Whitcomb Facility Inmate Bail & Bonds
Orange County bail and bond: the Orlando Booking and Release Center
Adults arrested in Orange County go through the Booking and Release Center at 3855 South John Young Parkway, Orlando, part of the county's Orange County jail system. The Orange County Corrections Department runs it, not the Sheriff. Search by name in Orange County Inmate Search for a booking and bond. Corrections lists 407-836-3400 for bond questions, with a Spanish-speaking representative on request. The county also posts bail there at any hour, every day. The bond instructions for the county's jails give the usual steps.
1. Which building do I go to in Orlando?
Go to the Booking and Release Center, 3855 South John Young Parkway, Orlando, for bond. The Ninth Circuit's order places weekend and holiday first appearances there, in Courtroom 1. The county also runs a main jail, a female detention center, and four other units, but the county's jail site lists bond posting only at the Center. Mail does not go to the street address; it goes to a P.O. box. Call 407-836-3400 if you are unsure.
2. How can I tell whether he has been booked?
Use Orange County Inmate Search. New Orange County arrests may not appear right away. If the search still shows nothing, call Corrections at 407-836-3400. For a warrant question, the arresting agency is the right place to ask.
3. Is a bonding window open at night?
Yes. The county's jail site says you can post bail at the Center any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Release itself can take up to 12 hours, and the site says no one is released from 5:00 to 7:30 a.m. or from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. Call 407-836-3400 if timing matters.
4. What forms of payment does the Center take?
At the Center, the county takes money orders, traveler's checks, and certified or cashier's checks made out to the Clerk of the Courts. It does not take cash or personal checks. Every payment needs photo identification. The jail's page says nothing about cards, so ask before you count on one. A bonding company, which you visit in person, may add fees and ask for a promissory note.
5. Can I wire the bond money?
Yes, through the cash wire service named on the county's jail site, using the code the county gives. The transfer must equal the bond exactly, and the county says processing can take 24 to 50 hours after payment is confirmed. The jail will not phone you to arrange a payment, so never send money to someone who called first.
6. What do common Orange County charges cost?
The Ninth Circuit's Administrative Order 2022-03-04, amended March 27, 2025, has a schedule. Third-degree felony with force: $5,000. Third-degree felony without force: $2,500. Battery that is not domestic violence, as a misdemeanor: $1,000. Concealed weapon: $500. Assault that is not domestic violence: $250. Disorderly intoxication: $150. Second-offense petit theft: $500.
Judges are not bound by it and may set any reasonable amount at first appearance. A new order can change the numbers, so ask the Center what applies today.
7. I live out of state. Does that change the bond?
Yes. The same order says people who do not live in Florida pay double the stated amount. A separate bond is also needed for each crime of arrest, so two charges can mean two payments.
8. When is the first court hearing on a weekend?
On weekends and holidays, the order sets video hearings for Osceola inmates at 11:00 a.m., then in-person hearings for Orange inmates at 11:30 a.m., in Courtroom 1 at the Center. The cut-off for that morning's list is 3:00 a.m. Someone arrested after that waits for the next list. Juvenile cases that morning begin at the Thomas S. Kirk Justice Center.
9. Why does the record say first appearance is required?
Capital, life, and certain other offenses are not eligible for release before the hearing. The order also lists domestic violence and violation of probation. Under section 903.011(6), the list also includes anyone on pretrial release, probation, or community control at a felony arrest. A judge must decide.
10. A charge changed while he was inside. Which bond counts?
The order says the original bond generally stays unless a judge changes it. If the new charge is upgraded to a first-degree felony, the bond becomes none until a judge looks at it. Ask the Center to read you every charge, bond, and hold.
11. How do we get the Public Defender?
Sign the affidavit of insolvency. In jail, you get it before first appearance. The office is at 435 North Orange Avenue, Suite 400, Orlando, 407-836-4800. The office says there is a $50 application fee due within 10 days of appointment, paid at the Clerk, not to the Public Defender. A lawyer is usually assigned within 24 hours.
12. Where would a minor go?
The Orange Regional Juvenile Detention Center, 2800 South Bumby Avenue, Orlando, 407-897-2800, is a 95-bed state facility serving Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. Screening is done by BAYS Florida at 823 West Central Avenue, 407-836-8800. The Public Defender's children's division is at 407-836-7580.
13. Can we put up a house?
Only the state rules are posted, not local ones. Under sections 903.05 and 903.08, a non-agent surety needs Florida residence or Florida real estate and net worth at least equal to the bond. The Clerk's Criminal Division, 425 North Orange Avenue, Suite 210, 407-836-2000, is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and can say which forms apply.
14. What if the defendant misses court?
The judge declares the bond forfeited and the clerk sends notice. Section 903.26 gives 60 days after notice to pay or have it discharged. An Orange County bondsman can return the client to the jail to get off the bond. Call a lawyer right away.
15. What will an Orange County bondsman charge, and what money comes back?
Bail agents set the price by state rule. Florida's Department of Financial Services sets the state-bond premium at 10 percent of bail. At $2,500 bail, that means $250. In Orange County, the premium is earned and kept once the person leaves jail. A premium paid for a person who never gets out is refunded. Collateral should be back in your hands within 21 days after the court's discharge. The Clerk says it discharges bonds 2 business days after it receives the court's paperwork.
Under section 903.105, a 10 percent court deposit comes back at 75 percent, with 25 percent kept as bail costs. Cash from a payer who is not an agent can be reduced for unpaid fines (section 903.286).
16. How do I avoid being scammed?
An Orange County caller seeking gift cards, crypto, or private wires isn't from the Center. Call 407-836-3400 yourself and ask what they actually accept.
17. Can ICE keep someone in the Orange jail after bond is posted?
- With Form I-247A, ICE can ask the Orange jail to keep a person.
- That extra hold in Orange lasts up to 48 hours.
- Saturdays, Sundays and holidays all count in Orange.
- Posting bond in Orange does not end an ICE hold.
- The Orange judge who sets bond learns of it (F.S. 908.105).
- Notice also goes to the Orange state attorney.
- Florida law (F.S. 908.11) puts the Orange sheriff in the 287(g) program.
- ICE's official 287(g) list shows these models for Orange:
- Task Force Model
- To find a person ICE took from Orange, try the ICE locator.
Orange County bond contacts
- Jail system
- Orange County jails and bond help: Orange County Corrections, Booking and Release Center, 3855 South John Young Parkway, Orlando, FL 32839; 407-836-3400
- Bond guide
- Orange County bail and bond pages
- Custody lookup
- Orange County Inmate Search
- Clerk, Criminal
- 425 North Orange Avenue, Suite 210, Orlando, FL 32801; 407-836-2000
- Bond order
- Ninth Circuit Administrative Order 2022-03-04
- Public Defender
- 435 North Orange Avenue, Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32801; 407-836-4800; children's division, 2000 East Michigan Street, 407-836-7580
- Juvenile
- Orange Regional Juvenile Detention Center, 2800 South Bumby Avenue, Orlando, FL 32806; 407-897-2800; screening 407-836-8800
The Orange County Center or Clerk confirms amounts, hours, and payment types, and judges may order other bonds. Verify first, then pay. This overview informs, but a lawyer gives legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Whitcomb Facility
Posting Bond for an Inmate in Orange County Jail
- You may post bond in person at the Booking and Release Center.
- Pay in person with either a money order, travelers check, or certified/cashier’s check.
- Make the money order, travelers or cashier’s check payable to “CLERK OF THE COURTS”.
- No personal checks or cash accepted.
- All payments require personal identification
- You may also post bond by using a bonding company of your choice.
- You may post bond by sending a cash transfer through Western Union.
You will need the inmate's full name, jail # (booking #) and cell #
Use the city code ORLFLJAILCLERK.
For instructions, call 800-634-3422 (Spanish 800-325-4176)
To be accepted, transfer MUST be the exact amount of the bond.
Whitcomb Facility
Address:
3855 S John Young Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32839
Phone:
407-836-3400
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Orange County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Orange County?
Who can set bail in Orange County?
When is bail set in Orange County Florida?
Does Orange County have bail?
Yes, Orange 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 Whitcomb Facility 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 Orange County?
Florida offers bail in the form of cash bail or surety bond and bonds from a professional bondsperson.
Who can set bail in Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange 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 Whitcomb Facility 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, Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange County have bail?
Yes, Orange 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 Orange County?
Florida offers bail in the form of cash bail or surety bond and bonds from a professional bondsperson.
Who can set bail in Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange 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 Whitcomb Facility at 407-836-3400 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 Orange County Florida?
Some counties do accept online payment. Other only accept cash, money orders, or cashier’s checks. Contact the Whitcomb Facility at 407-836-3400 for more information regarding accepted forms of payment.
What options are there to pay bail in Orange 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 Whitcomb Facility for more information about posting bail in Orange 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 Orange 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 Whitcomb Facility 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.