A list of average bail amounts by crime

We can provide you with a list of average bail amounts by crime, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

For starters, just because there’s an average bail amount, does not mean that a person charged with that particular crime will have their bail set at or near that average amount.

The average bail should be looked at as more of a “recommendation” by the court. You may receive a higher or lower bail amount based on your criminal history and individual circumstances. It is also possible that you do not get bail at all, and you’re required to remain in jail while you await trial.

This being said, let’s take a look at some of the most common crimes and their average bail amounts.

Related Content: Is bail and bond the same thing?

Average bail amounts by crime

Restraining order violations: Depending on at what point you violated a restraining order and what your criminal history looks like, bail for a restraining order violation can be set anywhere between $15,000 to $150,000.
Drinking and driving: The bail amount for a DUI can drastically vary depending on how many DUIs you’ve had and what occurred during the episode. For example, a typical DUI can start around $20,000. If harm to a person occurred (including vehicular manslaughter), this can increase to as much as $100,000 (depending on whether or not gross negligence is part of the equation).
Other common vehicle crimes: Aside from drinking and driving, there are a handful of common vehicle-related crimes. For example, $20,000 to $30,000 is the average bail amount for the following incidents: driving a car without a person’s consent (depending on the vehicle and criminal history), hit and runs (with no major bodily harm), and throwing something at a moving vehicle (with no major physical or bodily harm).
Drug possession charges: Drug possession charges vary drastically, and it is very difficult to provide an average bail amount. The set amount will be based on the amount of drugs in possession, the type of drugs in possession, and your intent (using, manufacturing, distributing, etc). For small amounts with no intent to distribute, bail typically starts around $25,000. For large amounts with the intent to distribute, bail can be set anywhere between $500,000 and $5,000,000.
Burglary: If the theft is something similar to stealing from a person or a store, bail could be set at $20,000. If the defendant entered someone’s home, this could increase to $50,000. Vehicular theft can increase bail to as much as $100,000. All of these bail amounts can increase based on the dollar amount of goods stolen.
Assault: Physical assault (not to be confused with sexual assault) can vary depending on who was assaulted, how serious the assault was, and if there were weapons used during the assault. For example, a simple assault charge could start at $10,000. If the defendant had a firearm during the assault, then it would start at $50,000.

If you’re working with a bail bond company, then you don’t have to pay the full bail amount to court. Learn more about how to calculate bail bonds.

Need help posting bail? Cowboy Bail Bonds can help.

Take a look at our bail bond resources below and then give us a call or fill out our online form to get help with bail.