DeKalb County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in DeKalb County.
Typical Bail Range
For a first-offense DUI in DeKalb County, bail typically ranges from:
First-time DUI offense
Bail Can Be Higher If:
- High BAC level (≥0.15)
- Accident or injury involved
- Minor passenger in vehicle
- Prior DUI offenses
- Probation or parole violation
- Additional charges (evading arrest, assault, etc.)
County Jail Information
DeKalb County Jail
Inmate Search
Use the online inmate locator to check booking status, bail amount, and release information.
What to Expect
Booking Process
2-8 hours for processing, fingerprinting, and photographing
Arraignment
Within 24-48 hours, bail set by judge
Release Options
Cash bond, bail bond, or personal recognizance (rare for DUI)
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 ($1,500-$2,500)
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)
Example: On $1,500 bail = $150 fee
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 Administrative License Suspension 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 DeKalb 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
DeKalb County is one of the easier metro Atlanta counties to get out of after a first DUI, because of a Standing Order Governing Bail signed by the Chief Judge of State Court. It lets the Sheriff release an eligible first-time DUI defendant on a signature bond, meaning a written promise to appear and no money down, as long as the person has a verified local address and no outstanding warrants. That order specifically carves out the cases that still require a cash bond: any family violence charge, stalking, a failure-to-appear history, and a second or later DUI within five years.
For anyone who does need a financial bond, a first DUI runs roughly $1,000 to $2,500, with each stacked charge like failure to maintain lane adding several hundred more. A felony DUI or a domestic charge is held with no preset bond until a Magistrate judge sets one at a first appearance, usually within 24 to 48 hours. Every bond, signature or cash, carries a non-refundable $20 state jail fee. A full cash bond, paid by cash, cashier's check, or US Postal money order at the jail on Memorial Drive, comes back at the end of the case if every court date was made. A bonding company charges 12% of the bond up to $10,000 and 15% above that, none of it refundable.
Booking itself is slow. Reports from people who've been through it describe 10 to 14 hours in a holding cell before booking is even complete and bond becomes possible, and the jail's shift changes around 6 to 7 a.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. bring paperwork to a stop while headcounts are done. Nobody is released still intoxicated regardless of bond status, and a very high BAC, generally above 0.25, or visible injuries from a crash get an arrestee rejected at medical intake, forcing the officer to run them to Grady Memorial for clearance first, which adds hours.
If the defendant stays in custody, contact is limited to video visitation, scheduled 24 hours ahead. It's free on-site in the mornings and evenings, or available from home through the jail's vendor for about $5 to $7.50 per half hour.
Georgia's Senate Bill 63, effective July 2024, also removed signature-only release for more than 30 misdemeanor charges statewide, with a later failure to appear among them.
24-Hour DeKalb County Bail Bondsmen
If you or someone you know was arrested for DUI in DeKalb County, a licensed bail bond agent can arrange release once bail is set. Below are bail bond businesses serving DeKalb County, GA; paid listings are advertisements and ratings are from Google. Confirm an agent's state license, and get the fee and any collateral terms in writing before you sign or pay.
These are free, unclaimed business listings compiled from public sources. They have not been verified or reviewed by DUI Guide, are not paid advertisements, and listing order does not reflect quality or recommendation. Is this your business? You can claim your listing for free.