How Do You Post Bail for Someone?

By One Stop Bail Bonds, licensed Arizona bail bond agency • Published November 3, 2026

Step by Step

1. Confirm the bail amount on the court record after the initial appearance.
2. Decide between a cash bond for the full amount or a surety bond for a premium.
3. For cash, take the full amount and ID to the 4th Avenue Jail Bond and Fine Room.
4. For surety, sign the agent's paperwork electronically and pay the premium by card.
5. Get a receipt or bond copy showing the defendant, case and amount posted.
6. Wait for the jail to verify the bond and process the release.

What posting bail means

To post bail is to deposit the security the judge required as a condition of release. The judge sets the amount at the initial appearance under A.R.S. 13-3967. Posting is the act of handing that security to the court's agent, the jail clerk, who records it against the case and issues a release order. Until the security is in the clerk's hands, the person stays in custody.

There are two forms of security. A cash bond is the full amount in cash, deposited by you and refunded by the court at the end of the case if the person appears. A surety bond is a licensed agent's promise, backed by an insurance company, to pay the full amount if the person does not appear. You pay the agent a premium instead of the full bail. Our cash bond vs surety bond guide compares the two.

Posting a cash bond yourself

For a cash bond you go in person to the 4th Avenue Jail Bond and Fine Room, 201 S 4th Avenue, Phoenix, open 24 hours, with the full amount and your ID. The clerk's office or the court that set bail can also accept a cash bond during business hours. You give the defendant's name and booking number, the clerk confirms the amount, takes the money, and gives you a receipt. Keep that receipt; it is your proof for the refund.

Two things catch people off guard. The county does not accept cash bonds by phone, wire, app or card from a distance; someone has to be at the window. And the refund comes only after the case ends and the court exonerates the bond, which can be months, and can be reduced by fines or restitution the court applies. See do you get bail money back.

Posting a surety bond through an agent

Most families post through an agent because they do not have the full amount available. The agent confirms the bail from the court record, you sign the application and indemnity agreement electronically, and you pay the premium, typically 10% of the bail, by debit or credit card. Qualified cosigners can use a payment plan; the total does not change. Many bonds under about $25,000 are written on a signature. Larger bonds may need collateral.

The agent then posts the bond at the same window. You never have to go downtown. The jail verifies the bond, checks for holds, and releases the person, usually within two to eight hours at 4th Avenue. The premium is not refunded, but you never had to raise the full bail. The bond stays in force until the case ends and the court exonerates it.

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