Black Hawk County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Black Hawk County Bail and Bond, Waterloo, Iowa
Bonding someone out of the Black Hawk County Jail in Waterloo means paying bail at the jail or courthouse, after which release paperwork begins.
Jail staff give amounts at 319-291-2587. Black Hawk County is the Cedar Valley: Waterloo and Cedar Falls on the Cedar River, plus Evansdale, Hudson, La Porte City, Elk Run Heights, Dunkerton, Gilbertville, Raymond and parts of Jesup and Janesville. About 131,532 people live here.
Arrests from every town are booked at the Black Hawk County Jail, 225 E. 6th Street, Waterloo, IA 50703. One number reaches the sheriff and the jail: 319-291-2587.
1. How do I see if someone was booked in Waterloo?
Open the sheriff's Who's In Jail list. You can search by last name, by charge, or by a range of booking dates, and each entry shows the booking time, the charges and the bond. "No Bond Hold" there means no amount has been set yet. If the arrest happened in the last hour or two, phone 319-291-2587 instead. More options are on our inmate search page.
↑ Back to the question list2. Where does the first bond amount come from?
Until a judge looks at the case, most charges follow Iowa's uniform bond schedule. A simple misdemeanor is $300, serious $1,000 and aggravated $2,000. Felonies run $5,000 for class D, $10,000 for class C and $25,000 for class B. Several charges stack, which is why roster totals like $7,000 or $11,000 show up. A First Judicial District magistrate can then raise, lower or change the terms.
↑ Back to the question list3. Who takes a cash bond, the clerk or the jail?
During business hours, pay the clerk of court at the courthouse, 316 E. 5th Street. The clerk gives you a receipt to carry to the jail. After the clerk closes, the sheriff's office may take cash, but only up to $5,000. If the order sends a deposit to the Clerk of Court, the jail will not take it; that payment waits until the clerk opens.
↑ Back to the question list4. Can I use a bonding agent?
Yes. The sheriff's office does not steer you to any company. Once you hire one and agree to its terms, the agent comes into a secure area of the jail to meet the inmate and post the bond. The fee you pay the agent is not refunded.
↑ Back to the question list5. Why would someone be held with no bond?
The schedule does not cover forcible felonies, and several other charges, such as domestic abuse, also wait for a judge. Probation violations often show "No Bond Hold" on the roster for the same reason. A person in that spot stays on East 6th Street until the initial appearance, where the judge decides on release.
↑ Back to the question list6. Did the 2026 bail law change anything?
Yes. Senate File 2399 took effect July 1, 2026. Waterloo magistrates may now release someone on a promise alone only for a simple or serious misdemeanor, and never for drug or violent charges, and bond lower than the schedule now comes with written reasons from the judge. Iowa's Judicial Council must look again at the amounts for inflation by July 1, 2027.
↑ Back to the question list7. Will the person owe the jail money?
Usually. The sheriff charges a $25 booking fee and $70 for each day in jail. The bill can be paid at the office, by mail, or online through AllPaid with location code 4359. Questions about a balance or a payment plan go to 319-291-5029 on weekdays. Unpaid bills can lead to a stopped tax refund, a suspended license or wage garnishment.
↑ Back to the question list8. What if the defendant misses a Black Hawk County hearing?
The court can issue a warrant and begin forfeiting the bond; under Iowa Code 811.6 the surety gets notice and 30 days to answer. Prosecutors may also add a failure-to-appear charge, which counts as a class D felony if the skipped hearing was in a felony case. The Black Hawk County Attorney's office is at 319-833-3001.
↑ Back to the question list9. When is cash bond returned?
Cash bail is returned at the end, if every Waterloo court date was kept. The refund goes to the person named on the receipt, once the court deducts whatever fines, costs or restitution it orders. Call the clerk at 319-833-3331 with refund questions. For sending money to someone still inside, see our money guide.
↑ Back to the question list10. Do federal or ICE holds change things in Waterloo?
Federal cases from Waterloo belong to the Northern District of Iowa, whose clerk is at 111 7th Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401, 319-286-2300. A federal magistrate decides release, not the county. Iowa Code chapter 27A tells Iowa jails to keep people ICE has asked for, which means posting the state bond can end with a handoff to immigration officers. Check the ICE locator afterward.
↑ Back to the question listHow do Bail Bonds work at Black Hawk County Jail
How Bail Works for the Black Hawk County Jail
Iowa Code chapter 811 recognizes three forms of bail security. One is full cash. Another is a surety bond backed by an insurer. The third is a sworn pledge of land in Iowa by its Iowa-resident owners. Commercial bondsmen hold no licenses in Iowa. A ten percent deposit stopped counting as cash bail on July 1, 2026, when SF 2399 took effect.
The amount set for each charge can be read on the sheriff's online roster or confirmed by phone at 319-291-2587, ext. 5244. Cash bail is handled by the courthouse clerk.
Black Hawk County Jail
Address:
225 E 6th St
Waterloo, IA 50703
Phone:
319-291-2587
Bail Questions for the Black Hawk County Jail
Where do I find the bond amount for someone in the Black Hawk County Jail?
Who collects cash bail for the Black Hawk County Jail?
Can bond be posted at the Waterloo jail after hours?
Is a ten percent deposit still allowed in Black Hawk County?
Does Iowa allow bail bondsmen?
Can a judge reduce bond on a Black Hawk County charge?
Where do I find the bond amount for someone in the Black Hawk County Jail?
Look the person up on the sheriff's Who's In Jail page, which lists the bond next to the charges, or call 319-291-2587, ext. 5244. Confirm the total, since several charges can each carry a bond.
Who collects cash bail for the Black Hawk County Jail?
Pay it at the Waterloo office of the Clerk of Court, reachable at 319-833-3331. Afterward, the sheriff's staff on East 6th Street need the bond paperwork from the clerk.
Can bond be posted at the Waterloo jail after hours?
Outside the clerk's hours the sheriff's office may accept a cash bond of up to $5,000. Larger amounts wait for the clerk.
Is a ten percent deposit still allowed in Black Hawk County?
No. Some older orders read "may post 10 percent cash with the Clerk of Court," but SF 2399 eliminated that option in Iowa on July 1, 2026.
Does Iowa allow bail bondsmen?
No. The only sureties Iowa Code 811.3 recognizes are insurers authorized under section 515.48 and Iowa landowners pledging their property.
Can a judge reduce bond on a Black Hawk County charge?
Only the court. A First Judicial District magistrate or judge sets release terms at the first appearance, and a defense lawyer can ask for review; the State Public Defender in Waterloo answers at 319-291-2535.
Life on Bond After the Black Hawk County Jail
Getting out of the Waterloo jail on bail starts a set of obligations that continue until the case closes.
- Every hearing counts. Under Iowa Code section 811.2, bail normally stays in force through the end of the case, and the court can raise it if needed.
- Release terms can change. A judge may add or adjust conditions such as no-contact orders, so keep copies of every order.
- Missing court has consequences. Section 811.7 permits arrest anywhere in Iowa, a forfeited bond, and a return to the Black Hawk County Jail.
- Watch the calendar. Track each date on Iowa Courts Online or through the court's case scheduling line, 319-833-3332.
- Surrender before forfeiture. Section 811.8 lets a defendant surrender, or a surety bring them in, which exonerates the surety or returns cash bail.
Your defense attorney, or the Black Hawk County Clerk of Court at 319-833-3331, can interpret a particular order.
Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in Black Hawk County
Posting Bond in Waterloo, Step by Step
Two stops are typical for a Waterloo bond: the Clerk of Court, then the jail's front counter. Before you go:
- The roster lists the bond for each charge, and ext. 5244 on 319-291-2587 is the jail's bonding desk. 5244.
- The judge's order spells out whether only cash works or an insurer's surety and Iowa land are allowed too.
- Any out-of-county detainer shows as a separate hold and outlasts the bond.
- Bills, cashier's checks and money orders are the usual forms at the East 5th Street clerk (319-833-3331), open weekday business hours.
During business hours
Pay the clerk on the courthouse's first floor, collect the certificate showing the bond is posted, and hand it to the attendant at the sheriff's front counter.
After hours
Bring the exact cash amount to the sheriff's office. The office may accept cash bonds of up to $5,000 at that time; anything above that, and any order that mentions a ten percent deposit, goes to the clerk when the office reopens.
Surety or property
Iowa has no licensed individual bondsmen, so any surety bond has to be underwritten by an insurer holding Iowa authority; read its contract and keep a copy. Iowa residents may instead pledge Iowa real estate under oath, with proof of title and value that the Waterloo clerk reviews before accepting the pledge. A qualifying defendant on an indictable charge is assigned the public defender's Waterloo Adult office (319-291-2535).
Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Black Hawk County Jail?
Cash bail for someone in the Waterloo jail may come from any adult willing to pay it, related or not. Hold on to the clerk's receipt and certificate, because any refund follows the name on the receipt.
Becoming a surety means promising the full amount if the defendant fails to appear. Under section 811.3, the surety must be either an insurer authorized through section 515.48 or an Iowa resident whose Iowa property covers the bail. If a business offers to write the bond, get the name of the insurance company standing behind it.
Arrests of minors in Black Hawk County are handled in juvenile court, not through adult bail; call the Juvenile Court Office on Lafayette Street at 319-291-2506.