How Bail Bonds Work in Iowa

Information on How Bail Bonds Work in Iowa and Posting Bail

Posting bail in Iowa involves an agreement between the individual and the courts that state that if this money is paid, the individual will appear in court on his or her assigned court date. The amount is determined by the severity of the crime of which the individual is being accused. Knowing how bail bonds work in Iowa and using a bail bondsman is integral to gaining freedom fast.

How bail bonds work in Iowa is simple. A magistrate will assign a bail amount. This amount can be paid in cash to the city/state or if the bail amount is too high the defendant can use a bail bonds service paying 10% of the bond. This 90% savings can be used to hire a criminal defense lawyer, which is what most bondsmen suggest.

There may be different payment options when it comes to Iowa bail. There are circumstances for zero down bail as well as financing bail. You simply need to ask your bondsman what it will take to get someone you know out of jail.

There are a variety of ways that a bond in Iowa can be set:

• Cash Bond: the individual must pay the entire amount of the bond him or herself before being released from jail. If the individual appears in court on his or her court date, all monies paid in the bond will be returned. If the individual does not appear in court, the amount will be surrendered to the court.
• Surety Bond: the individual enlisted the help of a bail bondsman who then agrees to pay the entire amount of the bond to the court. In return, the individual agrees to show in court and must pay the bail bondsman 10% of the bond amount that was set by the court. An individual who works and is living at a resident for a number of time must co-sign and pay the required percentage.
• Own Recognizance: with this, the individual does not need to pay any money to be released. Instead, he or she must agree to undergo a pre-trial release program recommended by the court.
• Citation Release: the arresting officer gives the individual a citation that states the court date on which the individual must return to court.

Quick Instructions to Post Bail in Iowa

If you are in quick need to bail your loved one or friend out of Des Moine, Sioux City or Cedar Rapids jail, here are a few quick steps that you can follow to ensure that the bail process will happen quickly:

• Make sure that you know all of the information for the jailed individual
• The name of the jail. Knowing if the jail is the county, city, or federal jail is helpful as well. If you are unsure what jail he or she is in, you can find out by calling the jail.
• The individual’s booking number.
• What Iowa crime the individual is being charged with.
• The individual’s full legal name.
• If possible, the individual’s date of birth.
• The amount of the bail bond.

Some things to keep in mind when considering bail in Iowa:

Contact an Iowa bail bondsman that can be trusted. The bondsman will ask you a few questions about the individual who needs to be bailed out. Be prepared to answer those questions.

Remember to remain calm. This process can take a while, but be assured that the bail bondsman is working to get you or your loved one set free from jail.

If you are unsure of any needed information, the bondsman will contact the jail to obtain that information for him or herself.

Be reminded that when an Iowa bail bonds is paid for you to be released from jail, you must return to court on the assigned date. Failure to return to court will forfeit all funds paid in bond. The responsibility left to your bondsman will be up to your co-signer, and you may be facing future jail time.

More information on how bail bonds work in Iowa can be gathered from the Iowa Insurance Division. But, you must understand that the The Iowa Insurance Division is responsible for the licensing of surety producers only and not for bail bondsmen. The surety companies are responsible for the actions of the bondsmen.

Be assured that a professional bail bondsman near you is available 24 hours per day. If you need to ask a bondsman a question, please use use our form. We’ll forward your question to an Des Moine, Cedar Rapids or Sioux City bondsman closest to you.