Bondsman Payment Plans in Alabama: How Paying Works
Bondsman payment plans let your family bring someone home now and pay the bail bond fee over time, so you are spared finding the whole fee tonight. In Alabama that fee is normally 10% to 15% of the bail amount. At Bail Bonds of Alabama, creative financing is available, upon approval, with 0% interest when the plan is paid in full within 12 months.
Call today: 205-401-8052. We answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Key takeaways
- A bail bond fee in Alabama is normally 10% to 15% of the bail amount, and the fee is non-refundable.
- Bail Bonds of Alabama offers creative financing, available upon approval, with 0% interest when the plan is paid in full within 12 months.
- You can pay by debit card, credit card, or the online payment authorization form, all from your phone.
- A payment plan stays due until it is paid in full, whatever happens in the court case.
- The co-signer is responsible for the full bail amount if the defendant misses court.
What does a bail bond cost in Alabama?
A judge sets the bail amount. A bail bond company posts that full amount with the court, and you pay the company a fee for doing it. In Alabama that fee is normally 10% to 15% of the bail.
Courts start from the statewide bail schedule in Rule 7.2(b) of the Alabama Rules of Criminal Procedure, last amended by the Alabama Supreme Court on March 16, 2023. Judges can set bail above or below it. Here is what the fee looks like on common amounts:
| Bail set by the court | Typical fee at 10% to 15% |
|---|---|
| $1,000 | $100 to $150 |
| $2,500 | $250 to $375 |
| $5,000 | $500 to $750 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 to $1,500 |
| $30,000 | $3,000 to $4,500 |
Misdemeanor bail starts at $300 for each charge under Ala. Code § 15-13-105. On the same schedule, a Class B felony runs $5,000 to $30,000 and a DUI runs $1,000 to $7,500. Want the exact number for your situation? Call today and we will walk through it with you.
How do bondsman payment plans work?
A payment plan splits the bail bond fee into smaller payments on a schedule built around what your household can manage, so the bond gets posted now and the fee gets paid over time.
At Bail Bonds of Alabama the plan works in five steps:
- You call and tell us who is in jail and where. We confirm the charge and the bail amount.
- We review the co-signer. Approval depends on that review, which is why financing is available upon approval.
- We build the plan with you. The schedule fits your budget.
- You sign and set up payment from your phone. Our Virtual Bail Office™ handles the whole initial bond process on a phone, tablet, or computer.
- We post the bond at the jail. Our licensed agents go to the facility, and you stay where you are.
Pay the plan in full within 12 months and you pay 0% interest. That is our 0% Interest Financial Protection Guarantee, and the 12-month condition is part of it. It keeps your savings where they belong while your family gets back on its feet.
Ready to see what a plan looks like for your family? Call today: 205-401-8052.
What payment methods can you use?
You can pay the same way you already pay most bills:
- Debit card
- Credit card
- The online payment authorization form, completed on your phone
The whole initial bond process happens from wherever you are. Our No Office Visit Guarantee™ means you complete the initial bail bond from your phone, tablet, or computer, with the trip to our office left out entirely. The guarantee covers the initial bond process. Post-release check-ins, supervision, and court-ordered requirements are handled separately.
Have a card in hand and someone waiting to come home? Call today and we can start right away.
What other costs can come later?
The bail bond fee is the main cost. Alabama law also sets court fees on bail bonds, and it helps to know about them before the case ends.
Under Ala. Code § 12-19-311:
- A $35 filing fee applies to each bond executed. The law places it on the bondsman, surety, or person signing as surety.
- A separate bail bond fee is assessed to the defendant at adjudication or sentencing. It is 3.5% of the bond’s face value with a floor and a cap: $100 to $450 on a misdemeanor and $150 to $750 on a felony.
Those court fees go to the court system and are separate from what you pay Bail Bonds of Alabama. Questions about which fees apply to your case? Call today and we will explain them in plain English.
What happens to a payment plan if the case is dismissed?
The plan stays due. The fee pays for posting the bond, and that service is complete the moment the bond is posted at the jail. A dismissal, an acquittal, or a plea deal later in the case leaves the balance the same.
This surprises a lot of families, so it is worth hearing before you sign. Think of the fee as the price of the release itself. The 0% interest window still applies whenever the plan is paid in full within 12 months.
What you take on as the co-signer
The co-signer, also called the indemnitor, is usually the person paying. She makes two promises:
- Making sure he goes to every court date. Every order of release in Alabama requires the defendant to appear, under Rule 7.3(a).
- Covering the full bail amount if he misses court. Under Ala. Code § 15-13-131, a missed court date leads to a conditional forfeiture order against the defendant and the sureties on the bond.
The second promise is the big one. On a $10,000 bail the fee might be $1,000 to $1,500, while the full liability is $10,000. Read how bail bondsmen make money for the full picture, and call today if you want every term explained before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
Do bail bondsmen offer payment plans in Alabama?
Yes. At Bail Bonds of Alabama, creative financing is available upon approval, with 0% interest when the plan is paid in full within 12 months.
How much do you pay up front for a bail bond?
It depends on the bail amount and the plan you are approved for. The total fee in Alabama is normally 10% to 15% of the bail. Call 205-401-8052 for the number on your case.
Can you pay for a bail bond with a credit card?
Yes. Bail Bonds of Alabama accepts debit cards, credit cards, and the online payment authorization form, all from your phone.
Is the bail bond fee refundable?
No. The fee pays for posting the bond and is earned once the bond is posted at the jail. Cash bail paid in full directly to the court is the option that can come back at the end of the case.
What happens if a payment is going to be late?
Call us as soon as you know. The balance stays due until it is paid in full, and the 0% interest guarantee depends on paying in full within 12 months.
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
- How to pay for bail when money is tight
- What you need to bail someone out of jail
- Co-Signers, Costs & Financing: every guide for the person paying
- 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 paying for a bail bond in Alabama. It is not legal or financial advice. For advice about a specific case, talk to a licensed Alabama attorney.