Arson Bail in California: Cost, Process and Release

Bail for an arson arrest in California is not a single number. The amount comes from the county bail schedule or from a judge, and arson is a charge that often needs extra review before anyone can post. If bail is set, a bail bond lets a family pay a fee, usually 10 percent of the bail, instead of the full amount. This guide walks through how the amount is decided, what the bond costs, what can slow release and what to do in the first hours.

TL;DR

• Bail is set from a county bail schedule before the first court date, but arson can require magistrate review or an open-court hearing first, so the amount is not always available right away.
• The amount differs by county. San Diego County’s schedule, for example, lists arson causing great bodily injury at $80,000.
• A bail bond premium is usually 10 percent of the bail. On $80,000 that is $8,000, paid to the bondsman, not returned.
• Judges must weigh ability to pay and non-financial alternatives after In re Humphrey, so bail can change at a hearing.
• Call a licensed agent with the person’s full name and booking details. We take calls 24/7.

Table of Contents

• How bail is set after an arson arrest
• What arson bail amounts look like
• What affects bail up or down
• What an arson bail bond costs
• Posting bail step by step
• What can delay release
• After release: bail can still change
• Perspective: what we tell families on arson calls
• Getting help with an arson bail bond
• FAQ
• Sources

How bail is set after an arson arrest

Most people think a judge picks bail at the jail. Usually that is not what happens first. Under Penal Code 1269b, the judges of each county prepare, adopt and revise a countywide bail schedule every year. When there is no warrant naming an amount, that schedule sets bail before the first court appearance. The jailer looks up the charge, finds the number and that is the bail.

Arson is where this gets complicated. San Diego’s 2026 schedule notes that for certain serious felonies, including arson, the detainee may need a magistrate review or an open-court hearing before bail is set. Kern County’s felony bail schedule does the same: it classifies arson under Penal Code 1192.7©(14) for magistrate review, and certain release decisions require an open-court hearing.

In practice, that means two families in two counties can have very different first nights. In one, a clerk reads a number off a chart and a bond can be written within hours. In another, the person waits for a judge before any amount is confirmed.

We explain the general mechanics on our pages about how bail is set and how bail is calculated.

Which arson charge matters

California does not treat all fire-setting the same. Penal Code 451 divides arson by what burned and who was hurt: great bodily injury, an inhabited structure, a structure or forest land, or personal property. The schedule assigns a different amount to each. The more serious the allegation, the higher the number, and the more likely a judge looks at it personally.

The charge written at booking is what the schedule uses. It can change when the district attorney files the complaint, so the amount you see on day one is not always the amount that stays.

What arson bail amounts look like

Because every county adopts its own schedule, there is no statewide arson figure. The research we rely on gives one clear example: San Diego County’s schedule lists arson causing great bodily injury under PC 451(a) at $80,000 in the material the courts publish on bail. Other arson subsections carry their own amounts, and other counties set theirs differently.

Two more points affect the total:

• Stacking. When someone is booked on several charges, the schedule generally adds the amounts together, with exceptions for a single indivisible act or when a lesser offense is charged alongside a greater one. An arson booking that also includes burglary or a weapons charge can cost much more than the arson line alone.
• Higher-than-schedule requests. Law enforcement can ask for a higher amount under Penal Code 1269c if it believes the scheduled bail is not enough, according to the same schedule document.

Where to find your county’s schedule

Each county’s Superior Court publishes its schedule. Some courts group them on one page: Siskiyou’s court, for instance, lists statewide and local schedules under Fees and Bail Schedules on its Forms and Filing page. Search the court’s website for “bail schedule” along with the year, and make sure you are reading the current one. These are revised, so an old PDF can mislead you.

What affects bail up or down

The schedule is the starting point, not the end. According to the court bail fact sheet, judges looking at bail weigh:

1. The seriousness of the charge.
2. The defendant’s criminal history.
3. Flight risk.
4. Public and victim safety.

Arson raises the last factor in a way that many other property crimes do not. Fire can endanger neighbors and firefighters, and a judge will ask about it.

The Humphrey effect

In 2021 the California Supreme Court decided In re Humphrey. Per the same fact sheet, courts may not keep someone in jail before trial only because they cannot afford bail, and judges must consider ability to pay and less restrictive options such as monitoring or community housing.

For a family, this has a practical side. At the first hearing, a lawyer can ask the judge to lower bail, set non-financial conditions or release the person without bail. A bond is one way out, not the only one. We cover how this shapes the choice in 10% premium, 2% option: how California bail works after Humphrey and in our note on California pretrial release.

Do not count on release without bail for an arson case, though. Los Angeles County’s pre-arraignment release protocols provide non-financial conditions for most nonviolent, non-serious offenses. Arson is generally treated as a serious felony, so a magistrate decision is more likely than automatic release.

What an arson bail bond costs

A bail bondsman posts the full bail in exchange for a fee, usually 10 percent of the total, as the San Luis Obispo court’s glossary describes it. Our published premium is 10 percent as well.

Here is what that looks like at different bail amounts. These are arithmetic examples, not quotes:

The premium is the cost of the service. It is not refunded when the case ends, even if charges are dropped. That is the biggest thing families misunderstand, so ask the agent to state in plain numbers what you pay today and what you could owe later.

Payment plans and lower-premium options

Because arson bail tends to be high, the premium can be a lot of money on short notice. We offer payment plans for qualifying customers, and we have pages on our 2% bail bonds and 1% bail bonds. Eligibility depends on the case and the people involved, so we confirm it on the phone rather than promise it up front.

Collateral and cosigners

On higher bail, a bond company may ask for a cosigner, who becomes legally responsible if the defendant misses court. Collateral is sometimes requested too. We explain what people commonly pledge in 5 common possessions used for bail collateral, and we offer no-collateral bail bonds in some cases. If you are thinking of signing, read about how to remove yourself as a cosigner first, so you know how the commitment ends.

Posting bail step by step

Here is how it usually goes for a family in Southern California.

1. Find the person. Use the county sheriff’s inmate locator. The ACLU’s arrest guide calls it a common way to locate someone after an arrest. You will need the full legal name and, ideally, a booking number, date of birth and the charge listed.
2. Confirm whether bail is set. For arson, the answer may be “not yet, pending magistrate review.” Ask the jail or your bondsman.
3. Call a licensed agent. Give the booking details, the bail amount and your own contact information. At Armstrong you speak with a licensed agent, not a call center, around the clock.
4. Complete the paperwork. The person paying and any cosigner sign the bail bond agreement. You can start online or in person, and we serve Los Angeles County and San Diego County.
5. Pay the premium. Agree the amount and the schedule of payments in writing.
6. The bond is posted at the jail. Then the jail processes the release.

If bail has not been posted, the ACLU brochure says detention may last about 48 hours and sometimes up to five days until arraignment. If bail is posted after booking, release may be immediate in the legal sense. In real life, jail processing takes time. Our own experience is that many releases happen within hours of posting, but crowded jails and late-night bookings stretch that, and we never promise an exact time.

What can delay release

• Magistrate review. As described above, arson can require a judge before any bail exists.
• Bail changed upward. A request under Penal Code 1269c can raise the amount.
• A 1275 hold. The same schedule notes that law enforcement can ask for a hold if it believes the bail money came from felonious means under Penal Code 1275.1. That means the source of the money can be questioned. We explain what to prepare in 1275 hold in California.
• Additional charges or holds. Another warrant or a probation hold keeps someone in custody even after bail on the arson count is posted.
• Paperwork errors. A wrong booking number or misspelled name loses time.

For how this plays out on other charges, our pieces on burglary bail and robbery bail show the same county-schedule logic.

After release: bail can still change

Posting a bond does not freeze the terms. According to California’s pretrial law overview, after arraignment a court may change bail conditions if circumstances change or new facts are discovered, and bail orders are reviewed under Penal Code 1270.2.

Also, under Penal Code 859b, a defendant generally must be released if the prosecution cannot show probable cause within 10 court days after arraignment. That is a legal question for the defense attorney, not the bondsman, but it matters if the case looks thin.

Whoever is out on bond must make every court date. A missed appearance can forfeit the bond and put the cosigner on the hook.

Perspective: what we tell families on arson calls

We have been in this business since 1926, and four generations of our family have taken these calls. Arson calls are different from most. The family is usually frightened, the charge sounds enormous and the bail figure, when there is one, is large.

What we tell them is simple. First, do not guess the number. Ask the jail whether bail is set or whether a magistrate has to review it. Second, understand the 10 percent premium before you sign anything: it is gone when the case ends, and a cosigner carries real responsibility. Third, call a defense attorney the same day. A bondsman gets someone out, but a lawyer is who asks the judge to lower bail, and after Humphrey that conversation matters more than it did.

We also tell people when a bond may not be the best first step. If a hearing is hours away and the judge may lower bail or release the person, waiting can save a lot of money. If the hearing is days off, a bond often gives the family and the defense time together.

Our job is to be straight about cost, timing and eligibility, so you can decide with the facts.

— Jake

Getting help with an arson bail bond

If someone you love is in custody in Los Angeles or San Diego County, you can start with a licensed agent now. We take calls 24/7, we speak English and Spanish, and we explain the premium, any payment plan and any cosigner duty before you sign. Start on our homepage or apply for a bond online. If cost is the worry, ask about affordable bail bonds and payment plans.

FAQ

How much is bail for arson in California?

It depends on the county and the subsection charged. San Diego County’s schedule, for example, lists arson causing great bodily injury at $80,000. Other counties set their own figures, and a judge may set a different amount after a hearing. Check your county Superior Court’s current bail schedule or ask the jail.

Can bail be denied or reviewed in an arson case?

Arson is one of the serious felonies for which some counties require magistrate review or an open-court hearing before bail is set. Kern County’s schedule is one example. After arraignment, a court may also change bail if circumstances change or new facts come up.

How much does an arson bail bond cost?

A bail bondsman usually charges 10 percent of the total bail. Our published premium is 10 percent, so $50,000 in bail means a $5,000 premium. The premium is not refunded. Ask us about payment plans and whether you qualify for a lower-percentage option.

How long does release take after posting?

If bail is posted after booking, release can be immediate on paper, but jail processing takes time. Without a posted bail, detention may last about 48 hours and sometimes up to five days until arraignment. Delays come from magistrate review, holds and paperwork errors.

Can someone be released without paying bail?

Sometimes. After In re Humphrey, judges must consider ability to pay and non-financial alternatives. Los Angeles County’s pre-arraignment protocols cover mostly nonviolent, non-serious offenses, so arson usually goes through a judge. A defense attorney can ask for release or lower bail at the first hearing.

Sources

• California Penal Code 1269b
• San Diego Superior Court 2026 bail schedule
• Kern County felony bail schedule
• Court bail fact sheet, 2024
• Siskiyou Superior Court forms and bail schedules
• San Luis Obispo Superior Court glossary
• Los Angeles County pre-arraignment release protocols FAQ
• ACLU arrest brochure
• California pretrial law and procedure overview