Bail Questions • Warrants and Jail Time • Arizona
Can You Get a Bondsman With a Cash Only Bond?
No, a bondsman cannot post a surety bond when the court has ordered a cash only bond.
Quick answer
No, a bondsman cannot post a surety bond when the court has ordered a cash only bond. The options are paying the full amount to the court, or having a defense attorney ask the judge to modify the order to a surety bond, which a bail agent can then post.
Why a bail agent cannot post on a cash only order
A bail bond is a promise by a licensed surety company, through its agent, to pay the court the full amount if the defendant fails to appear. A cash only bond is the judge's decision that a promise is not enough: the court wants the money in hand. The jail and the clerk will not accept a surety bond on a cash only order no matter who presents it, because the order itself forbids it.
Judges use cash only for people who have already missed court, who have a history of failures to appear, or whose ties to Arizona are thin. It appears most often on bench warrants and after a release violation. The order will say cash only on the docket and on the warrant. Our cash only bonds page explains how to read it and what we can and cannot do.
Option one: pay the full amount to the court
Anyone can pay a cash bond for the defendant. For someone in Maricopa County custody, the family pays at the 4th Avenue Jail Bond and Fine Room, 201 S 4th Avenue, Phoenix, which is open 24 hours, or at the clerk's office or the court that set the bond during business hours. The county does not accept payment by phone, app, wire or electronic transfer, and never requests payment by text or email.
The full amount is held as security for the life of the case. If the defendant appears at every hearing, the court returns it when the case ends, sometimes minus fines, fees or restitution the court applies. If the defendant misses court, the court starts forfeiture under Rule 7.6 and A.R.S. 13-3974 and can keep the money. Our guide on cash bond vs surety bond compares the two side by side.
Option two: ask the court to modify the bond
A cash only order is not permanent. A defense attorney can file a motion asking the judge to modify release conditions to a secured appearance bond that allows surety, or to lower the amount, or both. The motion typically explains why the person missed court or why the risk of flight is lower than it looked, and points to employment, residence and family ties. These requests are heard at the initial appearance, at arraignment, or at a separate hearing.
Judges grant them often enough that it is worth asking, especially when the family can show a bail agent is ready to post the moment the order changes. We do not give legal advice, and we cannot file the motion. What we can do is confirm the current order from the court record, tell the family exactly what it says, and be ready.
What we can do once it is modified
The moment the docket shows a surety bond, the process is the same as any other bond. The cosigner signs the application and indemnity agreement electronically, pays the premium, typically 10% of the amount, by debit or credit card, and the agent posts at the Bond and Fine Room. Release from 4th Avenue typically follows in two to eight hours. If the person is turning in on a warrant that was modified in advance, we arrange a walk-through bond so the stay in custody is minutes to a few hours.
Families sometimes ask whether an agent can loan the cash for a cash only bond. We cannot. A surety bond is the only product a licensed Arizona bail agent writes, and the premium cannot be converted into a loan of the full amount.
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Related Questions
Why would a judge set a cash only bond?
Usually because the person has already missed court, has a record of failures to appear, violated a release condition, or has little tying them to Arizona. The judge wants the full amount held by the court rather than a surety's promise. It is common on bench warrants.
Can a cash only bond be changed to a surety bond?
Yes, by the court. A defense attorney files a motion asking the judge to modify release conditions, and judges grant these regularly when the attorney shows the person will appear. Once the order changes, a licensed bail agent can post a surety bond immediately.
Do you get cash only bail money back?
If the defendant appears at every hearing, the court returns the cash when the case ends and the bond is exonerated, sometimes minus fines, fees or restitution. Refunds can take several weeks. If the defendant misses court, the court can forfeit the money after notice and a hearing.
Can you pay a cash only bond with a credit card?
The county accepts cash bonds at the 4th Avenue Jail Bond and Fine Room; ask the window about accepted payment forms, which can change. The county does not take bonds by phone, app or wire. Bail agents accept cards for the premium on a surety bond, not for cash bonds.
Can a bondsman help at all with a cash only bond?
Yes, in two ways. We confirm the exact order from the court record so the family knows whether it is truly cash only, and we stand ready to post a surety bond the moment a defense attorney gets the order modified. Call One Stop Bail Bonds any hour and an agent will walk you through it.