Please Select A County Jail

A Los Angeles Bail Bonds Company Serving California Since 1993
Follow us on
1-800-BAIL-BOND on Facebook
1-800-BAIL-BOND on MySpace
1-800-BAIL-BOND on Twitter
1-800-BAIL-BOND Masthead

Questions to Ask a Los Angeles Bail Bondsman

Here are some general questions to ask a bail bondsman in Los Angeles before deciding to use their services for posting bail.

How much do you charge?

The answer that every Los Angeles bail bondsman should give to this question is “10% of the total bail.” This is mandated by California State Law in order to protect average people from overpaying on bail. There should not be any hidden fees or additional costs. Bail bonds agents cannot charge interest on a long-term financing plan either. It must be exactly 10% of the total set bail amount.

This also means that they cannot offer discounts or coupons. If a bail bondsman does, then he is breaking the law. You should not trust a bail bonds business that is operating illegally to help with your own legal situation. Integrity is far more important in this business than attracting clients using dishonest or illegal deals.

Can you tell me about the bail bonds process?

The immediate answer should be an emphatic “Yes.” If the bail bonds agent does not know everything about his or her profession, you might not trust them to post bail for the release of your loved one. They might also be attempting to withhold information from you, possibly to collect more money, which is of course illegal.

But the bigger issue is that they should be able to help you through the process. Sure, you could find out the details on your own, but isn’t it easier and nicer to hear it directly from another human being? Experienced bail bondsmen have been doing there jobs for a while, and should be able and willing to answer all your questions.

How fast can you post bail?

This is absolutely crucial. The best in the business can be at a jail very quickly, usually leaving soon after they receive your call. But that does not mean that they can complete the bail as fast. In Los Angeles, bail is determined by a judge after the booking process, which can be a lengthy ordeal depending on how busy the jail is. So any bail bondsman who gives you an exact timeline is trying to get your business. The truth is that they will try as hard as they can to work fast, but a lot of the process is beyond their control, and you just have to wait based on the location and business of the jail your loved one is being held at.

Are you licensed?

Obviously, an unlicensed bail bond business is not one you want to work with. They may perform illegally or, worse yet, scam you into giving them more money. For Los Angeles bail bonds agents, they must be licensed by the California Department of Insurance. Go to the website and make sure they are licensed if you’re not sure. You wouldn’t trust your court case to an attorney who didn’t go to law school, so don’t trust your bail posting to an unlicensed bail bondsman.

To find out which one of these jails your loved one might be located please call 1-800-224-5266.