Step 1: The county bail schedule
Penal Code §1269b requires the superior court judges in each county to prepare, adopt, and annually revise a uniform countywide bail schedule for felonies and for misdemeanor and infraction offenses. Jail staff use that schedule to set bail at booking before anyone sees a judge.
Schedules differ by county. The same charge can carry different scheduled bail in Los Angeles and San Diego, which is why our Los Angeles County and San Diego County pages are separate.
Step 2: Enhancements stack
Bail schedules add amounts for alleged enhancements — great bodily injury, firearm use, prior strikes, gang allegations, and the number of counts. Multiple counts are frequently added together, which is how a mid-level felony arrest turns into six-figure bail.
Step 3: The judge adjusts it
At arraignment the court applies Penal Code §1275: the protection of the public is the primary consideration, followed by the seriousness of the charged offense, the defendant's prior criminal record, and the probability of appearance. Under In re Humphrey, the court must also weigh ability to pay and non-financial alternatives.
Bail can also be increased, or a hold placed, when the source of the funds is questioned under Penal Code §1275.1.
Step 4: What you actually pay
The bail figure is what the court requires as security. The bond premium is 10% of it, filed under Insurance Code §1800. We deliberately do not repeat the by-county and by-charge tables here — the interactive bail bond calculator already carries the current schedule ranges, premium math, and down payment estimates in one place.