Georgetown County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Georgetown 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 Georgetown 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
The Georgetown County Detention Center won't take cash for a bond, period. Every payment has to run through the courts or an approved surety bondsman, which surprises families who show up expecting to hand over cash at a window like they'd assumed.
Which bond hearing schedule applies depends entirely on who made the arrest. County Bond Court, handling Sheriff and Highway Patrol cases, convenes twice daily at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. The Georgetown Municipal Bond Court, for city police arrests, meets just once, at 11 a.m. An arrest by the Highway Patrol late on a Friday night means no bond hearing until 9 a.m. Saturday, no matter how early the family calls. Having a surety bondsman's paperwork already prepared before the relevant hearing time means the release process starts the instant the magistrate sets the amount, rather than losing more hours to a scramble afterward.
The online inmate search portal isn't real-time, and that trips people up constantly. Charges don't populate until the arresting agency formally serves the warrants, and bond amounts stay hidden until the Bond Court finishes transmitting the paperwork to the booking officer. Checking the portal right after the 9 a.m., 11 a.m., or 3 p.m. hearing, rather than obsessively refreshing beforehand, is the only way to get an accurate answer.
Bail for a first-offense DUI runs $992, scaling to $1,200-$1,270 for a second offense and $2,100 for a third or later. The detention center sits on Browns Ferry Road with dedicated, free visitor parking on-site, one of the few genuine conveniences in the process, as long as visitors stay out of the spaces marked for law enforcement or transport vehicles.