Bail bond calculator

A bond schedule may be adopted by county judges, or bail is set by a judge in court. After that, the state bail laws decide the fee you'll pay.

A few states set one fixed rate. Under Nevada's bail law, the fee is 15% or $50, whichever is greater. The Louisiana Laws call for 12% or $120, while Tennessee's bail law charges residents 10%.

A cap on what you'll pay applies in other states. Fees are capped at 15% in North Carolina, and at 10% in Minnesota. In North Dakota, the fee can run up to 20% or $150.

A tiered cap applies in New York. Department of Financial Services rules cap fees at 10% for $3,000 or less, 8% for $10,000 or less, and 6% for anything above $10,000.

A minimum applies instead in several states. Bail law in Florida sets the minimum for state bonds at 10%. At least 10% is also required in Kansas and under the West Virginia Code.

Rates must be filed with state insurance regulators in California and Arizona. Filed rates are also required in Alaska and under the Ohio Revised Code. Texas, Bond Resources notes, has no rate regulation from the state insurance department.

In a number of states, paid bail agents simply aren't an option for you. Instead, you work directly with the court.

Since Illinois did away with monetary bail, a hearing comes first, and then courts decide on pretrial release or detention. New Jersey's Criminal Justice Reform uses risk-based decisions, too, rather than relying mainly on money bail.

Commercial bail bonding is banned by the Kentucky Court of Justice, which uses nonfinancial release, cash, or property. The Wisconsin Legislature bars paying sureties; courts take cash, a 10% deposit, or recognizance instead.

Under the Oregon Judicial Department system, you pay the court a 10% security deposit. The court keeps 15% of your posted amount, with $5 as the low end and $750 as the high end. You can also leave a cash deposit of up to 10% with the court clerk, as the Nebraska Legislature allows.

There are no commercial bondsmen in Maine; the state uses recognizance, unsecured bonds, cash, or property. For Massachusetts, Mass.gov says the entire bail must be paid in cash when recognizance isn't granted. If you pay a court directly, read how to get bail money back.