A California bail schedule is a county court’s list of starting bail amounts for offenses. After an arrest, jail staff may use the applicable schedule to identify an amount before the person appears in court. That figure is a starting point, not a promise that bail can be posted or that the amount will stay the same. A court order, a hold, the charges recorded at booking, and later court decisions can affect what happens next.
CityWide Bail Bonds (California Department of Insurance license 1846264) helps families understand the bail information available for a particular booking. The first practical step is to confirm the person’s current custody status and ask whether the jail lists bail as available.
What is a California bail schedule?
California law directs the superior court judges in each county to prepare, adopt, and annually revise a uniform countywide bail schedule. The law describes schedules for bailable felony offenses and for misdemeanor and infraction offenses, with specified exceptions. That is why the starting amount can differ by county even when an offense has the same name. The governing rule appears in California Penal Code section 1269b.
A schedule gives the jail and court a way to identify a starting figure before an individualized court decision. It does not decide every question about release. The listed amount may be affected by an existing court order or another circumstance in the case. A family should treat any amount heard immediately after arrest as information to verify, especially if booking is still underway.
How is the starting amount found?
Jail staff first need the booking information, including the offenses recorded for the arrest. They then apply the county’s current schedule and any relevant court instructions. If there are several charges, do not assume the listed amounts are simply added together. The applicable schedule and the circumstances determine how the starting amount is calculated.
For example, a family asking about someone held in Stanislaus County can use the Modesto and Stanislaus County bail bonds page for local context and the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center page for facility information. Those pages help identify the county and facility to ask about; the jail or court remains the source for the person’s current bail status.
The same approach applies elsewhere. If someone is held in San Joaquin County, the San Joaquin County bail bonds page and the San Joaquin County Jail page provide relevant local context. The county matters because its court adopts the schedule used there.
Why might the amount or bail status change?
The charges recorded during booking may be updated. A court may also make a decision after the starting figure is identified. California law tells a judge considering monetary bail to take account of factors including public safety, the seriousness of the offense, the person’s previous criminal record, and the probability of appearing in court. See Penal Code section 1275.
A judge may set or change monetary bail, order release without monetary bail when permitted, or deny bail where the law allows. For certain charges, California law requires a hearing before particular release decisions can be made. The rules for those hearings are in Penal Code section 1270.1. Whether a person can post bail before a hearing depends on the charge and any applicable court order or hold.
This is why a screenshot, earlier phone update, or booking document may no longer describe the current situation. If two sources show different amounts, ask the jail which status is current and whether a court order has changed it. The court can confirm its own orders.
The schedule amount is different from a bond premium
The scheduled amount is a starting figure, and a judge can raise or lower it. A bail bond premium is the charge for a bond if a bond can be used. CityWide’s premium is 10% (rate filed with the California Department of Insurance). For example, a $10,000 bail amount would correspond to a $1,000 premium at that rate. That example explains the calculation; it does not establish the amount or availability of bail in any case.
Before agreeing to a bond, ask what amount is currently listed, whether a bond is accepted for that booking, and what obligations come with signing. The what to have ready for bail page can help a family gather the basic information needed for that conversation.
What to do next
Write down the person’s full name, date of birth if known, county of arrest, and booking number if available. Check with the county jail for the current custody and bail status. If a hearing has occurred, ask the court about the current order. Confirm the amount again before making a payment or signing bond paperwork.
If you need help understanding the available bail information, call CityWide Bail Bonds at 1-833-385-5245. When you call, CityWide can look up warrants or inmate information at no charge. The office is at 614 16th St., Modesto, CA 95354, and is open 24/7.
This is general information, not legal advice.
