The California minimum premium is 10% of the cost of bail. A 0% bond spreads that premium into a plan with nothing down to begin — qualifying applicants pay 3% within 10 days, with the balance divided monthly over a maximum of 12 months.
Who qualifies
Qualifying requires legal California residency and two indemnitors with proof of employment, proof of residency, approved credit, and valid California IDs. Each indemnitor’s annual income must exceed the total bail amount. The program is for first-time offenders only, before arraignment, and the defendant must be located in Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange, San Diego, or Los Angeles County.
Eligible and ineligible charges
Eligible charges include PC 243(e)(1), PC 273.5(a), PC 273.5, PC 422, PC 69, PC 148, PC 245, and VC 23153(a) & (b). Misdemeanors such as DUI and protective-order violations typically range $5,000–$10,000; felonies range $10,000–$200,000 depending on severity. Ineligible cases include PC 530.5, all Health & Safety codes, PC 29800, any defendant with a strike, PC 496(a), PC 487, immigration bonds, federal cases, prostitution, pimping, pandering, receiving stolen property, petty theft, bond surrenders, warrants, and PC 1275.
Watch the rate
California Insurance Code § 1800 caps the bail premium at 10% of the face amount of the bond — that’s the legal ceiling, not the minimum. Anything above 10% is illegal. Walk away from any bondsman who quotes above the cap, demands wired money before paperwork is signed, has no California Department of Insurance license number visible, or pressures you to decide in under a minute. A real bondsman walks the family through the math.