Weapons Charges Bail Bonds

Weapons charges are the category where the published bail schedule most often does not have your answer. Only some firearm offenses appear as line items with a set figure. The rest fall under a general rule — and understanding that rule is the difference between a realistic expectation and a bad surprise at the counter.

Weapons charges that do appear on the schedule

Figures from the 2026 Uniform Bail Schedule published by the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, effective 1 January 2026. We are a bail agency, not a law firm — this is general information, not advice about any particular case.

Charges that are not separately listed

Several of the sections families ask about most do not have their own line in the schedule, including felon in possession of a firearm under Penal Code § 29800, assault weapon possession under § 30605, and brandishing under § 417. For those, the schedule’s general felony guidance applies and the figure is derived from the top term exposure rather than looked up.

Practically, that means we cannot quote you a number from a table for those charges — and neither can anyone else honestly. What we can do is confirm the exact booking section and find out what has actually been set, which takes a few minutes and costs nothing.

Penal Code § 29800 in detail — felon in possession

This is the weapons section we are called about most, and the one that produces the widest spread of quoted bail figures. Penal Code § 29800 prohibits possession of a firearm by people in defined categories — most commonly anyone with a prior felony conviction, but also those with certain misdemeanour convictions, people addicted to narcotics, and those subject to particular court orders.

Why two people are quoted completely different numbers

Because § 29800 carries no individual entry in the Orange County bail schedule. Where a felony section is not separately listed, the county prices it from the state prison top term using its guideline table: $20,000 at a three-year top term, $25,000 at four, $30,000 at five, rising through $55,000 at ten years to $100,000 at sixteen, with all life sentences at $1,000,000.

So the figure depends on the exposure the booking officer records, not on a number anyone can read off a list. It is the single biggest reason a family is told “$20,000” by one person and something far higher by another. See the Orange County bail schedule explained.

What pushes it higher still

• Strike priors. One documented strike prior enhances bail to $100,000; two take it to $200,000.
• The firearm being loaded or concealed, which brings in separately listed sections — § 25850(a), carrying a loaded firearm in public, is $20,000, and § 25400(c)(1), carrying a concealed stolen weapon, is $20,000.
• A second charge the weapon attaches to. A weapon allegation on an assault raises that charge rather than standing alone — assault with a firearm under § 245(a)(2) is $50,000.
• A probation or parole hold, which outranks the bail entirely — see parole violation holds.

Los Angeles County treats it differently again

A § 29800 charge is the kind most likely to fall outside the county’s $0 pre-arraignment release designations, because it involves a firearm and a qualifying prior. Do not assume either way — read the protocol column: LA County bail amount lookup.

What to find out first

1. The exact section and subdivision as booked. On weapons charges this matters more than on any other charge type.
2. Whether the firearm was loaded, concealed, or alleged to be stolen. Each brings in a different listed section.
3. Whether there are strike priors on the record.
4. Whether a hold exists — start with how to check for a warrant.

Why the exact section matters more here than anywhere else

“Gun charge” covers a very wide range in California. Carrying a concealed firearm, carrying a loaded firearm in public, possession by a person prohibited from possessing one, possession of a prohibited weapon type, and using a firearm in an assault are all different sections with different consequences and different bail outcomes.

There are also enhancements that attach to an underlying charge rather than standing alone, which can raise exposure significantly without appearing as a separate booking line. If someone tells you what the bail will be before knowing the section, they are guessing.

Where weapons charges overlap with other categories

• Assault with a firearm is charged under § 245(a)(2) and scheduled at $50,000 — covered on our assault and battery page.
• Domestic violence with a weapon allegation brings in the Penal Code § 1270.1 hearing requirement, which restricts release at any figure other than the scheduled amount until a court hearing. See domestic violence bail.
• A weapons allegation alongside a probation or supervision matter often produces a no-bail hold, because release then runs through the court under Penal Code § 1203.2. See probation violation bail.
• Larger felony bonds can attract a PC 1275.1 source-of-funds review, which affects timing rather than eligibility. See felony bail bonds.

What families should do first

1. Get the exact booking section. On weapons charges this matters more than in any other category, because so many sections are not tabulated.
2. Ask whether there is a hold. A supervision hold changes the whole picture.
3. Find out where they are being held. City facility or county intake changes the timeline.
4. Get the premium in dollars before committing. The bail amount is not what you pay.

Where they will be held and where the case is heard

Orange County custody runs through the Intake Release Center in Santa Ana, with transfers possible to Theo Lacy or the Musick Facility. North county matters are associated with the North Justice Center in Fullerton. That is what the courthouse handles, not a case assignment — the release paperwork and case record control where a case is actually heard.

City arrests may begin at Fullerton, Santa Ana, Buena Park, Brea, Placentia, La Habra or Whittier. In Los Angeles County, custody runs through the Inmate Reception Center for men and the Century Regional Detention Facility for women.

Common questions

How much is bail for a gun charge in Orange County?

It depends entirely on the section. The 2026 schedule lists PC 25400(c)(1) carrying a concealed firearm with a prior felony at $20,000 and PC 25850(a) carrying a loaded firearm in public at $20,000. Many other weapons sections are not separately listed and are set under the general felony guidance.

Why can nobody tell me the bail amount for felon in possession?

Penal Code § 29800 is not tabulated as a line item in the Orange County schedule. For unlisted offenses the schedule directs that bail be set according to the state prison top term potential under its general felony guidelines, so there is no fixed figure to quote.

What is the bail for assault with a firearm?

PC 245(a)(2) is scheduled at $50,000 in Orange County. See our assault and battery page for the wider PC 245 picture.

Does a weapons charge always mean no bail?

No. A no-bail hold is more commonly associated with a probation, parole or supervision hold under PC 1203.2 than with the weapons charge itself. Establishing whether a hold exists is the first useful step.

Can you quote me a figure over the phone?

For the listed sections, yes. For unlisted sections we will find out what has actually been set rather than guess, and tell you the premium in dollars before you commit to anything.

Where we work from

Our three offices are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year: Anaheim, Brea and La Habra. We post bail throughout Orange County and Los Angeles County.