Bail Schedule Explained: How Amounts Are Set in California

Judge reviewing a California county bail schedule

A bail schedule is a list of preset bail amounts, one for each common charge, that a county uses to decide how much it costs to be released right after an arrest. If your charge is on the list, you can pay that amount (or have a bail bond agent post it) and the person can go home without waiting for a judge. In California, each county court adopts its own schedule, so the same charge can carry a different number in Los Angeles than in San Diego.

This guide explains where the numbers come from, how charges stack, when a judge can change them, and how the scheduled amount differs from what a bond actually costs your family.

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TL;DR

A bail schedule is a county’s list of standard bail amounts by charge. It applies until the person first sees a judge.
California has 58 superior courts, and each writes its own schedule, so amounts vary widely by county.
Multiple charges are usually added together, and the most serious charge drives the number.
A judge can raise or lower bail at the first court appearance. The schedule is a starting point, not a final answer.
With a bond, you pay a fee, most commonly 10% of the bail amount, not the full scheduled amount.

What a bail schedule is and why courts use one
Who writes the schedule in California
How the schedule sets an amount for a charge
Can a judge change the scheduled amount?
Other states work differently
From booking to release: what happens step by step
Scheduled bail versus what you actually pay
How to find the schedule that applies
Why schedules draw criticism, and what it means for you
Ready to post bail? Talk to a licensed agent
FAQ
Sources

What a bail schedule is and why courts use one

The National Conference of State Legislatures defines a bail schedule as a list of pre-determined amounts of money that can be required as a financial condition of pretrial release. Think of it as a price list tied to the charge, not to the person.

The reason is speed. Arrests happen at 2 a.m. on a Sunday, when no judge is on the bench. Industry sources note that bond schedules were created so that people could be released when courts were not in session, and that they are typically written by county judges and reviewed on a regular basis.

There is a trade-off, and policy researchers describe it plainly. A schedule saves time and resources because it generally looks only at the level of the offense charged, not at the individual’s circumstances. That is why the schedule is only the first step. A judge looks at the person once the case reaches court.

Who writes the schedule in California

California law puts this job on the judges of each county. According to the Solano County Superior Court, it is the duty of the superior court judges in each county to prepare, adopt and annually revise a uniform countywide schedule of bail for felonies and for misdemeanors and infractions, with an exception for Vehicle Code infractions.

The California Commission on Revision of the Penal Code adds the practical result: each of the state’s 58 superior courts develops its own schedule, and amounts vary widely among counties. Traffic Code infractions and misdemeanors follow a statewide Judicial Council schedule instead.

Schedules also change. San Diego County’s court publishes a schedule for each year, and its 2026 bail schedule took effect on January 1, 2026. Contra Costa’s court announced a revised schedule and a pre-arraignment release protocol effective July 8, 2026. Any number you read in an old article may be out of date, so always confirm against the current county document.

How the schedule sets an amount for a charge

The legal rule is in Penal Code section 1269b. If the person has not yet appeared before a judge, bail is the amount fixed in the arrest warrant or, when there is no warrant, the amount in the uniform countywide schedule for the county where the person must appear.

For felonies, the same statute tells judges what to weigh when they build the schedule. They must consider the seriousness of the offense and assign additional bail for each aggravating or enhancing factor chargeable in the complaint.

Some schedules scale with the maximum sentence

The Solano County felony schedule is a clear example of the logic. Bail rises with the maximum term for the charged offense, as the court’s published schedule shows:

Maximum term for the offense	Presumptive bail
3 years	$25,000
5 years	$45,000
10 years	$105,000
Life	$750,000
Life without possibility of parole	$1,000,000
Murder	No bail until set by the court
Murder with special circumstances	No bail

Other counties list specific offenses line by line instead. Both approaches do the same job: tie the number to the charge.

Charges that are not on the list

Schedules cannot name every statute. Monterey County’s 2025 schedule handles this with a default: for unlisted felonies, enhancements or aggravating factors the presumptive bail is $10,000 each, and for unlisted misdemeanors it is $3,500. Check how your county treats anything not listed.

Why multiple charges add up

Many arrests involve more than one charge. San Diego’s schedule says that when someone is booked for two or more offenses, bail is computed for each charge and added together, which is called stacking. Stacking is not allowed in some situations: when lesser offenses are charged along with a greater one, when one act is charged under several statutes, or when a course of conduct is one indivisible transaction.

Officer processing a person at jail intake

Here is a simple illustration with made-up numbers. If one charge is scheduled at $25,000 and a second, separate charge at $10,000, and stacking applies, the booking amount is $35,000. If the second charge is a lesser offense of the first, it should not be added.

The most serious charge drives the number

Nolo explains that the highest charges set the scheduled amount, and that police tend to arrest for the most serious charge the facts can support. So even a charge likely to be reduced later is treated as the higher charge for scheduling purposes. This is one reason the first number a family hears can look larger than the case eventually warrants. It is also a reason the first court appearance matters.

Our page on how bail is calculated walks through this further, and if a felony is involved, see how much bail is for a felony in California.

Can a judge change the scheduled amount?

Yes. The schedule governs the period before the first appearance. After that, the judge decides. Solano County states that at and after the first appearance, bail lies within the sound discretion of the judicial officer and may be greater or less than the schedule, subject to Penal Code section 1275.

Monterey County’s schedule says the same thing in practical terms: at first appearances and arraignments, the judge may raise or lower bail based on the actual charges filed by the District Attorney, enhancements, aggravating factors and any other relevant factor.

There is also a path to ask for a change earlier. The same document notes that section 1269c lets law enforcement (by declaration) and the defendant (by application) request a deviation from scheduled bail before the first appearance. For serious or violent crimes, a reduction below the schedule requires a finding of “unusual circumstances.”

The California Judicial Council’s overview confirms the sequence: before the first appearance, bail follows the warrant amount or the county schedule unless a judge changes it, and after the first appearance a judge sets bail.

Not every arrestee gets the schedule

California’s rules are in motion. The Commission on Revision of the Penal Code reports that two federal district courts and two state courts, in Los Angeles and Riverside counties, have found that pre-arraignment bail schedules are unconstitutional before arraignment, citing cases including Welchen v. Bonta and Sandoval v. Riverside County. Some courts have also adopted pre-arraignment release protocols. Contra Costa’s allows eligible arrestees to be released without conditions, released with nonfinancial conditions, or held until arraignment, while people arrested for serious or violent crimes remain ineligible for pre-arraignment release.

What this means for your family: the rules differ by county and change over time. Ask the jail or a licensed bail agent what applies to this specific arrest today, instead of relying on what a neighbor paid last year.

Other states work differently

If you are reading from outside California, expect differences. Florida’s statute requires the Supreme Court to adopt a uniform statewide bond schedule each year, and the schedule does not bind a judge conducting a first appearance hearing. Washington’s courts describe their statewide schedule as suggested base amounts only, with judges able to go higher or lower based on severity of charges, criminal history and warrant history. The NCSL glossary adds that some state courts have found it unconstitutional to rely on a schedule without considering individual circumstances.

The rest of this article focuses on California, where Armstrong Bail Bonds operates.

From booking to release: what happens step by step

Nolo lays out the usual path, and it matches how our clients experience it in Southern California:

Booking. The person is fingerprinted, photographed and processed.
Scheduled bail. If the charge is on the schedule, the amount can be paid right away and the person is released without seeing a judge.
First court appearance. If the scheduled amount is not paid, or the charge is not covered, a judge sets bail. Nolo says this can happen at arraignment or a bail hearing within 24 to 72 hours of arrest.
Posting bail. Cash goes directly to the court, or a bail bond agent posts a bond.
Release and conditions. A judge will usually set conditions of pretrial release.

Nolo also points out that a jailhouse schedule is generally inflexible: police can accept only scheduled amounts, and a suspect who wants to pay less must go before a judge. Bail may be given in cash or by a surety bond issued by a certified surety insurer, as San Diego’s schedule states.

Timing matters over weekends and holidays, when no judge is available and the schedule does the work. We explain this in how county schedules affect bail bonds on holidays.

Scheduled bail versus what you actually pay

This is the part most families want answered. The scheduled amount is the total the court requires. It is not the amount you pay a bail bond company.

The California Department of Insurance explains that the court determines the bond amount, and the consumer’s cost is most commonly 10% of the bond, plus actual, necessary and reasonable transaction expenses. The premium is nonrefundable even if charges are dropped. The department also notes that charging a renewal premium has been illegal since January 1, 2022, under Penal Code 1276.1.

Our published bail bond premium is 10%. Using the Solano table above as an illustration:

Scheduled bail	Premium at 10%
$25,000	$2,500
$45,000	$4,500
$105,000	$10,500

Those are examples of the arithmetic, not quotes for a specific case. Expenses are separate, and the real bail depends on your county’s current schedule and what a judge orders.

If the number is still out of reach, we offer flexible payment plans, including 2% bail bonds and 1% bail bonds, and a page on bail without collateral. For other routes, read about bail assistance programs in California.

How to find the schedule that applies

Start with the county where the person is being held, because that is the court whose schedule applies. Most superior courts post the current felony and misdemeanor schedules on their websites, often as a PDF with an effective date on the first page. Check that date, since schedules are revised annually.

Then do four things:

Confirm the booking charges with the jail. The amount follows the charges as booked, including any enhancements.
Find each charge on the county schedule and note whether stacking rules apply.
Ask whether the person is eligible for release before arraignment under a local protocol.
Call a licensed agent to talk through the premium and the payment options before you sign anything.

For Los Angeles, our guide to the Los Angeles bail process and county programs is a good next stop. For a specific charge, see how county schedules shape burglary bail. Some situations, such as restraining order cases, add court-day delays, covered in our piece on bail for restraining order violations.

Why schedules draw criticism, and what it means for you

The state’s own penal code commission points out a tension. A cash bail schedule can be overinclusive, keeping in custody people who may pose no risk simply because they cannot pay, and underinclusive, releasing others who can afford a high amount. It also does not account for ability to pay.

That debate is why rules are changing, and it is a reason to pay attention to the current process in your county. For a family in the middle of an arrest, the practical point is simple: the schedule sets the opening number, and a licensed bail agent can make that number manageable.

Our perspective

We have been writing bonds since 1926, and four generations of our family have watched the schedule from the other side of the phone. Families rarely call asking what a schedule is. They call at midnight asking how much and how fast.

Our view is that the schedule should be the first thing we explain, not the last. When we know the county, the booked charges and the booking time, we can tell you what the schedule says, whether stacking is likely, and what a 10% premium means in dollars. No guessing.

We also believe you should speak to a licensed agent, not a call center. That is how we work, 24/7, in English and Spanish. A bond is a legal agreement, so we explain the costs, the timing and who is responsible before you sign. Payment plans, including 2% options, exist so that the scheduled amount does not decide whether someone comes home.

Jake

Ready to post bail? Talk to a licensed agent

If someone you love is in custody in Los Angeles or San Diego County, we can look up the booking, explain the scheduled amount and start the paperwork online or by phone. Our bail bond premium is 10%, and we offer flexible payment plans for qualifying clients.

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Start with our Los Angeles County bail bonds or San Diego County bail bonds page, or go straight to online bail bonds to begin an application from home.

FAQ

What is a bail schedule?

It is a county’s list of preset bail amounts for common charges. It lets someone be released after booking without waiting to see a judge. In California, each county’s superior court adopts its own schedule and revises it annually.

Is the bail schedule amount final?

No. At and after the first court appearance, a judge can set bail higher or lower than the schedule. Before that, a request to deviate from the scheduled amount can also be made under Penal Code section 1269c.

Do I pay the full scheduled amount to a bail bondsman?

No. You pay a premium, which the California Department of Insurance says is most commonly 10% of the bond, plus reasonable transaction expenses. The premium is nonrefundable even if charges are dropped. The full amount is only owed to the court if the defendant fails to appear.

Are bail schedules the same in every county?

No. California has 58 superior courts, each with its own schedule, so amounts for the same charge vary. Other states use different systems, and some have statewide schedules that judges are not bound by.