Coweta County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Coweta County.
How Bail Bonds Work
Option 1: Cash Bond (Pay Full Amount)
How it works: Pay the full bail amount to the court
Pros: Get full amount back after case concludes (minus court fees)
Cons: Requires full amount upfront
Option 2: Bail Bondsman (Most Common)
How it works: Pay 10-15% fee to bondsman, they post full bail
Cost: Typically 10% of bail amount (non-refundable)
Pros: Only need 10% upfront instead of full amount
Cons: Fee is non-refundable, may require collateral, co-signer assumes liability
Co-Signer Liability Warning
Important for Co-Signers:
- You are 100% liable if defendant does not appear in court
- You must pay the full bail amount if defendant skips
- Bondsman can seize collateral (house, car, etc.)
- You cannot cancel the bond - only the court can
- Liability continues until case is fully resolved
Release Timeline
Arrest & Booking (2-8 hours)
Fingerprinting, photographing, background check, medical screening
Arraignment (Within 24-48 hours)
First court appearance, judge sets bail amount, charges are read
Bail Posted (1-4 hours)
Family contacts bondsman, paperwork signed, fee paid
Release (2-6 hours)
Processing, release paperwork, return of personal property, court date assigned
Total Time Estimate
From arrest to release: 12-48 hours depending on booking workload, time of arrest (weekends take longer), and how quickly bail is posted.
After Release: Critical Deadlines
1. Request MVD Hearing - 30 Days
You have only 30 days from arrest to request your administrative license hearing. This is separate from your criminal case.
2. Retrieve Your Vehicle
Impound fees accrue daily. Get your car as soon as possible to avoid hundreds in storage fees.
Calculate Impound Costs3. Contact a Bail Bondsman
Need fast release in Coweta County? Contact a verified 24/7 Bail Bondsman to start the release process immediately.
Find a Bondsman4. Appear at ALL Court Dates
Missing court will result in bond forfeiture, arrest warrant, and additional charges. Your co-signer will be liable for the full bail amount.
Frequently Asked Questions
A first DUI in Coweta County has a bond set on a schedule, anywhere from a few hundred dollars to about $2,500 depending on the BAC and whether there was an accident, and a second offense runs $2,500 to $5,000. The jail is at 560 Greison Trail in Newnan. Release takes 4 to 10 hours after the bond is actually delivered, driven by staffing and intake volume.
The cash bond rules are among the strictest in the state. Every bond instrument carries a mandatory $20 administrative fee that has to be paid in exact cash, no change given. Personal and business checks are never accepted for the bond itself. During business hours the jail takes a MoneyGram or a cashier's check drawn specifically on a Coweta County bank; after hours it's MoneyGrams only, and full physical currency is accepted only as a last resort when the banks and MoneyGram vendors are confirmed closed. Paying by credit or debit card adds an 8% surcharge on the whole bond amount. Buying a MoneyGram from a Walmart, CVS, or Publix is the path of least resistance.
A property bond has to be Coweta County real estate with an occupied home on it, owned continuously by the same person for at least five years, with no trust, estate, or quitclaim in the chain, and every name on the current tax bill present to sign. Out-of-county property is harder still: that county's sheriff has to prepare and approve the bond, it travels in a sealed envelope on official letterhead, and it must reach the Coweta jail before midnight on the same day it was signed, or it's rejected.
One trap for families: if the arrestee had cash on them, it goes into an inmate account, and Coweta County won't release those funds on Wednesdays, weekends, or holidays. On the days it will, the window is 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the money has to be picked up within 12 hours.
Georgia's Senate Bill 63, effective July 2024, also ended signature-only release for more than 30 misdemeanor charges statewide, with a later failure to appear among them.