About the defendant
- Full legal name as booked, spelled out.
- Date of birth.
- The facility or at least the city of arrest.
- The charge or charges, as best you know them.
- Booking number, if the family has it — it speeds everything up.
- Bail amount, if it has already been set.
About the cosigner (indemnitor)
- Government-issued photo ID.
- Current address and how long they have lived there.
- Employer, position, and length of employment.
- Working phone number and email.
- Relationship to the defendant.
- References who can reach the defendant if we cannot.
The cosigner is taking on real obligations — see 4 obligations after signing a bail bond contract.
If collateral is involved
Larger bonds may call for collateral: a vehicle title, a property deed with equity documentation, or a deposit. See common possessions used as bail collateral. Collateral is held, not spent, and released when the bond is exonerated.
What you do not need
- A lawyer, before posting bail. Bail and defense counsel are separate tracks.
- The full bail amount in cash.
- Perfect credit — credit affects terms, not eligibility. See do I need sufficient credit.
- An account of what happened. Do not discuss case facts with a bail agency.