If you are arrested for committing a crime in California, the prosecution will file criminal charges against you. At your first arraignment, the judge will schedule a bail hearing. In the bail hearing, the presiding judge will inform you of the amount you must pay for bail. If you post bail, you will be released while your case is pending. California courts have a reputation for setting high bail amounts, which makes it impossible for some defendants to post cash bail and secure a release.

Fortunately, defendants who lack the financial capacity to raise bail money can secure a release through a bail bond. Surety companies offer bail bonds, which pay the full bail amount at a fee. The standard bail bond fee in the state is 10% of the total bail.

However, you can negotiate a lower rate or enter into a repayment plan with your bail bonds company. Posting bail is financially demanding, so it is paramount to have an in-depth understanding of the pricing for this process.

An Overview of Bail Bond Cost

Unless you can secure a release on your own recognizance (OR), you must post bail before being released from jail while your criminal case is pending. This means the bail money must be presented to the court clerk before the release. Bail can be posted in cash, using property, or with the help of a Norco bail bonds company.

With cash bail, you must present the total amount to the court clerk before a release. In addition to the stress of raising the bail amounts, posting a cash bail can result in financial scrutiny from the court. Many defendants opt to post bail bonds because it is affordable and lowers the financial burden of securing a release.

When you contact a surety company for assistance, they will post the full bail amount to the court. However, their services come with a cost. Instead of paying the total bail amount, you will be responsible for up to 10% of the bail bond. For example, if the court sets your bail at $10,000, you will only pay $1,000 to the bail bonds company. This amount serves as the service fee for the bail bond services and is not refundable.

Bail Bond Repayment Plan

The judge sets your bail using the bail schedules as a base and adjusts the amount depending on the severity of your charges and other factors in your case. Your bail could be set at up to thousands of dollars. The 10% premium fee may still be too high for you and your family to raise on short notice for a high bail amount.

Fortunately, you can negotiate a bail bond repayment plan with your bail bonds company. This type of plan allows you to give a portion of the bail bond premium as a down payment and cover the balance in installments. The higher the down payment you can give, the higher your chances of entering the repayment plan.

Other factors that could determine your eligibility for the repayment plan include:

  • Your credit score
  • Availability of co-signers for your bail bond
  • Your employment history
  • Duration of residency in the jurisdiction

There are different types of bail bond plans you can enter, including:

$500 down Bail Bonds

When your surety company offers you $500 in down bail bonds, you must pay $500 of the premium before the release. In return, your Norco bail bondsman will go to court and pay the full bail amount. This makes it easier for individuals with no financial means to secure an early release and move on while their case is pending.

With this type of bail bond, the $500 is constant regardless of the total amount for your bail. If you are over eighteen, you can enter into this payment plan and have a cosigner who guarantees your return for trial and other proceedings.

1% down Bail Bonds

The costs associated with posting bail bonds can be overwhelming. When you face criminal charges, you want some funds left to hire legal representation and pay other court costs. When your bail bonds company agrees to a 1% down bail bond, you can pay 1% of the premium fee before being released from jail.

For example, if your bail is set at $100,000 by the judge, the surety company will charge you $10,000 for their services, which is 10% of the total. With this bail bond plan, you will pay $100 before a release and $9,900 in installments.

No Money Down Bail Bonds

A 0% down or no money bail bond is the most convenient plan you can make with your bail bonds company. You will still need to pay the service fee for the bail bonds. Instead, you or your loved one can be released on a bail bond before paying a down payment for the 10% premium.

This plan allows defendants from low-income backgrounds to secure a fast release and avoid spending unnecessary time behind bars. Some of the requirements for entering a 0%-down bail bonds plan include:

  • You must be a legal resident of California. You will only be eligible for this type of bail bond repayment plan if you are a resident of California. Therefore, if you are an out-of-state resident facing criminal charges in California, you can explore other options for paying your bail bond.
  • Have at least two indemnitors. A bail bond indemnitor will shoulder your bail bond's financial responsibility if you cannot make the payments. Before entering this repayment plan, you must have at least two indemnitors with a good credit score and proof of employment.
  • You should not have a criminal record. The no-money bail bonds are only available to first-time offenders.
  • If you secure a release on a no-money bail bond, you must pay up to 3% of the premium within ten days of release. The balance will be divided into installments of up to twelve months.

Some of the considerations that you must keep in mind when entering a bail bond repayment plan include:

  • You must make all the payments on time to avoid the cancellation of bail and the possibility of returning to jail.
  • You must consult with your Norco bail bondsman anytime an issue arises.
  • You should inquire about the accountable modes of payment by the surety company to avoid mistakes.
  • If you skip a payment, your co-signer will be personally responsible for the bail bond premium.
  • You will still be liable for the bail bond repayment plan even if you face an arrest while on bail.
  • A bail bond repayment plan acts like a loan, and interest rates may apply. Before entering into a repayment plan, you must discuss the interest rates with your bail bonds company.

Bail Bond Collateral

Most defendants will seek the help of a bail bondsman or will lack the money to post a cash bail. In addition to paying the bail bond premiums, the surety company may require your co-signer to provide collateral. Bail bond collateral is any asset that the Norco bail bondsman can sell to recover forfeited bail bond money when a defendant does not return to court for trial.

While a bail bond collateral is not necessary in many cases, it may be a requirement if:

  • You are a high-flight risk. Your flight risk is the likelihood of skipping bail. The court will use this to determine your bail amounts. You are considered a high-flight risk if you do not have strong community ties, like a job or family. With a high flight risk, the surety company may order that you present collateral for your bail bond.
  • You have a history of skipping bail. Bail bond collateral helps guarantee that the surety company will not lose its money in a forfeiture. Therefore, collateral may be necessary when you have a history of skipping bail.

If the surety company requires you to present collateral, the bail bondsman will inform you of the value of the item that you need to provide. Common forms of bail bond collateral include:

Real Estate

Real estate property is the most common form of collateral accepted by surety companies. When you present such property, the surety company will place a lien on the property and can lift it when you return to court for trial and the bail bond is exonerated. The property value you must present will vary depending on your flight risk.

Credit Cards

Sometimes, the surety company accepts credit cards as collateral for your bail bond. This involves placing a hold on the card and charging money, like a hotel reservation. Although the credit card holds will not appear in the statements, they protect the bail bondsman. However, you can only use a credit card as collateral for small bail amounts.

Brokerage Accounts

Brokerage accounts contain assets like stocks, bonds, and foreign exchange. If you do not want to liquidate your assets to pay for bail, you can use a bail bond and present the brokerage account as collateral. You can do this by offering the investment directly to the surety company or asking the court to issue an irrevocable line of credit.

Personal Property

If you do not own any real estate or brokerage accounts, you may use personal items as security for your bail bond. This could be relevant for pricey jewelry, vehicles, or electronics. Their ownership and worth must be proved before delivering these objects to the assurance firm.

What Happens to the Bail Bond When the Case Ends?

Posting a bail bond is a cheaper option for securing release from jail with a pending case. For a bail bond, you will pay a premium fee and sometimes provide collateral for the bail bond. After posting a bail bond and securing a release, you may wonder what will happen to the money posted for your bail.

In California, bail is not a punishment for a criminal offense. Instead, it guarantees the court your return for trial and other proceedings. Therefore, the money paid to the court for your release will be returned to the payer when the case ends. Thus, the Norco bail bonds company can collect their money from the court if you are released on a bail bond.

Before the surety company recovers its money, you must appear in court for all your scheduled proceedings. Additionally, you must have followed through with all the bail conditions. At your bail hearing, the court sets conditions you must follow. These conditions vary depending on the nature and severity of your charges.

If you return for trial and meet all the conditions after posting a bail bond, the bail bond company will recover its money. However, the 10% premium you pay is non-refundable. After recovering the bail bond money, the surety company will return the property or item you presented as collateral for the bail bond.

However, the court can forfeit the bail money for defendants who skip bail. A bail bond forfeiture means the money paid to the court for your release will not be returned to the surety company. Before a forfeiture, the court allows the Norco bail bonds company to find you and return you to court.

By employing the services of a bounty hunter, the bail bond company can track you down and take you back to court. You will be responsible for the bounty hunter's fee when you or a loved one for whom you are cosigning a bail bond flees.

Find a Reliable Norco Bail Bonds Company Near Me

If you or a loved one faces an arrest and detention with a pending criminal case in California, you can secure an early release by posting bail. Instead of generating the total amount needed for a cash bail, you can post a bail bond provided by surety companies.

When you post a bail bond, you will only be liable for a service fee equal to 10% of the bail. If you cannot pay the service charge in full, consider other options, such as signing up for a bail bond repayment plan.

You may be required to provide bail bond collateral in addition to the 10% service fee. You will need a reliable bail bonds company to make your bail posting process less stressful. At Fausto Bail Bonds, we offer fast, affordable, and transparent bail bond services for our clients in Norco, CA. Call us at 855-328-7867 to discuss your bail needs.