How much do bail bondsmen charge? Bail bondsmen charge their fees based on a combination of factors, namely the costs they have because they are licensed in your state, as well as the standard costs in your area. They have a variety of expenses, and they take on risk in order to help people get out of jail, so the costs can vary depending on some kinds of risk. For instance, the following might change what you’ll pay in your area:
Paying with a credit card: credit card companies charge major fees on transactions, and your bail bondsman may pass those costs on to you.- Traveling to meet you: If the bail bondsman has to come to you at a farther-away jail or at an unusual time, they may tack a fee on of a few extra dollars.
- If you switch co-signers: If someone backs out of co-signing your bond and you have to get someone else, your bail bondsman has to redo the paperwork entirely, so they are going to charge you a hefty fee for that inconvenience.
- Not showing up to court: Whether you get an official failure to appear or when your bondsman has to come to court with you for some reason, not being in court when you are supposed to be can really cost a lot, major additional fees, since that is the main way that you prove you weren’t a flight risk.
- When bondsman has to monitor or check-in with you: If your bail bondsman has to have check-ins to make sure you haven’t run off or if they have to electronically monitor you, they’ll charge extra because of the extra work involved.
- Other fees are incurred: like forfeiture if you don’t appear at all or cancellation if the person who signed the bond changes their mind, and they can be anywhere from the entire bondsman fee to the entire amount of the bond.
Basically, expect to pay 10-15% of the face value of the bond as the Bail Bondsmen Fee, but the more of the above circumstances you have, the more likely that the cost will rise. To learn more, find a bail agent today at the Bail Agent Network.
