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Posted on: 9 August 2022

Bail bonds generally require some sort of collateral, either money or a valuable item, that the bail bond office can collect if the defendant skips bail. That presents a problem for people who don't have a lot of money or appropriate collateral. Rather than let someone – who may be not guilty, remember – languish in jail until the trial, you can attempt to get a no-collateral bail bond. One caveat about these, though: They may require decent, if not good, credit. But if you can qualify, you can be out of jail quickly.

Low Bail Amounts: No Collateral, but Decent Credit

One type of no-collateral bail bond is often available when the amount of bail is low. The amount of bail (or the maximum amount) will vary, and this type of bail might not be available for certain types of charges. But in most cases, these will require decent credit scores, and then you're out of jail until your trial.

This is not the case for all bail bond agents, of course, and you will find some who still want collateral. But having the qualifications for a no-collateral and no-cash bail bond opens up the range of agents who will be able to help you because now you'll be in the running for this type of bond.

Co-signing a Bail Bond for Someone Else

If the defendant (whether that's you or someone else) does not have the credit to get one of those bonds, you can consider co-signing. Again, whoever co-signs will need good credit because you're essentially asking for a loan. And, you won't be able to get these if the bail amount is incredibly high, although in those cases, the charges are usually so serious that even cash or collateral bail would be difficult.

A warning about co-signing, though: whoever signs needs to be sure the defendant will show up to court whenever needed. Otherwise, the co-signer is on the hook for the whole bail amount.

What if You Don't Have the Qualifications at All?

Sometimes the worst happens, and no one you know can qualify for these no-collateral bail bonds. In this case, you or someone helping you needs to speak with bail bond agents to find out other options. Some agents offer payment plans for bonds, and others may have unique solutions. Being in jail, especially when you have obligations such as work and family care, is extremely difficult, and bail bond agents know this.

Contact a bail bonds agency for more information.