Fayette County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Fayette 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 - 20 Days
You have only 20 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 Fayette 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 single most important thing to know about a Fayette County DUI arrest: if you are booked into the jail after 8:00 p.m., no magistrate will set your bail until the next calendar day. Most DUI arrests here come out of late-night checkpoints and saturation patrols, so this rule alone guarantees at least one night in custody, no matter how much money you have or how clean your record is.
Booking is at the Fayette County Correctional Center, 705 Justice Drive in Somerville. The booking line is (901) 465-5247, and there is an online inmate search. The facility is small, 44 local beds, and it also holds federal inmates for the U.S. Marshals, so it runs near capacity and cycles misdemeanor arrestees through quickly.
Once the morning magistrate sets the bond, call booking to confirm the exact amount before paying. A full cash bond goes into an electronic kiosk in the front lobby, which is open to the public only Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Standardized booking fees have to be paid in exact change, cash only, because the jail cannot make change and will hold up the release without it.
If you cannot cover the full amount, a commercial bondsman charges a non-refundable 10 percent of the bond. You can find a licensed bail bondsman through this site's directory. Fayette County also allows a property bond, but the requirements are heavy: Fayette County real estate, the original warranty deed with no copies accepted, a current tax statement, equity of at least twice the bail amount, and every person named on the deed present in person to sign.
A first DUI conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 48 hours in jail, seven consecutive days if the BAC was 0.20 or higher, with time already served credited.