Lee County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Lee County Bail and Bond, Montrose, Iowa
People arrested in Lee County are released from the jail in Fort Madison after bail is paid or a judge orders release. Call 319-376-2355 for the bond.
Lee County, in Iowa's southeast corner between the Mississippi and Des Moines rivers, is one of the few Iowa counties with two county seats: Fort Madison in the north and Keokuk in the south. Its jail is in neither. The Lee County Jail and Sheriff's Office are at 2530 255th Street, Montrose, IA 52639, roughly halfway between the two cities. The jail line is 319-376-2355 and the sheriff's office 319-372-1152.
Is the person at the Montrose jail?
Search VINELink or call 888-742-8463, then confirm with the jail at 319-376-2355. Be aware that the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison is a state prison run by the Department of Corrections, not part of the county jail. Our inmate search page has more.
↑ Back to the question listStarting bond amounts
Iowa's uniform bond schedule sets bond before a judge rules: $300 for a simple misdemeanor, $1,000 for a serious misdemeanor and $2,000 for an aggravated misdemeanor; a class D felony is $5,000, class C $10,000 and class B $25,000. A magistrate of the Eighth Judicial District may adjust it once the defendant is brought to court.
↑ Back to the question listWhen no bond is listed
Some charges have no schedule amount, so the jail takes nothing until a judge sets release terms. Domestic abuse assault, forcible felonies, sexual abuse in the first, second or third degree, stalking, disobeying a no-contact or protective order, making, selling or possessing meth to sell, intimidation with a dangerous weapon and firearms possession by a felon are in that category.
↑ Back to the question listHow to post bond
Call 319-376-2355 before driving out to 255th Street to find out the amount and what the jail accepts. Bail can be met with the full sum in cash, a surety bond from an insurance company allowed to write bonds in Iowa, or Iowa land whose owners swear it covers the amount, the forms Iowa Code 811.3 permits. Iowa has no for-profit bondsmen of its own, so ask the Montrose staff which sureties a Lee judge will take.
↑ Back to the question listCan a high bond be lowered?
Yes, it can be asked for. A defense lawyer may file for a bond review, and the judge looks again at the charge, ties to the area and past court dates. Since July 1, 2026, a district judge can review a magistrate's bond ruling, and only an appeals court can review a district judge's. Until then, the bond on file stays in place.
↑ Back to the question listWhich courthouse handles the case?
Lee County has a North Lee and a South Lee clerk. Cases from Fort Madison and the northern part of the county generally go to the Fort Madison courthouse; Keokuk-area cases go to Keokuk. The charging papers and Iowa Courts Online show which one has the file.
↑ Back to the question listSenate File 2399
Since July 1, 2026, a Lee County judge may let a defendant go on a written promise alone only in simple and serious misdemeanor cases with no violence or drugs, and the law now has a separate exception for medical need. Any bail set below the schedule amount, or of another type, must come with the judge's reasons in writing. The amounts themselves remain until the Judicial Council delivers its inflation proposal to the Supreme Court, due by July 1, 2027.
↑ Back to the question listClerk of District Court offices
- North Lee: 701 Avenue F, Fort Madison, IA 52627; 319-372-3523; countyclerk.northlee@iowacourts.gov.
- South Lee: 25 North 7th Street, Suite 301, Keokuk, IA 52632; 319-524-2433; countyclerk.southlee@iowacourts.gov.
Consequences of missing court
The judge will normally order an arrest, and the state may ask to forfeit the bond, which becomes final 30 days after written notice under Iowa Code 811.6. Not appearing is also its own crime, a felony when the defendant was facing a felony.
↑ Back to the question listBond refunds
The clerk holding the case returns cash bail to whoever posted it after the matter closes with no missed dates, although the court may apply part of it to fines, costs or victim restitution. The County Attorney's collections program pursues unpaid fines and room-and-board fees. For jail account deposits, read our money guide.
↑ Back to the question listFederal charges and ICE
Federal cases from Lee County go to the federal courthouse in Davenport, 131 East 4th Street, Davenport, IA 52801; call the clerk's main line at 515-284-6248. Under Iowa Code chapter 27A the jail honors ICE detainers, so making state bail may only lead to a transfer. Check the ICE locator.
↑ Back to the question listPay an Inmate's Bond Online
Lee County Jail uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPayNet) for paying an inmate's Bail Bond online for an inmate.
Register with them online or call them at 877-392-2455 for assistance.
To make a payment, you will need the following:
- Court of Jurisdiction
- Payment Amount
- The Pay Location Code (PLC #) if you can get it. Call 319-376-2355 to ask for this.
- Name of Arrestee/Defendant for whom payment is being made
- Arrestee/Defendant's Date of Birth
- Arrestee/Defendant's Booking Number
Lee County Jail
Address:
2530 255th Street
Montrose, IA 52639
Phone:
319-376-2355
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Lee County
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lee County?
Who can set bail in Lee County?
When is bail set in Lee County Iowa?
Does Lee County have bail?
Yes, Lee County recognizes most types of bonds. Bail is a Constitutional right. This means most defendants can qualify for pre-trial release on their own recognizance, cash bail, or a surety bond.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lee County?
Iowa recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Defendants can qualify for pre-trial release on their own recognizance, cash bail, or a surety bond.
Who can set bail in Lee County?
Rates and limits vary by jail; call the jail or the provider. For more serious & violent crimes, or when the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail must be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Lee County Iowa?
For less serious, nonviolent crimes bail is set according to a predetermined bail schedule and this information will be available during processing. For crimes requiring a judge to set bail the defendant will usually be within 24 hours of arrest.
What is Bail?
Bail is what the arrested in Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee 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, Lee 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 Lee 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 Lee County have bail?
Yes, Lee County recognizes most types of bonds. Bail is a Constitutional right. This means most defendants can qualify for pre-trial release on their own recognizance, cash bail, or a surety bond.
What kind of bonds are accepted in Lee County?
Iowa recognizes most types of bonds. The court will consider what type of bonds will be accepted depending on the circumstances of the arrest. Defendants can qualify for pre-trial release on their own recognizance, cash bail, or a surety bond.
Who can set bail in Lee County?
Bail for less serious, nonviolent crimes are set according to a predetermined bail schedule and can range from $300-$25,000. For more serious & violent crimes, or when the defendant does not qualify for immediate release, bail must be set by a judge.
When is bail set in Iowa?
For less serious, nonviolent crimes bail is set according to a predetermined bail schedule and this information will be available during processing. For crimes requiring a judge to set bail the defendant will usually be within 24 hours of arrest.
Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Lee County Iowa?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Lee County Iowa, 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 Iowa could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.
Can bail be paid online in Lee County Iowa?
Yes, Iowa does offer online bail payment. Please contact the county clerk or jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Lee County Jail for more information about the jails in Lee County.
What options are there to pay bail in Lee County Iowa?
Cash, debit card, credit card or surety. Payments may be made in person, online, or via a registered bail bond agent. In person payments may be made at the clerk of court office in the county where the defendant is being held.
A more immediate answer can be obtained by contacting the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Lee County Jail for more information about posting bail in Lee County.
Will I get all my bond money back in Iowa?
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 Lee 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.
You may also post collateral via a registered bail bond agent.
What are the least expensive and affordable bail bonds in Iowa?
The Lee 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I pay a Lee County Jail inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a Lee County Jail inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up Lee County Jail or Lee County, input the inmate's name, and then use your credit or debit card to deposit the bond amount. As soon as the payment is processed and the information is sent to the Lee County Jail, the jail will begin the release process. You do not have to be present for all of this to take place. Learn more about how to bail or bond out an inmate in the Lee County Jail, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 319-376-2355.