Bay County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Bay County bail and bond: the Star Lane jail and the 2026 schedule
Bay adults are jailed at the Bay County Jail, 5700 Star Lane, Panama City, run by the Bay County Sheriff's Office. Find the person in Bay County Inmate Search for custody status and the bail amount. The jail's number is 850-785-5245. Cash, money orders and in-person card payments are taken at the jail's Warrants Division, and the clerk of court handles the court file that goes with any bond.
1. Is my son or daughter in the Bay County Jail?
Run the name through Bay County Inmate Search. If the booking has posted, the page lists the charge and the bail. Fresh arrests can lag. The jail answers at 850-785-5245 for questions the search leaves open, so have a birth date ready.
2. Where is the Bay County Jail?
It is at 5700 Star Lane, Panama City, FL 32404, and the Bay County Sheriff's Office runs it. The Sheriff's Office is a separate site from the jail, so do not drive to the wrong address with money in hand. The sheriff's main office is at 3421 N. Highway 77.
3. How do I post a bond, and with what?
The Bay sheriff's office says preset bonds and child support purges take only cash or a money order payable to the Bay County Sheriff's Office. Other bonds can be paid in cash at the Warrants Division in the jail, or through a bail agent. Credit cards are taken only in person at the Warrants Office, and the card holder needs a photo ID with the same name. Bring the exact cash amount, because staff cannot make change. Bond can be posted at any point during booking. Call 850-785-5245 if you need to confirm anything before you go.
4. What hours does the bonding desk keep?
The sheriff's pages do not give Warrants Division hours. Phone 850-785-5245 and ask whether the jail takes bond payments after midnight and on holidays. Bail agents' numbers are posted in the Warrants Division lobby, and jail staff will not recommend one. After the bond is posted, the person leaves through the jail's releasing section. Go to the front lobby, name who you are picking up, and wait there until staff call you to the releasing door.
5. Do the kiosks in the lobby pay bail?
Kiosks and online sites at jails usually fund inmate accounts for phones and snacks. In Bay, that money is not bail and frees no one. Ask the jail desk before you put a card into any machine.
6. What do I pay for common charges?
Under the Florida Supreme Court's 2026 statewide schedule (AOSC25-69), a third-degree felony with no force is set at $2,500, and one with force at $5,000. Bay lists $500 for a first-degree misdemeanor without force, and $150 for a second-degree one. A first DUI is $500.
Bay's amounts cover release before any hearing. The judge may choose a different number, and the circuit chief judge may add conditions or raise amounts.
7. How soon does a Bay judge hear the case?
Rule 3.130 of the Florida Rules of Criminal Procedure sets a limit of 24 hours after arrest. The sheriff says first appearance is held by video from the jail to the courthouse, generally at 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with other times on weekends and holidays. Family may watch. The clerk, at 300 East 4th Street, 850-747-5100, can answer questions about the court file.
8. Which circuit handles Bay County cases?
Bay sits in the Fourteenth Judicial Circuit, together with Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. The circuit's chief judge, not the sheriff, decides whether to add stricter local release conditions. Ask the clerk whether any apply to the charge.
9. What does a bail agent do?
A bail agent signs a surety bond that guarantees the person will return to court. The Florida Department of Financial Services, the licensing office, says the premium on a state bond is 10 percent of the bail set by the court. Section 648.33 requires the filed rate, no more and no less. Ask for the signed contract and a list of every fee.
10. Can property be used instead of cash?
Under section 903.05, a private surety must be a Florida resident or own land in the state, and section 903.26 makes a recorded property bond a lien. That is the state rule, so ask the clerk at 850-747-5100 how Bay County handles it.
11. Why would Bay County show someone as held without bond?
Article I, section 14 of the Florida Constitution lets a judge hold someone for a capital or life offense when proof is evident, or when no conditions can keep the public safe or protect the court process. A violation of pretrial release can also lead to detention (section 903.0471). Out-of-county warrants and probation holds add other blocks. The sheriff adds that domestic violence battery and all felony cases must go to first appearance, where the judge sets bond.
12. What if Panama City police made the arrest?
Bay families can get the report number and the person's whereabouts from the arresting department. Bay adults appear to be booked into the county jail on Star Lane. Then try Bay County Inmate Search again in a few hours.
13. Where are juveniles held?
The Bay Regional Juvenile Detention Center, 450 East 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32401, is the listed facility for Bay County youth and also serves Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, and Washington counties. The clerk's juvenile page lists the phone as 850-872-4706. Juvenile cases are confidential, so adults' records will not show a child.
14. How is a court-appointed Bay lawyer requested?
In Bay, tell the first appearance judge you can't pay a lawyer. The Fourteenth Circuit public defender covers Bay County. The clerk's office, 850-747-5100, can point you to it.
15. What if my relative misses court?
A missed date can cost the bond. Section 903.26 gives the surety 60 days from the mailing of the notice to pay, and section 903.28 permits partial remission when the person is surrendered, with the share falling over time. Phone the agent and a lawyer immediately.
16. Will I get the cash back?
In Bay, cash held by the court usually returns after the case, minus costs, fines, and fees. The sheriff says money is returned on a debit card, handed out in the front lobby on the next business day if the release was after hours. A bail agent's 10 percent premium, according to the Department of Financial Services, is nonrefundable once the person is out of jail, but must be returned if the person is never released. An agent has 21 days from the court's discharge of the bond to hand collateral back. Keep every receipt.
17. Is this call a bail scam?
In Bay, anyone asking for crypto, gift cards or a cash app is running a scam. The Bay jail never calls families demanding money. Hang up and dial 850-785-5245 yourself.
18. Does an immigration hold change bond in Bay?
- With Form I-247A, ICE can ask the Bay jail to keep a person.
- That extra hold in Bay lasts up to 48 hours.
- In Bay, weekends and holidays count toward those 48 hours.
- Posting bond in Bay does not end an ICE hold.
- Under F.S. 908.105, the Bay judge setting bond must hear about it.
- The Bay state attorney gets notice as well.
- Florida law (F.S. 908.11) puts the Bay sheriff in the 287(g) program.
- ICE lists these 287(g) models for Bay:
- Task Force Model
- Warrant Service Officer
- If ICE takes someone from Bay, search the ICE detainee locator.
Bay County bail contacts
- Jail
- Bay County Jail, 5700 Star Lane, Panama City, FL 32404; 850-785-5245
- Bond guide
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Bay County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Bay County Sheriff's Office, 3421 N. Highway 77, Panama City, FL 32405; 850-747-4700
- Clerk of Court
- 300 East 4th Street, Panama City, FL 32401; 850-747-5100; hours 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday
- Circuit
- Fourteenth Judicial Circuit (Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Washington)
- Juvenile detention
- Bay Regional Juvenile Detention Center, 450 East 11th Street, Panama City, FL 32401; 850-872-4706
- Agent regulator
- Florida Department of Financial Services
A judge can set a different bond, and the jail may change its hours or payment rules without notice. Confirm the Bay details with the jail or clerk first. Think of this Bay page as a simple guide, not advice from a lawyer.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Bay County
The Bay County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Bay County.
However if you don't want to use a bail bond agent:
- You can always pay a cash bond yourself, or use your home in Bay County, or in some cases the state of Florida, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Bay County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Florida is between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15% or less. So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1,500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Bay County Jail, or the courthouse in Bay County where the offense took place.
Call 850-785-5245 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Bay County inmate locator.
Bay County Jail
Address:
5700 Star Lane
Panama City, FL 32404
Phone:
850-785-5245
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Bay County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bay County?
Who can set bail in Bay County?
When is bail set in Bay County Florida?
Does Bay County have bail?
Yes, Bay County has bail and recognizes most types of bonds.
As of January 1, 2024, Florida moved to a statewide uniform bond schedule. The uniform bond schedule may change every year. The Bay County Jail will let you know the amount of the bond.
Under most circumstances your bond amount is set during the booking process, and you are eligible to bond out prior to going to court. Prior to January 1, 2024, each county set their own bond schedule. For more serious crimes, bond will be set at the first appearance.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bay County?
Florida offers bail in the form of cash bail or surety bond and bonds from a professional bondsperson.
Who can set bail in Bay County?
Under most circumstances your bond amount is set during the booking process by a judge, and you are eligible to bond out prior to going to court. Prior to January 1, 2024, each county set their own bond schedule.
For more serious crimes, bond will be set at the first appearance. Bail is set by a judge in accordance with a precalculated schedule based on the seriousness of the offense.
When is bail set in Bay County Florida?
In most cases bail is set immediately after arrest, based on the precalculated schedule. If a defendant is not eligible for immediate release bail may be set by a judge at the initial court hearing, or arraignment.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Bay County must pay or do to stay out of jail until the first court appearance.
The agreement to bail acts as a promise that the arrested will return to court for court dates and trial. Bail usually refers to a dollar amount, but bail can also mean something that has to be done, or a condition such as reporting to an officer of the court, a curfew, restraining orders or attending a treatment program.
Bail is usually a significant enough amount of money and/or condition that the person will be negatively impacted and has incentive to return to court and not flee. A flight risk usually means that the person would flee the area, and not necessary that they are going to take an airplane.
If a judge in Bay County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested could be released under a conditional release without needing to pay bail money. This is called Released on Own Recognizance, or ROR.
Conditions for ROR might be to obey all court orders and laws, maintain contact with the lawyer, report changes in residence or have no contact with the victim. Family support will show the court that there are people who will make sure that the defendant makes it to court.
If the judge or bail schedule determines that the defendant would be a danger to the public if they were released, bail can be denied, and the person will be detained in the Bay County Jail until the case is resolved or goes to trial.
Bail can be denied if the defendant did not comply with bail conditions from a previous arrest. Bail is usually denied in cases of violent offenses.
What is the difference between Bail and Bond?
Bail and bond are used interchangeably to mean the same thing but technically, they are different.
The bail is the amount to be paid and a bond is a signed document promising payment of the bail amount with certain conditions.
Think of a bond as a loan to pay for the bail.
The bond payment is always written to the court in your municipality, Bay County or district directly and does not go through the defendant. Chances of obtaining a bond from a bond company or clerk of court are better if family is involved.
The thought of being in jail can cause the arrested to panic and try to secure a bond immediately.
DO NOT panic and take the time to understand all the options.
More courts are now trying to work with defendants to make bail work and might provide non-monetary options or even reduce the bail.
Payments to a bond company are not refundable. It is a long process to get back property title or money that was given to the clerk of court or bondsperson to secure the bond. This could put your loved ones into a difficult financial situation.
Another reason not to unnecessarily rush into securing a bond is that if the court notes that you came up with the money to pay a bond company, they may assume you have resources to pay a defense attorney and decline public defense.
On the other hand, as anyone who has ever been involved in their criminal defense understands, fighting your case while ‘out on the streets’ gives you a much better chance of either winning, or getting a more favorable sentence.
What are the different types of bonds in Bay County?
Based on a review of information from the arrest, the judge or bail officer will determine and notify the accused of which types of bonds are available to them.
To describe the types of bonds, let’s use an example of buying your neighbor’s car. Your neighbor decides the price of the car and how they would be paid. Similarly, the court (meaning a police or bail officer, clerk of court, bail magistrate or judge) determines the bail amount and how it would be paid. Here are different options that the seller of the car or the court might consider:
You could pay full asking price for the car in cash. This is similar to paying cash bail. The full amount of bail would be paid to the town or county clerk or at the jail. Cash, cashier’s checks and credit cards are usually accepted. A Florida bondsperson will not write a bond for under $250.
Surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
You can put a deposit down for your neighbor’s car and sign an agreement that the car will be paid off at a later date. Cash percentage in lieu of bonds is when the defendant pays a percentage of the bail amount, usually 10%, to the court which then holds the money until the case is over.
The amount is returned to the person who paid the 10% after the case is over. In most cases, the full amount is not returned if there are court fees or fines due. This is a type of surety bond if another person signs the bond paperwork.
You could sign an agreement that if the car were not paid off, that your neighbor would get your house or something of value.
A property bond is a bond that the courts might consider in which the bond is pledged in land or home real estate (mobile homes are not accepted).
Usually, the property must be in the same state as the courts, and it must be worth at least 1 ½ - 2 times the amount of the bond.
There are multiple court fees involved to execute a property bond with the courts and a tedious process to get the property deed back. This is another type of surety bond if another person or a bond company is used to secure the bond.
You could also go to a local bank and take out a car loan offering property or anything of value for collateral. You may get someone to co-sign on the loan and offer their property. The bank charges fees, interest and could keep your property if you did not pay the loan back, or even on time.
A professional bondsperson makes money, at least 10% of the bond amount by providing you with a “loan” called a bond. The percent that they charge is fixed by the state and cannot be negotiated. The defendant or surety does not get that 10% or more back even if the terms of the bail are met.
With a property bond, the property deed would need to be signed over to the bondsperson and everyone on the deed would need to be involved.
A bondsperson might consider a transfer bond that is transferable across state lines but generally a bond company will only assume the loan to adjoining states. For a Florida resident arrested in another state, bond companies will do transfer bonds but the person putting up the security has to be a Florida resident.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety and ultimately, they can send a bounty hunter to bring you to court if you flee. A bondsperson does not have to give you a bond if the defendant seems to be too much of a risk.
Ask the bondsperson to explain all the costs: percentage, fees or court fees. There is never a reason to rush through signing the paperwork with a bond company. Make sure that everything told to you is in writing and that you understand what you are signing. Ask questions, and if you feel rushed or don’t understand the contract with the bond company, you might want to call another one.
(There have been phone scams where a bond company calls and informs a person that their family member has been arrested and they ask for financial information. A bondsperson will not call asking for money without involvement of the arrested.)
Does Bay County have bail?
Yes, Bay County has bail and recognizes most types of bonds.
As of January 1, 2024, Florida moved to a statewide uniform bond schedule.
Under most circumstances your bond amount is set during the booking process, and you are eligible to bond out prior to going to court. Prior to January 1, 2024, each county set their own bond schedule. For more serious crimes, bond will be set at the first appearance.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Bay County?
Florida offers bail in the form of cash bail or surety bond and bonds from a professional bondsperson.
Who can set bail in Bay County?
Under most circumstances your bond amount is set during the booking process by a judge, and you are eligible to bond out prior to going to court. Prior to January 1, 2024, each county set their own bond schedule.
For more serious crimes, bond will be set at the first appearance. Bail is set by a judge in accordance with a precalculated schedule based on the seriousness of the offense.
When is bail set in Florida?
In most cases bail is set immediately after arrest, based on the precalculated schedule. If a defendant is not eligible for immediate release bail may be set by a judge at the initial court hearing, or arraignment.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Bay County Florida?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances, let the judge know at your initial appearance. Your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Bay County, who can pay bail for me?
Monetary bail may be posted by any friend or relative. Surety bonds are only accepted from registered bail bond agent. Bail may be posted at the county jail where the defendant has been charged. Please contact Bay County Jail at 850-785-5245 for information related to types of payment accepted, hours of operation, and location.
The person posting bail should be a relative or close friend, called a surety, because they are promising and taking responsibility that you will return to court to get their money back.
A surety is not responsible for court fees or paying off personal debts for the defendant. A professional bondsperson who is approved by the State of Florida could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Bay County Florida?
Some counties do accept online payment. Other only accept cash, money orders, or cashier’s checks. Contact the Bay County Jail at 850-785-5245 for more information regarding accepted forms of payment.
What options are there to pay bail in Bay County Florida?
Cash or surety bond. Surety bonds are only accepted from registered bail bond agents. Bail may be posted at the county jail where the defendant is charged. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted: Go to the Bay County Jail for more information about posting bail in Bay County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Florida?
Money is returned to the person who paid the bail; in whole or in part once the case is finished. There may be fees, restitution (money to pay for damage caused by the crime) or fines that come out of that amount. If you used a bondsperson, you would not get your 10% back. Property is returned by the court or bondsperson after the appropriate requests and formal paperwork are completed with the court.
Can I get bail or a bond with no money down in Bay County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bond will be an option however personal recognizance bonds are not offered in Florida, leaving few options for no money up front.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Florida?
The Bay County Jail or court in this jurisdiction can provide you with a list of approved and licensed bond companies, but they cannot recommend a specific company. You are not obligated to use the first company available and can call several companies to compare what kind of bonds that the bondsperson is willing to execute.
The percentage of bail that the bond company can charge is set, usually at 10%, by the state and cannot be negotiated.