Address:
1600 26th Avenue
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Phone:
205-349-4511
There are 4 types of Bail/Bonds that can be posted to get a family member, friend or loved one out of the Tuscaloosa County Jail.
The Tuscaloosa County Sheriff, Jail Administrator and Tuscaloosa County Court strive to ensure that if someone has the constitutional right to a Bail/Bond that they are able post such Bail/Bond in accordance with the law.
The Bail/Bond types with instructions are listed below:
Cash Bond – If you wish to post a Cash Bond, you must go to the Circuit Court Clerks Office and place a deposit in the entire amount of the Bond. The Circuit Clerk will issue a receipt and when the defendant gets a disposition on his/her case the money will either be returned or placed against any accrued fines.
Professional Bonding Company – You may hire a Professional Bonding Service to post the Bail/Bond.
The bonding company must have current and valid business licenses required to bond in Tuscaloosa County. The Bonding Company may charge a fee and ask for collateral. The fees associated with the Bonding Company are not associated or regulated by the Tuscaloosa County Jail and cannot be negotiated by any staff member of the Sheriff’s Office.
Property Bond – You may place your property as collateral in the form of a property bond. Property bonds are accepted at the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office or at the County Circuit Clerk's Office during normal business hours . There are various rules that apply for a property bond to be accepted:
1. The property listed must have an assessed value that is equal to or greater that the amount of the bond, and must not have a lien greater than the property value.
2. All persons listed on the tax assessment must be present to sign the bond, if a person is deceased a death certificate must be provided.
3. If property is in another county, the bond must be approved by that County Sheriff’s Office and may be subject to their rules of Bonding. All property must be from one county, split bonds are not permitted.
4. Mobile homes in general cannot be used as value towards a bond.
5. You may not use your property if you are currently on a bond or have bonded more than 4 different persons other than immediate family in any one year.
6. You may not charge a fee to use your property on a bail bond.
Property owners need to remember that by placing your property on a Bail/Bond you are guaranteeing the Court that the defendant will appear at the prescribed time. Failure to appear may result in a lien being placed against your property for the amount of the bond.
Appeal Bond – After being sentenced and the defendant does not agree with the Judges final ruling, the defendant has 14 days in which to file for an appeal bond. To file for an appeal bond the defendant must request an appeal bond to the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Clerk. The Judge with jurisdiction over the criminal case will then set a bond and the family members may post that bond at the Circuit Clerks Office during normal business hours.
Alabama law requires a Bond Fee to be made for each individual bond. The fee is $35.00 and must be a money order or cashier’s check made payable to the Tuscaloosa County Circuit Clerk. Note that the $35.00 fee is required for each charge that has arisen from different incidents. If a person is arrested and given multiple charges at the same time, only one fee applies. If a person is arrested and later found to have an old warrant or arrested for multiple warrants then a separate $35.00 fee must be paid for each charge.
Family members and property owner must understand that by signing a Consolidated Appearance Bond and a Lien and Affidavit of Sureties you are swearing that all information is accurate and if its later found to have been false you may be held accountable.
Please call the jail at 205-349-4511 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Tuscaloosa County Jail.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.
Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Tuscaloosa County Jail?
Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.
In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.
Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a Alabama state licensed Bail Bond firm.
Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.
When will the Cash Bail or Collateral be returned to me?
Money or collateral will not be returned until the defendant's court case is finished, so realistically it could take several months to years, depending on the severity of the charges. If a defendant posts his or her own bail, Tuscaloosa County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.
What happens to my Bail or Collateral if the Defendant misses Court?
The Tuscaloosa County Judge may order a failure to appear warrant for the person's arrest or the Judge may order a Bail Commissioner's Letter be issued that will be sent to the person with a new court date.
If cash bail was paid, the entire amount may be forfeited.
For inmates receiving mail in the Tuscaloosa County Jail there are different addresses and policies depending on the inmate's status, as well as what type of mail they are receiving; personal mail, legal mail, subscriptions or books sent from a third-party such as Amazon.
All mail is to be shipped to the Tuscaloosa County Jail:
Inmate's Full Name & Cell # (call 205-349-4511 to get the Cell #)
Tuscaloosa County Jail
1600 26th Avenue
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
For complete information on mail policies, what you can send an inmate and what address to send them, check out our Inmate Mail page.
For all information, tips and to see the hundreds of available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Tuscaloosa County Jail, or to see how deposit money so that your inmate can purchase their own commissary, check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Tuscaloosa County.
Inmates are allowed to have an account at the facility in order to purchase commissary items such as snacks, hygeine products, phone cards and stationary. These are the instructions on how to deposit money with them, pick up money they had with them when they were arrested, and how much money they need.
For complete information on inmate money and commissary issues, check out our Inmate Money page.
To rent a tablet for an inmate in Tuscaloosa County follow these instructions:
If you have any questions:
For all Tuscaloosa County information on Tablet Rentals for your inmate, check out our Tablet Rental Page.
To send a text or email message to a Tuscaloosa County inmate, do the following:
Tuscaloosa County Jail uses Securus eMessaging for Inmate Email.
Register here. (You are already registered if you signed up with Securus for 'Phone' or 'Remote Visitation' in Tuscaloosa County or any jail or prison in the country).
Steps:
1. Sign up for eMessaging
2. Find your Tuscaloosa County inmate.
3. Purchase a book of Securus ‘stamps’.
4. Type & Send message.
For all Tuscaloosa County information for sending secure messages to an inmate in Tuscaloosa County Jail, including instructions, video examples, fees, limits, tablet rentals and more, check out out Text/Email an Inmate Page.
To schedule and set up a visit, either at-the-jail or remotely from your home, follow these instructions:
To get more complete instructions, and understand visit lengths, times, locations, fees and all the other rules including children, dress codes and more, check out or Visit Inmate Page.
NOTE: All visits are recorded and whatever you say and do will be monitored. It is best to never discuss sensitive information regarding your inmate's pending case.
To set up a phone account so that your inmate can call you from Tuscaloosa County do the following:
1. Enroll in an account with Securus Technologies.
2. Choose one of three account types, Securus Debit, Advance Connect or Direct Bill.
3. Choose [facility_name_1}, then connect with your inmate.
4. If you have any questions, call Securus: 972-734-1111 or 800-844-6591.
To find out fees, how to's, calling times, limits on phone calls and other systems Securus has do that you can communicate with your Tuscaloosa County inmate, check out our Inmate Phone Page.
NOTE: All of your inmate's phone calls are recorded and stored. It is advised not to discuss their pending case.
