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Can you pay your own bail after being arrested? In short, you can - though this isn’t always the best decision. We’ll explain how to do this, why you may wish to do it, and why it might not be the best choice. 

How Do You Bail Yourself Out of Jail?

When we talk about “bailing yourself out of jail” we’re referring to the act of posting bail by yourself. The court sets a bail amount and you duly oblige by sending them the money. This can be done immediately if you have the money to hand - you’ll already be held in custody, so you simply tell the officers you’d like to post bail. They’ll ask how you wish to pay (which will usually be via a bank transfer or card payment) and the money can be transferred straight away, allowing for your immediate release. 

The other way of knowing how to bond yourself out of jail is by borrowing money from friends or family. This might take a bit longer as you’ll need to contact them, but the result is the same. You pay your full bail amount and can go home until your trial starts. 

What’s The Alternative To Posting Your Own Bail?

Self-bail is one way of getting out of custody, but the more common option is to work with a licensed bail bond agency. You can obtain an online bail bond to cover the cost of bail. Rather than paying the full amount all on your own, the bail bond agency takes care of it. 

You’ll typically be charged 10% as a fee for this service. 

Contact the bail bond agency or ask friends/family to do so and they’ll work quickly to ensure you’re released ASAP. It costs significantly less upfront than posting bail yourself, which is why many people opt for this method instead of self-bonding. The bail bond company pays the courts and you’re released. You are now obliged to attend all court hearings and to be on your best behavior until the trial concludes. Breaking these terms can result in the bail bond agency seizing the full bail amount from you. 

The Benefits Of Bailing Yourself Out of Jail

Can you pay your own bail? Yes - but why would you want to do this? 

Working with a bail bond agency is usually the best approach, yet choosing to bail yourself out of jail can have a few distinct advantages: 

  • The full bail amount is refunded - Regardless of what happens at your trial, the court will refund the full bail amount to your account. In essence, it doesn’t end up costing money at all. By contrast, you will not be refunded the 10% fee paid to a bail bond agency - even if your charges are dropped. This is your payment for the bail bond service, so opting for DIY bail can work out cheaper in the long run. 
  • You can secure a faster release - Because you don’t have to contact anyone, bailing yourself out of jail is the fastest way to get released. Provided you’ve got enough money to post bail immediately, you can be let go within minutes of bail being set. 
  • No impact on your credit score - Opting to pay for a bail bonds service could result in problems for your credit score. It depends on whether you use a payment plan to cover the fees. This counts as taking out a line of credit, so it will be noted on your credit score and possibly lower it. 

The Downsides Of Bailing Yourself Out of Jail

Let’s not hide from the fact that bailing yourself out of jail has one major downside: 

  • It costs a lot of money - Did you know the average bail in California can be between $10,000 to $50,000 for first-time felonies? These are usually fairly serious crimes and there’s a very low chance you’ll have that kind of money lying around. Even though it gets refunded after your trial, you’re put in a horrible financial position paying this much money in one go.

    Opting for a bail bond service is usually far more cost-effective. Sure, you have a non-refundable fee to pay, but it makes the process more manageable. You leave more cash in your bank account to cover bills and all other essential expenses. Also, for misdemeanors like a DUI, you could pay $250 instead of the full $2,500. That’s the difference between having enough money to pay a bill and ending up in debt. 

You might look at the benefits & downsides and see there are 3 to 1 in favor of benefits. However, the disadvantage of paying loads of money for bail is so big. It’s enough to convince most people to avoid bailing themselves out of jail. Put simply, most of us aren’t in the financial position to afford to spend all that money in one go. Paying 10% of the bail amount as a fee for a bail bond agency is far smarter and more financially viable. 

Should You Post Bail or Get a Bail Bond?

As a general rule, you should only post bail if you are financially stable enough to deal with the consequences. Can you afford to spend this much money and have it out of your account for weeks, possibly months? It depends on how big the bail amount is, but most people are better off getting a bail bond instead. 

With that in mind, if you or someone you love is in jail and needs to post bail, contact Alana’s Bail Bonds today. We provide a range of bail bond services and payment plans to meet all your needs and ensure you/they are released ASAP.