Sarasota County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Sarasota County Jail

Address:
2020 Main St.
Sarasota, FL 34237

Phone:

941-861-4165

Paying an Inmate's Bail or Bond in Sarasota County

The Sarasota County Sheriff recommends that you use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Sarasota County.

  • You can 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 will be between 10-20% of the bail amount; usually 15%.  So if an offender has a bail of $10,000.00, their bond will be $1500.00.

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.


 

Who do I call to find out the Bond for an Inmate?

Please call the jail at 941-861-4165 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Sarasota 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.

Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in Sarasota County

Because Sarasota County and Florida can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Sarasota County Jail at 941-861-4165, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the Sarasota County Jail or the Sarasota County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.

Option 1 - How to Post Bail using Cash for a Defendant at Sarasota County Jail

The first option, a cash bond, is to pay the full bail amount in cash, cashier's check, or money order. Personal Checks are not accepted.

Depending on the crime, this amount could be anywhere from $100 to $75,000 or more.

To pay a cash bond, go to Sarasota County Jail or to the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going directly to the jail will quicken the release of the defendant as any bail paperwork processed at the court will have to be transferred to the jail.

Cashier's Checks and Money Orders may be made out to Sarasota County Jail where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office or to the Sarasota County Court.

To purchase money orders visit any Western Union, Moneygram or Post Office.

Option 2 - How to Post a Private or Surety Bond for a Defendant at Sarasota County Jail

In the event that someone does not have the full bond amount available to him or her, there is what is called a private bond or surety bond.

This is an agreement made with a bail agent or bondsman who will post the full bail amount. In return, the defendant and/or cosigner will pay a premium to the bail agent. This premium will be 10-15% of the full bail amount.



For example, if bail is posted at $5,000, then the premium will cost approximately $500-$750.

A bail agent will often require some form of collateral, for example, a lien on a house, a car or jewelry. This is to ensure that if the defendant skips bail, or does not appear in court, the bail agent has some sort of compensation for the full bail amount being paid.

Remember, by making an agreement with a bail agent the signatory takes responsibility for paying the full bail amount if the defendant does not appear in court.

Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond for a Defendant at Sarasota County Jail

If you are a landowner in Sarasota County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Sarasota County may be used as collateral to bail someone out. All owners of the property must be present to sign the bond in order for this to happen.

To find if property located outside of Sarasota County can be used as collateral, call a local bail or bond agent or contact a defense lawyer.

Click here for additional information on how to post bail at Sarasota County Jail.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Sarasota 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 Florida state licensed Bail Bond firm.

Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.

Sarasota County Justice System Flowchart

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, Sarasota 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 Sarasota 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.

Sarasota County Bail Bond Information

Because Sarasota County and Florida can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Sarasota County Jail at 941-861-4165, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, and do this right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the Sarasota County Jail or the Sarasota County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.


 

Sarasota County Jail Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards
The Sarasota County Jail allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.

Envelopes
The Sarasota County Jail also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID Number
Smart Communications - SCCF
PO Box 700
Pinellas Park, FL 33781



Legal Mail

Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID Number
Sarasota County Correctional Facility
2020 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34237



Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.

Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.

Books
The Sarasota County Jail allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as AmazonBarnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address below.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Sarasota County Jail standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.


All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID Number
Sarasota County Correctional Facility
2020 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34237


 

How to Arrange Video Visitation with Sarasota County Jail Inmates

Follow these instructions to schedule and then visit an inmate using GTL.

  • Register yourself and all visitors.
  • Select Sarasota County Jail
  • Select your inmate.
  • Schedule your preferred time for the visit.

For all the information you need to know regarding scheduling, cost, rules, tips and guidelines of inmate visits at the Sarasota County Jail, check out our Visit Inmate Page.


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Sarasota County Jail by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Sarasota County Jail, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the Sarasota County Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

How Inmates Can Use a Tablet to Access Services at Sarasota County Jail

To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:

1.  First, Register or Sign In to GettingOut/GTL

2.  Purchase the services you want for your Sarasota County Jail inmate.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.

To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How to Send and Receive Secure Text and Email Messages with an Inmate in Sarasota County Jail

To communicate by text or email with an Sarasota County inmate, follow these instructions:

  • To send or receive a message you MUST first open a SmartJailMail.com account.
  • Once you open an account, you may search for Sarasota County inmates or detainees to connect with.
  • When you locate the Sarasota County inmate that you want to connect with, you can send them a connection request.
  • Sarasota County Jail will then need to approve the request before you can send messages.

For all the information you need to send and receive secure messages in the form of text or email with a Sarasota County Jail inmate, including how it works, how much it costs, renting your inmate a tablet, how often you can communicate and more, check out our Text/Email an Inmate Page.
NOTE: Your messages will be monitored and stored. You may want to refrain from discussing your inmate's court case.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Sarasota County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Sarasota County Jail follow these steps:

  • Select Florida, then select Sarasota County Jail, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Sarasota County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in Sarasota County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Sarasota County Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Sarasota County.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Sarasota County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Sarasota County Jail follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Florida, then select Sarasota County Jail, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.

For all information on how to Send Money to an inmate's account check out our full money and commissary guide for Sarasota County Jail.


 

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