Warrant Walk Through and Bail in Los Angeles

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

You found out there is a warrant. Maybe it came from a missed court date, an old ticket that grew or a case you did not know was filed. You do not want to be arrested at work or in front of your kids. You want to handle it on your terms. That is a reasonable thing to want, and there is a lawful way to plan it.

This guide explains warrants, how bail on a warrant is set, what a planned surrender is, what a bail agent can and cannot do before anyone is in custody and what to ask a lawyer. We are careful with the wording here because California rules limit what bail agents may promise. We will be straight about the limits.

Two kinds of warrants

An arrest warrant is issued by a judge after a complaint or investigation, authorizing police to arrest a person for a charged offense. A bench warrant is issued when a person fails to appear in court as required. Penal Code section 978.5 lists the situations. A bench warrant may issue if a defendant ordered to appear fails to do so, whether the person was released on bail, on own recognizance or on a citation with a signed promise to appear. The statute also says a bench warrant may be served in any county in the same manner as a warrant of arrest.

Penal Code section 816 says a warrant of arrest is directed to any peace officer and may be executed by those officers. In practice that means many agencies can pick the person up, in any county, and the person may be booked wherever the arrest happens.

A warrant does not go away on its own. It can be recalled by the judge, or resolved when the person is brought before the court. Ignoring it usually makes the next police contact worse, because a traffic stop or a background check can turn into an arrest at a bad moment.

How bail is set on a warrant

For a person who has not yet appeared before a judge on the charge, Penal Code section 1269b(b) says bail is the amount fixed in the warrant of arrest. If no warrant was issued, it is the amount in the countywide schedule. If the person already appeared before a judge on the charge, bail is the amount that judge fixed.

Section 1269b(a) lets the jail officer in charge, an authorized employee or the court clerk accept bail in the amount fixed by the warrant, the schedule or an order, either in cash or by a surety bond from a certified, admitted surety insurer, then issue the release order and set a time and place for appearance. That is why, when someone is booked on a warrant, the bail amount is usually known quickly.

Warrants often carry a no bail hold, or a higher amount, when a judge is worried the person will not come back. A person who already missed court is more likely to see a higher number. If the amount on the warrant is too high for the family, a lawyer can ask the judge to address it, as in our bail reduction guide.

If the warrant is out of the county, Penal Code section 1270 allows a court to release a person arrested on an out of county warrant on own recognizance, and for a misdemeanor only case it creates an entitlement to such release unless the court finds on the record that it would harm public safety or not reasonably assure appearance. See out of county bail bonds.

What people mean by a walk through

People use the words walk through, walk in, surrender and turn yourself in to mean the same plan. The person goes to the courthouse or the jail on a date and time they choose, with a lawyer if possible, and gets the warrant dealt with in a calm way.

A planned surrender has real benefits.

• The person is not arrested at home, at work or in front of family.
• A judge can see that the person came in voluntarily, which often helps with bail and release terms.
• Paperwork can be ready, so the bail amount, the co-signer and the bond are lined up.
• The person can arrange childcare, work leave, medicine and a ride home.

It has risks too, and you should hear them. The person will be booked and may be held until a judge sees them. Release depends on the court, the charge and the jail, so no one can promise a time. Some warrants carry no bail. Ask a lawyer before going in.

A lawyer can often tell you whether the court allows a walk in, which courtroom handles it and whether the judge may recall the warrant. Ask before you go.

What a bail agent can and cannot do

Here is where we have to be careful. California regulation 10 CCR 2070 says a bail licensee may not enter into an agreement meant to assure a person in advance of the commission of any offense that bail will be furnished if the person is arrested, and may not do anything that encourages a person to violate the law. That rule is aimed at prearranged bail for future offenses. It is not the same as helping a person who already has a warrant.

What we can do lawfully is this.

• Explain how bail works once the person is in custody. We can discuss the premium and the 1% down payment plan, and explain what a co-signer must provide.
• Help the family gather information, such as the full legal name, date of birth and the court that issued the warrant, so we can look up the amount quickly once the person is booked.
• Take the co-signer's application ahead of time, such as the proof of income and ID, so there is no delay later. The online application takes about four minutes and no Social Security number goes online.
• Tell the family where the person will be held and how to reach the booking jail. Our jail pages list the facilities.
• Be ready to post a bond once bail is set and the person is in custody, if the family chooses.

What we will not do is promise that a bond will be posted before an arrest, promise a release time or promise a judge's ruling. And we do not tell people to go in without speaking to a lawyer first. We are not lawyers and we are not part of any court or police agency.

Steps to take if you have a warrant

1. Confirm the warrant. The defense lawyer, public defender or court clerk can tell you the case number, the court and the amount. Do not guess from rumors.
2. Talk to a lawyer before you go in. Free options are listed in our resources directory.
3. Collect your information. Case number, date of birth, the date and reason the warrant issued, and anything that explains a missed court date.
4. Pick the date. Many people choose early in the week and early in the day so a judge is more likely to be available, but that is only a general idea and the court decides.
5. Line up the money plan. If bail is set, who will sign as co-signer and what documents do they have. Call us at (213) 725-2815.
6. Arrange your life for a few days. Childcare, work, medicine and phone numbers written on paper, because phones are taken at booking.
7. Go to the right place. The lawyer will say whether to go to a courtroom or to the jail.

Our guide on what to do after an arrest in Los Angeles shows what happens at booking, and find someone in jail in Los Angeles shows how a family member can check status.

If the warrant came from a missed court date

A missed date may also mean a forfeited bond, if the person was out on one. In that case the 180 day clock and the options in bail forfeiture under PC 1305 and bond reinstatement matter a lot. Tell us right away if a bond is involved. A person who returns voluntarily within the 180 days gives the court the chance to vacate the forfeiture at the first appearance.

If the missed date was for a felony and the person willfully evaded the court, Penal Code section 1320.5 makes failure to appear while on felony bail a crime. Willful failure to appear within 14 days of the date may be found to have been to evade the process of the court. Do not wait.

What it costs

Bail on a warrant works like any other bail. The premium is a percentage of the bail amount, and a payment plan may be available. {{PREMIUM}}

If the person in custody is pregnant, ask about our free bail program for qualifying pregnant women. Premium is waived for qualifying applicants who are 8 months or more along, with bail of $50,000 or less, a non-violent charge and a working co-signer with proof of income. It is subject to approval. If you do not qualify, ask anyway, because we are often able to help.

How we treat people on this call

People calling about a warrant are often ashamed. We do not scold. We ask what happened, explain the real options and say plainly what we cannot do. Jane Un is often in court at arraignment with families, so we understand how important a calm first appearance is. No games on your worst day.

Jane Un Bail Bonds is licensed by the California Department of Insurance (License #1843448). Call (213) 725-2815 any hour, or start the short online application. Our Los Angeles office is at 900 Avila St Suite 101, a short walk from the downtown jails, and the jail pages show where people are held.

Please remember this is general information and not legal advice. Your lawyer or the public defender can tell you what applies to your case, and our resources page points to free legal help.