What Is a Bail Bond? The Types of Bail Bonds in Alabama
What is a bail bond? A bail bond is a guarantee posted with an Alabama court so someone can be released from jail while their case is still open. Instead of your family paying the full bail amount, a licensed bail bond company pledges that amount to the court for a fee of normally 10% to 15% of the bail. The right type of bond depends on the charge, the court, and the county.
Call today: 205-401-8052. Bail Bonds of Alabama answers 24 hours a day and handles federal, state, county, city, criminal, traffic, juvenile, and appeal bonds.
Key takeaways
- A bail bond is a guarantee to the court, posted by a licensed company for a non-refundable fee of normally 10% to 15% of the bail.
- Alabama’s Rule 7.3(b) lets a judge order an appearance bond, a secured appearance bond, and other release conditions.
- St. Clair County requires two property owners on every felony property bond.
- Federal charges run through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama under the federal Bail Reform Act.
- An appeal from a district court conviction must be filed within 14 days under Ala. Code § 12-12-70.
What is a bail bond?
A bail bond is a promise, backed by money, that the defendant will return to court. When a judge sets release conditions under Rule 7.3 of the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure, those conditions can include an appearance bond or a secured appearance bond. A licensed bail bond company guarantees the full amount so the family pays a fee instead of the whole bail.
Every release order also carries four mandatory conditions under Rule 7.3(a): appear in court, commit no new offense, stay in the state unless the court allows travel, and report any change of address. Read bail vs. bond for how the bail amount and the bond relate, and call today with the charge and the jail.
The types of bail bonds in Alabama
| Situation | Type of bond |
|---|---|
| Standard arrest, and the full bail is more than you can raise tonight | Surety bond |
| You can pay the full amount and wait for it to come back | Cash bond |
| Cash is short, and you own real estate | Property bond |
| The charge is in federal court | Federal bond |
| A minor is in custody | Juvenile bond |
| Convicted and appealing | Appeal bond |
Surety bond
The standard bail bond and the one most Alabama families use. A licensed bail bond company pledges the full bail amount to the court. You pay a fee of normally 10% to 15%, which is non-refundable, and you sign as co-signer. Creative financing is available at Bail Bonds of Alabama, upon approval. Read bondsman payment plans in Alabama.
Cash bond
You pay the entire bail amount directly to the court. Cash paid in full to the court is the money that can come back at the end of the case when every court date is met, and it stays tied up until the case closes, sometimes for many months. Read how to pay for bail to compare cash with a bond.
Property bond
Real estate is pledged to the court as security instead of cash. Ownership and value have to be confirmed first, so a property bond can take longer to arrange than a surety bond. Two county rules catch families off guard:
- St. Clair County requires two property owners on all felony bonds. One signer can be enough for a misdemeanor when there is only one property owner. Bonds there are posted at the Sheriff’s Office in Ashville (48 6th St.) or Pell City (1610 Cogswell Ave.).
- A Shelby County property bond secured by real estate in another county must be approved by that other county’s sheriff first.
Federal bond
Federal charges in this region run through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. Release in federal court follows the Bail Reform Act, 18 U.S.C. § 3142, which sets its own release conditions and detention hearings. Federal bonds are high-value, complex cases, and Bail Bonds of Alabama handles them. Say the charge is federal on the first call.
Juvenile bond
For a minor in custody. Juvenile cases run through the juvenile court on their own track, with different hearings and release conditions. Bail Bonds of Alabama handles juvenile bonds discreetly and with respect for the family. Call today if your child is being held.
Appeal bond
After a conviction, an appeal bond can allow release while the case is appealed. Under Ala. Code § 12-12-70(b), a defendant appeals a district court criminal judgment by filing notice within 14 days of the judgment or the denial of a post-trial motion, together with any bond the court sets. Under Rule 7.2(c), a defendant sentenced to 20 years or less may be released on a secured appearance bond or personal recognizance pending appeal, and a sentence over 20 years means no release.
That 14-day window closes fast. Talk to an attorney the same week a conviction comes down, then call today about the bond.
Traffic, criminal, state, city, and county bonds
These describe which court holds the case rather than a different mechanism. A Birmingham city charge, a Jefferson County charge, and a state charge each route through a different court, and the bond is posted where the case sits. Traffic charges have their own lines on the bail schedule: DUI runs $1,000 to $7,500, reckless driving $300 to $1,000, and speeding $300 to $500.
What does a bail bond cost in Alabama?
For a surety bond, normally 10% to 15% of the bail amount, and the fee is non-refundable.
| Bail set by the court | Typical fee at 10% to 15% |
|---|---|
| $2,500 | $250 to $375 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 to $1,500 |
| $30,000 | $3,000 to $4,500 |
Creative financing is available, upon approval, with 0% interest when the plan is paid in full within 12 months. Our Virtual Bail Office™ handles the whole initial bail bond from your phone, tablet, or computer, and we post the bond at the facility for you. Call today: 205-401-8052.
When is no bond available?
Under Aniah’s Law, Ala. Code § 15-13-3 lets a judge deny bail after a pretrial detention hearing for listed offenses: murder, first-degree kidnapping, rape, burglary, arson, and robbery under the 2022 law, plus discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling or vehicle and solicitation, attempt, or conspiracy to commit murder under the amendment Alabama voters passed on May 19, 2026.
If the roster shows “No Bond,” there is no amount to post. Call today anyway, because a second charge or a co-defendant may still be bondable. Read Aniah’s Law in Alabama.
What does the co-signer take on?
Whichever type of bond is used, someone signs as the indemnitor. That person promises the defendant appears at every court date and accepts responsibility for the full bail amount if he misses one. Under Ala. Code § 15-13-131, a missed court date leads to a conditional forfeiture order against the defendant and the sureties.
Missing court is also a crime. Bail jumping in the first degree, tied to murder or a Class A or B felony, is a Class C felony under § 13A-10-39, and bail jumping in the second degree is a Class A misdemeanor under § 13A-10-40. Read how bail bondsmen make money before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bail bond?
A guarantee posted with the court by a licensed bail bond company so someone can be released while their case is pending, for a fee of normally 10% to 15% of the bail in Alabama.
What are the types of bail bonds in Alabama?
Surety, cash, property, federal, juvenile, and appeal bonds. Traffic, criminal, city, county, and state bonds describe which court holds the case.
What is the difference between a surety bond and a cash bond?
A surety bond is posted by a bail bond company for a non-refundable fee. A cash bond is the full bail amount paid directly to the court, which can come back at the end of the case.
Does Alabama allow property bonds?
Yes. St. Clair County requires two property owners on all felony bonds, and a Shelby County property bond on out-of-county real estate needs that county’s sheriff’s approval first.
How long do you have to appeal and get an appeal bond in Alabama?
For a district court criminal conviction, notice of appeal must be filed within 14 days under Ala. Code § 12-12-70(b), together with any bond the court sets.
Where to go next
- Find an Inmate: find the jail holding your loved one
- How do bail bonds work in Alabama? The whole process, start to finish
- Bail vs. bond: what’s the difference?
- What does a bail bondsman do?
- Bail Bonds 101 and Alabama Courts & Charges
- Bail bonds in Jefferson County, Shelby County, and St. Clair County
Bail Bonds of Alabama has served Jefferson, Shelby, and St. Clair Counties since 2014. One call. That’s all. Call today: 205-401-8052, 24 hours a day.
This article is general information about bail bonds in Alabama. It is not legal advice. For advice about a specific case, talk to a licensed Alabama attorney.