Preparing for the Bail Bonding Process

If you show up to the bonding company office without a valid form of identification, they will likely send you home to get one. They need to see an officially sanctioned form of identification to ensure the right person is entered into the record as the bond co-signer of note. That typically means a driver’s license, although a passport will usually suffice. The bondsman needs to know exactly who is co-signing the bond in case the person being bailed out decides to skip town.

While not always necessary, proof of ownership, such as a deed to property or a vehicle title, may be required. This serves as additional assurance of the co-signer’s financial capacity. If requested, the co-signer must provide evidence of ownership of tangible assets. These assets could include a house, a car, or other valuable property. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that the bail bond company has a way to recover the bail amount if the defendant fails to appear in court. Proof of ownership usually involves providing documents such as property deeds or vehicle titles that clearly show the co-signer as the owner.

A prospective co-signer is typically required to provide proof of employment to demonstrate that they have a steady source of income. This is to ensure that they can afford to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not fulfill their court obligations. The co-signer may need to provide pay stubs, tax returns, or other documentation to prove their employment history. A long-term, stable job is often seen as a positive factor when considering someone for co-signing a bail bond, as it indicates the co-signer’s ability to meet potential financial obligations related to the bail bond expense.

The days when a bail bond company would accept a personal check are pretty much over. If they have had dealings with a particular person before and everything went well they might risk it. But don’t count on it. Instead, most bail bond agents these days prefer debit cards, with credit cards typically a second choice. Some will also accept PayPal or other types of digital wallets. But if you hope to use something like that make sure you clear it with the bondsman first.

Also, make sure that whatever card you decide to use can handle the full amount, which is usually 10-15% of the total bail, depending on the bail amount set by the court. If the payment type you choose can’t handle the full amount you’ll either need to spread the cost over several cards or go home and think of some other way, like collateral. The bottom line: have your payment details figured out in advance.

A good credit history is a significant requirement for a bail bond co-signer – including regular payments, some savings, collateral, or property. A high credit score and a history of timely payments indicate that the co-signer is financially responsible. This gives the bail bond company confidence that the co-signer will be able to pay the bail amount if necessary. Bringing a recent credit report could be required as an indicator of your reliability with past debts – and your capacity to take on additional financial requirements. Otherwise, the co-signer’s credit history may be checked through a credit report from one of the major credit bureaus.

Why? Because you may wind up using it a lot during the process and you don’t want it dying on you at a critical time. For instance, you may need to call the jail at some point and talk to your friend or loved one who’s been incarcerated. You may also want access to the phone’s calculator or calendar apps. Making note of court dates before you forget them will be critical for all involved.

You can also use the phone’s camera to take photos of every piece of paperwork you fill out in case something gets lost or there are questions about certain bits of information. During the process, you will also likely want to take some phone numbers to add to your contact list. That includes people at the bondsman’s office, court officers, a lawyer, or other people involved with the situation.

Also, if you are moving between several locations throughout this process – such as home, the bonding company, jail and the courthouse – a navigational app like Google Maps or Waze will help make sure you don’t get lost.

Things always take longer than we want them to, and for that reason, it can be helpful to have a snack with you. That way when you’re waiting in this or that office you can keep your energy levels up. You don’t need to bring a cooler filled with food and drinks. But having a piece of fruit and perhaps some crackers with you could go a long way toward fending off hunger and the irritability that often comes with it.

You might think you’ll just bring some change and rely on vending machines. But just like there never seems to be a gas station when you need one, vending machines tend to disappear when you want them the most. So bring something yourself, just to be safe.