Horry County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Horry County.
County Jail Information
J. Reuben Long Detention Center
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 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 Horry 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
Whether a DUI collision hurt someone or damaged property changes everything about how fast you get out of the J. Reuben Long Detention Center. State law requires the Horry County Victim Services office to notify any victim and give them a chance to address the court on release conditions before a bond hearing can proceed — and if that person can't be reached right away, the defendant gets bumped off the standard 9 a.m. or 2 p.m. docket entirely, sitting in custody days longer than someone arrested at a routine traffic stop.
For a standard first-offense DUI with no aggravating factors, a magistrate typically grants a personal recognizance bond, release on a written promise to appear with no cash required. First-offense bail otherwise runs roughly $1,022 to $1,224, capped by the maximum statutory fine.
Paying a cash bond directly comes with its own trap. The Magistrate's Office inside the detention complex accepts major credit cards, money orders, and cash, but never personal checks, and cash has to be the exact amount required — staff won't make change. Call the booking desk or check the online inmate portal to confirm the precise figure before making the drive out; showing up with the wrong denominations gets the release refused outright. Horry County also runs a "Cash and Dash" program letting some minor offenders pay a flat fine and walk without seeing a judge, but a DUI never qualifies. It carries mandatory license consequences and requires formal admonishment of rights on the record, so it always goes through a full docketing.
Bond hearings themselves run on a fixed schedule, typically 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (occasionally a 3:30 p.m. slot depending on the season). Book in at 10:30 a.m. and the morning docket is already gone — the earliest possible release moves to the afternoon session.
A cluster of bail bond agencies operates along Highway 701 near the detention center in Conway, ready to post a surety bond for anyone who doesn't qualify for personal recognizance.