Washington County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds
Washington County Bail and Bond, Washington, Iowa
Release from the Washington County Jail follows a posted bond or a court order. Washington jail staff give the bail at 319-653-5902.
Washington County sits in southeast Iowa between Iowa City and Mount Pleasant, with Washington as its seat and Kalona, Wellman, Riverside and Ainsworth among its towns. Construction of the county jail began in September 2006 at 2185 Lexington Boulevard, Washington, IA 52353, next to the sheriff's office at 2181. The jail can be reached at 319-653-5902; the sheriff's office line is 319-653-2107.
1. Who can tell me whether a person was booked?
Jail staff at 319-653-5902 will say whether a person was booked and what bond applies. Statewide custody status is also on VINELink, and our inmate search page lists other options.
↑ Back to the question list2. What will bond probably be?
Iowa uses a statewide bond schedule. Simple misdemeanors are $300, serious ones $1,000 and aggravated ones $2,000. Felonies run $5,000 for class D, $10,000 for class C and $25,000 for class B. Eighth District magistrates are free to set a different figure.
↑ Back to the question list3. Are some charges left off the schedule?
Yes. When the charge is domestic abuse assault, stalking or a forcible felony, or someone is accused of violating a no-contact or protective order, the amount is decided by a magistrate rather than a table. The same applies to sexual abuse in its first three degrees, weapon-based intimidation, firearm possession by a felon, and meth manufacturing, delivery or possession with intent.
↑ Back to the question list4. Where and how is bond paid?
Phone 319-653-5902 first; staff can say what is owed and what forms of payment they will take. Payment may be in cash, through a bail bond company, or with property the court accepts.
↑ Back to the question list5. Did Iowa's release rules change in 2026?
Senate File 2399 took effect July 1, 2026. A written promise to appear is now limited to simple and serious misdemeanor cases free of violence and drug allegations, plus defendants with medical needs, and a written explanation is required whenever bail is less than the schedule or the judge picks another kind of release. By July 1, 2027, the Judicial Council must report to the state's high court on updating bond figures for inflation.
↑ Back to the question list6. Clerk of court contact
The Washington County Clerk of District Court is at 224 West Main Street, Washington, IA 52353. Phone 319-653-7741, or email countyclerk.washington@iowacourts.gov.
↑ Back to the question list7. Skipped court: what follows?
Expect a bench warrant and forfeiture. A surety gets 30 days from notice under Iowa Code 811.6 to produce the defendant. Not appearing is itself an offense under 811.2(8): a serious misdemeanor in most cases, while felony defendants, and anyone let out pending sentencing or an appeal, face a class D felony.
↑ Back to the question list8. Will the cash come back?
When every court date was kept, the clerk pays the cash bond back to whoever posted it after the case ends, minus any fines, costs or restitution owed. Money paid to a bondsman as a fee is not refunded. Jail account questions are covered in our money guide.
↑ Back to the question list9. What about federal charges or immigration holds?
Washington County falls in the Eastern Division of the Southern District of Iowa, at 131 East 4th Street, Davenport, IA 52801; the clerk's number is 515-284-6248. Because Iowa Code chapter 27A obliges jails to follow ICE detainers, posting the state bond does not always mean walking out. The ICE locator lists people in immigration detention.
↑ Back to the question list10. What happens when a youth is arrested in Washington?
Juvenile court decides release, not a bond list. A detained youth goes to the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center, 2317 Rick Collins Way, Eldora, IA 50627, 641-858-3852, and the hearing must happen within 1 working day.
↑ Back to the question listWashington County Jail
Address:
2185 Lexington Boulevard
Washington, IA 52353
Phone:
319-653-5902
Frequently Asked Questions about Bail and Bonds in Washington County
Does Washington County have bail?
What kind of bonds are accepted in Washington County?
Who can set bail in Washington County?
When is bail set in Washington County Iowa?
Does Washington County have bail?
Yes, Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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, Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County have bail?
Yes, Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County Iowa?
Yes, your attorney can also request a bond reduction.
In Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington County Jail for more information about the jails in Washington County.
What options are there to pay bail in Washington 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 Washington County Jail for more information about posting bail in Washington 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 Washington 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 Washington 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.