How Much Is Bail For DUI in California?

Driving under the influence is one of the most common offenses in America. Once you are stopped and arrested for DUI in the state of California, you may or may not have to pay bail to be released. Here’s what can happen after being booked for DUI here in CA.

Do you know someone who has been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI)? Need some help posting bail to get the arrested person out?

Fortunately, if you work with the right California bail bonds company, affordable DUI bail bonds are an option.

If you need assistance now, feel free to contact us at (866) 916-3382. One of our friendly bail bonds agents will be here for you.

Getting a Bail Bond for DUI

The definition of a bail bond remains the same regardless of what you’ve been charged for. A bail bond is a financial instrument that makes bail possible for many who would otherwise not be able to pay it. It allows someone who has been arrested to pay to be released until their court date. If the defendant cannot afford bail, they must wait in jail until their court date arrives.

If you are that unfortunate person with a DUI arrest, you will be held by the police or a corrections facility until you can post a bond or until your court date. Posting bail frees you from jail under the assumption that you will begin to prepare for your court case. The amount you must post depends on several factors, including where you were, why your arrest happened and more.

The court holds the posted amount until your DUI charges court dates and until the case against you gets adjudicated.

Can’t afford to pay the full amount of a bond out of pocket? Not being able to pay a bond is where a bail bond agent enters the picture. The bail bonds agent will pay the court the full amount and charge you small a non-refundable fee. The defendant will sign an agreement that he/she will appear in court when scheduled. The bail bondsman then will pay the bond and post bail, and after what is usually a few hours for processing, the defendant is released.

The Cost of Bail for DUI

The cost of bail for a DUI offense in California will depend on several circumstances.

If you get arrested for DUI, and it is your first offense, you will likely get released with no requirements. If there are mitigating circumstances, such as prior DUI convictions or Felony DUI, you will need bail bonds to get out of jail.

Bail for a felony DUI is typically $100,000 or more. A bail bond company will post the total amount of bail in exchange for the defendant paying 8-10% of the needed sum. Those who cannot pay bail are brought before a court for their arraignment while remaining detained.

A judge will set a bond in California based on different factors:

The most important factors that will influence the cost of bail include:

• If it is a first-time offense: a first-time DUI offense will likely have either no bail or inexpensive bail.
• If the driver has a criminal record: the cost of bail will increase if the driver has past arrests or convictions. This is true even if the past offenses were unrelated to DUI.
• If an accident occurred: a DUI accident that caused injury or death can be a felony offense. In this case, the cost of bail will increase or may not be granted at all.
• Aggravating factors: if there were aggravating factors at the time of arrest, the cost of bail and severity of the charges could increase. Aggravating factors include: significantly high BAC, speeding, leaving the scene of an accident, if a child was in the car, etc.

In general, for a standard DUI offense in Los Angeles county, bail will be around $5,000 t0 $10,000. However, in some cases, the offender will not have to pay bail at all. In addition, the total amount of a bond can depend on certain conditions associated with the DUI case, such as:

• The charges against the defendant
• Their criminal history
• Blood alcohol content
• The locality of the traffic stopWhether there was an accident
• Whether property damage occurred or another person was injured
• Aggravating factors
• Charges for any other crime related to the
• The judge or magistrate may determine you are a flight risk
• Whether the arresting officer requests a higher amount than is scheduled
• Each county has its bail schedule, which means a magistrate may set bail for a different amount for bail in Los Angeles versus San Diego and a different amount than both if you were arrested in San
• Francisco. The scheduled bond acts as a minimum bail amount the defendant must pay based on the charges filed against them.

Bail Amounts by California County

Here’s an overview of standard first offense bail prices according to each county’s bail schedule:

• Los Angeles County: $5,000
• Riverside County: $3,500
• San Bernardino County: $25,000
• Orange County: $2,500
• Ventura County: $5,000
• Alameda County: $5,000
• Santa Barbara County: $5,000

Bail Bonds for DUI in California

If you are required to pay bail for your DUI, a bail bond can help you afford the cost. Let’s say that your DUI bail is set at $5,000. If you do not have $5,000 available to pay upfront, a bail bonds agency will only require you to pay a portion of that amount. This legally cannot be more than 10% of the total cost of bail, or in this example, $500. After you pay the premium, a bail bonds agency will cover the rest.

Working with a bail bondsman also helps the process move as quickly as possible. Once the premium is paid, you or your loved one can be released within hours. If you cannot afford the premium, The Bail Boys offers no money down bail bonds.

Own Recognizance

Many DUI offenders are released on their own recognizance. This means that they sign an agreement to attend their mandatory court hearings, and do not have to pay bail in exchange. Typically, when released on their own recognizance, individuals are required to either periodically contact the court throughout their case, and/or must remain in the local area throughout the duration of their case.

Even repeat offenders may be offered release on their own recognizance. In these cases, they may have to follow additional conditions. This typically involves immediately surrendering their vehicle and beginning alcohol treatment or counseling.

Here’s a tip: working with an attorney is your best chance of getting reduced or waived bail after a DUI arrest.

What Happens at a DUI Stop

If a police officer witnesses a driver swerving between lanes, ignoring road signs, or driving at excessively high or low speeds, they will likely pull them over for suspected DUI. Once stopped, the officer will ask the driver to provide their license and registration. During the stop, the officer will be paying close attention for any signs of impairment. This could be:

• Slurred speech
• Glossy, dazed, or red eyes
• Lack of motor function
• Aggressiveness

If the officer observes one of multiple of these behaviors, they may request that the driver takes a breathalyzer test or a series of field sobriety tests. If the driver does not perform well on these tests, they will most likely be arrested for DUI.

Statistics for DUI Arrests

• Over one million drivers are arrested each year for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.
• Drunk driving is the cause of about 30% of all traffic fatalities.
• About one-third of DUI offenders arerepeat offenders.
• On average, a driver will drive under the influenceover 80 times before being arrested for the first time.
• The highest percentage of drunk drivers are ages 21-24.
• DUI arrests tend to increase over the summer and between Thanksgiving and New Year’s.

The Bail Boys Bail Bonds

If you got the call from a loved one needing bail after a DUI arrest, call The Bail Boys for help. We work quickly and efficiently to bring your loved one home. Our licensed bail agents are available 24/7, so never worry about calling too late. When you need a cheap bail bond in Southern California, you need The Bail Boys. We even offer online bail bonds services to make the process as quick as possible for you!