notice described funds “from uncashed court checks.” Ask at maderacourt.finance@madera.courts.ca.gov.

Marin County

Marin County’s seat is San Rafael. The Sheriff’s jail takes bail around the clock, and money orders for bail are made out to the Clerk of the Court, but the court posts no refund process.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Marin. The ePortal needs free registration that staff approve “within 1 to 2 court days.”
• Confirm the exoneration: Ask the criminal clerk, (415) 444-7070 or criminal@marin.courts.ca.gov. For a copy of the minute order, use the Court Records Request Form ($15.00 search fee per case, $.50 per page), which can take “up to 6 months.”
• Where cash bail is posted: At the Marin County Jail. The Sheriff’s Custody Division page says: “The Jail accepts bail 24 hours a day for inmates in our custody.” It takes cash, a postal or bank money order “made out to the Clerk of the Court,” or a card through GovPay, but no personal checks.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online, and nothing says whether card bail goes back to the card. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The court posts claim form ADM027 (4/21), which does not mention bail. Claims go to administration@marin.courts.ca.gov. No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Mariposa County

Mariposa County’s seat is Mariposa. The court’s free portal needs no login, but nothing online covers cash bail refunds.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Mariposa. The free public portal needs no account.
• Confirm the exoneration: Ask the Criminal Division, 5088 Bullion Street, (209) 966-2005, for the minute order in person or by mail. Fees are not posted online.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Jail: 209-966-3616.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Mendocino County

Mendocino County’s seat is Ukiah. The Sheriff says checks and money orders for bail “must be made out to the Court of Jurisdiction,” so refund questions go to the court that heard the case.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino. Through re:SearchCA, “Criminal records cannot be viewed online by the public”; use the kiosks at the Ukiah and Fort Bragg courthouses.
• Confirm the exoneration: Order the minute order with Form MMC-900: $0.50 per page, $40.00 to certify, and allow 30 days. Criminal clerk: 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, (707) 463-4661.
• Where cash bail is posted: At the jail, per the Sheriff’s Corrections page: cash for the full amount, a certified check, or a money order. No personal checks, and the court’s local rules bar coins (Rule 1.23).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The court’s Unclaimed Funds page covered unclaimed and stale dated checks under Government Code 68084.1, due by October 31, 2025. No entry was labeled bail, and the deadline has passed.

Merced County

Merced County’s seat is Merced. Criminal cases are “NOT available online,” so confirming an exoneration means using the courthouse computer or asking the clerk.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Merced. A criminal case lookup runs only on the public computer in the Criminal Division (case records page).
• Confirm the exoneration: Call or visit the Criminal Division at (209) 725-4113, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For the minute order, use the Record/Search/Copy Request form: $0.50 per page, $40 certified, and $15 for searches over 10 minutes.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s jail page has no bail information. Main Jail: (209) 385-7410.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: The court’s local rules, effective July 1, 2026, cover bail in Rule 16(E), “Felony Bail Schedule,” and Rule 16(I), on motions for own recognizance release or bail modification. There is no exoneration rule.

Modoc County

Modoc County’s seat is Alturas. Staff will not look up criminal records by phone, so write to or visit the clerk.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Modoc, 530-233-6516. The Public Case Portal requires registration.
• Confirm the exoneration: Request the minute order in person or by mail with a check payable to “Modoc Superior Court,” the case number, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Sheriff: (530) 233-4416.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Mono County

Mono County’s seat is Bridgeport, where the county jail takes cash bail.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Mono. There is no online case search (name search page).
• Confirm the exoneration: Contact the Criminal Division at (760) 924-5444 or criminal@mono.courts.ca.gov. A name search is $15.
• Where cash bail is posted: The Mono County Jail, 25 Emigrant Street (jail page): exact cash, cashier’s check, or money order, no personal checks. Cash over $10,000 requires ID and your original Social Security card.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Monterey County

Monterey County’s seat is Salinas. The Sheriff takes bail payments online, but neither the court nor the Sheriff posts how cash bail is refunded.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Monterey. The free public portal needs no registration and covers “criminal court indexes, court calendars and registers of action” (criminal records page).
• Confirm the exoneration: The register of actions may list bail entries, but this is not confirmed. For the minute order, go to 240 Church Street, Salinas, or mail Form CR-109: $0.50 per page, $40.00 certified. “Please allow 10 days to process your request.”
• Where cash bail is posted: Monterey County Jail, 1414 Natividad Road, Salinas. The Sheriff’s jail information page links online payment through GovPayNow with Pay Location Code #6519.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt. If you paid online, keep the payment confirmation too.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: The court’s criminal page warns that if the defendant misses court, the bond can be forfeited and the agency “must pay the entire amount of the bail to the Court.”

Napa County

Napa County’s seat is the city of Napa. A March 12, 2026 court notice listed unclaimed trust money; its file name refers to cash bail, though its text does not.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Napa, (707) 299-1180. Case Lookup opens the Case Information Access Portal after you accept the terms of use.
• Confirm the exoneration: The court does not say whether the portal shows bail status. For the minute order, send the Criminal Records Request Form ($.50 per page, $40.00 to certify); “A Visa or Mastercard and expiration date is required on each form.”
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The county’s Department of Corrections runs the jail, 707-253-4401 (county Bail Bonds page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The court’s March 12, 2026 notice covered money not refunded within three years after a case closed, with claims due “no later than May 12, 2026” (now passed). As of September 2026, the Unclaimed Funds page says “None at this time.” Contact Accounting@napa.courts.ca.gov.

Nevada County

Nevada County’s seat is Nevada City. The jail takes cash bail around the clock, but the court posts no refund process.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Nevada. The free web portal needs an account and does not show orders.
• Confirm the exoneration: Order the minute order through the case records requests page, online or by mail form. Payment is due in advance.
• Where cash bail is posted: At the jail. The Sheriff’s release procedures page says “Bail bond or cash bail is accepted 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” The payee is not stated. Sheriff’s Office: 530-265-1471.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site. The county’s Unclaimed Money page covers stale county warrants and does not mention bail.

Orange County

Orange County’s seat is Santa Ana. A court page filed under its Traffic division, which the court’s criminal self-help page links to, says a cash bail refund takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks from the court order, and the check comes from the county Auditor.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Orange. The free case access site searches by name or case number after you accept its terms (case access page).
• Confirm the exoneration: Case access shows “specific hearing date information and dispositions.” For the minute order, ask the clerk’s office where the case was filed, or mail Form L-3009 (copy page).
• Where cash bail is posted: At the Sheriff’s Intake Release Center Jail Cashiering office, 550 North Flower Street, Santa Ana, 24 hours a day, (714) 647-6085. Theo Lacy Facility accepts bail from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Sheriff’s bail page lists cash, cashier’s checks, money orders, traveler’s checks, and some personal checks, but not business checks.
• Getting cash bail back: The court’s bail refunds page points to its fines, bail and bonds page, which sits under the Traffic division. The undated page says that if a portion of the cash bail is to be refunded, it “will take approximately 6 to 8 weeks from the date of the court order,” and “The Orange County Auditor’s office will process the refund check to the depositor or authorized designee.” Cash bail goes toward a fine only if the defendant posted it, or if the person who posted it signed an authorization.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site. An older Overage Trust list had a May 11, 2018 deadline and no bail category.

Placer County

Placer County’s seat is Auburn. Both county jails take cash bail around the clock, and checks and money orders are made payable to the Placer Trial Court or the clerk of the court issuing the warrant.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Placer. The online portal page says “there is no account required.” Searches need a filing date range plus a case number or name.
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status or minute orders. The Case Records and Copy Request page says “Phone, email, or fax copy requests will not be accepted.”
• Where cash bail is posted: At the Auburn Jail (530-745-8500) or the South Placer Jail in Roseville. The Sheriff’s Posting Bail page takes cash in the “Exact amount,” and checks or money orders “Made payable to the Placer Trial Court, or the Clerk of the Court issuing the warrant.”
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: The Sheriff’s Posting Bail page says “Bail Bonds must be delivered by a Licensed Bail Agent.” The court’s local rules, effective January 1, 2026, include Rule 40.6 on real property bonds.

Plumas County

Plumas County’s seat is Quincy. There is no online case index, and the court posts no refund process.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Plumas. Clerk: (530) 283-6232.
• Confirm the exoneration: Request the minute order with the online request form. Copies are 50 cents per page.
• Where cash bail is posted: The Sheriff’s Bail Bonds page accepts only cash, money orders, and cashier’s checks. Jail: (530) 283-6267.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: A February 24, 2026 court escheat notice set an April 24, 2026 deadline, now passed. It does not say whether any funds were bail.

Riverside County

Riverside County’s seat is Riverside. The court says cash bail refunds are processed automatically when the court orders them and take about six to eight weeks to arrive.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. The Public Access portal needs an account. Case number searches are free; name searches cost $1.00 each (public access page).
• Confirm the exoneration: The portal shows registers of actions, where the exoneration should appear, plus documents for a per-page fee capped at $50. Certified copies use form RI-MC011, at $40.00 per certified document.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s Corrections page lists five jails, including Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.
• Getting cash bail back: The court’s criminal page says: “Refunds on cash bail are processed automatically upon court order.” It allows about six to eight weeks from the date of the order, and “The Riverside Superior Court will mail the refund check payable to the depositor named on the bail receipt.” No form is needed. The page does not cover address changes, so tell the clerk if the depositor has moved.
• Unclaimed money: The court’s 2026 escheat notice listed $411,525.04 in trust fund checks left uncashed for at least three years, with claims due “no later than May 29, 2026” (now passed). It does not say whether bail refund checks were included. Cash a refund check promptly so it does not end up on a list like this.

Sacramento County

Sacramento County’s seat is Sacramento. The court posts no bail refund page, but its unclaimed funds page says money stays in trust for at least three years and six months before the court keeps it.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento. The new criminal case portal, launched August 10, 2026, searches by name or case number and shows “limited case information.”
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status. For the minute order, the Criminal Records page charges $0.50 per page, $40 per certification plus $1 per certified page. “You must already have your case number to order a file(s) over the phone.” To search by name by mail, use form CR-278A.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Sheriff’s FAQ says Main Jail staff at 916-874-6752 “will also provide bail amount.” Per the Sheriff’s Inmate Information FAQ, a person with no-bail charges, warrants, or holds cannot be bailed out until those are cleared or the court sets bail.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: The court’s Unclaimed Funds page says “Unclaimed funds will remain in trust to be claimed for at least three years and six months.” Claim with the Unclaimed Funds Packet, with photo ID for each claimant. Send it to UnclaimedFunds@saccourt.ca.gov or Accounting Unit, 500 G Street, Room 200, Sacramento, CA 95814. Neither the page nor the packet mentions bail (Government Code 68084.1).

San Benito County

San Benito County’s seat is Hollister. The jail takes bail by cashier’s check, certified check, money order, or bail bond; cash and personal checks are not on its list.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Benito. The public portal needs a free account.
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the portal shows bail status. Criminal Division: (831) 636-4057. For the minute order, visit 450 Fourth Street, Hollister, or mail the Research and Copy Request Form: $0.50 per page, $40 certified, paid with the request.
• Where cash bail is posted: San Benito County Jail, 710 Flynn Rd, Hollister. The Sheriff’s Bail and Deposits page says “Bail may be posted at the San Benito County Jail” by cashier’s check, certified check, money order, or bail bond. Corrections: (831) 636-4060.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: The court’s 2025 bail schedule leaves the day blank in its effective date line (“January ____, 2025”).

San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County’s seat is San Bernardino. Cash bail is accepted 24 hours a day at any county jail, but neither the court nor the Sheriff posts how refunds are made.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino. The Court Access Portal needs a login and search credits for a name search (case search guide).
• Confirm the exoneration: The court does not say whether the portal shows bail status. For a copy of the minute order, mail the Copy Request Form with a self-addressed stamped envelope ($0.50 per page; $40.00 to certify).
• Where cash bail is posted: At any jail. The Sheriff’s corrections page says “Bail bond or cash bail are accepted 24 hours a day, at any jail facility.” Bring the full bail amount for each charge. For a cashier’s check, call (909) 350-2476 to learn who to make it out to (inmate information page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: The court’s 2026 bail schedule, effective January 1, 2026 and revised June 4, 2026, says “Pre-arraignment bail amounts are not binding on judicial officers at arraignment.”

San Diego County

San Diego County’s seat is San Diego. The Sheriff says cash bail is refunded within 4-6 weeks after the court confirms the bail was exonerated, to the name and address on the bail receipt.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. The free Court Index searches by name or case number, but it does “not provide information on the charges and disposition of cases.”
• Confirm the exoneration: The index will not show an exoneration. Get the minute order in person or by mail through Obtain a Copy of a File ($40 to certify). For bonds, the monthly Bail Bond Reports list each bond by case number with any exoneration or forfeiture date.
• Where cash bail is posted: At Sheriff detention facilities. The Sheriff’s FAQ says cash bail paid at a jail “is forwarded to and managed by the San Diego Superior Court.”
• Getting cash bail back: The same FAQ says the court’s accounting office refunds the payment within 4-6 weeks after it gets confirmation that the case is resolved and bail has been exonerated. “It will be sent to the name and address indicated on the bail payment receipt.” Questions: the court’s accounting office, 619-450-7034, weekdays 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. A Sheriff training manual (revised March 2022) says bail deposited may be used to pay a fine.
• Unclaimed money: The court has a Notice of Unclaimed Money page, but it returned an access-denied error when we tried to open it in September 2026, so its date and deadline are unknown.
• Local note: The Central Division bail bond ledger for fiscal year 2025-26 shows “Records as of 9/8/2026” (ledger PDF).

San Francisco County

San Francisco is a consolidated city and county. The Sheriff says the court returns cash bail when the case is finished if the defendant made every appearance, and the court posts a monthly report showing which bonds were exonerated.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Criminal Case Query is open to the public after a check that you are a person.
• Confirm the exoneration: Order the minute order through the GovQA portal at $0.50 per page and $40 to certify, or call Criminal Records at (415) 551-0651. For bonds, the monthly Bail Bonds Report lists each bond and whether it was exonerated or forfeited. The court’s Bond Desk is (415) 551-0691 (criminal page).
• Where cash bail is posted: At the Sheriff’s office, Room 460, 850 Bryant St. Call (415) 553-1430 (Sheriff’s bail page).
• Getting cash bail back: The Sheriff’s page says: “If you show up to every appearance, the court will return your cash, bond, or property when your case is finished.” No form, timeline, or payee rule is posted. Call the Bond Desk or the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: After a September 2019 federal ruling in the Buffin case against the Sheriff’s use of the court’s bail schedule, a new bail policy took effect at “midnight February 20, 2020” (Sheriff’s bail page).

San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County’s seat is Stockton. Cashier’s checks for bail at the jail are made out to the San Joaquin County Superior Court, so the court holds the money, but it posts no refund process.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin, 180 E. Weber Ave., Stockton. The case search page links the free eCourt portal, which needs an account and allows 45 searches a day.
• Confirm the exoneration: We could not confirm that the portal shows bail status. Order the minute order with the Records Request form; fees follow the fee schedule.
• Where cash bail is posted: At the jail, 7000 Michael Canlis Blvd, French Camp, per the Sheriff’s Bail Procedures page: “United States currency or a Cashier’s check,” payable to the Superior Court. Bail can also be posted at the courthouse “under certain circumstances.” Jail: (209) 468-4562.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site. The county Auditor-Controller’s Unclaimed Warrants page covers uncashed county warrants and does not mention bail.
• Local note: The court moved to eCourt in August 2026, taking all case types offline August 21 to 24 (notice dated August 17, 2026). Older lookup links may not work.

San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo County’s seat is San Luis Obispo. Cash bail can be posted at the courthouse, and the court has a form that lets the person who posted it put the money toward the fine.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo. The online case lookup sends people to re:SearchCA (registration needed remotely, not at courthouse kiosks).
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether re:SearchCA shows bail status. Request the minute order on the court’s request form; allow “up to 30 days to process.” Criminal clerk: slocrim@slo.courts.ca.gov or (805) 706-3600, Option 3.
• Where cash bail is posted: The warrants page says “Bail can be posted at the Court or at any law enforcement agency.” The court takes cash, cards, money orders, and checks; the jail does not take “Personal checks or credit cards” (jail FAQ).
• Getting cash bail back: The warrants page says the money “may be refunded at the conclusion of the case provided appearances are made as ordered by the court.” No processing time is stated. To apply bail to a fine, the depositor signs the Authorization to Apply Bail, and any balance is mailed to the address given. The form is undated; ask if it is current.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: Effective July 1, 2026, the court no longer gives case summaries to third parties; defendants, their attorneys, and victims still get them (case information requests page).

San Mateo County

San Mateo County’s seat is Redwood City. Cash bail is paid at the cashier’s window in the jail lobby, but the court posts no refund process.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo. The Odyssey Public Portal needs no registration and “Displays a register of actions” for criminal cases (portal page).
• Confirm the exoneration: The court does not say whether the register shows the exoneration. Request the minute order by mail from Records Management ($0.50 per side, $40 to certify); the court will “reply within 30 days.”
• Where cash bail is posted: At the jail. The Sheriff’s Inmate Bail FAQ says: “Simply bring the amount of bail to the cashiers window located in the lobby of the jail.”
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt. For property bonds, the court posts a reconveyance procedure.
• Unclaimed money: As of September 2026, the Escheatment page says “There is no proposed escheatment at this time.” Questions: escheatclaim@sanmateocourt.org or 650-261-5049.
• Bail bond notes: A court-posted 2008 Grand Jury report, Bail Bond Forfeiture Procedures (county response dated June 10, 2008), says the surety has 185 days from the mailing of the forfeiture notice to seek relief.

Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County’s seat is Santa Barbara. There is no online criminal case index, so confirming an exoneration means visiting the Records window or ordering the minute order.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. The Court Records page says: “An online Criminal index is not available at this time.”
• Confirm the exoneration: Visit the Records window during business hours, or send the Copy Request Form for the minute order. South County: southcountyrecords@sbcourts.org, (805) 882-4778. North County: northcountyrecords@sbcourts.org, (805) 614-6414. Copies are $0.50 per page; certification is $40.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Call the Main Jail at (805) 681-4260 or the Northern Branch Jail at (805) 554-3100 (Sheriff’s jail facilities page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: The court’s 2013 local rules, Rule 501, accepted credit cards for any “bail deposit if tendered in the appropriate manner.” That is an old edition; ask the court whether it still applies.

Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County’s seat is San Jose. The court states its refund rule in writing: the refund is mailed to the depositor within 30 business days after the case ends or the bail is exonerated.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara. The criminal case index covers cases “filed in 2004 or later” and needs the defendant’s name plus date of birth, or name plus the month and year filed (Criminal Case Records).
• Confirm the exoneration: Documents are “not generally available online.” Ask for the minute order by letter to the Clerk’s Office with the case number, full name, and date of birth.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Main Jail: (408) 808-2804 (Sheriff’s Main Jail page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court’s Criminal FAQs say: “The bail refund will be mailed to the depositor (the person who deposited the money with the Court).” It is mailed within 30 business days after the disposition of the case or the order of exoneration. The depositor is whoever signed the check or money order, and no request form is needed. If you move, tell the judge, deputy, or clerk at court, or send the court a letter with your new address.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: The court’s Criminal Rules (effective January 1, 2023) bar filing a motion to set aside a bail forfeiture electronically (Rule 7(A)(2)), and Rule 18 requires form CR-6014 for property bonds.

Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County’s seat is Santa Cruz. Cash bail is posted at the Main Jail, but cashier’s checks are made payable to the Superior Court, so the court, not the jail, holds the money.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz. The online portal searches by name or case number; criminal documents are not online.
• Confirm the exoneration: Use the Records Department or the public kiosks in Santa Cruz and Watsonville, or send the Research and Copy Request Form (SUPAD 981) ($0.50 per page, $40 to certify), or call (831) 420-2200.
• Where cash bail is posted: At the Main Jail, 259 Water Street, (831) 454-7800. The Sheriff’s Corrections FAQ says bail may be paid “in the form of either cash or cashier’s check (Payable to Santa Cruz County Superior Court).”
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Shasta County

Shasta County’s seat is Redding. Cash bail is made out to the Superior Court, whose Finance Division describes a general refund path through the County Auditor.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Shasta. The free public portal is up, but “document access is currently unavailable.”
• Confirm the exoneration: Dispositions are not given by phone. Write to the Records Department at Criminal@shasta.courts.ca.gov.
• Where cash bail is posted: The Main Jail reception, 1655 West Street, Redding (jail page). Cashier’s checks, money orders, and verifiable personal checks up to $1,000 are made out to Shasta County Superior Court.
• Getting cash bail back: No bail-specific process is posted. The Finance Division page says refunds can follow “a case being dismissed,” money paid by check has a 30-day hold, and the court sends a claim to the County Auditor to release funds. Contact the Finance Division; its page lists (530) 605-2793 as a fax number.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site. A county notice of August 13, 2026 lists jail and other county funds, due September 28, 2026, but not bail.
• Bail bond notes: When a forfeiture is set aside, Local Rule 6.02 (local rules, amended January 1, 2015) charges $75 or $125 “as a condition to exoneration of bail.”

Sierra County

Sierra County’s seat is Downieville. In 2023 the court moved to escheat unclaimed bail trust money, so claim refunds promptly.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sierra. No online case search.
• Confirm the exoneration: Call the Criminal Division at (530) 289-3698 or mail the request form to PO Box 476, Downieville.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Arrestees are booked at Nevada County’s Truckee Jail.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The court’s escheat notice covered $21,112.45 unclaimed “for at least three years,” due September 15, 2023.

Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County’s seat is Yreka. The court posts nothing online about cash bail or refunds, so call the clerk.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Siskiyou, (530) 842-0411. The Case Information Portal shows case details.
• Confirm the exoneration: For the minute order, the portal says to “visit the court and request the specific documents in person or do so in writing.”
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Jail: (530) 842-8157.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Solano County

Solano County’s seat is Fairfield. The court’s latest unclaimed funds list, covering checks from December 2008 through December 2022, had a claim deadline of May 18, 2026.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Solano. The public portal requires an account with photo ID verification and searches by case number or name.
• Confirm the exoneration: Request the minute order with form 4021. The Records, Fees & Forms page lists a “Certificate of Discharge of Bail Bond” at $40.00. Fairfield clerk: (707) 207-7380.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The Solano County Jail is at 500 Union Ave, Fairfield (court resources page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online; its Bail Information page covers only bail schedules. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The Unclaimed Funds page posts a list of checks dated 12/01/2008 to 12/31/2022, by payee. Claims were due “no later than May 18, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. PST.” The list does not mention bail. Contact fiscal@solano.courts.ca.gov.

Sonoma County

Sonoma County’s seat is Santa Rosa. The court’s portal shows case dispositions, but neither the court nor the Sheriff posts where cash bail is paid or how it is refunded.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma. The portal, reached through a disclaimer page, returns “Case, Party, Charge, Disposition, and Hearings Information” (criminal search instructions).
• Confirm the exoneration: The portal shows dispositions; the court does not say whether it shows bail status. Mail form CR-01 for the minute order: $0.50 per page and $40 to certify. Call (707) 521-6620.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Jail: (707) 565-1400 (Sheriff’s directions page).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: To clear a warrant for someone released on a bail bond, the court requires “a letter of reassumption of liability from the bonding agency” (criminal page).

Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County’s seat is Modesto. The court charges a fee for a motion to vacate and exonerate bail, but posts nothing online about how cash bail is refunded.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus, 800 11th Street, Modesto. The case search page links a free public portal.
• Confirm the exoneration: We could not confirm that the portal shows bail status. Order the minute order with the Criminal Research Request Form: $15 research, $0.50 per page, $40 to certify. Criminal Division: (209) 530-3100 option 4.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Bookings and releases go through the Sheriff’s Detention Center East, 200 E. Hackett Road, Modesto.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site. The county Treasurer’s undated unclaimed money notice does not mention bail.
• Bail bond notes: The court’s Criminal FAQ says motions to vacate and exonerate bail carry a fee (amount not stated). The Local Rules effective July 1, 2026 include Rule 4.13, a motion to determine the source of bail under Penal Code 1275.1.

Sutter County

Sutter County’s seat is Yuba City. Cash bail is posted at the jail, and checks must be made out to “Sutter County Consolidated Courts.”

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sutter. The public portal needs no registration and covers current cases and completed cases back to 2008 (online case access page).
• Confirm the exoneration: The portal shows case information and hearings and sells document copies; whether it shows bail status is not confirmed. Mail requests through the records request page take 7 to 10 working days.
• Where cash bail is posted: Sutter County Main Jail, 1077 Civic Center Boulevard, Yuba City. The Sheriff’s Release Procedures page takes the full bail in U.S. currency, cashier check, or money order. “No personal checks will be accepted.” Sheriff’s Office: (530) 822-7307.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call Traffic/Criminal Processing at (530) 822-3303 with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: The court’s Notice of Intent to Escheat Unclaimed Funds covered “$8,869.32” in trust fund money unclaimed for at least three years, with claims due “no later than January 28, 2026” (now passed). It does not say whether bail was included. Contact AccountingDivision@suttercourts.com.

Tehama County

Red Bluff is the county seat. There is no online criminal case search, and court staff will not look up records by phone, so confirming an exoneration takes a written or in-person request.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Tehama, 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff, (530) 527-3563.
• Confirm the exoneration: “Court staff cannot look up any criminal records over the telephone.” Write or visit the clerk. Include the defendant’s name, the documents you want, payment, and a stamped self-addressed envelope. Certified copies are $40 plus $0.50 per page.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. The court’s criminal page defines bail as release “upon the posting of a bond, cash deposit, or other security.” Main Jail, 502 Oak Street, Red Bluff, (530) 529-7910 (Custody Division).
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt (state law: Penal Code 1297).
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: The 2026 Jail Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, says bail is “not to be increased by Police Officers at time of booking.”

Trinity County

Trinity County’s seat is Weaverville. There is no online case search, so start with the clerk’s office.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Trinity, 11 Court Street, Weaverville. Online services offer court calendars only.
• Confirm the exoneration: Call the clerk at (530) 623-1208 or email courtclerks@trinitycounty.org for the minute order.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Jail: 530-623-8124.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: A March 26, 2026 court escheat notice covered $812.05, with a May 31, 2026 deadline, now passed. It does not mention bail.

Tulare County

Tulare County’s seat is Visalia. The only official word on posting cash bail is a 2014 Sheriff scam alert, and the court posts a refund rule for traffic cases only.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Tulare. The court’s Case Index Search offers “case summaries, filings, party information, and more.”
• Confirm the exoneration: It is not confirmed whether the index shows bail status. Criminal clerk: Visalia (559) 730-5000, South County (559) 782-3700. Order the minute order with the online request form; processing takes 15 business days after payment.
• Where cash bail is posted: At the jail. A Sheriff scam alert dated February 19, 2014 listed the jail lobby kiosk (full bail), a cashier’s check payable to the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, cash at the jail, or a bail bond company. Confirm current methods with the jail.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online for criminal cases. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt. The traffic page promises a bail refund by mail within 60 days after a not guilty finding, but that is for traffic cases.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Local note: The same 2014 alert warned “DO NOT RELY ON YOUR CALLER ID” and gave a Sheriff scam line, 800-808-0488.

Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County’s seat is Sonora. It is the only Mother Lode or Eastern Sierra court that posts a clear cash bail refund process.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne, 12855 Justice Center Drive, Sonora. The online services page has calendars and payments, but no case search.
• Confirm the exoneration: Call the Criminal Division at (209) 533-5563, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., or request the minute order at the window or by mail. Certified copies are $40 plus $0.50 per page.
• Where cash bail is posted: Not stated on official sites; ask the jail or the criminal clerk. Sheriff: (209) 533-5855.
• Getting cash bail back: The court’s criminal page says refunds “are processed automatically upon order of the Court” and take “approximately six to eight weeks from the date of the court order.” The check is mailed “payable to the depositor named, and the address provided, on the cash bail receipt.” No form is needed. If you have moved, call the Criminal Division.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Ventura County

Ventura County’s seat is Ventura. Cash bail is posted at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility, and cashier’s checks are made payable to the Ventura County Superior Court, but the court posts no refund process.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Ventura. Online Public Access searches by first and last name or case number, with no fee posted.
• Confirm the exoneration: The court does not say whether the search shows bail status. For the minute order, visit Hall of Justice Records, Room 218, or mail form VSC-REC-002 ($40 to certify); mail requests “may take several weeks.”
• Where cash bail is posted: At the Pre-Trial Detention Facility, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura (Sheriff’s posting bail page). Bring the exact amount in cash, or a cashier’s check made payable to the Ventura County Superior Court. Card payments go through GovPayNet online or by phone at 1 (888) 604-7888, PLC # 6404.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online, and its FAQ does not mention bail refunds. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.
• Bail bond notes: For property bonds, local form VN195 (revised July 2016) says that after exoneration, “An entry is made indicating that the bail has been exonerated and that the promissory note and deed of trust have been released.”

Yolo County

Yolo County’s seat is Woodland. It is one of the easiest counties for confirming an exoneration: the court portal shows minute orders with no registration.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Yolo. The public portal says “Registration is not needed for public case search and to access court minute orders.”
• Confirm the exoneration: Look up the case and open the minute order from the hearing where bail was exonerated. In person, copies are $0.50 per page plus $40 per certified packet. By mail, add a $15 research fee and send a check to “Yolo Superior Court,” 1000 Main Street, Attn: Research RM#1511, Woodland, CA 95695. Phone: (530) 406-6705.
• Where cash bail is posted: The court’s criminal division page says: “For information about posting bail, please contact the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department at (530) 668-5245.” Accepted payment types are not stated.
• Getting cash bail back: The court does not post a refund process online. Call the criminal clerk with the case number, the defendant’s name, and the bail receipt. The criminal division page tells defendants to bring their “Cash bail receipt” to court.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

Yuba County

Yuba County’s seat is Marysville. The court states that cash bail refunds are automatic once the court orders them and take about 6 to 8 weeks.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Yuba. The free public portal needs no registration and shows a “register of actions for current cases and completed cases dating back to 1999.”
• Confirm the exoneration: Whether the register of actions shows the exoneration is not confirmed. Written requests go to the Criminal Division, 215 Fifth Street, Suite 200, Marysville, CA 95901: $15 search per name, $0.50 per page, $40 certified plus copies. Phone: (530) 740-1800, option 4.
• Where cash bail is posted: At the jail lobby, through the control room deputy. The Sheriff’s Inmate Funds and Posting Bail page takes U.S. currency, cashier checks, or money orders, payable to “Yuba County Jail.” “The Sheriff’s Department only takes bail for the entire amount.”
• Getting cash bail back: The court’s criminal page says “Refunds on cash bail are processed automatically upon court order.” It puts the wait at about 6 to 8 weeks from the date of the order. No form is needed. If you have moved, call the Criminal Division.
• Unclaimed money: No current unclaimed funds notice found on the court’s site.

What Families Should Do When the Case Ends

1. Get the final result in writing. Ask the clerk for the minute order from the last hearing, or check the court’s online case index (see your county above). Look for “bail exonerated.”
2. If the case was dismissed, wait out the 15 days. Bail is held for 15 days after a dismissal in case the defendant is arrested and charged again for the same act (PC 1303). Mark the date.
3. If you posted cash, keep the receipt and update your address. The refund goes to the person named on the receipt. If you have moved, tell the clerk in writing with the case number and receipt number. If the refund has not arrived after the court’s stated time (four to eight weeks in the courts that post one), call the clerk or the court’s accounting office.
4. Decide about fines before you sign anything. A family member’s cash can go toward the defendant’s fine only with that person’s written permission. Do not sign an authorization on a bail receipt unless you mean it.
5. If a bail bond was posted, call the bail company. Ask it to confirm the exoneration, to return any collateral, and to give you the paperwork to clear any lien on a car or house. The regulations say collateral goes back “immediately” once the order ending the bond is entered, unless premium is still owed (10 CCR 2088.2).
6. Keep paying any premium balance. Exoneration ends the bond, not a payment plan. A missed installment can still be pursued.
7. If the case ended in a guilty plea, remember the bond is still live. Until sentencing, a missed court date can still forfeit the bail and put the cosigner at risk.
8. If there was ever a forfeiture on the case, confirm it was set aside. Ask the clerk whether the forfeiture was vacated and the bond exonerated, and get it in writing.
9. Old refund you never received? Ask the court’s finance office whether the money went to an unclaimed funds list. Courts must publish notice before unclaimed money becomes theirs (Gov. Code 68084.1).

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.

Case over? This is where we make sure the bond ends cleanly

For most families, the day the case ends should be the day the worry ends too. Too often it is not. A cosigner does not know whether the bond was really exonerated. A car title or a house lien is still sitting with someone. A forfeiture from a missed court date months ago is still on the record. That loose end, when the case is over but the bond is not quite finished, is where a bail company should shine brightest, and it is where we want every client to feel the difference.

• We follow the case to the finish. Our goal is to confirm the exoneration in the court record, so the cosigner knows for certain that their promise is over.
• We return collateral the way the law requires. Once the order ending the bond is entered, collateral goes back (10 CCR 2088.2). We walk families through what is needed to clear a lien on a car or a house.
• We work to turn a forfeiture into an exoneration. If a court date was missed along the way, the law gives everyone 180 days to fix it, and a defendant who comes back in time is entitled to have the forfeiture vacated and the bond exonerated (PC 1305(c)). We move the same day to help get the case back on calendar.
• We know the court’s deadlines as well as yours. In the 2021 appeal described above, a bond we wrote was ordered exonerated because the court missed its own deadline. Deadlines protect families too, and we watch them.
• We protect the cosigner. The person who vouched for the defendant should never be surprised by a forfeiture they did not know about. When the bond is exonerated, the risk of owing the full bail amount is gone, and we want the cosigner to hear that from us.

Every case is different, and the judge makes the final decision. We cannot promise a result, and a deliberate no-show is treated very differently from an honest mistake. But a bond that is watched to the end, with the paperwork done right, very rarely leaves a family with a surprise.

Before and during the case

• Before you sign. We walk every cosigner through the agreement, so nobody finds out what they promised after something goes wrong.
• While the case is open. Clients get text reminders of their court dates, because a missed date is the most common reason a bond does not end cleanly.

If something goes wrong before the case ends

• Call us first. A new arrest, an arrest in another county, or a hospital stay is often fixable inside the 180-day window. We walk clients through clearing a warrant step by step.
• 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 within the window, which protects the cosigner too.
• If a new bond is needed, a large, complicated, or out-of-county bond is not an automatic no.

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

What does bond exonerated mean?

It means the court has ended the bail obligation. For a bail bond, the bail company and its insurer are released from their promise to pay the full bail if the defendant does not appear. For cash bail, the deposit becomes returnable. In California this usually happens at sentencing, at a grant of probation, after a dismissal, or when the defendant is taken into custody after a verdict.

Does exonerated bail mean the person was found innocent or released?

No to both. Bail is exonerated after a guilty plea and sentencing just as it is after a dismissal. And bail is often exonerated because the defendant was taken into custody, as when a judge remands someone after a guilty verdict (PC 1166). A person cleared of a crime is “exonerated” in a completely different sense, with its own legal process.

What happens when bail is exonerated?

The bond ends. The cosigner can no longer be asked to cover a forfeiture. Cash posted by a family member is returned to the person on the receipt, and cash the defendant posted is applied to restitution, fines, and costs first (PC 1297). Collateral held by a bail company must be returned once the order ending the bond is entered, unless premium is still owed (10 CCR 2088.2).

If bail is exonerated, do I still have to pay the bail bond company?

If you still owe part of the premium, yes. Exoneration ends the bond, not the payment agreement with the bail company. What it does end is any risk of owing the full bail amount because of a forfeiture.

Do you get bail money back if you are found guilty?

If a family member or friend posted cash, yes. It is returned to the person named on the receipt once the bail is exonerated at sentencing, unless that person agreed in writing to let it pay a fine. If the defendant posted their own cash, the court applies it to restitution, fines, and costs first and refunds whatever is left. The premium paid to a bail company is not refunded in either case.

Do you get bail money back if the charges are dropped in California?

Cash posted with the court is refunded after the case is dismissed, once the 15-day hold in PC 1303 passes without a new arrest and charge for the same act. The premium paid to a bail company is not refunded. The Department of Insurance says, “Premiums are nonrefundable even if charges are dropped.” See our article on what happens to bail money if the charges are dropped.

If my case was dismissed, do I still have to pay the bail bond?

Yes, any unpaid premium is still owed after a dismissal, because the premium paid for the bail company’s promise to cover the bail, and that promise took effect when the defendant was released. Once the bond is exonerated, though, nobody can be asked to pay the full bail amount.

When do you get your bail money back?

It depends on the court. Los Angeles says to allow four to six weeks. Orange, Riverside, Madera, Tuolumne, and Yuba say about six to eight weeks from the court order. Santa Clara says within 30 business days. Most California courts do not post a time at all, so ask the clerk. A family member who posted cash can also claim it by presenting the receipt, and the law says it must be returned within 10 days of that claim (PC 1297).

What is a motion to exonerate bond?

It is a written request asking a judge to end a bail bond, most often after a missed court date. It is needed when the defendant was surrendered or arrested in another county, died or became permanently unable to appear, or is held elsewhere and the prosecutor will not bring them back (PC 1305). The bail company or the person who deposited the money usually files it, with at least 10 court days’ written notice to the prosecutor. At the normal end of a case, no motion is needed.

What does “exonerate bond ordered” mean?

It means the judge granted an order ending the bond. It usually appears on the docket or minute order after sentencing, dismissal, a surrender, or the setting aside of a forfeiture.

What is the difference between bail exoneration and bail forfeiture?

They are opposites. Forfeiture happens when the defendant misses court without an excuse: the bail is declared lost, and a 180-day clock starts. Exoneration ends the bail with nothing owed. A forfeiture can turn into an exoneration if the defendant comes back to court within the window (PC 1305(c)).

When do I get my collateral back after the bond is exonerated?

Under California’s bail regulations, collateral securing a bond “shall be returned immediately” once an order ending the bond is entered (10 CCR 2088.2). The exception is collateral that also secures unpaid premium or charges. If you are waiting, ask the bail company for the exoneration date and for a record of when your collateral was returned.

Is bail exonerated when someone pleads guilty?

Not when sentencing is set for a later date. The bond normally continues until sentencing, and the California Supreme Court has held that the bail company’s obligation continues after a guilty plea (Seneca, 2003). A missed sentencing date can still forfeit the bail.

Why We Publish This

Bail Hotline has helped California families since 2004, and one of the most common calls we get is from someone holding a court printout that says “bail exonerated” and wondering what it means for them. Most of what they find online is written for other states, mixes up the three kinds of bail money, or gets California law wrong. We wrote this guide to be the page we wish every family had: what exoneration really means, when it happens, what comes back and what does not, and where to go in your own county. It is general information, not legal advice. For advice about a specific case, talk to a criminal defense lawyer or your public defender.

Sources and Further Reading

California law
– Penal Code sections 1166, 1195, 1278, 1289, 1296, 1297, 1300, 1302, 1303, 1304, 1305, 1305.4, 1305.6, 1306, 1384, 1485.55, 4904
– Government Code sections 50050 and 68084.1
– California Code of Regulations, title 10, sections 2088, 2088.2, 2090, 2100
– California Department of Insurance, bail bonds consumer information
– SB 562 (2025 to 2026 session), status on LegiScan
– Superior court glossaries: Fresno, Madera, Stanislaus

Court decisions
– People v. Bankers Ins. Co. (Cal. Ct. App., June 10, 2021, A157633)
– People v. Accredited Surety & Casualty Co. (Cal. Ct. App., Aug. 30, 2018, A150209)
– People v. Indiana Lumbermens Mut. Ins. Co. (2010) 49 Cal.4th 301
– People v. North River Ins. Co. (Cal. Ct. App., May 28, 2025, F088076)
– People v. International Fidelity Ins. Co. (Cal. Ct. App., Feb. 8, 2018, A145993)
– People v. Seneca Ins. Co. (2003) 29 Cal.4th 954

Research and data
– Judicial Council of California, Pretrial Services Program Year 4 report to the Legislature (April 24, 2026)
– Public Policy Institute of California, California’s County Jails (January 2026)
– Human Rights Watch, Not in It for Justice (April 11, 2017)
– UCLA Million Dollar Hoods, The Price for Freedom
– Color of Change and the ACLU, A California Snapshot to Selling Off Our Freedom (May 2017)
– Santa Clara County Counsel, bail forfeiture memo (October 4, 2016)
– U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Felony Defendants in Large Urban Counties, 2009 (December 2013)

Reporting and voices
– KQED, Bail bond companies failed to inform customers about full consequences of co-signing, lawsuits say (March 25, 2022)
– The Marshall Project, When Freedom Isn’t Free (February 23, 2015)
– California Attorney General, press release on cosigner protections (August 25, 2021)
– Northern California Innocence Project, Miguel Solorio

Outside California
– Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 46 and 28 U.S.C. 2044
– U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, finance unit FAQ
– Texas Code of Criminal Procedure art. 17.02, art. 17.16, art. 22.13; Local Government Code 117.055
– Idaho Code 19-2908 and 19-2922; Idaho Criminal Rule 46
– Florida Statutes 903.286; New York courts on cash bail refunds

Updated September 2026. Written for families in California, with a section for every one of the state’s 58 counties. The law here is checked against the Penal Code, the California Constitution, and published court opinions through the California Supreme Court’s April 2026 decision in In re Kowalczyk. If your case is in federal court, Texas, or Idaho, jump to the out-of-state section.

Quick answer: When people say a bond was “revoked,” one of three different things usually happened. A judge ended the person’s release and ordered them back into custody. The person missed court, so the judge declared the bail forfeited and issued a bench warrant. Or the bail company surrendered the person back to jail. In California, being taken back into custody is usually not the end of release for good. Outside the short list of cases where the state Constitution lets a judge deny bail entirely, the judge must set new release terms, and the California Supreme Court confirmed in 2026 that any money bail has to be an amount the person can reasonably pay. A revoked or forfeited bond does not erase what was already paid, though. The premium paid to a bail company is generally not refunded. And after a missed court date, the law gives the defendant, the family, and the bail company 180 days to get the person back (when the court mails a forfeiture notice, 185 days counted from the mailing date) in front of the judge before a forfeiture becomes a debt. The fastest way to protect everyone is to act inside that window. That means going to court or turning in voluntarily, telling the bail company the same day, and bringing proof of any excuse.

Bond Revoked at a Glance

Short on time? This table is the whole article in miniature. Each row gets a full, sourced explanation below.

In this guide: What “bond revoked” means | Why judges revoke release | What happens next | Can you get another bond? | The money | Bail company surrender | Getting the bond back | Why people miss court | In their words | Outside California | All 58 counties | First 48 hours | How Bail Hotline can help | FAQ

What “Bond Revoked” Means in California

“Bond revoked” is how people search. It is not how most California court papers put it. Texas statutes and federal court use the word “revoke” for bail all the time, which is why so much of what you read online is written for those systems. California court records usually say something more specific, and knowing the right term helps you understand the paperwork and ask the clerk the right question.

The Fresno County Superior Court’s glossary makes the point: it defines revocation as “the act of voiding or canceling something, usually probation or a driver’s license.” It defines remand as “to return a prisoner to custody until proceedings are resumed or the matter is set for further action.” When a California family says “bond revoked,” the court is usually describing a remand, a forfeiture, or a surrender. The rest of this guide takes those one at a time.

Two related events are covered in their own articles: what it means when a bond is exonerated, which is the good ending, and bond surrender, which is the bail company’s side.

Why a Judge Revokes Release in California

California does not have one statute called “bail revocation.” A judge’s power to put a released person back in custody comes from several places, and which one applies depends on what happened.

Missing court

This is the most common path by far. When a person who is out on bail misses a required court date “without sufficient excuse,” the court must “in open court declare forfeited the undertaking of bail or the money or property deposited as bail” (PC 1305(a)). A bench warrant may issue for anyone out on bail or on their own recognizance who misses a date they were ordered to attend (PC 978.5, in a new version that took effect January 1, 2026).

There is no such thing as an unimportant court date. In a 2016 case, the California Supreme Court held that when a defendant’s presence is required at a routine pretrial hearing and he misses it without an excuse, the court must declare the bail forfeited. The opinion records that the defendant’s own lawyer “could not contact” him the morning of the hearing (People v. Safety National Casualty Corp. (2016) 62 Cal.4th 703).

A judge who has reason to think there may be a good excuse can hold off. PC 1305.1 lets the court continue the case “for a period it deems reasonable to enable the defendant to appear without ordering a forfeiture of bail or issuing a bench warrant.” That is why a phone call from the defense lawyer before the hearing matters so much (see the court cases below). If it has already happened, see what to do after a missed court date.

Skipping court on purpose is also its own crime. For felony cases, willfully failing to appear “in order to evade the process of the court” while out on bail is a felony punishable by a fine of up to $10,000, custody, or both (PC 1320.5). For people released on their own recognizance, the same conduct is a misdemeanor in a misdemeanor case and a felony in a felony case, and the law presumes an intent to evade after 14 days (PC 1320).

A new arrest while out on bail

A new arrest does not automatically cancel the old bond, but it changes everything around it.

• The new case gets its own bail decision. After a warrantless felony arrest, police can ask a magistrate for bail above the county schedule, and in most cases the family can ask for lower bail or own-recognizance release (PC 1269c).
• Some people lose fast release. A person on felony probation or felony parole cannot be released on their own recognizance after a new arrest “until a hearing is held in open court.” The same rule covers someone with three or more missed court dates that led to warrants in the past three years, if the new arrest is for a felony or for certain crimes such as assault, battery, or domestic violence (PC 1319.5).
• The old case can tighten. After felony charges are formally filed, the judge in the original case “may, upon good cause shown, either increase or reduce the amount of bail,” and can order the person “committed to actual custody” unless the higher bail is posted (PC 1289). Good cause means a real change, not a second opinion: an appeals court held that it “must be founded on changed circumstances,” not on a belief that the first judge got it wrong (In re Alberto (2002) 102 Cal.App.4th 421). A new arrest is the textbook changed circumstance.
• A conviction can add time. A person convicted of a new felony committed while out on bail or own recognizance for an earlier felony, and also convicted in the earlier case, faces “an additional two years,” served consecutively (PC 12022.1).

Breaking a release condition

Judges attach conditions to release all the time: stay-away orders, no contact with a named person, drug or alcohol testing, electronic monitoring, check-ins with pretrial services, travel limits. Anyone released on their own recognizance signs a promise “to obey all reasonable conditions” and not to leave the state without the court’s permission (PC 1318). The California Supreme Court has encouraged these nonfinancial conditions. In In re Humphrey (2021) it named electronic monitoring, check-ins with a pretrial case manager, housing, and drug and alcohol treatment as tools that “can in many cases protect public and victim safety.”

Conditions are also where release most often breaks down. A California Policy Lab study of pretrial electronic monitoring in San Francisco covered 2,979 people from 2018 through 2021. It found that 38 percent of completed monitoring periods ended successfully, and the median time to termination was 15 days. Among people terminated in 2021 without a new arrest, violations of stay-away orders were the most common problem. About three-fourths of people terminated for noncompliance were back in custody within two months (California Policy Lab, November 2022). The report is explicit that termination is not always formal revocation: “A judge can decide to remand a person to custody or release them to a different type of pretrial supervision if they are terminated from pretrial EM.”

Protective orders and victim safety

Domestic violence and stalking cases get especially close scrutiny at every release decision, because the state Constitution tells judges to put victims first. Victims have the right “to have the safety of the victim and the victim’s family considered in fixing the amount of bail and release conditions,” and in bail decisions “Public safety and the safety of the victim shall be the primary considerations” (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 28). A criminal protective order is a separate court order rather than a bail condition in the technical sense (PC 136.2). Violating one is its own crime (PC 166(c)). And a new arrest for violating a domestic violence restraining order, where the person made threats, used violence, or went to the protected person’s home or workplace, means a judge must hold a hearing in open court before any release on own recognizance or on bail above or below the schedule (PC 1270.1).

Prosecutors say this out loud in court. At a May 2026 release hearing in Yolo County, a deputy district attorney arguing against release in a domestic violence case put it this way, as reported by the court-watch outlet Davis Vanguard: “We’re focusing on public safety and the safety of the victims in this matter versus him failing to appear in court.” On the no-contact order alone: “that’s a piece of paper. That doesn’t prevent him from having contact with her.” The judge denied own-recognizance release and set bail. For more on these cases, see our guide to bail for domestic violence charges.

What Happens Next, Step by Step

1. A warrant or order issues. After a missed court date, the judge declares the bail forfeited and usually issues a bench warrant. After a condition violation or a new arrest, the court may order the person back into custody. A bench warrant “may be served in any county in the same manner as a warrant of arrest” (PC 978.5), so moving to another county does not make it go away.
2. The arrest or surrender. The person is picked up on the warrant, turns themselves in, or is surrendered by the bail company. Many courts also let people with warrants come to court voluntarily at set check-in times; each county’s rules are in the county guide below.
3. Court within about two days. After an arrest, a defendant must be brought before a magistrate “without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours,” not counting Sundays and holidays (PC 825). A person surrendered by the bail company must be brought before the court within 48 hours of the surrender (PC 1300). For more detail, see how long it takes to see a judge.
4. The hearing. The judge hears why the person missed court or what happened with the condition, and decides what release looks like now. The options run from reinstating the same bail, to new bail, to higher bail with tighter conditions, to own-recognizance release, to detention. Detention is available only in the narrow cases described in the next section.
5. The paperwork on the money. Separately from the person’s release, the forfeiture clock runs on the bond or cash deposit. That is covered in What Happens to the Money.

If Your Bond Is Revoked, Can You Get Another One?

In California, usually yes. The law on this changed in a big way in 2026.

The Constitution guarantees bail in most cases. Article I, section 12 says a person “shall be released on bail by sufficient sureties,” with exceptions. Those are capital crimes, and violent or sexual assault felonies or felonies involving threats, where a court finds by clear and convincing evidence that release would likely lead to great bodily harm or to the threat being carried out (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 12).

In 2026, the California Supreme Court drew the line firmly. In In re Kowalczyk, decided April 30, 2026, the court held that “In noncapital cases, a trial court has the authority to deny bail only as to offenses specified in section 12, subdivisions (b) and (c).” For everyone else, bail “must generally be set in an amount that is reasonably attainable.” The court added that judges “cannot use artificially high or objectively unattainable bail as an end run” to hold someone. This builds on In re Humphrey (2021), which held that “The common practice of conditioning freedom solely on whether an arrestee can afford bail is unconstitutional.”

What that means after a revocation. Kowalczyk did not specifically address revocations. But its rules govern any new bail a judge sets, and that includes bail set after someone is brought back on a warrant. So for most charges, the question after a revocation is not whether there will be bail. It is how much bail, and on what conditions. A history of missed court or a violated protective order is exactly what a judge weighs in answering that. The judge must consider “the probability of his or her appearing” and “The public safety shall be the primary consideration” (PC 1275). Expect a higher amount, closer supervision, or both.

A new bond is also a new decision by a bail company. A judge setting bail does not mean every bail company will write it. After a forfeiture or a surrender, the original company may decline to post again, and a new company will ask what happened. The honest answer, plus proof (a hospital record, a custody record from another county, a letter from the lawyer), is what gets a second bond written. So does a cosigner willing to stand behind it. Our guide to posting bail on an outstanding warrant covers how that works.

Own recognizance is still possible, with limits. Release on your own recognizance remains in the court’s discretion (Cal. Const., art. I, sec. 28(f)(3)). But people arrested for a violent felony, and people covered by PC 1319.5, need an open-court hearing first (PC 1319, 1319.5). And PC 1319 says a person charged with a violent felony who, by clear and convincing evidence, previously skipped court willfully on a felony charge “shall not be released on his or her own recognizance.” See what released on your own recognizance means.

What Happens to the Money When a Bond Is Revoked

This is where most of the online advice goes wrong. It usually claims that when a bond is revoked, “the money is forfeited.” In California, revocation (the person goes back into custody) and forfeiture (the bail is declared lost after a missed court date) are separate events, with separate rules. Here is what happens to each kind of money.

The premium paid to a bail company

The premium is the fee paid to the bail company for posting the bond. The California Department of Insurance tells consumers plainly: “Premiums are nonrefundable even if charges are dropped.” That surprises many families. One Alameda County man interviewed by Human Rights Watch had his charge dropped and still owed monthly payments. “I don’t understand why I have to pay something when the charge was dropped,” Frank Robinson told the researchers (Human Rights Watch, April 2017). A 2025 to 2026 bill that would have allowed partial premium refunds in some dropped cases, SB 562, was held in committee in August 2026 and is not law (LegiScan).

There are two real exceptions, and both involve surrender, not revocation:

• A court can order the premium returned. If the bail company surrenders someone who “has not failed to appear or has not violated any order of the court,” and the judge finds no good cause for the surrender, the judge “may, in its discretion” order the premium returned in whole or in part (PC 1300(b)).
• State insurance rules require a refund on an early surrender. A bail licensee may not surrender someone before their court date “without returning all premium paid.” If the licensee can show “the hazard was substantially increased,” the rule lets it keep certain out-of-pocket expenses (10 CCR 2090). The Department of Insurance sums it up as the fee being “refundable minus administrative costs.” A surrender made “at the request of the guarantor,” meaning the cosigner, “shall never, in and of themselves, be considered to be surrender for reasonable cause.”

Cash bail posted with the court

Families sometimes post the full bail amount in cash directly with the court. The forfeiture rules apply to cash too. PC 1305 covers “the money or property deposited as bail,” and the depositor gets the same notice and the same chance to fix things. If the case ends without a forfeiture, cash posted by a family member goes back to the person named on the receipt. They claim it by presenting the receipt, and the clerk must notify them if they have not claimed it within 10 days of exoneration (PC 1297). If the defendant posted their own cash, the court can apply it to fines and restitution first. More on refunds: getting money back from bail and what happens to bail money if charges are dropped.

Collateral

Collateral (a car title, a property lien, cash held by the bail company) protects the bail company if the bond is forfeited. By regulation, the company holds it “in a fiduciary capacity” (10 CCR 2088). It must be “returned immediately” once an order ends liability on the bond (10 CCR 2088.2). If a forfeiture is paid, any collateral beyond the forfeited amount must be returned immediately, subject to unpaid premium or allowed charges (10 CCR 2089). A revocation by itself does not trigger collection on collateral. An unresolved forfeiture can. See removing a bail bond lien on property and using a car title for bail.

The cosigner’s promise

A cosigner (also called a guarantor or indemnitor) signs a contract promising to repay the bail company if the bond is forfeited and not set aside. That promise is why the 180-day window below matters so much to families. California protects cosigners in several ways:

• All guarantor agreements must be in writing, and the cosigner must get a copy “promptly” (10 CCR 2084).
• A bail company cannot make a cosigner waive their rights (10 CCR 2087).
• In 2021, a California appeals court held that a cosigner’s premium financing agreement “is a consumer credit contract” that requires a specific written notice to the cosigner before signing (BBBB Bonding Corp. v. Caldwell (2021) 73 Cal.App.5th 349). In that case, the court recorded that the bail company had called the cosigner’s “phone, her mother, and her place of employment” to collect.

For the full picture, see your role as a bail bond co-signer and how to remove a cosigner’s name from a bail bond.

The forfeiture clock

When the Bail Company Surrenders the Defendant

Families sometimes say “the bondsman revoked the bond.” In California, what actually happens is a surrender. “At any time before the forfeiture,” the bail or the depositor “may surrender the defendant” to the jail (PC 1300(a)). The bail company can also arrest the defendant for that purpose. It must deliver the defendant “without unnecessary delay, and, in any event, within 48 hours of the arrest” (PC 1301). Since July 1, 2023, only certified law enforcement and licensed bail fugitive recovery agents may apprehend a person whose bond has been declared forfeited (PC 1299.02).

Common reasons a bail company surrenders someone include a new arrest, a cosigner withdrawing, or information showing the risk changed. The law puts real limits on it:

• The bail company must make a reasonable effort to notify the defendant’s last attorney (PC 1300(a)(2)).
• At the court appearance after a surrender, the judge must tell the defendant about the court’s power to order the premium returned.
• An early surrender generally means the premium must be returned; a licensee that can show a substantial increase in risk may keep only certain out-of-pocket expenses (10 CCR 2090).
• A surrender is not the end of release. The court exonerates the old bond, and the person can be released on new bail, on their own recognizance, or on another bond.

Human Rights Watch reported in 2017 that California bail agents frequently enforce payment plans “with the threat of revoking the bond and sending the accused back to jail.” The refund rules above are a check on that kind of pressure. Read our full guide to bond surrender.

Getting the Bond Back: Reinstatement and Setting Aside a Forfeiture

A forfeiture is not final on the day it is declared. California appeals courts have said that “The law traditionally disfavors forfeitures and this disfavor extends to forfeiture of bail” (People v. Accredited Surety & Casualty Co., 2018). The statute gives specific, fairly mechanical ways out. Unlike federal court, California does not ask whether the government was harmed. It asks whether the statute’s conditions were met. The ways out:

• Coming back to court within the window. The court must vacate the forfeiture and exonerate the bond (PC 1305(c)(1)).
• Reinstatement instead of exoneration. The court “may order the bail reinstated and the defendant released on the same bond.” This requires that the bail company was given prior notice and has not surrendered the defendant (PC 1305(c)(4)). Reinstated bail means bail “that had been forfeited, exonerated or reduced is reestablished in its original amount,” in the words of the Stanislaus County court glossary. See our explainer on what a reinstatement is.
• Death or permanent disability, and temporary disability. Relief is available if, within the window, the defendant is shown to have died or to be permanently unable to appear because of illness, insanity, or detention by military or civil authorities, and the bail company had no part in the absence (PC 1305(d)). The clock is tolled during a temporary disability (PC 1305(e)).

Real California cases show how this plays out.

He came back on his own, and that was enough. In an Alameda County case, a man charged with unlawfully taking a vehicle missed a hearing and his bail was forfeited. Months later, still inside the window, he came to court voluntarily to recall the warrant. “Defendant appeared at 10 a.m., but the bail bondsman did not,” the opinion records. He did not return for the afternoon session. The Court of Appeal held that his morning appearance alone required the court to vacate the forfeiture: “The forfeiture is vacated, and the bail bond is exonerated” (People v. Accredited Surety & Casualty Co., August 30, 2018).

He “missed” court because he was already in jail in another county. In a 2025 Stanislaus County case, a man out on $40,000 bail on burglary charges was arrested in Tuolumne County and stayed in custody, with a hold for Stanislaus. He missed his Stanislaus date, and bail was forfeited. The trial court refused to set the forfeiture aside. The Court of Appeal reversed, explaining that once the conditions for setting aside a forfeiture are met, “the court must act in line with that statute” (People v. North River Ins. Co., May 28, 2025).

Our own case: federal custody, and a missed court deadline. In a San Mateo County case, a $100,000 bond was posted through Bail Hotline in August 2018. The defendant missed a preliminary hearing that September, and the court forfeited bail and issued a bench warrant. Months later, the surety told the court that he “was currently in custody in the Alameda County Jail on federal charges” and asked the court to set the forfeiture aside. The trial court said no. The bond was saved on a different ground: the trial court never entered summary judgment within the 90 days the statute allows, so the Court of Appeal directed it “to enter an order exonerating the bond” and did not decide whether the federal custody alone would have been enough (People v. Bankers Ins. Co., June 10, 2021). Two lessons for families. Tell the bail company the moment you learn your person is locked up somewhere else, so it can ask for relief while the window is still open. And the deadlines bind the court, too.

An emergency, reported at the hearing, bought a day. In a San Diego County case, a lawyer standing in for the defense told the court at the hearing “that there may be an emergency Mr. Martin attended to, and he may be available tomorrow morning.” The court waited instead of forfeiting. The defendant appeared the next morning, and the Court of Appeal held the judge had “ample reason to believe” that a sufficient excuse may exist (People v. Amwest Surety Ins. Co. (1997) 56 Cal.App.4th 915).

An excuse with no proof did not. In a Los Angeles County case, a defense lawyer told the judge that friends had told her the client “had a heart attack over the weekend and is in the hospital,” but she had no verification. The judge responded: “No appearance. The bond is forfeited.” The surety’s later appeal was dismissed (People v. International Fidelity Ins. Co.). Bring the paperwork: admission records, a discharge summary, a doctor’s letter.

Why People Miss Court, and What Actually Helps

Most missed court dates are not escapes. A randomized experiment published in 2025, run with 5,709 Santa Clara County public defender clients in 2022 and 2023, sent some of them automated text reminders before court. Warrants for missed court fell from 12.1 percent to 9.7 percent, and jail stays from missed court fell from 6.6 percent to 5.2 percent. The researchers write that missed court dates likely result from “a combination of intentional noncompliance, logistical challenges (e.g., issues arranging work schedules, finding childcare, or securing transportation to court), and forgetfulness” (Chohlas-Wood et al., Science Advances, October 2025).

That matches earlier research in New York City, published in Science in 2020. There, a redesigned court summons form cut failures to appear by 6.2 percentage points from a 47 percent baseline, and text reminders cut them by 21 percent (Fishbane, Ouss and Shah). Those were low-level citation cases, not bail releases. A February 2025 survey took a different approach and asked 432 people jailed on failure-to-appear warrants why they missed. Among those who gave a single reason, the top answers were not knowing about the date (32 percent), no transportation (28 percent), and forgetting (19 percent) (Crime and Justice Institute). That study was in Kentucky and Utah, and the single-reason group was small (64 people).

California courts have taken the hint. As of the Judicial Council’s April 2026 report to the Legislature, “53 counties send court date reminders to people receiving pretrial services.” Twenty-four courts reported providing rideshare vouchers, gas cards, or bus passes for court dates and check-ins (Judicial Council of California, Pretrial Services Program Year 4, April 24, 2026). That report covers July 2024 through June 2025. Courts reported 521,564 new offense bookings, 77 percent of which led to release during the period. It also reported 25,786 pretrial services cases closed successfully and 13,286 unsuccessfully, the latter including cases that “may have ended with a remand to custody, a new crime, or a failure to appear.”

One thing California does not publish is a statewide revocation rate. Even the Judicial Council’s 2023 pilot evaluation left revocations out of its outcome table, noting that “Data quality on pretrial revocations is inconsistent and therefore is not reported in this table” (Pretrial Pilot Program Final Report, July 2023). National numbers exist but are old. In a federal study of the 75 largest U.S. counties in 2009, 17 percent of released felony defendants missed a court date that led to a bench warrant (Bureau of Justice Statistics, December 2013). In federal court, technical violations are the most common problem by far. Among federal defendants released before trial from fiscal 2011 to 2018, 17 percent were charged with a technical violation, 2 percent were rearrested, 1 percent missed court, and 11 percent had their release revoked (Bureau of Justice Statistics, March 2022).

Why a revocation is worth fighting. Losing release is not just a few more days in jail. A study using randomly assigned bail judges in Philadelphia and Miami found that pretrial detention raised the chance of being found guilty by 14 percentage points, mostly through guilty pleas, and reduced later formal employment (Dobbie, Goldin and Yang, American Economic Review, 2018). In Harris County, Texas misdemeanor cases, “detained defendants are 25% more likely than similarly situated releasees to plead guilty” and “43% more likely to be sentenced to jail” (Heaton, Mayson and Stevenson, Stanford Law Review, 2017).

In Their Words

Revocation looks different from every seat in the courtroom.

The cosigner. Sherrie Lewis-Sonza cosigned her son’s bond in San Francisco while living on disability income. She told KQED the collection calls kept coming even after he was released: “He was out at the time and they were still harassing us.” A legal clinic later helped eliminate more than $23,000 of the debt (KQED, March 25, 2022). The same report quotes Rio Scharf of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights’ Bail Clinic. Scharf said some clients “were in violent relationships” and felt “coerced into co-signing on behalf of that partner.” No one should cosign under pressure from the person who harmed them.

The judge. When Kenneth Humphrey’s case came back before a San Francisco judge in 2018, three years before the California Supreme Court decided it, Judge Brendan Conroy framed it this way, as KQED reported: “This is a detention case. This isn’t about poor people being kept in jail.” He released Humphrey to a senior residential facility on 24-hour electronic monitoring (KQED, May 4, 2018).

The prosecutor. Prosecutor Courtney Burris opposed release at a hearing earlier that week, KQED reported: “Not only does he not follow the rules, but he commits more crimes.” Years later, in the San Mateo case that became In re Kowalczyk, Deputy District Attorney Joshua Martin told CalMatters there is “a sort of a rational limit” to release policies “when you imagine someone who simply refuses to come back to court” (CalMatters, May 29, 2024).

The defense. Chesa Boudin, then a deputy public defender, said of Humphrey that he was “one of literally tens of thousands of people across the state of California sitting in jail simply because they’re too poor to purchase their freedom” (KQED, May 4, 2018).

The court, in 2026. Chief Justice Patricia Guerrero opened the Kowalczyk opinion with this: “Our state and federal laws generally presume that a person charged with a crime will not be detained prior to trial” (In re Kowalczyk, April 30, 2026).

Outside California: Federal Court, Texas, and Idaho

Much of the search traffic for “bond revoked” comes from people in federal court and in Texas, where the rules and vocabulary differ. The short version, current as of September 2026:

Federal court. Prosecutors start the process “by filing a motion with the district court” (18 U.S.C. 3148), which is where the phrase “motion to revoke” comes from. A judge may revoke release on probable cause of a new crime, or on clear and convincing evidence of another violation, plus a finding that no conditions will work or the person “is unlikely to abide” by them. A rebuttable presumption against release applies only when there is probable cause of a new felony, not any arrest. Missing court is a separate federal crime with penalties tied to the underlying charge (18 U.S.C. 3146). Federal bail is forfeited when any bond condition is breached, and a court may set that aside if “justice does not require bail forfeiture” (Fed. R. Crim. P. 46(f)). The “was the government harmed” factor you may read about comes from federal forfeiture cases such as United States v. Amwest Surety (9th Cir. 1995). It is not a California rule.

Texas. Texas statutes speak directly of revoking a bond. A magistrate who finds “by a preponderance of the evidence” that a defendant violated a safety-related bond condition must revoke the bond (Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.40). Family violence cases have a separate procedure with a hearing within 48 hours (art. 17.152). Texas voters also expanded bail denial for certain violent and sexual felonies in November 2025, so check current Texas law.

Idaho. Idaho law provides for a “bail revocation hearing” when a defendant willfully violates a release condition (Idaho Code 19-2919). A forfeiture after a missed court date is set aside if the bench warrant is quashed within 180 days (Idaho Code 19-2915). Unlike California, Idaho’s court rule does list “prejudice suffered by the state” among the factors for relief (Idaho Criminal Rule 46).

If your case is in another state entirely, the California rules above do not apply. Read your release order and talk to your lawyer.

County-by-County Guide: Where Things Happen After a Revocation

California has one set of bail laws but 58 superior courts, 58 sets of local practices, and a mix of sheriff’s departments, corrections departments, and probation agencies. After a revocation, forfeiture, or warrant, the practical questions are local. Which courthouse? Is there an online case or warrant search? What does the current bail schedule say? Which jail will they be taken to, and how do you find them?

Each county section below answers those questions from the court’s, sheriff’s, or county’s own website, checked in September 2026. Where an official source did not confirm something, we left it out rather than guess. Bail schedules and websites change, so confirm details with the court clerk, and see how to find out if someone is in jail and our California inmate locator guide for statewide tools.

A note on “pre-arraignment release protocols.” Several courts, including Los Angeles (since October 2023), Kern, Riverside, San Joaquin, and Mendocino, have adopted booking-stage rules that set $0 bail for many lower-level offenses. Those rules govern what happens at booking, before a judge sees the case. After a revocation or a bench warrant for missing court, a judge decides release terms, and the warrant may carry its own bail amount. A zero-bail protocol does not guarantee release after a revocation.

Alameda County

Alameda County’s seat is Oakland. The Superior Court runs its own pretrial services unit, which prepares a pretrial report within minutes of booking for people arrested on new charges and on arrest warrants.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Alameda. The court’s Criminal Case Portal lets the public search by name or case number without registering, according to the court’s portal information page.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant search. The criminal division page says a person with a warrant may contact the courthouse that issued it for instructions on clearing it.
• Bail schedule: 2024 Misdemeanor and Felony Bail Schedule, effective March 20, 2024. No newer local edition was posted as of September 2026. The schedule lets a judicial officer grant own recognizance (OR) release, a release on a promise to appear, through the court’s pretrial release program. This is not a blanket zero-bail rule; after a revocation, the judge sets any new release terms.
• Custody: Santa Rita Jail, 5325 Broder Blvd, Dublin (Sheriff’s facility page). Search the Sheriff’s inmate locator by name or date of birth.
• Pretrial services: Alameda Superior Court Pretrial Services, with Probation and a nonprofit partner in its Pretrial Expansion Program. The court warns: “Pretrial Services will never ask defendants or their family members for money.” The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report says the Alameda court reported successful outcomes with a court date reminder system.
• Local note: The court’s Pretrial Expansion Program impact report for February to May 2026 counted 503 people assigned in the first four months and a rearrest rate tracking at 18 percent, compared with a 42 percent rearrest rate found earlier for moderate-risk people released pending trial.

Alpine County

Alpine County’s seat is Markleeville, and the Superior Court hears all criminal matters on one Monday calendar. The court says Alpine contracts jail services with El Dorado and Calaveras counties.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Alpine. The court says it “does not currently offer online access to court records via a public portal,” so records must be requested from the clerk.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The criminal division page says a warrant from this court is cleared by coming to the courthouse on any Monday at 1:30 p.m. during the criminal calendar. Call the clerk first to confirm court is in session.
• Bail schedule: The court’s fees and bail schedules page labels its Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule “effective January 1, 2025,” and a notice of adoption was posted January 2, 2025. The linked PDF, however, is headed as El Dorado County’s 2023 schedule (Rev. 08/01/2023). Ask the clerk which amounts apply.
• Custody: The court points families to the El Dorado County Jail at 1051 Al Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe. For people held there, use the El Dorado Sheriff’s current inmates list.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists Alpine as a funded pretrial county but does not name the local agency that runs the program.

Amador County

Amador County’s seat is Jackson, where the Superior Court sits at 500 Argonaut Lane. The court’s posted felony bail schedule is still the 2022 edition as of September 2026.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Amador. The court’s case search page describes a free online portal that requires a logon account and covers cases from 2002.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The criminal division page gives two ways to clear a warrant: turn yourself in to a Sheriff’s Department, where you “may be released with a date to appear or held,” or file an ex parte application (forms CR-070 and CR-071) to put the case back on calendar.
• Bail schedule: The court’s fee and bail schedule page lists only a 2022 Felony Bail schedule. The PDF is a scanned image, and no 2025 or 2026 felony or misdemeanor schedule was posted as of September 10, 2026. Confirm current amounts with the court.
• Custody: Amador County Jail, 700 Court Street, Jackson, with a state-rated capacity of 76 people (Sheriff’s jail page). The Sheriff posts inmate and arrest information through its Crime Graphics portal.
• Pretrial services: Amador County Probation provides “offender supervision services including pretrial.”

Butte County

Oroville is the county seat, and all criminal cases are heard at the courthouse there. The 2026 jail bail schedule sets no bail for parole and post-release supervision violations.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Butte, One Court Street, Oroville, (530) 532-7011. The court’s case information page links a free case search covering criminal cases from 1988 on; no account is needed.
• Warrants: The court’s criminal and case information pages do not offer an online warrant search.
• Bail schedule: Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Butte, effective January 1, 2026 (Annual Order BCSC 2026-AO-02). It lists “No Bail” for special-circumstance murder and for supervision violations listed as “PRCS, Parole, CP/MS” (PRCS is post-release community supervision). It has no pre-arraignment release protocol.
• Custody: Butte County Jail, 7 Gillick Way, Oroville, (530) 552-1600. The Sheriff’s Corrections Division page has no in-house inmate search and points the public to VINE for custody status updates.
• Pretrial services: Probation has run a pretrial program with the court since July 1, 2022, according to its FY 2024-25 recommended budget. The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) as Butte’s risk tool.
• Local note: The Sheriff’s website describes a 614-bed jail with an average daily population of over 540 people (Corrections Division page, viewed September 2026).

Calaveras County

Calaveras County’s seat is San Andreas, home to both the Superior Court and the county jail. The court’s posted felony and misdemeanor bail schedule dates from 2016.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Calaveras, 400 Government Center Drive, San Andreas. The court’s online portal says an account is not required to search hearings, court calendars, or a case’s register of actions.
• Warrants: Neither the court nor the Sheriff posts an online warrant search on the pages reviewed.
• Bail schedule: The Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule says it “is effective November 1, 2016.” It is the only local criminal schedule on the court’s fees and bail schedules page, which also posts the 2026 statewide traffic schedule. Families should confirm current amounts with the court.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s Detention Facility, 1045 Jeff Tuttle Drive, San Andreas, is “the central booking and intake location for all law enforcement agencies operating in Calaveras County.”
• Pretrial services: Calaveras County Probation is the designated agency for pretrial assessments and uses the Public Safety Assessment (PSA), a risk scoring tool.

Colusa County

Colusa is the county seat. The Superior Court holds a weekly walk-in calendar for people with bench warrants.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Colusa, 547 Market Street and 532 Oak Street, Colusa. The court’s online calendar portal says it is “temporarily unavailable until further notice.”
• Warrants: There is no online warrant search. The criminal division page says phone staff at (530) 458-5149, option 4, can give warrant status, fines owed, and hearing dates.
• Bail schedule: January 1, 2026 Traffic/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, posted with the court’s 2026 Bail Schedule notice on April 17, 2026. It covers misdemeanors and infractions only. The court’s site did not post a felony bail schedule as of September 2026.
• Custody: The Colusa County Sheriff’s Department is at 929 Bridge Street, Colusa, (530) 458-0200, according to the state Attorney General’s location listing.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) as Colusa’s risk tool.
• Local note: The criminal division page says: “If a bench warrant is issued, you need to report to the court on a Tuesday for walk-in court.” The other options are turning yourself in or contacting an attorney. Check in before 12:30 p.m. at 532 Oak Street (page viewed September 2026).

Contra Costa County

Contra Costa County’s seat is Martinez, home to the A.F. Bray Courthouse and the county’s primary booking jail. The Probation Department’s pretrial unit tells people on pretrial release that they will receive court date reminders.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Contra Costa. The Court Public Portal states that no registration is required.
• Warrants: The court’s criminal division page offers no online warrant search or warrant instructions.
• Bail schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule (Effective 7/8/26), an Excel file, took effect July 8, 2026. A 2026 misdemeanor schedule with the same effective date is listed on the court’s criminal division page. No zero-bail protocol was found.
• Custody: Martinez Detention Facility, 901 Court Street, Martinez, which the Sheriff calls “the primary point of intake for all arrestees booked in Contra Costa County” (Sheriff’s facility page). Use the Sheriff’s in-custody locator.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services unit in Martinez uses the Public Safety Assessment (PSA), a risk-scoring tool. Its reporting instructions tell people they “will be receiving court date reminders for you to appear at court.”
• Local note: A PSA validation study done for Probation in March 2025 followed 990 people released between 2020 and 2023 and found that 27.4 percent failed to appear in court and 9.0 percent had new criminal activity.

Del Norte County

Crescent City is the county seat. The Superior Court’s 2026 bail schedule says people charged with misdemeanors are generally entitled to release on their own recognizance.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte, 450 H Street, Room 209, Crescent City, (707) 464-8115. The court links a Case Portal; it could not be opened, so its access requirements were not confirmed.
• Warrants: The court does not publish an online warrant search or warrant instructions.
• Bail schedule: Superior Court of California, County of Del Norte Bail and Penalty Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, covering felonies and misdemeanors. It says a defendant charged with misdemeanors is “entitled to release on his or her own recognizance unless release will compromise public safety,” or will not reasonably ensure a return to court. No pre-arraignment release protocol appears in the schedule. One order on the court’s standing orders page, SO 26-002, is a scanned image and could not be reviewed.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s Office, at 650 Fifth Street in Crescent City, runs the Del Norte County Jail (Sheriff’s page). The Sheriff publishes call and arrest logs.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) as Del Norte’s risk tool.

El Dorado County

El Dorado County’s seat is Placerville. The Superior Court has courthouses in Placerville and South Lake Tahoe, and the Sheriff runs a jail in each city.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of El Dorado. The court’s case index page says searching is free, but “You will need to create an account to search for court case information.”
• Warrants: Neither the court nor the Sheriff posts an online warrant search on the pages reviewed.
• Bail schedule: The 2025 Felony/Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, Rev. 01/21/2025, is listed as current on the court’s fees and bail schedules page. No 2026 edition was posted as of September 10, 2026.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s Custody Division runs the Placerville jail (capacity 303 plus 8 outpatient medical beds) and the South Lake Tahoe jail (capacity 158). The Sheriff links a current inmates list.
• Pretrial services: El Dorado County Probation, Pretrial Services. Its lowest supervision tier includes a “Court Date reminder for every court date.”
• Local note: On October 2, 2024 the Placerville jail held about 196 people against a maximum of 303, and on October 9, 2024 the South Lake Tahoe jail held 96 against 158, according to the 2024-25 Civil Grand Jury report dated February 11, 2025.

Fresno County

Fresno County’s seat is Fresno, where the Superior Court hears felony and misdemeanor cases at 1100 Van Ness Avenue. The court has developed a financial questionnaire so judges can consider what bail a person can afford.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Fresno. The court’s case information page links to its public portal, which offers optional registration and states no search fee.
• Warrants: No online warrant search appears on the court’s criminal FAQ or the Sheriff’s inmate search page.
• Bail schedule: The court publishes Criminal Bail Schedules 2026 as a web page organized by code section. The page shows no effective date.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s jail page lists the Main Jail at 1225 M Street, plus the North Annex (1265 M Street) and West Annex (2208 Merced Street), all in Fresno. Start at the Sheriff’s inmate search page.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Release Program. Its pretrial services brochure (October 2023) lists court reminders and bus passes for upcoming hearings.
• Local note: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report says the Fresno court’s financial questionnaire is included in the pretrial risk report to help judges consider “affordable bail options.”

Glenn County

Willows is the county seat. Glenn’s 2026 jail bail schedule bars own-recognizance release for people charged with serious or violent felonies.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Glenn, 526 West Sycamore Street, Willows; criminal clerk (530) 934-6446, option 2. The court’s case index page links an online case index and register of actions.
• Warrants: The court’s criminal page warns that if you miss a court date on a misdemeanor or felony, “a bench warrant will be issued for your arrest.” The court does not offer an online warrant search.
• Bail schedule: Glenn County Superior Court Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Glenn, effective January 1, 2026. It sets separate amounts for misdemeanor and felony probation violations and has no zero-bail protocol.
• Custody: The Glenn County Sheriff’s Office in Willows runs the county jail; the office phone is 530-934-6441.
• Pretrial services: Glenn County Probation runs pretrial services and uses the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) tool.
• Local note: The 2026 schedule says “no ORs shall be granted to persons charged with serious felonies” under Penal Code section 1192.7(c) “or violent felonies” (2026 schedule). OR means own-recognizance release. Families should ask the court how it applies this rule after the California Supreme Court’s 2026 decision in In re Kowalczyk on pretrial release.

Humboldt County

Eureka is the county seat. In June 2026 the Superior Court posted a notice explaining the state Supreme Court’s new ruling on bail and pretrial release.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Humboldt, 825 5th Street, Eureka; criminal division (707) 445-7256, option 1. The court’s Online Case Access system searches case data from its case management system and offers registration and login.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant search. The court’s criminal page says: “To clear a warrant you may go to any law enforcement office.”
• Bail schedule: Humboldt County Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, covering felonies and misdemeanors. It says a person charged with misdemeanors is “entitled to release on his or her own recognizance unless release will compromise public safety,” or will not reasonably ensure a return to court. It has no zero-bail protocol.
• Custody: The court’s criminal page says you can find out whether someone is in custody by calling the Humboldt County Correctional Facility at (707) 441-5159.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) as Humboldt’s risk tool.
• Local note: On June 2, 2026, the court posted a notice on In re Kowalczyk and pretrial release. It states that if money bail is imposed, “it must be in an amount that the defendant can reasonably afford.” It announces no new local procedures.

Imperial County

Imperial County’s seat is El Centro, home to the criminal courthouse and the jail where every new arrestee is first housed.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, El Centro Criminal Courthouse, 650 Wake Ave. The court’s case lookup page links a public case search. Document access through the Public Portal requires an account and identity verification.
• Warrants: The court does not publish an online warrant search. The criminal division page lists the criminal clerk’s phone number.
• Bail schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, 2026 edition (no specific effective date appears in the text).
• Custody: Regional Adult Detention Facility (RADF), 1328 Sperber Road, El Centro. All incarcerated persons are first housed there for screening and classification (Sheriff’s jail page). There is no Sheriff-hosted inmate search; the Sheriff’s home page points to the statewide VINE service or the jail information line.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department lists pretrial services among its duties. The court offers an opt-in Hearing Reminder Service by email or text, two weeks or two days before a hearing; the page does not say which case types it covers.
• Local note: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report, covering July 2024 to June 2025, says Imperial’s pretrial agency travels to remote locations so people can meet check-in requirements.

Inyo County

Inyo County’s seat is Independence, where the county jail sits; the court has courthouses in Bishop and Independence. The court’s posted bail schedule dates from 2017, and there is no online case or warrant search.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Inyo. There is no online criminal case search. Records searches are in person or by mail only, $15 per name for 10 years, per the court’s website.
• Warrants: No online check. The court says: “To clear a warrant you must contact your attorney.” A person without a lawyer can contact the Criminal Division to set up a warrant surrender, or go to any law enforcement office to sign a cite and release.
• Bail schedule: Felony & Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, which the court’s forms page lists as last updated July 2017.
• Custody: Inyo County Jail, 550 South Clay Street, Independence, open 24 hours (jail page). No online inmate locator was found; the jail page lists a phone number.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Adult Division prepares pretrial risk assessments for the court and supervises people ordered to pretrial supervision.

Kern County

Kern County’s seat is Bakersfield. The court’s 2026 bail schedule includes a pre-arraignment release protocol.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Kern. The case information search page offers a public search and a separate portal for registered users. The criminal page says a warrant stays active until an arrest, a court appearance, or posting bail.
• Warrants: The court’s pages do not offer an online warrant search.
• Bail schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, effective December 29, 2025, with misdemeanor entries. Its Pre-Arraignment Release Protocol sets $0 bail for cite-and-release misdemeanors and book-and-release felonies, uses a risk assessment for magistrate review cases, and bars release before arraignment for arraignment review offenses. After arraignment, the judge sets release terms, and a bench warrant for a missed court date may carry its own bail amount.
• Custody: Justice Inmate Reception Center, 17801 Industrial Farm Road, Bakersfield, which the Sheriff calls “the main hub for booking and releasing new arrests” (Sheriff’s page). Use the Sheriff’s inmate search.
• Pretrial services: Kern County Probation Pre-Trial Units assess people awaiting felony arraignment and monitor those released. Release conditions can range from court reminder phone calls to GPS tracking.
• Local note: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report, covering July 2024 to June 2025, says the Kern court limited GPS units for the pretrial population to 20.

Kings County

Kings County’s seat is Hanford, where the Superior Court, the Sheriff, and Probation are all based. The Sheriff’s Records Division serves as the county’s warrant repository.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Kings, 1640 Kings County Drive, Hanford. The court’s public portal covers criminal, civil, traffic, and family cases, and “requires users to create/register for an account.” No fee is stated.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The court’s criminal page says to clear a warrant “you must contact your attorney or you may contact the Criminal Division.” The Sheriff’s Records Division is “the warrant repository for the county.”
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Felony Bail Schedule for Kings County and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule 2026. Neither shows an effective date beyond the year.
• Custody: Kings County Jail, Hanford, run by the Sheriff (booking and inmate information). Search the inmate locator, which the county says is updated hourly.
• Pretrial services: Kings County Probation, Pretrial Monitoring Services, at the Day Reporting Center, 1520 Kings County Drive, Hanford.

Lake County

Lakeport is the county seat, with a branch court in Clearlake. The Hill Road Correctional Facility in Lakeport is the central booking point for every arrest in the county.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Lake, Lakeport Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes Street, Room 417, (707) 263-2374. The court’s online case information page links a public portal for case and calendar searches; no registration or fee is mentioned.
• Warrants: The court’s pages do not offer an online warrant search.
• Bail schedule: Lake County Superior Court Uniform Bail Schedule, 2026 edition, covering felonies and misdemeanors. It lists $20,000 for felony failure to appear after release on OR (own recognizance) or bail, and “no bail” for any felony violation of probation, parole, post-release community supervision or mandatory supervision.
• Custody: Hill Road Correctional Facility, 4913 Helbush Drive, Lakeport, rated to hold 297 people (county jail page). Use the county’s In-Custody lookup; jail phone 707-262-4240.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) as Lake’s risk tool; the court lists Probation at 707-262-4285. The court offers opt-in email or text reminders for upcoming public hearings through its online services page.
• Local note: “Over 4,000 people, on average, are brought into and booked at the facility annually,” according to the county jail page (viewed September 2026).

Lassen County

Susanville is the county seat and home to the Hall of Justice. The Superior Court holds a clear-warrant calendar twice a week for people with bench warrants.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Lassen, Hall of Justice, 2610 Riverside Drive, Susanville, (530) 251-8205. The Case Index and Calendar Portal covers criminal and other cases filed after 1994, with no registration or fee mentioned. The criminal page notes that bail “may also be raised or lowered during arraignment.”
• Warrants: There is no public online warrant search. The court’s eWarrants page is password protected for justice partners.
• Bail schedule: Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules 2026 Edition, effective January 1, 2026, including a felony bail schedule section. No zero-bail protocol was posted.
• Custody: The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, 1415 Sheriff Cady Lane, Susanville, operates a 24-hour Adult Detention Facility.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) as Lassen’s risk tool.
• Local note: The criminal division page says that if a bench warrant is issued, you need to report to court “on a Monday or Friday for the clear warrant calendar,” turn yourself in to local law enforcement, or contact an attorney (viewed September 2026).

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles County’s seat is Los Angeles. Its court runs a zero-bail booking protocol that changes what happens in the first hours after an arrest, but not what happens after a judge revokes release.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles. The court’s criminal calendar lookup shows upcoming court dates. A search for a case number by defendant name costs $4.75 per search, according to the court’s FAQ, which also says the court has no plans to put bail or bond status online. The criminal division lists felony bench warrant walk-ins as a same-day courthouse service.
• Warrants: There is no official online warrant search. The Sheriff’s records FAQ says to go to a local police department or sheriff’s station, which can run a check.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule took effect January 1, 2026. Since October 1, 2023, the court’s Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols set $0 bail at booking for many offenses, with serious and violent offenses still carrying money bail. The protocols apply only before arraignment. The court’s own FAQ says release conditions “are then reconsidered at arraignment” by the judge.
• Custody: Men are booked at the Inmate Reception Center at 450 Bauchet Street, next to Men’s Central Jail and Twin Towers; women are held at Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood (Sheriff’s custody page). Search the Inmate Information Center.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services Division gives judges background and release recommendations. The court runs an opt-in hearing reminder service by text or email that covers criminal cases.
• Local note: The county jail averaged 13,054 people a day in 2025, and about 54 percent had no case adjudicated yet, according to the Sheriff’s 2025 year-end population report.

Madera County

Madera County’s seat is Madera, where the Superior Court sits at 200 South G Street. The court adopted a new felony bail schedule effective January 2, 2026.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Madera. The court’s online case information page links a public portal. The criminal page says in-person record searches cost $15.00 per name, per index.
• Warrants: No online warrant search appears on the court’s criminal pages. The criminal page warns that if a defendant misses court, the court may order actions including bail forfeiture and a warrant.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Felony Bail Schedule (Including Selected Misdemeanors), effective January 2, 2026, listed on the court’s fee and bail schedules page.
• Custody: Madera County Jail, Madera, run by the Sheriff’s Office (county jail page). The county’s pages do not link an online inmate locator.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists Madera as a funded pretrial county using the Public Safety Assessment (PSA), a risk scoring tool. County pages do not name the agency that runs it.

Marin County

Marin County’s seat is San Rafael, and all criminal cases are heard at the Hall of Justice there. Marin posts a public online warrant search that covers warrants issued by its Superior Court.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Marin, Hall of Justice, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. The court’s ePortal requires free registration, and staff review each account request (1 to 2 court days). The criminal page says: “Misdemeanors, felonies, and warrants all require a mandatory court appearance. Extensions will not be granted.”
• Warrants: The Sheriff’s warrants page links an online warrant search by last name, first name, and optional birth year. The Sheriff notes that recent status changes may not show.
• Bail schedule: Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedules, January 2026 edition. The felony and misdemeanor sections are posted on the court’s bail schedules page.
• Custody: Marin County Jail, San Rafael, run by the Sheriff’s Detention Bureau. The public Booking Log lists people booked in the last 48 hours who are still in custody, plus everyone in custody when the search runs. Bail amounts shown may be approximate.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s pretrial supervision program (page updated January 9, 2026). On violations, Probation says: “Some people may wind up getting arrested and wait for a trial in jail.”

Mariposa County

Mariposa County’s seat is Mariposa. The Superior Court’s criminal division tells people with a warrant to contact their attorney or the court directly.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Mariposa. The court’s case information page links a public case portal and notes it “only shows information that can be viewed by the public.” No fee is stated.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The criminal division page says: “To clear a warrant you must contact your attorney or you may contact the Criminal Division.”
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Mariposa Uniform Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, according to the court’s home page listing.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s Adult Detention Facility, 5379 Highway 49 N, Mariposa, is staffed 24 hours. Staff “will not recommend or refer bail bond agents.” An online inmate locator could not be confirmed; call the facility at 209-966-3616.
• Pretrial services: Mariposa County Probation, Pre-Trial Investigation and Supervision assesses people held on new charges for monitoring if the court releases them before or after arraignment.

Mendocino County

Ukiah is the county seat, with a branch court in Fort Bragg. Mendocino’s current bail schedules, effective August 6, 2026, include a pre-arraignment release protocol with $0 bail for many lower-level offenses.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Mendocino. The criminal clerk is at 100 North State Street, Room 107, Ukiah, (707) 463-4661, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The court’s case portal page links case information and documents; document copies carry a fee.
• Warrants: The court’s site does not offer an online warrant search.
• Bail schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, both effective August 6, 2026. Their pre-arraignment release protocols set $0 bail for designated crimes, but not for serious or violent crimes. The protocols govern release before arraignment. After a revocation or a missed court date, the judge sets release terms, and a bench warrant may carry its own bail amount.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services Unit assesses people arrested for offenses the schedules mark for pretrial risk assessment. The court offers opt-in text message hearing reminders.
• Local note: Under the protocol in the August 6, 2026 felony schedule, a person with three or more failures to appear in the prior three years is referred to Pretrial Services rather than released automatically.

Merced County

Merced County’s seat is Merced. The Superior Court does not put criminal case information online, so families must search in person or through the clerk.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Merced, Ogletree Jr. Courthouse, 2260 N Street, Merced. Its case records page says criminal cases are “NOT available online.” Public terminals are available in person, and clerk searches over 10 minutes cost $15 (records search).
• Warrants: No online warrant search appears on the court’s pages.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, both effective January 1, 2026.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s jail page lists the Main Jail at 700 W. 22nd St., Merced, and the John Latorraca Correctional Center in El Nido. The county’s inmate inquiry site has moved, and the new address could not be confirmed; call the Main Jail at (209) 385-7410.
• Pretrial services: Merced County Probation, Pretrial Services, which uses the Public Safety Assessment (PSA). Probation says people download the Supervision Access app, “which will send them court reminders.”
• Local note: Per the same Probation page (undated, viewed September 2026), the pretrial unit is staffed by three probation assistants and two probation officers.

Modoc County

Alturas is the county seat, and the Superior Court sits at the Robert A. Barclay Justice Center. The court does not post a bail schedule online, so families need to call the clerk or the Sheriff.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Modoc, 205 South East Street, Alturas, 530-233-6516, Clerk@modoc.courts.ca.gov. The Public Case Portal shows recent filings, hearing schedules and parties, and offers registration. Court staff cannot look up criminal records by phone.
• Warrants: The court does not publish a warrant search. Its criminal page warns that “failure to appear may result in a warrant for your arrest.”
• Bail schedule: No bail schedule appears on the court’s forms, local rules, online services or news pages (checked September 2026).
• Custody: For custody questions, the court’s criminal page says to contact the Modoc County Sheriff’s Department at (530) 233-4416 or stop in at 102 S. Court Street, Alturas.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) as Modoc’s risk tool.

Mono County

Mono County’s seat is Bridgeport, home to the county jail and one of two courthouses. Criminal cases are heard Mondays in Mammoth Lakes and Tuesdays in Bridgeport.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Mono. The court has no online name search; name searches cost $15 per name, per the court’s website.
• Warrants: No online check. The court says: “To clear a warrant you must contact your attorney, or you may contact the Criminal Division.”
• Bail schedule: 2026 Bail Schedule, listed on the court’s bail schedules page as updated June 29, 2026. Misdemeanors not listed in it are set at $0 bail, except unlisted wobblers charged as misdemeanors ($10,000).
• Custody: Mono County Jail, 25 Emigrant Street, Bridgeport (jail page). Cash bail must be the exact amount; cashier’s checks and money orders are accepted, personal checks are not.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report says Mono County’s pretrial services agency uses an automated phone and online check-in system.
• Local note: A new Mono County Jail is being built in Bridgeport with a $25,000,000 state Board of State and Community Corrections grant. Construction runs August 2025 to August 2027, with occupancy expected August to November 2027 (county project page).

Monterey County

Monterey County’s seat is Salinas, and the Superior Court also sits in Monterey, Marina, and King City. People who missed court can ask in person to be put back on calendar.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Monterey. The court’s case portal shows whether you must appear for a hearing.
• Warrants: There is no dedicated online warrant search. The court’s criminal FAQ says to ask in person at the Salinas Clerk’s Office (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to be placed on calendar.
• Bail schedule: The Monterey County bail schedule, adopted and effective February 13, 2025. No 2026 criminal edition appears on the court’s bail and fee schedules page. It cites a 2004 jail own recognizance (OR) policy letting the Sheriff release some arrestees without bail.
• Custody: Monterey County Jail, 1414 Natividad Road, Salinas (Sheriff’s Office). The Sheriff’s In Custody Log was empty when checked in September 2026; call the jail at (831) 755-3782.
• Pretrial services: Monterey County Probation, Pretrial Release Program. The court’s pretrial services assessment form lists “Sign up for Court date reminders” as a Level 1 release condition.
• Local note: The same form requires Level 1 releasees to report in person to Probation at 20 East Alisal Street, Salinas, between 1 and 4 p.m. the next business day after release.

Napa County

Napa County’s seat is the city of Napa, where the Criminal Courthouse is at 1111 Third Street. The court sets short daily check-in windows for people clearing warrants and does not accept late arrivals.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Napa. The criminal page warns: “A failure to appear in court on the date shown will result in a warrant for your arrest.”
• Warrants: No online warrant lookup was found. Per the court’s website, felony walk-in check-in runs Monday to Friday 8:00 to 8:15 a.m. or 1:45 to 2:00 p.m. Misdemeanor check-in runs Monday and Friday 1:45 to 2:00 p.m., and Tuesday to Thursday 12:45 to 1:00 p.m. “Late Check-ins will not be accepted.”
• Bail schedule: Napa Bail Schedule, effective June 11, 2025. The court’s fines and fees page also lists an order revising the schedule, described as effective July 29, 2025; the order itself could not be opened. Ask the clerk which version applies.
• Custody: Napa is unusual: its jail is run by the county’s own Department of Corrections, not the Sheriff. The department operates the 332-bed Napa County Corrections and Rehabilitation Center, which replaced the county’s former jail, according to a county announcement dated July 28, 2026. The county posts a public in-custody report.

Nevada County

Nevada County’s seat is Nevada City, and the Superior Court also sits in Truckee. It is one of the few counties where the Sheriff posts an online list of active warrants.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Nevada. The court’s web portal page says a free account is required to search public case information.
• Warrants: The Sheriff’s Active Warrants list can be searched by the first letters of a last name.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Nevada County Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule for All Bailable Offenses, effective January 1, 2026. It lists “NO BAIL” for felony probation and supervision violations.
• Custody: The Wayne Brown Correctional Facility, 925 Maidu Ave, Nevada City, is an adult booking facility; the Truckee Jail books and briefly holds arrestees from Nevada, Sierra, and Placer counties (Corrections Division). Use the county’s incarcerated person search page.
• Pretrial services: Nevada County Probation. Its pretrial information page says the county uses the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) to inform release decisions.
• Local note: The court runs self-surrender calendars for people with warrants (undated page, viewed September 2026). In Nevada City, misdemeanors are heard Thursdays and felonies Fridays at 1:30 p.m., with check-in before 11 a.m.; Truckee hears both Mondays at 8:30 a.m.

Orange County

Orange County’s seat is Santa Ana, where the Sheriff’s Intake Release Center processes every booking into and release from the county jail system. The court’s 2026 schedule has no pre-arraignment zero-bail protocol like Los Angeles County’s.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Orange. The court’s criminal and traffic case access page links its case search, which requires accepting terms of use. The court says the results do not constitute the official record.
• Warrants: The Sheriff’s homepage lists an Arrest Warrants page, but it could not be opened, so no working official online warrant search was confirmed. The court’s Automated Information and Payment Center page lists a “Failure to Appear – Warrant Information” phone line, (657) 622-8459.
• Bail schedule: 2026 Uniform Bail Schedule, felony and misdemeanor, effective January 1, 2026. It sets $0 only for narrow categories and “No Bail” for capital cases and certain fugitive and escape arrests.
• Custody: Intake Release Center, 550 North Flower Street, Santa Ana, which processes “all individuals being booked into, and released from, the Orange County Jail system” (Sheriff’s IRC page). The Sheriff’s bail page says bail is accepted there 24 hours a day, and at Theo Lacy Facility in Orange from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (bonds until 2 p.m.). The Inmate Information System requires a free account and does not show charges.
• Pretrial services: OC Probation’s Adult Re-Entry Division includes a Pre-Trial Assessment team. The court’s My Court Portal sends automated hearing reminders to registered users for traffic and criminal cases.
• Local note: Per the Sheriff’s website, the Intake Release Center has more than 800 beds, most converted to acute mental health housing. Its lobby hosts Social Services, Probation, and Project Kinship, which keeps a 24/7 presence to help with transition from custody and reentry.

Placer County

Placer County’s seat is Auburn. The Sheriff runs two jails, in Auburn and Roseville, and the court’s felony and misdemeanor bail schedules date from January 2025.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Placer. The court’s online portal page says: “To search for public case information there is no account required.” Criminal cases are included.
• Warrants: Neither the court nor the Sheriff posts an online warrant check on the pages reviewed.
• Bail schedule: The court’s fee schedule page lists a Felony Bail Schedule and a Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, both effective January 9, 2025. No 2026 edition was listed as of September 10, 2026.
• Custody: The Auburn Jail, 2775 Richardson Drive, Auburn, and the South Placer Jail, 11801 Go For Broke Road, Roseville, which has an intake and booking unit. The Sheriff’s Corrections page posts an In-Custody Roster and a Daily Booking and Releasing Report as PDFs.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pre-Trial Division gives the court jail release recommendations based on a validated risk assessment; the validation study was completed in December 2022.
• Local note: Per the county’s jail pages (undated, viewed September 2026), the Auburn Jail has a capacity of 646 and the South Placer Jail a rated capacity of 420.

Plumas County

Plumas County’s seat is Quincy. The Superior Court sends people with warrant questions to the county jail rather than the clerk’s office.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Plumas, 520 Main Street, Quincy. There is no public online case index. The record searches page is a request form, with a $15 fee for searches over 10 minutes, and staff cannot give criminal record information by phone.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The court says to contact the Plumas County Correctional Facility at (530) 283-6267 to check the status of a warrant or clear one.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Criminal Incarceration Bail Schedule, effective February 10, 2026, according to the court’s bail and penalty schedules page. The PDF is a scanned image.
• Custody: Plumas County Correctional Facility, 50 Abernathy Lane, Quincy. There is no online inmate locator; staff will release only an inmate’s charges and bail amounts.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists Plumas as a funded pretrial county but does not name the local agency that runs the program.

Riverside County

Riverside County’s seat is Riverside. The court’s bail schedule sorts offenses into release categories, one of which is on hold until a data link is built.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Riverside. The Public Access portal requires an online account. Case number searches are free; name searches cost $1.00 each or $250 for 30 days, according to the court’s public access page.
• Warrants: No online warrant search was found on the court site. The criminal division page says: “To appear on a warrant you must report to the Criminal Division which ordered the warrant by 7:30 a.m.”
• Bail schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective October 20, 2025. No 2026 edition was posted as of September 2026. People arrested for Cite and Release or Book and Release offenses do not post bail and sign a promise to appear. For Arraignment Review offenses, bail is set at the scheduled amount and reviewed at arraignment. These categories apply at booking. After a revocation, the judge sets release terms.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s Corrections page lists five jails: Robert Presley Detention Center (Riverside), Cois M. Byrd Detention Center (Murrieta), John J. Benoit Detention Center (Indio), Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility (Banning), and Blythe Jail (Blythe). The Sheriff’s homepage links an inmate locator.
• Pretrial services: Riverside County Probation provides pretrial assessments, and says its pretrial monitoring includes “oversight, resources when needed, court reminders and check-ins.”
• Local note: The October 20, 2025 schedule creates a Pre-Arraignment Review track, where a magistrate reviews release before arraignment for people who cannot pay. The schedule says this depends on a data link to the Public Safety Assessment, and until that is built, these offenses are handled as Arraignment Review cases (bail at the scheduled amount until arraignment).

Sacramento County

Sacramento County’s seat is Sacramento. The Superior Court launched a new criminal case portal on August 10, 2026, and the court’s FAQ sends people to the Sheriff’s Department to clear warrants.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sacramento. The court’s new criminal case portal searches by party name or case number but shows only “limited case information,” and cases from before August 10, 2026 may lack digitized documents.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant lookup. The court’s criminal FAQ says the Sheriff’s Department at 4510 Orange Grove Avenue “clears warrants and may be able to give you another court date.” The Sheriff’s warrant services page says warrant information goes only to the subject, with identity verification. The Records and Warrants Bureau can issue new court dates for most misdemeanor warrants, but “Felony warrants must be processed at the Main Jail.”
• Bail schedule: The Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedules for Persons in Pretrial Custody, updated November 2025. The schedule applies only before a person sees a judge. After arraignment, it says, the court makes an individualized assessment under the In re Humphrey decision. This is not a blanket zero-bail protocol.
• Custody: The Main Jail, 651 I Street, Sacramento. Search the Sheriff’s inmate information lookup by name or X-ref number.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s pretrial unit. Probation says monitoring “can include court reminder telephone calls, office visits, community visits and GPS monitoring.”
• Local note: As of May 3, 2021, an average of 87.6 percent of people released to the pretrial program were successful, according to a Chief Probation Officers of California profile published April 18, 2022. Jail conditions are also governed by the Mays v. County of Sacramento consent decree, first approved January 13, 2020 and updated December 19, 2025 (Prison Law Office case page).

San Benito County

San Benito County’s seat is Hollister. Its jail is small, and there is no online inmate search.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Benito. The court’s public portal page says you must create a free account to search cases.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The criminal division page says: “To clear a warrant you must contact your attorney.” People without a lawyer can call the Criminal Division.
• Bail schedule: The 2025 Felony Bail Schedule, which includes a misdemeanor section. Its effective-date line reads “January ____, 2025,” with the day left blank. It says defendants in any DUI case “SHALL BE ELIGIBLE FOR SORP RELEASE” (a supervised own recognizance program).
• Custody: San Benito County Jail and the Curtis J. Hill Rehabilitation Center, 710 Flynn Road, Hollister (Sheriff’s corrections page). There is no online inmate search; call Corrections at (831) 636-4060.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department provides a pretrial services program as part of adult services.
• Local note: Per the Sheriff’s corrections page (undated, viewed September 2026), the 1992 main jail has a rated capacity of 124, the Curtis J. Hill center added 72 beds in 2020, and the population “averages about 100 persons at any given time.”

San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County’s seat is San Bernardino. The Sheriff books arrests at two main jails, one in Rancho Cucamonga and one in San Bernardino, and Probation’s pretrial unit says it reminds people of court dates.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Bernardino. The court’s case information page links its Court Access Portal. The criminal page warns: “If you don’t show up in court, a warrant may be issued for your arrest.”
• Warrants: No online warrant search was found on the court or Sheriff pages reviewed.
• Bail schedule: Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, revised June 4, 2026. It also says: “Pre-arraignment bail amounts are not binding on judicial officers at arraignment.” That means the judge who handles a revocation or warrant can set a different amount.
• Custody: West Valley Detention Center, 9500 Etiwanda Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, and Central Detention Center, 630 East Rialto Ave, San Bernardino, the primary booking site for east valley agencies. Use the Sheriff’s inmate locator.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pre-Trial Unit works to reduce failures to appear. Its Pretrial Services FAQ says officers encourage people to appear at each court date “via phone, web reminders, or face-to-face contact,” and that people must report to Probation within 48 business hours of release.
• Local note: Per the Sheriff’s corrections page (undated, viewed September 2026), the county has 7,400 jail beds with an average daily population of 5,000, and agencies book about 85,000 people a year.

San Diego County

San Diego County’s seat is San Diego. It is one of the few large California counties with an official online warrant search, run by the Sheriff and linked from the court’s own warrants page.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Diego. The Court Index searches by name, case number, or district attorney number, but does not show charges or outcomes. Criminal case documents can be viewed only in person or ordered by mail, according to the court’s online case search page.
• Warrants: The court’s warrants page links the Sheriff’s online warrant search, by last and first name. The Sheriff notes that changes may not appear within the hour. The court lists consequences of missing court that include a mandatory appearance, added charges, a DMV license hold, and arrest.
• Bail schedule: Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, with misdemeanor and felony sections. No pre-arraignment release protocol appears in it.
• Custody: Men are booked at San Diego Central Jail, 1173 Front Street, San Diego. Women are booked at Las Colinas Detention and Reentry Facility, 451 Riverview Parkway, Santee. Search Who’s In Jail; the Sheriff warns that listed release dates may not be accurate.
• Pretrial services: Split between two agencies. Sheriff’s Pretrial Services does assessments, court recommendations, and supervision. Probation supervises people released on Supervised Own Recognizance, under Probation Policy 418 (dated August 25, 2023).
• Local note: In July 2026 the county jails held an average of 3,973 people a day, and only 31 percent were sentenced. There were 4,750 bookings that month, according to the Sheriff’s July 2026 jail population statistics.

San Francisco County

San Francisco is a consolidated city and county. Criminal cases are heard at the Hall of Justice, 850 Bryant Street, and a nonprofit, not Probation, runs pretrial services, as state law allows here.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The Criminal Case Query is open to the public after a check that the user is not an automated program.
• Warrants: The court has no online warrant lookup. Its criminal page refers people to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Central Warrants office, 850 Bryant St., 4th Floor, Room 460.
• Bail schedule: Felony & Misdemeanor Bail Index and Schedule, effective July 1, 2026, per the court’s bail schedules page. No zero-bail protocol is posted.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s Intake and Release Center, 425 7th Street, San Francisco. People booked there are either released or transferred to a county jail.
• Pretrial services: The San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project, a nonprofit. For its two own recognizance release groups, it says: “Both groups receive court date reminders.”
• Local note: In re Humphrey, the California Supreme Court’s leading bail case, began with a San Francisco arrest on May 23, 2017, when bail was set at $600,000. The court’s March 25, 2021 opinion held: “The common practice of conditioning freedom solely on whether an arrestee can afford bail is unconstitutional.”

San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County’s seat is Stockton. Since August 15, 2025, the court’s bail schedule has given each offense a release category that controls whether someone can be released before seeing a judge.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin, 180 E. Weber Ave., Stockton. The court’s case search page describes a public portal searchable by case number.
• Warrants: No online warrant search appears on the court or Sheriff pages reviewed.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Uniform County Bail Schedule is marked “TENTATIVE Effective July 23, 2026” on its cover. It sorts offenses into Cite and Release, Book and Release, Magistrate Review (an on-call judge decides), and Arraignment Review Only; the first phase began August 15, 2025. These categories apply at arrest. After a revocation or a missed court date, the judge sets release terms, and a bench warrant may carry its own bail amount.
• Custody: The John Zunino Jail Complex, which includes Intake and the Main Jail, 7000 Michael Canlis Blvd, French Camp (Sheriff’s custody page). The county posts a public booking log.
• Pretrial services: The Sheriff’s Pre-Trial Services unit handles misdemeanor citation releases (bail procedures), and San Joaquin County Probation supervises people placed on pretrial programming.
• Local note: The Sheriff’s custody page (undated, viewed September 2026) says the Board of State and Community Corrections rated jail capacity at 1,550.

San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo County’s seat is San Luis Obispo. The court’s 2026 schedule sets $0 presumptive bail before arraignment for misdemeanors not otherwise listed and $20,000 for felony failure to appear.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Luis Obispo. The court’s online case lookup requires registration for remote use.
• Warrants: There is no online lookup. The court’s warrants page says to contact the criminal clerk by email or phone with a name and case number, or a name and date of birth. Options are to post bail, turn yourself in, or calendar a court surrender.
• Bail schedule: 2026 Bail Schedule Felony & Misdemeanor, effective June 15, 2026. For misdemeanors not otherwise listed, “the pre-arraignment presumptive bail for misdemeanors shall be $0, up to the time of arraignment.” At arraignment, the judge sets terms.
• Custody: San Luis Obispo County Jail, 1585 Kansas Avenue, San Luis Obispo (jail information). Search Who’s in Custody by first and last name.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services (since April 2022) reports to the court and supervises people released. The court offers opt-in text message notifications about hearings, which it calls “a courtesy only.”
• Local note: The June 15, 2026 schedule sets bail at $20,000 for felony failure to appear after release on bail (Penal Code 1320.5) and $20,000 for felony failure to appear after OR release (Penal Code 1320).

San Mateo County

San Mateo County’s seat is Redwood City. Criminal cases are heard at the Hall of Justice in Redwood City and at the Northern Branch in South San Francisco. The court’s local felony bail schedule dates from May 2023.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of San Mateo. The Odyssey Public Portal needs no registration and shows the register of actions, not criminal documents (portal information).
• Warrants: There is no online lookup. The court’s active warrants page says that to have the case heard the same day, you must appear in person and check in at the criminal clerk’s office.
• Bail schedule: Felony Bail Schedule Effective May 1, 2023. A misdemeanor schedule with the same date is on the court’s local bail schedules page. No newer local edition was posted as of September 2026.
• Custody: The Sheriff runs two jails in Redwood City, Maguire Correctional Facility and Maple Street Correctional Center (Sheriff’s website). Search the Sheriff’s inmate locator.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services gives the court information for own recognizance (OR) decisions. People released with conditions must report to Probation within 24 business hours. The court offers free, opt-in court date text reminders for criminal, traffic, and family law cases.

Santa Barbara County

Santa Barbara County’s seat is Santa Barbara. The court’s 2026 felony schedule allows $0 bail release before arraignment after a risk assessment, with some offenses excluded.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Barbara. The court’s case records page directs people to its Records Department for restricted documents.
• Warrants: No online warrant search was found. The criminal page says the judge will issue a warrant for a missed hearing, and “The warrant will be recalled only after you appear in court and the judge orders the warrant recalled.”
• Bail schedule: 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, for felony and specified misdemeanor arrests, effective June 2026. After reviewing a risk assessment report, a judicial officer may release an arrestee on $0 bail with the least restrictive conditions. Sex offenses, domestic violence, and certain DUIs, among others, are excluded. This applies before arraignment only.
• Custody: Santa Barbara County Main Jail, 4436 Calle Real, Santa Barbara. Northern Branch Jail, 2301 Black Road, Santa Maria, houses transferred inmates (Sheriff’s jail facilities page). Search Who Is in Custody by name or CID number.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department runs pretrial services, including a Pretrial Supervised Release Program.
• Local note: The Northern Branch Jail opened January 22, 2022, as a 376-bed facility with 32 special use beds for mental health and medical care, per the Sheriff’s website.

Santa Clara County

Santa Clara County’s seat is San Jose. Since November 2023, people with an arrest warrant can, through a lawyer, schedule an out-of-custody arraignment instead of waiting to be arrested.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, Hall of Justice, 190 W. Hedding Street. The court’s online case information page says its portal covers criminal cases, but documents are “not generally available online.”
• Warrants: There is no online lookup on the court site. The criminal FAQs say: “If you want to clear a warrant for your arrest, contact the Court that issued the warrant or the police agency that holds it.”
• Bail schedule: Criminal Bail Schedule, effective January 27, 2026. For misdemeanors not otherwise listed, “a defendant shall be released on OR” (own recognizance, a promise to appear), with exceptions. These rules govern release at arrest. After a revocation, the judge sets any new terms.
• Custody: Main Jail, 150 West Hedding Street, San Jose, which books about 30,000 people a year, per the Sheriff’s website. Use the Sheriff’s inmate search.
• Pretrial services: The County of Santa Clara Office of Pretrial Services, a stand-alone department created in 1969. As of 2024 it supervised more than 4,000 people. The court offers an opt-in Hearing Reminder Service by text or email; the page does not say whether criminal cases are covered.
• Local note: Effective November 17, 2023, a person who learns of an arrest warrant may, through counsel, calendar an out-of-custody arraignment, heard on the second or fourth Monday at the Hall of Justice. People without a lawyer can contact the Public Defender’s Pre-Arraignment Representation and Review (PARR) Unit (criminal FAQs).

Santa Cruz County

Santa Cruz County’s seat is Santa Cruz. The Sheriff posts an online search of warrants issued by the county’s Superior Court.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Santa Cruz, 701 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz. The court’s case lookup page links its online portal; criminal documents cannot be viewed online.
• Warrants: The Sheriff’s arrest warrant search covers Superior Court warrants, searched by last name, first name, and year of birth. The court’s criminal page says a person with an outstanding warrant “must appear at the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Department.”
• Bail schedule: Criminal Bail Schedules Felony & Misdemeanor, effective January 1, 2026 (bail schedules page). It states: “After a defendant’s first appearance in court, the amount of bail will lie within the sound discretion of the judicial officer.”
• Custody: The Sheriff runs four facilities, including the Main Jail at 259 Water Street, Santa Cruz. The Web Jail Viewer shows booking information and charges.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services Division uses the Public Safety Assessment. The court offers opt-in text reminders five days and one day before a hearing; subscribers sign up by texting the case number.
• Local note: Probation’s pretrial page reports an average of 368 people on pretrial monitoring each day in 2025, up from 327 in 2024, with 1,371 people monitored over the year.

Shasta County

Redding is the county seat and home to both the courthouse and the county jail. Shasta Probation runs a supervised release program meant partly to ease jail crowding and improve court appearance.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Shasta, 1515 Court Street, Redding; criminal division (530) 245-6789, Criminal@shasta.courts.ca.gov. The court’s case records page links a public portal; document access is limited.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant search. The criminal page says that if you fail to appear, “the court may order and issue a warrant for your arrest.”
• Bail schedule: 2026 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, 2026 edition, posted on the court’s bail schedules page. The PDF is a scanned image, so its contents could not be reviewed.
• Custody: Shasta County Jail, 1655 West Street, Redding, (530) 245-6100. Search the Sheriff’s in-custody lookup. The court refers jail and inmate questions to the Sheriff.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Supervised Own Recognizance (SOR) program supervises selected people before sentencing, some on GPS. The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Virginia Pretrial Risk Assessment Instrument (VPRAI) as Shasta’s tool.
• Local note: The jail’s rated capacity is 484 (404 male, 80 female), according to the Sheriff’s jail page, which also says in-person visiting resumes September 8, 2026 (viewed September 2026).

Sierra County

Sierra County’s seat is Downieville, where the Superior Court sits at 100 Courthouse Square. Sierra County arrestees may be booked or held in Nevada County facilities, according to the Sierra court and Nevada County.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sierra. The court’s online services page lists no case index; call the Criminal Division.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The court says to contact the Criminal Division at (530) 289-3698.
• Bail schedule: The court’s forms and filing page lists a 2025 Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule; its effective date could not be confirmed, and no 2026 edition was found.
• Custody: The court’s criminal page says to call the Wayne Brown Correctional Facility in Nevada City at (530) 265-1291 to find out whether someone is in custody. Nevada County’s Corrections Division page says Sierra County arrestees are booked at the Truckee Jail. Use Nevada County’s incarcerated person search page.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists Sierra as a funded pretrial county but does not name the local agency. The court lists a hearing reminder service by email or text.
• Local note: Sierra and Nevada counties ran a joint Nevada-Sierra project in the Judicial Council’s earlier Pretrial Pilot Program, per a January 2021 pilot report.

Siskiyou County

Yreka is the county seat and home to the courthouse and the county jail. Probation’s pretrial rules (2021 matrix) treat a missed court date as a severe violation.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Siskiyou, 411 Fourth Street, Yreka, (530) 842-0411. The court’s online services page links a Case Information Portal for case details and the court calendar.
• Warrants: The court’s site does not offer an online warrant search.
• Bail schedule: 2026 Local Felony and Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026 (announced January 13, 2026 in a court notice). No zero-bail protocol was posted.
• Custody: Siskiyou County Jail, 315 South Oregon Street, Yreka (Custody Division). Use the Sheriff’s custody information portal.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department runs pretrial services using the Virginia Pretrial Risk Assessment Instrument (VPRAI). Its supervision and violation matrix (file dated July 2021) lists “Court reminder” among basic supervision terms. It treats failure to appear as a severe violation that can lead to being detained and returned to court.
• Local note: The jail opened in 1988 with 68 beds and now has 104, holding approximately 101 people daily, per the Sheriff’s Custody Division page (viewed September 2026).

Solano County

Solano County’s seat is Fairfield, home to the Hall of Justice and the county jail; the court also hears cases in Vallejo. The court’s own figures show that a notable share of people on pretrial monitoring get bench warrants each quarter.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Solano. The court’s public portal requires users to register for an account to search case data.
• Warrants: There is no online lookup. The criminal page says: “You can appear at any law enforcement agency and advise the officer that you have an outstanding bench warrant.” People with misdemeanor cases may instead ask the Criminal Clerk’s Office for a new court date.
• Bail schedule: Solano County Bail Schedule Effective January 14, 2026. The court’s bail information page says a person charged with misdemeanors is entitled to own recognizance release unless release would compromise public safety.
• Custody: Solano County Jail, 500 Union Ave, Fairfield, per the court’s resources page. The county also runs a Sentenced Detention Facility on Clay Bank Road, Fairfield.
• Local note: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report, covering July 2024 to June 2025, says 12 to 19 percent of people monitored by Solano pretrial services got a bench warrant for failure to appear each quarter.

Sonoma County

Sonoma County’s seat is Santa Rosa. If someone released on a bail bond misses court, the court requires a letter from the bond company before it will act on the warrant.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma, Hall of Justice, 625 Administration Drive. The criminal page says case information is not provided online, but the case portal page links criminal search instructions for searching by case number or name.
• Warrants: The Sheriff’s warrant search page links an online warrant search for adult court warrants, by last name and birth year, updated daily. To clear a warrant, check in at the Criminal Division Clerk’s Office Monday to Friday before 8:30 a.m.
• Bail schedule: The court’s schedules page lists one Criminal Bail Schedule; its file name refers to a 2025 order. No 2026 local edition was posted as of September 2026.
• Custody: Main Adult Detention Facility, 2777 Ventura Avenue, Santa Rosa, and North County Detention Facility, 2254 Ordinance Road, Santa Rosa (Sheriff’s directions page). Search incarcerated persons.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services, running since January 2015, uses the Public Safety Assessment. After a missed court date, new charge, or violation, the pretrial officer recommends whether to continue, change, or end release.
• Local note: The court’s criminal page says a person released on a bail bond who asks to clear a warrant must submit “a letter of reassumption of liability from the bonding agency.”

Stanislaus County

Stanislaus County’s seat is Modesto. The court gives out bench warrant information only in person at the clerk’s office.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Stanislaus, 800 11th Street, Modesto. The court’s case search page links to a public case information portal.
• Warrants: The court’s criminal FAQ says: “Bench warrant information is not given over the telephone. You must come to the Clerk’s Office and review your file.”
• Bail schedule: The Stanislaus County Superior Court Bail Schedule, effective January 1, 2026, covers felonies, misdemeanors, and infractions. It lists “No Bail” for parole, mandatory supervision, and postrelease community supervision violations.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s Detention Center East, 200 E. Hackett Road, Modesto, is the booking and releasing facility. Search the inmate list, which covers all facilities.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Services Unit. Probation says “all participants of the pretrial program receive reminders of their court hearings.”
• Local note: The Sheriff’s Office manages “over 1,400 pre-trial, sentenced, and out-of-custody incarcerated persons” at any time, according to its detention facilities page (undated, viewed September 2026).

Sutter County

Sutter County’s seat is Yuba City. The court tells people with a bench warrant to surrender to law enforcement, and its 2026 schedule sets no bail for felony probation or parole violations.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Sutter. The court’s online case access page describes a free records portal, with no registration, covering current cases and completed cases back to 2008.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The court says: “Once a bench warrant has been issued, you must surrender yourself to any law enforcement agency.” Questions go to Traffic/Criminal Processing at (530) 822-3303.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Felony Bail Schedule and 2026 Misdemeanor Bail Schedule, both approved December 1, 2025.
• Custody: Sutter County Main Jail, 1077 Civic Center Boulevard, Yuba City (corrections section). The Sheriff’s website links an online inmate search.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists Sutter as a funded pretrial county but does not name the local agency, and the county Probation page does not mention pretrial services.
• Local note: In the 2026 felony schedule, a felony probation or parole violation is “NO BAIL (at arraignment on Judge’s order, as required by law).” Someone arrested on such a warrant should expect no scheduled bail before seeing a judge.

Tehama County

Red Bluff is the county seat. Its 2026 jail bail schedule bars officers from raising bail at booking.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Tehama, 1740 Walnut Street, Red Bluff, (530) 527-3563. There is no online criminal case search. The court says staff “cannot look up any criminal records over the telephone”; write to or visit the clerk’s office.
• Warrants: The court does not publish a warrant search. Its criminal page warns that “failure to appear may result in a warrant for your arrest.”
• Bail schedule: Jail Bail Schedule for Offenses Committed Within the County of Tehama, effective January 1, 2026. Bail is “not to be increased by Police Officers at time of booking,” and can be raised only on a motion to a judge with proof of a qualifying prior. Felony probation violations are “No Bail.”
• Custody: Tehama County Main Jail, 502 Oak Street, Red Bluff, (530) 529-7910 (Custody Division). The Sheriff’s current inmates page links a roster showing booking date, charges and bail amount.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) as Tehama’s risk tool.
• Local note: The Main Jail has capacity for 227 people and houses both sentenced and pre-sentenced inmates, per the Sheriff’s Custody Division page (viewed September 2026).

Trinity County

Weaverville is the county seat. Trinity’s court posts no online case search, so the clerk’s office is the main source of case and warrant information.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Trinity, 11 Court Street, Weaverville, (530) 623-1208, courtclerks@trinitycounty.org. The court’s online services include court calendars but no case search.
• Warrants: The court does not publish a warrant search or warrant instructions; contact the clerk’s office.
• Bail schedule: Order Setting a Uniform Bail Schedule for the County of Trinity for 2026, dated January 5, 2026, covering felonies, misdemeanors and infractions. No zero-bail protocol was posted.
• Custody: Trinity County Correctional Facility, 701 Tom Bell Road, Weaverville, 530-623-8124. The Sheriff’s Office page has no online inmate search and says to contact the facility.
• Pretrial services: The Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report lists the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) as Trinity’s risk tool.

Tulare County

Tulare County’s seat is Visalia, with a second criminal courthouse in Porterville. A county study found bench warrants for failure to appear in 27.8 percent of pretrial observations from July 2018 to December 2021.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Tulare. The court’s online services page links a public portal case database. The criminal page warns that missing court may lead to a bench warrant, arrest, jail, or a fine.
• Warrants: No online warrant search appears on the court’s pages.
• Bail schedule: The Tulare County Superior Court Bail Schedule, November 6, 2025, covering felonies and misdemeanors. No 2026 edition was found.
• Custody: The Sheriff runs the Adult Pre-Trial Facility, the Bob Wiley Detention Facility, and the South County Detention Facility (detentions operations). The court’s Pretrial Facility page lists in-custody hearings at 36650 Road 112, Visalia, now held remotely. Search the Sheriff’s inmate search.
• Pretrial services: Tulare County Probation’s pretrial unit uses the Public Safety Assessment (PSA) at arraignment. Supervised own recognizance release may include GPS.
• Local note: A July 2022 PSA validation study covering July 3, 2018 to December 31, 2021 found bench warrants for failure to appear in 27.8 percent of pretrial observations and new arrests in 33.5 percent.

Tuolumne County

Tuolumne County’s seat is Sonora. The court is unusually strict about bench warrants: the clerk cannot reset a court date, and the person must surrender at the jail.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Tuolumne, 12855 Justice Center Drive, Sonora. The court’s online services page lists calendars and payments but no case index.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The criminal page says: “If a bench warrant has been issued, the clerk’s office CANNOT schedule another appearance date.” The person “must surrender to the county jail for processing.”
• Bail schedule: No felony or misdemeanor bail schedule is posted online. The court’s local rules effective August 27, 2026 cover property and personal surety bonds but include no schedule. Ask the court or jail for amounts.
• Custody: The Sheriff’s J.H. Dambacher Detention Facility, 28 N Lower Sunset Drive, Sonora, opened in 2021 and holds up to 230. The Sheriff links an inmate search.
• Pretrial services: Tuolumne County Probation. Its pretrial pilot started June 30, 2020.
• Local note: In fiscal year 2018-19, before the pilot, 233 people stayed in the community during the pretrial phase and 78 percent attended all hearings and stayed arrest-free, according to a June 26, 2020 county press release.

Ventura County

Ventura County’s seat is Ventura (officially San Buenaventura). Arrestees from every police agency in the county are booked at the Pre-Trial Detention Facility in Ventura or the East Valley booking facility, and the court’s posted local bail schedule is its 2024 edition.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Ventura. The court’s case inquiry page says a criminal case search requires a first and last name or a case number. Since June 21, 2021, searches by date of birth or driver’s license are not allowed.
• Warrants: The court’s criminal page and FAQ offer no online warrant search or warrant instructions.
• Bail schedule: 2024 Bail Schedule, covering felonies and misdemeanors, with no effective date printed. No 2025 or 2026 local schedule was posted on the court’s bail schedules page as of September 2026.
• Custody: The Pre-Trial Detention Facility, 800 South Victoria Avenue, Ventura, can house about 890 people and, with the East Valley booking facility, processes over 23,000 bookings and releases a year, per the Sheriff’s website. Bail may be posted there (posting bail page). Use the Sheriff’s inmate search by name or booking number.

Yolo County

Yolo County’s seat is Woodland. The court posts no felony or misdemeanor bail schedule online, and the Sheriff has no online inmate search.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Yolo. The court links a public portal with case summaries and upcoming hearings.
• Warrants: There is no online warrant check. The criminal division page says to call the Criminal Division (530-406-6705) to find out if a warrant exists. For a misdemeanor warrant, you can ask once for a surrender date or turn yourself in.
• Bail schedule: The court’s fee and bail schedules page posts only the Uniform Bail and Penalty Schedule 2026, which covers traffic offenses. For bail information, the court says to call the Sheriff at 530-668-5245.
• Custody: The Monroe Detention Center, 140A Tony Diaz Drive, Woodland, is the “primary intake point for all individuals booked in Yolo County” (Sheriff’s jail page, undated). The custody FAQ says to call 530-668-5245 to confirm custody, charges, bail, and court date.
• Pretrial services: The Probation Department’s Pretrial Release Program. Separately, the court offers an opt-in text hearing reminder sign-up on its online services page.
• Local note: For fiscal year 2024-25, the Yolo court reported that 0 to 5 percent of monitored people missed their arraignment each quarter, according to the Judicial Council’s April 2026 pretrial report.

Yuba County

Yuba County’s seat is Marysville, where the county jail sits inside the north side of the courthouse. The court gives warrant information only in person.

• Court: Superior Court of California, County of Yuba. The court’s online case access page describes a free portal with “No registration required,” covering cases back to 1999.
• Warrants: “Warrant information cannot be provided over the telephone,” the court says; ask in person at the Criminal Division. To clear a warrant, you can report to local law enforcement or the county jail.
• Bail schedule: The 2026 Felony Bail Schedule, adopted December 23, 2025 and effective January 2, 2026, also sets misdemeanor bail.
• Custody: Yuba County Jail, Marysville, capacity 428. The county links an inmate locator map. The Sheriff takes bail only for the entire amount (posting bail).
• Pretrial services: Yuba County Probation, Pre-Trial Services. Probation says supervision “may include court appearance reminders, home visits, referrals for applicable services, and drug testing.”
• Local note: Under the 2026 schedule, a probation or parole violation carries no bail on a felony and $15,000 on a misdemeanor. For listed serious and violent offenses, a noticed hearing in open court is required before bail is set at any other amount.

What Families Should Do in the First 48 Hours

1. Find out where they are. Use the county’s inmate locator in the section above, or our guide to finding out if someone is in jail.
2. Find out what actually happened. Call the criminal clerk with the case number and ask three questions. Is there a bench warrant? Was bail forfeited, and on what date? Is there a new court date? The forfeiture date starts the 180-day clock.
3. If a court date was missed, act now. Many courts let people clear a warrant by appearing voluntarily at set check-in times (see the county sections). A voluntary appearance inside the window requires the court to vacate the forfeiture (PC 1305(c)(1)), as the 2018 Alameda County case shows.
4. If they are locked up somewhere else, say so immediately. An arrest in another county, or a hold placed while they are in custody on other charges, can be the basis to set aside a forfeiture (PC 1305(c)(3), (i)). Tell the bail company and the defense lawyer the same day.
5. Collect proof. Hospital admission records, a discharge summary, a doctor’s note, a custody record, or a letter from an employer. An excuse without paperwork rarely works.
6. Call the defense lawyer or public defender. They can ask the court to recall the warrant, set a hearing, and argue for release terms under Humphrey and Kowalczyk.
7. If you cosigned, read your agreement. Know what you owe and when. You are entitled to a copy (10 CCR 2084), and no one can make you waive your rights (10 CCR 2087).
8. Prevent the next one. Put every court date in two phones. Sign up for the court’s text reminders where they are offered. Line up rides and childcare early. Call the bail company the moment anything changes.