When someone commits a crime, they can be released on bail. This means the court has sized up their conviction and presented an amount to be paid for their temporary release. Bail varies in size based on the severity of the crime - $50,000 is considered average in California.
Bail can either be paid in full by the arrested individual or covered by a bail bond. In either case, how long does it take for bail to be posted? Will you immediately be released from jail or is there still time to wait? Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds explains everything you need to know in this bail bond guide.
Bail Posting Process: How Long Does It Take?
From our experience, the bail posting process usually takes between 30 minutes to 4 hours.
That’s a rather large time gap, but the important thing to note is that bail is posted and you are released on the same day. The reason for the big time gap is because of the case you’re involved with. Simple cases will be closer to the 30-minute mark but more complex ones are going to touch 4 hours - or possibly more.
What Determines The Bail Posting Time?
Your case determines the bail posting time, but it’s not the only factor. There are also certain elements of a case that come into play while others are less important.
Here’s what usually determines how long it takes for a bond to be posted:
- Criminal History - A defendant with a long criminal history may be detained for longer after bail has been posted. This is because the officers will need to run multiple checks to see if there are other arrest warrants for this individual. People with clean records will be easier to check, so they often get bail posted quickly.
- Case Complexity - A case that requires lots of paperwork will take longer than one that’s very simple. Time is spent going through the paperwork and making sure everything is in order. This can include determining bail conditions based on the case. For instance, sometimes someone is required to be electronically monitored under house arrest after being released. Other times, this isn’t necessary. If the former happens, more paperwork is needed to deal with house arrest, so it’ll take longer for bail to be posted.
- Jail Size and Location - Sometimes, conditions out of your hands can slow down the bail posting process. A busy jail with lots of defendants on the bail list will have a slower process than a quieter one. In a quiet local jail, you may be the only person in a holding cell awaiting release. Thus, it’s far easier for people working at the jail to process the paperwork and get you released on bail. If you’re waiting multiple hours for bail to be posted, it’s likely because you’re in a very busy prison that could be understaffed or have a long list of inmates to process.
How Long After Being Arrested Can You Post Bail? Wanting to know how long it takes for bail to be posted and when you can post bail are two separate questions.
The second question refers to after you’ve been arrested, when is the earliest time you’re allowed to post bail? Obviously, this has an impact on the bail posting process - while it may only take 30 minutes for bail to be posted, you could be sat in jail for hours waiting for the bail amount to be set.
Unfortunately, we can’t give you a ballpark figure when it comes to how long after being arrested you can post bail. It all depends on the individual and the crime they’ve been arrested for. Again, complicated and serious cases will usually require more time to go over. This means the jail may take longer to set bail, so you’ll be held for longer, possibly even overnight. The great news is that as soon as your bail has been set, you can obtain a bail bond. It only takes a couple of minutes to gain bail bond approval, and then you can post bail. From here, you will have to wait anywhere between 30 minutes and 4 hours, as mentioned earlier.
What Can Be Done To Speed Up The Bail Posting Process?
Not a lot can be done to speed things up, other than posting bail as quickly as possible.
Contrary to popular belief, you can post bail 24/7 in the state of California. The sooner you act, the quicker the bail posting process can kick into action. For example, imagine you are arrested at night. Bail is set at 10 pm, but you wait until 9 am the next day to post bail. During this period, many other people could’ve posted bail, so there’s now a longer list of defendants for the jail to deal with.
If you’d posted bail immediately when it was set, you’d be at the top of the list - and there’s every possibility you’d be out of there without needing to stay overnight.
That’s why it’s helpful to work with a certified bail bond agency like Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds. We offer 24-hour bail bonds in California, so you can get the money you need as soon as you need it. You won’t have to worry about raising money for bail and can post it ASAP. As a result, you’ll be out of jail in no time and can begin preparing for any upcoming court appearances.
Speed Up The Bail Posting Process With Mr Nice Guy Bail Bonds
If you’d like to reduce your jail time and get back home to see your family, contact us immediately. Regardless of your conviction, we’ll work tirelessly to give you a bail bond and help throughout the bail posting process. The same goes for any of you with a loved one in jail - we’ll post bail so they can come home to you as quickly as possible.
