Bail Questions • Bailing Someone Out • Arizona
How Do You Pay Bail?
You pay bail in cash for the full amount at the jail window, or by paying a licensed agent a premium of about 10%.
Quick answer
You pay bail in cash for the full amount at the jail window, or by paying a licensed agent a premium of about 10%. Agents take debit and credit cards. In Maricopa County the county takes cash bonds in person only; agents take cards, electronic signatures and payment plans.
Step by Step
- Confirm whether the judge set a secured bond or a cash-only bond.
- To pay in full, bring cash and ID to the 4th Avenue Jail Bond and Fine Room.
- To use an agent, call with the defendant's name and the bond amount.
- Sign the application and indemnity agreement electronically.
- Pay the premium by debit or credit card, or make the down payment on a plan.
- Keep the receipt and the paperwork showing the next court date.
Paying the court directly: cash bond at the window
If you want to pay the full amount, you take it to the 4th Avenue Jail Bond and Fine Room, 201 S 4th Avenue, Phoenix, which is open 24 hours, or to the clerk's office or the court that set bail during business hours. Bring ID and the defendant's name and booking number. You receive a receipt, and the court refunds the money after the case ends if the person appears at every hearing, minus any fines or restitution applied.
Know the limits before you drive down. The county does not accept bail by phone, app, wire or electronic transfer, and it never requests payment by text or email. If the judge ordered a cash-only bond, this is the only option; a surety bond is not allowed. For a secured appearance bond, you can choose cash or a bail agent. See cash-only bonds for what that order means.
Paying a bail agent: premium by card
Most people pay bail through an agent because 10% is reachable and 100% is not. The premium is set by surety rates filed with DIFI and is typically 10% of the bail: $500 on a $5,000 bond, $2,000 on $20,000, $5,000 on $50,000. Surety schedules set a minimum premium on very small bonds. Licensed agents may not charge interest on the premium or add night, weekend or holiday surcharges.
We take debit and credit cards, and the paperwork is signed electronically from anywhere, including out of state. The premium is earned when the bond posts and is not refunded, whatever the case outcome. Use the bail bond calculator to see the premium on any amount before you call. A real agent never asks for gift cards, cryptocurrency or a cash app transfer.
Payment plans and collateral
If the premium is more than you can pay at once, a qualified cosigner can pay a down payment and the balance in installments. The total does not change; the plan only spreads it out. An unpaid premium balance is a contract debt the agency can collect through normal civil means, so agree to a schedule you can keep. Details are on our payment plans page.
Collateral is separate from payment. Many bonds under about $25,000 are written on a signature alone. Larger bonds, or a weaker cosigner profile, may require collateral such as a vehicle title, real estate or cash. Collateral is held, not spent, and is returned when the court exonerates the bond at the end of the case. It is at risk only if the defendant fails to appear and is not returned to custody.
Need a bond now?
A licensed agent answers any hour, confirms the custody location and bail amount, and posts the bond while you stay home.
Related Questions
Can you pay bail with a credit card?
Yes, to a bail agent. Licensed agents accept debit and credit cards for the premium. The Maricopa County jail window takes cash for cash bonds and does not run cards for surety bonds, so a card payment goes through the agent, who then posts the bond.
Can you pay bail in installments?
The premium on a surety bond can be paid in installments by a qualified cosigner: a down payment, then scheduled payments, with no change to the total. The court does not take a cash bond in installments; the full amount must be deposited before release.
Can you pay bail with a check?
The county window generally requires cash for a cash bond; ask the clerk before relying on a check or money order. A bail agent may accept other forms of payment for the premium, but cards and electronic payment are the standard and the fastest.
Do you have to pay the full bail amount?
Only if you post a cash bond. With a surety bond you pay the agent a premium, typically 10%, and the agent's surety company guarantees the full amount to the court. The full bail becomes your debt only if the defendant fails to appear.
Who do you pay bail to?
A cash bond is paid to the court through the jail clerk, which holds it until the case ends. A bail bond premium is paid to the licensed agent, who files the surety bond. Call One Stop Bail Bonds any hour and an agent will walk you through it.