Gwinnett County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Gwinnett County.
County Jail Information
Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office
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
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 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 Gwinnett 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 DUI arrest in Gwinnett County goes to the Detention Center at 2900 University Parkway in Lawrenceville. Most first-time DUI defendants are eligible for bond, and anyone who can post it quickly may be released before ever seeing a judge. If bond isn't posted, a Magistrate judge reviews it within 48 to 72 hours, usually over a video link from the jail rather than in a courtroom. Chief Magistrate Kristina Hammer Blum's court runs those hearings around the clock.
Georgia's Senate Bill 63, in effect since July 2024, changed what a judge can do at that hearing. More than 30 misdemeanor offenses now require a secured cash or surety bond, with no option for release on signature alone, and a Failure to Appear is one of them. Miss a later court date and the next arrest comes with a mandatory financial bond. The same law caps any person or group that isn't a licensed bonding company at three cash bonds per year, which has closed off the charitable bail funds that used to cover people who couldn't afford a bondsman's premium.
That premium is set by state law at no more than 15% of the bond amount, and it's a fee for service that doesn't come back regardless of how the case ends. Posting the full cash bond directly avoids the bondsman, but the county keeps a share as an administrative fee when the case closes, and the refund goes only to whoever is named on the original receipt.
Getting personal property back from the jail runs on a strict appointment system. The Sheriff's Property and Evidence Unit at the University Parkway address requires scheduling at least 24 hours ahead by phone at 770-513-5260 or by email, and walk-ins are turned away. Build that delay into any plan that depends on retrieving keys, a wallet, or a phone.
One more trap worth knowing before the case even gets going: missing a calendar call in Superior or State Court is treated as a failure to appear. The judge issues a bench warrant and the bond is forfeited, so a co-signer who pledged property to secure that bond is suddenly exposed to the full amount.
24-Hour Gwinnett County Bail Bondsmen
If you or someone you know was arrested for DUI in Gwinnett County, a licensed bail bond agent can arrange release once bail is set. Below are bail bond businesses serving Gwinnett 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.