Lowndes County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Lowndes County bail and bond: from the Valdosta jail to the magistrate court
Adults arrested in Lowndes County go to the Lowndes County Jail, 120 Prison Farm Road, Valdosta, run by the Sheriff's Office. Put the name into Lowndes County Inmate Search to see if the person is booked and what the charges and bond are. The jail line is 229-671-3000. Bond hearings happen in Magistrate Court downtown, and the payment window and hours are set by the jail, so call before you bring money.
Was my son taken to the Prison Farm Road jail?
Look him up on Lowndes County Inmate Search. It lists current inmates and charges. A booking from the last hour or two may take time to show. If you still see nothing, call the jail at 229-671-3000. The Sheriff's Office main desk is 229-671-2900, which is also the number on the county's jail page.
Is the jail address 31601 or 31603?
The county's jail page gives 120 Prison Farm Road, P.O. Box 667, Valdosta, GA 31603. Some other websites print 31601. Use 31603 for mail and for a GPS search, and call 229-671-3000 if a map sends you to the wrong place.
Do other counties send prisoners to Lowndes?
Yes. Echols County's sheriff says people it arrests are taken to the Lowndes County Jail. If your relative was picked up in Echols County, search here anyway and call 229-671-3000.
Where is the court that sets bond?
Magistrate Court sits at 327 North Ashley Street, second floor, Valdosta, GA 31601. The phone is 229-671-2610, and the office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The county says its Criminal Division holds first appearances and bond hearings and issues arrest warrants once probable cause is found.
How fast does a judge look at the case?
For an arrest on a warrant, O.C.G.A. 17-4-26 sets a limit of 72 hours before a judicial officer. A Friday-night arrest can land in the weekend, so ask the magistrate clerk at 229-671-2610 about the date. The first appearance is also when a lawyer can be named for someone who cannot pay.
What is the process for paying bond on Prison Farm Road?
Call 229-671-3000 before you leave home and ask where cash goes, what time the desk closes, and whether a cashier's check or card is taken. The county has not posted a bond payment window where this guide could read it. Money added through a jail account or the Jail ATM is for the inmate's own use and does not count as bond.
What is a county ordinance bond schedule?
Lowndes Magistrate Court posts an "Order and Bond Forfeiture Schedule for County Ordinance Violations" on the county website. It covers county ordinance cases only, not state crimes. The amounts were not readable in the page used here, so ask the court clerk at 229-671-2610 for the current sheet.
How much can a bondsman charge?
Georgia sets the outer limit in O.C.G.A. 17-6-30(a): a surety may not charge or receive more than 15 percent of the face amount of the bond, but it may charge $50 as a minimum for each bonded charge. On a $6,000 bond, 15 percent is $900. A surety that breaks the cap commits a misdemeanor. The sheriff's site does not name approved companies, so ask at the jail whose bonds it accepts before you sign.
Will the sheriff accept a house or farmland as bond?
Maybe. Georgia treats property approved by the sheriff of the county where the offense happened as bail (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1), and for bail restricted charges it is one of the allowed routes (O.C.G.A. 17-6-12). The jail has not published a property checklist where this guide could read it. Call 229-671-3000 and ask what proof of ownership is needed, who signs, and how long approval takes.
What does a blank or "no bond" line mean in the Lowndes search?
A few offenses, such as murder, rape, and armed robbery, can be bailed only by a superior court judge (O.C.G.A. 17-6-1). A person who asks that court for bail is to get a hearing within ten days. Many more charges, including burglary, DUI, battery, family violence, and drug sales, are bail restricted under O.C.G.A. 17-6-12, which means release must be secured by cash, a bondsman, or sheriff-approved property. A probation hold or a warrant from another place can also stop release.
What are the limits on posting cash bonds?
Under O.C.G.A. 17-6-15, one person or group may post no more than three cash bonds a year. As of July 1, 2026, a person posting for an immediate family member is exempt. Even so, ask the jail how cash is received.
What does the Southern Circuit public defender do?
Lowndes County is in the Southern Judicial Circuit, whose public defender office is at 910 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601, 229-671-2800. Ask the judge at first appearance to appoint that office. A lawyer can ask for lower bond and bring work and family proof.
Which courts are in the Judicial and Administrative Complex?
The county directory puts the State Court, Solicitor General, District Attorney, and Probate Court at 327 North Ashley Street. State Court is at 229-333-5127, the Solicitor General at 229-671-2510, and the District Attorney at 229-671-3268. Use the case number from the arrest paperwork when you call.
What if Valdosta police arrested my daughter?
Ask the officer for the report number and where she is being taken. Adults arrested in the county are normally booked at the county jail on Prison Farm Road. A Valdosta city holding cell is not confirmed, so search Lowndes County Inmate Search again later, then call 229-671-3000.
Which court and facility handle a Lowndes teenager?
Lowndes County Juvenile Court answers at 229-333-7627. Georgia DJJ sends Lowndes youth who are detained to the Judge Thomas Jefferson Loftiss II Regional Youth Detention Center, 101 Oakwood Trace, Thomasville, GA 31792, 229-227-2790. Juvenile cases are private, so the adult search will not list a child.
What if the hearing date passes and he is not there?
The court may order an arrest and the bond can be lost. If a bondsman is involved, expect a call quickly. Phone the lawyer or the magistrate court the same day.
Which texts and calls about Lowndes bonds are fakes?
Delete texts or calls that demand gift cards, app payments, or wire transfers to free a relative. Use only the jail and court numbers on this page.
Where do I get a case number from the Valdosta clerk?
The clerk works from 327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta, with a mailing box of PO Box 1349, and answers at 229-333-5127. The state clerks' directory lists 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. It also lists a courthouse at 108 East Central Avenue. The clerk keeps the criminal case file, so ask there for a case number, a judge's name, and the next hearing date.
What if the charge is federal?
A federal charge goes to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Georgia, not to a county court. Lowndes County cases are heard in the Valdosta Division, 401 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601; the clerk's line is (229) 242-3616. A federal magistrate judge decides on release, often within a day or two of arrest. Deputy U.S. Marshals move people to and from court, and the person may be housed in a county jail under contract. Once sentenced, look the person up with the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.
Lowndes County bail contacts
- Jail
- Lowndes County Jail, 120 Prison Farm Road, P.O. Box 667, Valdosta, GA 31603; 229-671-3000
- Bond guide
- Jail bail and bond guide
- Custody lookup
- Lowndes County Inmate Search
- Sheriff
- Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, 229-671-2900
- Magistrate Court
- 327 North Ashley Street, 2nd Floor, Valdosta, GA 31601; 229-671-2610; Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- State Court
- 327 North Ashley Street, 1st Floor, Valdosta; 229-333-5127
- District Attorney
- 327 North Ashley Street, Valdosta; 229-671-3268
- Public defender
- Southern Circuit, 910 North Patterson Street, Valdosta, GA 31601; 229-671-2800
- Juvenile
- Juvenile Court 229-333-7627; Loftiss Regional Youth Detention Center, 101 Oakwood Trace, Thomasville, GA 31792, 229-227-2790
Fees, hours, and phone numbers for Lowndes County are subject to change without notice, and each judge may order something different. Verify with the jail first. Nothing here is legal advice.
How do Bail Bonds work at Lowndes County Jail
The Lowndes County Sheriff recommends that you might want to use a bail bond agent licensed to do business in Lowndes 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 Lowndes County, or in some cases the state of Georgia, but the benefit of using a bail bond agent is that they take responsibility for making sure the inmate shows up for court in Lowndes County, and if they don't, then they take the financial responsibility.
- The typical fee for a bond in Georgia 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 $1500.00.
- Pay by cash, cashier's check, money order or credit card at the Lowndes County Jail, or the courthouse in Lowndes County where the offense took place.
Call 229-671-3000 to find out the exact bond (plus other fees) amount, or look it up online by looking up the information on the Lowndes County inmate locator.
Lowndes County Jail
Address:
120 Prison Farm Road
Valdosta, GA 31601
Phone:
229-671-3000
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Lowndes County
Does Lowndes County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lowndes County?
Who can set bail in Lowndes County?
When is bail set in Lowndes County Georgia?
Does Lowndes County have bail?
Yes, Lowndes County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lowndes County?
Georgia offers several types of pre-trial release including own recognizance, cash bond, property bond & surety. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Lowndes County?
In many cases Georgia follows a pre-set bail schedule, so sheriffs & constables are able to accept bail immediately after processing. For those offense where immediate release in not permitted, or when a defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail will be determined by a judge.
When is bail set in Lowndes County Georgia?
Georgia uses a pre-set bail schedule, meaning the bail is set based on the offense and thus us know to police at the time of arrest. In cases where bail is not pre-set, or the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, a judge of the superior court will determine bail at a bail hearing. This hearing shall be scheduled with 48 – 72 hours depending on the classification of the crime the defendant is accused.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Lowndes 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 Lowndes 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.
A bond proceeding is the determination of how much bail is to be paid and usually happens before arraignment. A Bond hearing is a determination by a magistrate to determine an amount a person may pay to be released while the case is pending. Sometimes certain crimes will have preset bonds, that can become payable the moment an arrest is made.
The minimum bond in Georgia is $1,000. If a court seeks a bond lower than that then it must be an OR bond, meaning the accused shall be released on their own recognizance, with no money down. During bond proceedings, the defendant is not required to have an attorney but has the right to an attorney if the defendant want one.
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 Lowndes 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, Lowndes 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 Lowndes 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.
You could sign an agreement on your own or with another person to pay for the car at a future date knowing that your neighbor would know where to find you if you stopped payment.
This would be similar to a cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond which are bonds to where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible for making sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up.
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.
Since the bondsperson signed off, to be responsible that you show to court as your surety, 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 Lowndes County have bail?
Yes, Lowndes County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lowndes County?
Georgia offers several types of pre-trial release including own recognizance, cash bond, property bond & surety. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Lowndes County?
In many cases Georgia follows a pre-set bail schedule, so sheriffs & constables are able to accept bail immediately after processing. For those offense where immediate release in not permitted, or when a defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail will be determined by a judge.
When is bail set in Georgia?
Georgia uses a pre-set bail schedule, meaning the bail is set based on the offense and thus us know to police at the time of arrest. In cases where bail is not pre-set, or the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, a judge of the superior court will determine bail at a bail hearing. This hearing shall be scheduled with 48 – 72 hours depending on the classification of the crime the defendant is accused.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Lowndes County Georgia?
Yes, if there are extenuating circumstances and the judge set the initial bail, your attorney can request a bond reduction.
In Lowndes County Georgia, who can pay bail for me?
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 Georgia could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Lowndes County Georgia?
Yes, Georgia does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Lowndes County Jail for more information about the jails in Lowndes County.
What options are there to pay bail in Lowndes County Georgia?
Cash or security; credit card in some counties. The security may be either cash or property. Bail may be posted at the appropriate county jail or sheriff’s office in which the defendant is charged.
Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Lowndes County Jail for more information about posting bail in Lowndes County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Georgia?
Bail 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 Lowndes County?
The judge or officer who sets bail determines which kind of bail will be an option for you, but a cash bond and PR bonds usually do not require cash down, though you might have to pay court fees.
A cash bond or a personal recognizance (PR) bond are bonds where someone representing the defendant signs paperwork promising to pay the bail amount if the defendant does not show up to court. There is no money due up front.
If the defendant does not show up, the full amount of the bail will be due to the court and the people who signed the paperwork will be responsible for paying the court and the court will send the sheriff’s department to arrest you.
Cash bonds and PR bonds are types of unsecured bonds because you are not securing it with any money down. In bond terms, a surety is a person who will be responsible to make sure that you will show to court and will be responsible to pay the bond if the arrested person does not show up. A surety can be family, friend or a bondsperson. Your attorney cannot act as a surety.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Georgia?
The Lowndes 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.