Oahu Community Correctional Center Inmate Bail & Bonds
Honolulu County bail and bond: from the Oahu cellblock to the state jail
Honolulu County is the island of Oahu. Its adult jail is a state jail, the Oahu Community Correctional Center, at 2199 Kamehameha Highway, Honolulu, HI 96819. Honolulu police hold people in cellblocks after an arrest. Look the person up with Honolulu County Inmate Search to see if they are in custody and what the bail is. The jail's line is 808-832-1777. Most people pay bail at the police headquarters cellblock or at the District Court, depending on the hour and who set it.
1. Is my relative in a police cellblock or in the jail?
Type the name into Honolulu County Inmate Search first. A person arrested on Oahu is usually held at a Honolulu Police Department cellblock for the first hours. The main one is the Central Receiving Division at 801 S. Beretania Street, reached at 808-723-3284. Anyone who cannot post bail is taken to court on the next working day.
People the judge keeps in custody go to the Oahu Community Correctional Center. Women awaiting trial are served by the Women's Community Correctional Center in Kailua, 808-266-9580. Halawa and Waiawa are state prisons for sentenced men, not pretrial jails. After a federal arrest, the person may be at the Federal Detention Center, 351 Elliott Street, so ask the arresting agency.
2. Who runs the jail on Oahu?
The State of Hawaii does, not the city or county. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation runs the Oahu Community Correctional Center, the state's largest jail. Department headquarters answers at 808-587-1288. The Honolulu police run only the short-term cellblocks.
3. How do I check custody and the bail amount?
Use Honolulu County Inmate Search. A new arrest can take hours to appear, since the police booking comes first. Try again later in the day. The police also post arrest logs on their website several times a day.
For anything the search cannot answer, call the jail at 808-832-1777 with the full name and birth date.
4. Where do I pay bail the night of an arrest?
Go to the Adult Release door at the back of the police headquarters at 801 S. Beretania Street. Press the intercom and say whom you are bailing out. Police say it takes about half an hour. Call 808-723-3284 before you leave home.
Police accept only cash, in exact change, or a bond from a bail bond agent. Checks and cards are refused. Bail is taken only after the person has been booked at a station, never at the scene. Cash over $10,000 can bring an IRS Form 8300 report in some cases.
5. What if the judge sets bail later in court?
Pay at the Legal Documents Branch on the third floor of the Honolulu District Court, 1111 Alakea Street. It takes bail Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except state holidays. The court warns that bail postings can run slow, so come early. The District Court service center is 808-538-5629.
On weekends the Judiciary runs an online bail page for eligible District Court cases. It lists Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m., bail of $10,000 or less, and Visa or Mastercard. A judge must have set the bail first. After you pay, carry the receipt to the jail yourself, since release can take hours.
6. Can the police let him go without bail?
Sometimes. Under Hawaii law the chief of police, or a person the chief names, may allow bail when the top penalty is two years in prison or less. For a misdemeanor, the police say a person who cannot post bail may be freed on a written promise to appear. The person must be a local resident with a permanent address.
The state constitution also lets a court skip bail if it believes the person will return, except for a charge that carries life in prison.
7. How much will bail be?
A judge decides at the first court hearing. Hawaii law says the amount must be reasonable. The judge looks at the charge, the possible punishment, and what the person can afford.
This page quotes no sample dollar figures, because no public list of amounts by charge was confirmed. The amount appears on Honolulu County Inmate Search once set. Otherwise ask the District Court criminal office at 808-538-5101.
8. How fast does a judge see someone who was arrested?
State law requires police to release the person, or charge them and bring them before a judge, within 48 hours of arrest (HRS 803-9). Police say people who cannot post bail go to court on the next working day.
The hearing is called an arraignment. The judge decides whether to release the person and on what terms. Arguments for release are heard there, and a lawyer can attend.
9. What does the Intake Service Center do?
The Intake Service Center is a state office that screens people booked into the jail. Its Oahu office shares the jail's address, 2199 Kamehameha Highway, and answers at 808-832-1497. Staff assess the risk of missed court or new crime. They send the judge a bail report recommending release or detention, and they supervise some people released before trial.
State law calls for that risk check within three business days of admission. The judge makes the final decision.
10. How do I choose a bail bond agent?
Pick a licensed one. Hawaii's insurance code covers surety bonds, and the state Insurance Division licenses the agents. Check a license or file a complaint at 808-587-6714. Police give an eligible arrestee a full list of bondsmen.
State law (HRS 804-62) lets an agent charge one fee of 5 to 15 percent of the bond, and the fee need not be under $50. Ask for the exact fee, refund terms, and co-signer duties in writing before you sign. A bail bond makes you and the agent answerable if the person misses court.
11. Can a house or land be used for bail?
Yes, if it is yours and sits in Hawaii. HRS 804-11.5 requires the unencumbered value to be at least double the bail. Property that already backs another bail bond does not count.
Bring a value statement from the county tax assessor and a sworn schedule listing the legal description, every lien and its holder, and the free value. False statements are perjury. The State gets a lien recorded at the Bureau of Conveyances, and you pay the recording fee. Ask the District Court criminal office at 808-538-5101 about timing.
12. Why can a judge say no bail?
Everyone charged is bailable under HRS 804-3, with one exception. A judge may deny bail for a serious crime, meaning murder or attempted murder in the first or second degree, or a class A or B felony. The judge must also find a serious risk of flight, witness tampering, danger to others, or more crime. A hearing comes first.
A hold from another case or a federal request can also keep someone in. For the worst charges, only a judge may grant bail.
13. Which courthouse hears the case?
Misdemeanors go to District Court. The main one is Kauikeaouli Hale, 1111 Alakea Street, with court staff at 808-538-5767. Felonies go to Circuit Court at Kaahumanu Hale, 777 Punchbowl Street, 808-539-4767. Outer district courts sit in Ewa and Pearl City (808-534-6900), Kaneohe (808-534-6300), Wahiawa (808-534-6200), and Waianae at Kapolei (808-954-8575).
State sheriff deputies move people between the jail and court. Their District Court desk is 808-538-5696.
14. Who is the free lawyer if we cannot pay?
The state Office of the Public Defender serves Oahu from 1130 North Nimitz Highway, Suite A-254, Honolulu. Its number is 808-586-2200, open 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Ask the judge for a lawyer at the first hearing. The court must appoint one if the person cannot pay.
Federal charges go to the Federal Public Defender, 808-541-2521, which keeps a duty attorney each day.
15. What if the person arrested is a teenager?
Police keep juveniles apart from adults. A parent or legal guardian with ID can collect a juvenile at the Juvenile Release door at the back of headquarters. Older siblings and other relatives cannot, without legal authority.
A youth held by the court goes to Hale Ho'omalu Juvenile Detention Facility, beside the Kapolei Judiciary Complex, 4675 Kapolei Parkway. The Family Court runs it. Ask for details at 808-954-8000. The Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility in Kailua holds only young people the Family Court has committed to the state, so it is not the first stop.
16. What if he misses court, and when do I get bail money back?
When bail is forfeited, the court enters judgment against the defendant and any sureties for the full bond (HRS 804-51). Money cannot be collected until 30 days after notice. A motion showing good cause, or turning the person in before then, can undo it.
Cash paid to police sits with the HPD Finance Division. Pick it up within 30 days, weekdays 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. After six months it goes to the city treasury. Court bail refunds run through the Legal Documents Branch and can be slow.
Honolulu County bail contacts
- Jail
- Oahu Community Correctional Center, 2199 Kamehameha Highway, Honolulu, HI 96819, 808-832-1777; state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 808-587-1288
- Women
- Women's Community Correctional Center, 42-477 Kalanianaole Highway, Kailua, HI 96734, 808-266-9580
- Custody lookup
- Honolulu County Inmate Search
- Police cellblock
- Central Receiving Division, 801 S. Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, 808-723-3284; non-emergency line 808-529-3111
- Police stations
- Kapolei 808-723-8525; Kalihi 808-723-8208; Kaneohe 808-723-8640; Pearl City 808-723-8800; Kailua 808-723-8838; Wahiawa 808-723-8700; Kahuku 808-723-8650
- Intake Service Center
- 2199 Kamehameha Highway, Honolulu, HI 96819, 808-832-1497
- District Court
- 1111 Alakea Street, Honolulu, HI 96813; 808-538-5629; criminal 808-538-5101; bail window 3rd floor, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Circuit Court
- 777 Punchbowl Street, Honolulu, HI 96813, 808-539-4767
- Family Court
- 4675 Kapolei Parkway, Kapolei, HI 96707, 808-954-8000
- Public defender
- 1130 North Nimitz Highway, Suite A-254, Honolulu, HI 96817, 808-586-2200
- Bond agents
- Insurance Division, 808-587-6714
Bail amounts, hours, payment rules, and phone numbers can change, and a judge can order a different amount. Confirm with the police, the jail, or the court before you send money. This page is a general guide and not legal advice.
Oahu Community Correctional Center
Address:
2199 Kamehameha Highway
Honolulu, HI 96819
Phone:
808-832-1777
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Honolulu County
Does Honolulu County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Honolulu County?
Who can set bail in Honolulu County?
When is bail set in Honolulu County Hawaii?
Does Honolulu County have bail?
Yes, Honolulu County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Honolulu County?
Hawaii recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Honolulu County?
For minor or non-violent offenses bail is determined by pre-set schedule and that information is available to police during the booking process. For more serious or violent offenses bail must be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Honolulu County Hawaii?
For minor or non-violent offenses bail is determined by a pre-set schedule and that information is available to police during the booking process. For more serious or violent offenses the defendant must appear before a judge for a bail determination. This hearing will be scheduled for the first available court date following arrest.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Honolulu 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 Honolulu County feels that the arrested will return to court for further proceedings, the arrested person 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 Oahu Community Correctional Center until 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, Honolulu 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 Honolulu 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 Honolulu County have bail?
Yes, Honolulu County recognizes most types of bonds.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Honolulu County?
Hawaii recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest.
Who can set bail in Honolulu County?
For minor or non-violent offenses bail is determined by pre-set schedule and that information is available to police during the booking process. For more serious or violent offenses bail must be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Hawaii?
For minor or non-violent offenses bail is determined by a pre-set schedule and that information is available to police during the booking process. For more serious or violent offenses the defendant must appear before a judge for a bail determination. This hearing will be scheduled for the first available court date following arrest.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Honolulu County Hawaii?
Yes, if a defendant is unable to afford the initial bail a judge may issue an order to reduce bail based on financial hardship. If there are extenuating circumstances, let your attorney or judge know.
In Honolulu County, 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 Hawaii could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Honolulu County Hawaii?
Hawaii counties do not currently have the ability to accept online payment of bail. However, the state is in the process of developing such a system.
What options are there to pay bail in Honolulu County Hawaii?
Cash or security. Cash payment may be made at the local police department. Security bonds must be arranged via a licensed bail bond agent.
Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Oahu Community Correctional Center for more information about posting bail in Honolulu County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Hawaii?
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 Honolulu 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. If a defendant is released on their own recognizance no money will be required. If bail is assessed the full amount must be paid in cash or via security by a bail bond agent.
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 Honolulu County?
The Oahu Community Correctional Center 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.