1% Down vs the 10% Bail Premium

By Jane Un, licensed bail agent #1843448. Updated October 29, 2026.

You have seen ads that say 1% and ads that say 10%. They are not competing prices. One is how much you pay up front. The other is how much the bond costs in all. Here is the honest comparison, with the arithmetic, so you can tell a real offer from a confusing one.

The short answer

The bond premium in California is most commonly 10% of the bail amount. That is the cost of the bond. A payment plan lets you pay that premium over time. A 1% down plan means you start with 1% of the bail amount as the first payment, on approved credit, and pay the rest of the premium in installments.

So 1% down is not a discount on the premium. It is a smaller first payment. The total premium is the same either way, unless a real discount applies.

1% down is a down payment on approved credit. The full premium is still owed and is paid over time.

That one sentence clears up most of the confusion. The rest of this guide shows why it matters.

What the 10% is

The California Department of Insurance says the cost to a consumer for a bail bond is most commonly ten percent of the total bond amount, plus actual, necessary and reasonable expenses. Each insurance company files its rates with the Department. A bail agent writing for that company has to charge the filed rate.

So the 10% is not a gimmick and it is not a company's idea of a good price. It is the common filed rate. The Department also notes that an agent may choose to charge less by rebating, as allowed under Proposition 103.

At Jane Un Bail Bonds the premium is 10% of the court ordered bail. It is 8% when a private attorney has been retained or when the defendant or cosigner is a veteran. That is a 20% discount on the premium.

You pay one premium. Since January 1, 2022, a bail agent in California cannot charge a renewal premium. The agreement lasts until bail is exonerated.

What 1% down is

Jane Un started Bail Today, Pay Later® in 2004. The idea was that a family should not have to find 10% of the bail in cash at 2 AM. With approved credit, the first payment can be 1% of the bail amount. The balance of the premium goes on a monthly plan.

All that is required to qualify is that you or your loved one has a job. Bring a recent pay stub or your employer's contact information, plus proof of where you live. Approval is required.

Now the same bail amounts with the 8% rate for a retained private attorney or a veteran. The 1% down is still 1% of the bail.

Use the calculator to run any amount, and read the page on the 1% down plan.

Side by side

The honest tradeoff is simple. Paying the full premium at once means you owe nothing more later. Paying 1% down means you keep cash on hand today and pay through the months ahead. Which is better depends on what your family can handle. Neither is cheaper. Both are one premium.

Ask any agent who offers a payment plan for three things in writing. The total you will pay. The amount and date of each payment. What happens if a payment is late. If an agent will not put them in writing, walk away.

Why "1%" claims elsewhere can mislead

Search for bail bonds and you will find many pages with 1% in big type. Some are honest and explain that it is a down payment on a payment plan. Some are not, and leave you with the idea that the bond costs 1%. Here is how to tell.

• Does the page show the real premium next to the 1%? If the 10% is hidden or missing, be careful.
• Does it say approval is required? A down payment plan usually needs a credit check, a job or a cosigner. A page that says everyone qualifies is overselling.
• Does it say what the rest looks like? Monthly payments, a total and a schedule.
• Does it say 1% of what? The bail amount is the base. On a $100,000 bail, 1% is $1,000. The premium is $10,000. That is a big difference.
• Does it promise things nobody can promise, such as no collateral for everyone, or a release time?

Rates in California are filed with the Department of Insurance, and state regulations limit what an agent can collect to the filed premium, collateral and certain actual, necessary and reasonable expenses. A bond that costs 1% in total is not what the common filed rate looks like. So if you see an offer that sounds like that, ask what is left to pay. It may be a payment plan in plain clothes.

We lay out the structure honestly because we would rather you know the facts and call us than feel tricked later.

When 1% down helps, and when it may not

It helps when

• The bail is large, and 10% in cash tonight is out of reach.
• You or your loved one has a job and can show it.
• You can handle monthly payments while the case runs.

It may not be right when

• You do not have steady income to keep up monthly payments.
• The cosigner cannot take on the unpaid balance.
• The bail is very small and paying the premium up front is easy.
• The person is likely to be released with zero bail anyway. Read pre-arraignment release in Los Angeles to see who goes home without paying.

A bond also is not the only route. Cash bail comes back at the end of the case if every court date is kept. Our guide on whether bail money is returned compares the options.

What else to expect on a payment plan

Missed payments matter. The cosigner is on the hook for the unpaid premium. Payments can be made by phone at (213) 725-2815 at any hour with an account number and PIN, in person at an office, or by mail to the Payment Processing Center at 900 Avila Street Suite 101, Los Angeles CA 90012. Mail checks or money orders only, never cash. Mailed payments are processed within five business days after receipt.

Collateral, if it was needed, is held until the bond is released and the premium is paid in full, which the Department of Insurance describes as bail being paid and the case settled. See cosigner responsibilities.

See our page on Bail Today, Pay Later for how it works day to day.

Call and get real numbers

When you call (213) 725-2815, tell us the person's name, the jail, the charge and the bail amount if you know it. We will tell you the premium at 10% and at 8% if you qualify, what 1% down would be, and what the rest would look like. A family member, friend or attorney can call for the person in custody. We are open 24 hours.

Jane Un Bail Bonds is a licensed California bail agent, License #1843448. We are a private business and not a government agency. See our license page and about Jane.

If the person in custody is a qualifying pregnant woman, ask about our program. The premium may be waived, subject to approval and conditions that are listed on that page.