Tipton County DUI Bail Information
Understanding bail amounts, the release process, and what happens after a DUI arrest in Tipton 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 Tipton 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
Booking after a DUI arrest in Tipton County happens at the Corrections Center at 1801 South College Street in Covington, inside the Justice Center, phone (901) 475-3305. Here you will not bond out right away no matter what. The 25th Judicial District uses a mandatory 48-hour hold on DUI arrests before a magistrate reviews probable cause and sets a bond. State law backs this: a first DUI conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 48 hours in jail, and seven consecutive days if the BAC was 0.20 or higher.
That hold turns a bad-timing arrest into a long stay. Someone arrested late on a Friday before a holiday weekend, like July 4th or Labor Day, may not see a magistrate until the following Tuesday. For a lot of working people, that is enough time to lose a job before they have even been arraigned.
Once bail is set, a first-offense DUI in this region runs between $1,000 and $3,500 depending on the circumstances. A bondsman charges a non-refundable premium of 10 percent. You can find a licensed bail bondsman through this site's directory.
The communication setup traps families. The jail uses the ConnectNetwork phone system, and Tennessee jails do not accept incoming calls to inmates, so you cannot call in to ask the defendant their bond amount or coordinate anything. The only exception is a verified life-or-death emergency routed through the chaplain. To hear from the person, set up a ConnectNetwork prepaid account so they can call out. To check bond status yourself, call the booking desk at (901) 475-3305.