A court sets the bail amount, which must be “posted,” or paid to the court in cash or an approved cash substitute, like a money order or cashier’s check. If you are unable to afford to post your own bail, you can hire a bail bond agent (or bail bondsman) to pay your bail in the form of a bond. A bond agent will charge a non-refundable fee, usually 10 to 20 percent of the total bail and agrees to pay the remaining amount to the court if you fail to appear for your court proceedings.
