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Bail Bond Services

What we post bail for, how California bail is actually set, and what to expect after an arrest — explained without jargon. Find your charge below, or call and we will tell you where things stand tonight.

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Since 1997CA Licence 1841014Open 24 Hours2 Counties Served

Bail services

Start with the charge

We post bail for most bailable offences across Orange County and the neighbouring Los Angeles County communities. Different charges behave very differently — a misdemeanor and a domestic violence arrest are not the same problem, and the second one has a hearing requirement the first does not.

The cards below go straight to the charge you are dealing with. If you are not sure which applies, call us; working that out is the first thing we do, and there is no charge for it.

By charge

The services we handle

Each page covers how bail is set for that charge, what tends to complicate it, and what happens at the first court appearance.

PC 273.5Domestic ViolenceThe most procedurally complicated bail situation families encounter, because of protective orders and the § 1270.1 hearing requirement.Domestic violence bailVC 23152DUIAlcohol, drugs, combined, and the lower thresholds that apply to commercial and rideshare drivers.DUI bailFelonyFelony ChargesHigher bail amounts, and more situations where a hearing is required before bail can be changed.Felony bailMisdemeanorMisdemeanor ChargesLower bail, faster release, and the “wobbler” offences that can be charged either way.Misdemeanor bailDrugsDrug ChargesSimple possession is treated very differently from possession for sale. The distinction changes the bail amount substantially.Drug charge bailPC 978.5WarrantsA bench warrant issued after a missed court date works differently from an arrest warrant.Warrant bailCostPayment PlansPayment options and financing where circumstances allow. If affordability is the obstacle, say so on the call.Payment options

How bail works

Two things decide the number you are quoted, and they work in a specific order.

Step 1

The county bail schedule

Under Penal Code § 1269b, the superior court judges in each county must prepare, adopt and annually revise a uniform countywide schedule of bail covering all bailable felony, misdemeanor and infraction offences. The schedule accounts for the seriousness of the offence and adds amounts for aggravating or enhancing factors.

That schedule applies before a person has appeared in front of a judge — which is the window most families are calling us in.

Step 2

Who can accept the bail

The same section authorises jail officers in charge of the facility, sheriff’s or police officers assigned to the jail, superior court clerks, and designated department employees to approve and accept bail and issue a release order.

In practice that means bail is posted at the custody facility — not at a courthouse, and not at our office.

Some charges are different. Under Penal Code § 1270.1, certain offences require a hearing in open court before someone can be released on their own recognisance or on bail set at an amount other than the schedule — and the prosecutor and defence must get two court days’ written notice. Domestic violence offences are on that list. See domestic violence bail bonds for what that means in practice.

What happens after an arrest

  1. Booking. Fingerprints, photograph, property inventory, records check. Nobody can be bailed out until booking finishes, and how long it takes depends on how busy the facility is.
  2. Bail is set from the county schedule, unless the charge is one that requires a hearing first.
  3. The bond is posted at the facility holding the person. In Orange County the Intake Release Center accepts bail 24 hours a day; Theo Lacy only between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
  4. Release, on the jail’s timetable rather than ours.
  5. First court appearance at the courthouse covering the city of arrest.

More background is in our frequently asked questions and California bail bond resources.

Both counties

Orange County and Los Angeles County

These services apply across both counties, but the two work differently. Los Angeles County has operated Pre-Arraignment Release Protocols since October 2023, and for many arrests there no money bail is required at all. Orange County still runs on its county bail schedule.

Orange CountyBail BondsHow bail works across the county, our three offices, and what to do first after an arrest here.Orange County hubOrange CountyCourthousesThe four justice centers, which cities each covers, and how to work out where a case is heard.OC courthousesOrange CountyJails & Inmate InformationThe three county facilities, the official inmate locator, and what has to happen before bail can be posted.OC jailsLos Angeles CountyBail BondsWhat the release protocols changed, when a bond is still needed, and how we work the county from the line.Los Angeles County hubLos Angeles CountyCourthousesThe Southeast, East and South district courthouses, with addresses and what each one covers.LA courthousesLos Angeles CountyJails & Inmate InformationMen and women are booked into different facilities here. Find out which one before travelling.LA jails

The communities we cover are listed on Orange County cities & areas and Los Angeles County cities & areas, or the global areas we serve index. In Orange County, the eight cities of North Orange County go to the North Justice Center in Fullerton; others go to Central in Santa Ana, West in Westminster, or Harbor in Newport Beach. The full index is at courthouses.

Someone in custody right now?

Call the office nearest the city of the arrest. We will locate them, confirm the bail amount, and tell you honestly what can happen tonight. All three offices serve both counties, so if you are not sure which to call, any of them will help you.

Our three offices

Anaheim1055 N Harbor Blvd
Anaheim, CA 92801(714) 520-2002
Brea1211 W Imperial Hwy #202
Brea, CA 92821(657) 286-5038
La Habra510 E La Habra Blvd
La Habra, CA 90631(562) 690-8303

Open 24 hours, 7 days a week. These are our only physical locations — full details for Anaheim, Brea and La Habra, or see all locations.

Please note: American Freedom Bail Bonds is a licensed California bail bond agency (licence 1841014). We are not attorneys and nothing on this page is legal advice. Statute references are provided for general information and are current to the best of our knowledge; law and local practice change. We cannot guarantee bail amounts, release times, eligibility for release, or the outcome of any case. For advice about a specific case, speak to a defence attorney.