Sarasota County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Sarasota County bail and bond: the Main Street jail and how to get answers fast
Sarasota County adults are booked into the Sarasota County Jail, 2020 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237, run by the Sheriff's Office. The jail's phone is 941-861-4601. Before you call, use Sarasota County Inmate Search to check custody, charges, and the bond amount.
Think of two steps. First learn what the bond is. Then pay bail in a way that gets a receipt and the right release.
1. How can I be sure he is at the Main Street jail?
Use Sarasota County Inmate Search. Sarasota may take time to post a fresh booking, so look again later. The jail desk, 941-861-4601, can help when the search shows nothing. Also ask which city police department or agency made the arrest.
2. Does the search show the bond?
It should list the bond with the booking. If the field is empty, a judge may have to set it or a hold may apply. Phone 941-861-4601 with the inmate's name and birth date to learn which applies in Sarasota.
3. What bond amounts apply in Sarasota County?
Sarasota is in the Twelfth Judicial Circuit. The Twelfth Circuit's own order sets the local figures, so no local dollar amounts appear here. The Supreme Court's 2026 statewide schedule (AOSC25-69) runs from $5,000 down to $150 depending on the offense. A circuit may use it or set higher figures. Ask 941-861-4601 for the number on each charge.
A judge may use any amount at first appearance, and each charge has its own bond.
4. Why is there no bond yet?
Some people must see a judge before release. The list under section 903.011(6) covers frequent arrestees and people accused of robbery or burglary. Rule 3.130 says the first court hearing comes within 24 hours of arrest, so a wait should be short. It is not a final answer.
5. How do I pay the bond?
The Sheriff's website says bail of up to $7,500 can be paid with a credit, debit, or prepaid debit card through an outside payment service the sheriff links. It takes payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on site, online, or by phone, and you may pay for a friend or relative. For a larger bond, or to ask about cash or checks, call the jail at 941-861-4601. Keep the receipt and the booking number.
A bail agent is the other route. Agents may meet you at the jail, but verify the license first.
6. Are deposits the same as bond money?
No. Commissary and phone deposits stay in the person's jail account. They do not release anyone.
7. What is the cost of a bail agent in Sarasota?
The Florida Department of Financial Services fixes the fee for a state bond at 10 percent of the court's bail. Once the person is released, the premium is generally not refunded. Agents must use the rate they filed with the state (section 648.33). Sarasota collateral should return within 21 days of the bond's discharge, and premiums must be refunded if release never happens. Get every term in writing. Call the Florida Insurance Consumer Helpline, 877-693-5236, with questions or complaints.
8. Can Sarasota accept a deed instead of cash?
It is possible. Sarasota sureties other than bonding companies must reside in Florida or hold Florida real estate (section 903.05). Section 903.08 requires combined net worth of at least the bond. Sarasota sureties must file a sworn list of property and liens (section 903.09). How much equity Sarasota demands, and whether out-of-county land or a mobile home counts, are set locally. Ask the jail before anyone signs.
9. Can a Sarasota judge lower the bond?
Yes. It can happen at first appearance or after a lawyer files a motion. Sarasota judges use section 903.046 to weigh the charge, evidence, local ties, record, and risk to others. Pay stubs, a lease, and family letters help. Deputies cannot change a number.
10. Who is the Public Defender here?
If cost is a problem, the judge appoints counsel at first appearance (Rule 3.130). The Twelfth Circuit Public Defender's Sarasota office is in the Criminal Justice Center, 2071 Ringling Boulevard, and answers at 941-861-5500. The Clerk of the Circuit Court is at the County Court House, 2000 Main Street, 941-861-7400. At the hearing, say clearly that you need an appointed lawyer.
11. What if Sarasota police or Venice police made the arrest?
Get the report number and ask the department where the person is. Sarasota Police, 2099 Adams Lane, takes non-emergency calls at 941-316-1199. Then look again on Sarasota County Inmate Search. The Sheriff's booking area, with eight holding cells, is at the county jail, so ask the city department whether it has already sent the person there.
12. Where does a Sarasota teenager go when arrested?
The adult search leaves out young people. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice says youth from Sarasota County who must be held go to the Manatee Regional Juvenile Detention Center, 1803 Fifth Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205, 941-741-3023, which serves Manatee and Sarasota counties. Call to confirm where the child is.
13. When can bail be denied?
Under Article I, section 14 of the Florida Constitution, Sarasota can hold without bail anyone charged with a capital or life crime when evidence is strong. A Sarasota judge may also order detention when no terms keep the public safe, ensure appearance, or protect the process. In Sarasota, a new arrest or a broken condition while out on release can lead a judge to revoke it under section 903.0471. Warrants and probation holds can also block release.
14. What if someone misses a court date?
The bond may be forfeited. The Sarasota clerk mails notice, and payment falls due 60 days later unless discharged (section 903.26). If the person is returned, section 903.28 lets the court give back a share, and the share shrinks over time. Phone the defense lawyer and the agent that same day.
15. When is cash bond returned?
After the case closes, less fines, costs, and fees. Sarasota agent premiums stay with the agent. Save receipts and the Sarasota case number.
16. How do I spot a scam about Sarasota bail?
Beware calls seeking gift cards, app payments, or crypto, or demanding payment within minutes. Hang up. Then dial the Sarasota jail at 941-861-4601.
17. How do ICE holds work at the Sarasota jail?
- ICE uses Form I-247A to ask Sarasota jailers for more time.
- That extra hold in Sarasota lasts up to 48 hours.
- In Sarasota, weekends and holidays count toward those 48 hours.
- A Sarasota bond can be paid while the Sarasota hold stays.
- The Sarasota judge who sets bond learns of it (F.S. 908.105).
- Notice also goes to the Sarasota state attorney.
- F.S. 908.11 requires the Sarasota sheriff to work with ICE under 287(g).
- For Sarasota, ICE's 287(g) list shows:
- Task Force Model
- Warrant Service Officer
- If ICE takes someone from Sarasota, search the ICE detainee locator.
Sarasota County bail contacts
- Jail
- Sarasota County jails and bond help: Sarasota County Jail, 2020 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237; 941-861-4601
- Custody lookup
- Sarasota County Inmate Search
- Sheriff's Office
- 6010 Cattleridge Boulevard; switchboard 941-861-5800; non-emergency 941-316-1201
- Clerk of Court
- County Court House, 2000 Main Street, Sarasota, FL 34237; 941-861-7400
- City police
- Sarasota Police, 2099 Adams Lane; 941-316-1199
- Public defender
- 2071 Ringling Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34237; 941-861-5500
- Juvenile
- Manatee Regional Juvenile Detention Center, 1803 Fifth Street West, Bradenton, FL 34205; 941-741-3023
- Bail agents
- Florida Insurance Consumer Helpline, 877-693-5236
Sarasota may update its figures and phone lines, and the judge sets the bond. Confirm with the Sarasota jail before paying. Nothing here is a substitute for advice from a lawyer.
Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Sarasota County
The Sarasota County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota County Jail, or the courthouse in Sarasota County where the offense took place.
Call 941-861-4165 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Sarasota County inmate locator.
Sarasota County Jail
Address:
2020 Main St.
Sarasota, FL 34237
Phone:
941-861-4165
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Sarasota County
Does Sarasota County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Sarasota County?
Who can set bail in Sarasota County?
When is bail set in Sarasota County Florida?
Does Sarasota County have bail?
Yes, Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota County?
Florida offers bail in the form of cash bail or surety bond and bonds from a professional bondsperson.
Who can set bail in Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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, Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota County have bail?
Yes, Sarasota 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 Sarasota County?
Florida offers bail in the form of cash bail or surety bond and bonds from a professional bondsperson.
Who can set bail in Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota County Jail at 941-861-4165 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 Sarasota County Florida?
Some counties do accept online payment. Other only accept cash, money orders, or cashier’s checks. Contact the Sarasota County Jail at 941-861-4165 for more information regarding accepted forms of payment.
What options are there to pay bail in Sarasota 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 Sarasota County Jail for more information about posting bail in Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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.