Bail Questions • Warrants and Jail Time • Arizona
Can You Post Bail on a Bench Warrant?
Yes, you can post bail on a bench warrant when the judge who issued it set a bond amount on the warrant.
Quick answer
Yes, you can post bail on a bench warrant when the judge who issued it set a bond amount on the warrant. In Arizona a licensed bail agent can arrange a walk-through bond so the person is released within hours of turning in. No-bond and cash-only warrants need a court order first.
When a bench warrant has a bond amount
Most bench warrants in Maricopa County carry a bond amount set by the issuing judge. It often tracks the original bond and is sometimes higher. Minor traffic and misdemeanor bench warrants are commonly a few hundred to a few thousand dollars; felony bench warrants follow the seriousness of the charge. The amount appears on the docket entry and on the warrant itself.
If the entry says surety bond, bail bond, or simply lists a dollar amount with no restriction, a bail agent can post it. The premium is typically 10% of the amount and is not refundable, the same filed rate as any other bond. One qualified cosigner with ID, a verifiable address and income is usually enough, and bonds under about $25,000 are often written on a signature with no collateral. The warrant bail bonds page describes the paperwork.
How a walk-through bond works
A walk-through bond is a bond arranged before the person is in custody. The agent confirms the warrant, the issuing court and the amount from the public record. The cosigner signs the application and indemnity agreement electronically and pays the premium by card. The agent then meets the person at the jail or the court, the person surrenders on the warrant, is booked, and the agent posts the bond at the Bond and Fine Room. Release typically follows in minutes to a few hours.
Bench warrants can also be posted after an unplanned arrest, the same way as any bond, once the person is booked and the bond appears in the jail's system. Either way the person leaves with a new court date. Read turning yourself in with a bond for the step by step.
When you cannot post bail on a bench warrant
Three situations block a surety bond. A warrant marked no bond means the judge wants the person in front of the court before any release decision; a defense attorney can ask for a bond at that hearing. A cash only warrant means the full amount must be paid to the court in cash, and a bondsman cannot substitute a surety bond unless the attorney gets the order modified; see cash only bonds.
The third is a hold. If the person also has a probation hold, a parole hold, an immigration detainer or a warrant from another county, posting the bench warrant bond will not produce a release. We check for holds before posting, because paying a premium on a bond that cannot release anyone helps nobody. Bench warrants from other Arizona counties can be handled through a licensed agent there or as a transfer bond.
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Related Questions
How much is bail for a bench warrant in Arizona?
The issuing judge sets it. Minor traffic and misdemeanor bench warrants are often a few hundred to a few thousand dollars; felony bench warrants often match or exceed the original bond. The amount is in the court record, and the surety premium is typically 10% of it.
Can you bond out on a bench warrant the same day?
Often, yes. If the warrant carries a surety bond amount, a walk-through bond can be arranged in an hour or two and posted at surrender. Release at the 4th Avenue Jail usually takes two to eight hours after posting, longer on weekend nights.
Do you have to go to jail for a bench warrant?
The warrant has to be served, which means a brief booking in most cases. With a walk-through bond the stay is minutes to a few hours. A defense attorney can sometimes get the warrant quashed by motion so the person appears at a hearing without booking.
Does posting bail on a bench warrant clear the case?
No. The bond secures the person's return to court and gets the warrant returned. The original charge and any failure to appear charge are still pending, and a defense attorney handles those. Missing the new date brings a second warrant and forfeiture of the bond.
Can a bondsman post a bench warrant bond in another Arizona county?
Yes. We arrange bonds at every county jail in Arizona through a licensed agent in that county or as a transfer bond, at the same filed premium. The process and paperwork are the same as in Maricopa County. Call One Stop Bail Bonds any hour and an agent will walk you through it.