A 1% bond requires 1% of the total bail amount to start, with an additional 2% due within 10 days. Bail amounts over $100,000 may require collateral.
Who qualifies
The arrestee must be a legal California resident with two indemnitors who have proof of employment, proof of residency, approved credit, and valid California IDs. Each indemnitor’s annual income must exceed the total bail amount. The program is for first-time offenders only, before arraignment, and the defendant must be located in Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, San Diego, or Los Angeles County. Eligible charges include PC 243(e)(1), PC 273.5(a), PC 273.5, PC 422, PC 69, PC 148, PC 245, and VC 23153(a) & (b).
What the rate covers — and what it doesn’t
1% financing fits cases such as domestic violence, DUIs, DUI with accidents, child abuse, and violating court orders. It is not available for FTA warrants, fraud, identity theft, prostitution, pimping, pandering, petty theft, bonds under $10,000, out-of-state or out-of-county warrants, or drug charges. Sample misdemeanor bail amounts: Violation of Probation (PC 1203.2) $5,000; Carrying a Concealed Firearm (PC 12025) $5,000; Exhibiting a Firearm (PC 417) $10,000; DUI (PC 23152) $5,000.
Watch the rate
California Insurance Code § 1800 caps the bail premium at 10% of the face amount of the bond — that’s the legal ceiling, not the minimum. Anything above 10% is illegal. Walk away from any bondsman who quotes above the cap, demands wired money before paperwork is signed, has no California Department of Insurance license number visible, or pressures you to decide in under a minute. A real bondsman walks the family through the math.