Westchester County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Westchester County

New York • Westchester County • Bail & bond help

Westchester County bail and bond: the Grasslands Campus in Valhalla

Adults arrested in Westchester County are held at the Westchester County Jail, 10 Woods Road, Valhalla, which the county Department of Correction runs, not the Sheriff. Check custody with Westchester County Inmate Search. For bail amounts call 914-231-1020. bail can be posted in person around the clock, and a bond from a licensed agent goes to the court rather than the jail.

How do I check whether my son is in the Valhalla jail?

Search his name in Westchester County Inmate Search. For his bail, court name and docket number, phone 914-231-1020. A booking only minutes old may need time to appear.

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Who operates the jail?

The Westchester County Department of Correction does, with a Jail Division for people accused of crimes or awaiting sentence and a Penitentiary Division for men serving a year or less. Both sit on the Grasslands Campus in Valhalla, beside Westchester Medical Center.

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When can I post bail in person?

Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, for male and female prisoners at the Westchester County Jail. For a GPS, use 10 Woods Road, Valhalla. Take the Eastview exit, Route 100C, off the Sprain Brook Parkway, park in the visitors' lot on Grasslands Road and walk to Post 1.

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What do I need to bring, and who may come?

You must be 18 or older and show a valid government photo ID with a current address; P.O. boxes are not accepted. Only one person may enter to post bail. The cardholder must be present for card payment. Staff check the prisoner for warrants or holds, which can take time and may stop the release.

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What does the jail take as payment?

U.S. cash and major credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. Fees apply to cards, which run through GovPayEXP. Card limits apply, so ask at 914-231-1020 how much of your bail can go on a card and how much must be cash.

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Can I pay by phone or computer?

Yes, by credit card only. Call 914-231-1020 for the prisoner's JID number, court name, docket number, charges and cash bail. Then call 877-392-2455 or use the GPS website. It issues a six-digit reference number to give the jail. Phone and online payments are limited to $2,500.

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Why does a card refund not come back to me?

The cardholder gives up any claim to the money. The papers are filled out in the prisoner's name, and a refund ordered by the court goes to the defendant, not back to the card. Decide ahead of time whether you are comfortable with that.

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Will the jail accept a bondsman's bond?

No. The Department of Correction does not accept bail bonds; a bond must be posted directly with the court. Bondsmen are licensed by the Department of Financial Services, and a lawyer or the court clerk can tell you where the bond goes.

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How much can a bondsman charge on a $15,000 bond?

No more than $1,160. That is $300 on the first $3,000, $560 on the next $7,000 and $300 on the last $5,000 at 6 percent. Call 800-342-3736 to complain, or check an agent on the state license page.

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Who sets the amount, and how?

A judge does at arraignment, normally within about 24 hours of the arrest. New York has no price list for charges. Under CPL 510.10 the judge weighs the charge, the record and the family's ability to pay without undue hardship, and must state the reason.

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Is bail required for every arrest?

No. Outside the CPL 510.10(4) list, release is required, with conditions if needed. Within the list a judge may release, set bail, combine bail with conditions or hold the person. Appearance tickets are also used for lower-level charges.

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How do I get a lawyer when money is tight?

The county's Office of Assigned Counsel, 235 Main Street, Suite 540, White Plains, runs a panel of lawyers for criminal and family cases and answers at 914-995-2991. A judge must assign counsel at the release decision.

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Where is the criminal court that hears felonies?

Westchester Supreme and County Court is at 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, White Plains. The Criminal Department is on the second floor and answers at 914-824-5400. City, town and village courts open many cases first.

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What if my daughter is 16 and was arrested?

Raise the Age sends a serious charge against a 16- or 17-year-old to the Youth Part and bars holding that teen in a jail with adults. Most other cases go to Family Court. The Office of Assigned Counsel at 914-995-2991 can help locate her.

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What if he fails to come to court?

The bail is forfeited and a warrant issues. The judge may lift the forfeiture if he appears before the final adjournment with a satisfactory excuse. The district attorney has 120 days to enforce a bond, and a request for remission is due within a year.

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Does time at the Valhalla jail count toward a sentence?

Yes. Pretrial custody is credited toward a sentence wherever it took place, and the Court of Appeals rejected the view that only New York custody counts. A certified record is required for out-of-state or federal detention.

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What can happen to a family that signs a bond?

If the defendant misses court and the forfeiture stands, the district attorney files the bond and judgment is entered. That judgment becomes a lien on the real estate of the signers. Cash bail that is forfeited can be used by the county after the court finishes with the case or 45 days after notice, whichever is later.

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What does a payment scam look like?

A caller pushes you to wire cash or buy gift cards to free someone. True bail goes through the jail, the court or a licensed agent. Call the jail on 914-231-1020 yourself.

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Westchester County bail contacts

Jail
Westchester County Jail, 10 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY 10595, Department of Correction; bail 914-231-1020
Bond guide
bail and bond help for Westchester County
Custody lookup
Westchester County Inmate Search
Card payment by phone
877-392-2455; limit $2,500
Court
Supreme and County Court, 111 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, White Plains, NY 10601; Criminal Department 914-824-5400
Assigned counsel
Office of Assigned Counsel, 235 Main Street, Suite 540, White Plains, NY; 914-995-2991
Bondsman licenses
New York Department of Financial Services, bail bonds; complaints 800-342-3736

Fees, limits and hours are set by the county and can change. Confirm the amount and the method for your own case at the bail line before you pay, and speak with a lawyer about the charge.

How do Bail Bonds work at Westchester County Jail

Westchester County Jail Bail

Bail can be posted in person 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the following address:

10 Woods Road
Valhalla, NY 10595

It is located on same Grasslands Campus as the Westchester Medical Center. Use the Eastview exit Route 100C off the Sprain Brook Parkway. Go to the Grasslands Road parking lot and walk to the entrance gate, Post 1. Tell the correction officer on duty  that you want to post bail with either cash or a credit card. Have your ID ready. You need to be at least 18 years old.

  • The Westchester County Jail will accept only cash or major credit card bail in person. All other forms of bail (i.e. a bond) must be done at the court of record.
  • Cash bail must be US Dollars.
  • Credit card bail is accepted only for bails of  $20,000 or less. If the bail is over $20,000, cash may be posted to cover the remainder of the bail. The jail accepts bail paid by VISA, Master Card, Discover or American Express. This service is provided through a third party company named GovPayNet.

You Must:

  • Be present at the jail with the credit card to be used
  • Present valid government-issued photo ID
  • Present a valid VISA, Master Card, Discover or American Express credit card
  • The person you are bailing out will be checked for any active warrants or other legal holds. This may take some time to process. If he or she has any outstanding warrants this may prevent the bail from being completed.

If you want to Post Bail over the Phone or Online:

  • The jail now allows bail to be posted with a credit card over the phone or through the Internet. To do either of these, you must follow the two steps below:
  • Contact the Westchester County Jail at 914-231-1020 or go online to obtain the inmate’s JID number, the name of the court, the court docket number, the charges on the commitment and the amount of the cash bail set by the court.
  • Call 877-392-2455 or log on to the GovPay Web site to pay the bail.


Payment Limits

  • Credit card bails using the GovPay Web site or by phone are limited to $2,500.
  • Credit card bails when posting at the facility are limited to $10,000.

Posting bail by bond

  • Important: The Westchester County Jail does not accept bail bonds.
  • Bail bonds must be posted directly with the court.

 

Westchester County Jail

Address:
10 Woods Road
Valhalla, NY 10595
Phone:
914-231-1000

Frequently Asked Questions


Does Westchester County have bail?

When is bail set in Westchester County New York?

 

 

Does Westchester County have bail?

Yes, but the state of New York only applies bail in violent or felony cases. Non-violent and most misdemeanor cases always qualify for release on own recognizance. Tioga County recognizes most types of bonds.

 

 

When is bail set in Westchester County New York?

Bail for lesser offenses is set at the time of booking. If bail is required for felony cases, it will be set by a judge at the first court hearing. This hearing, also called an arraignment, generally takes place on the next available court date excluding weekends and holidays.

How Does Bail Work in Westchester County?

What is Bail?

Bail is what the arrested in Westchester 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 Westchester 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 Westchester 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, Westchester 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 Westchester 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 ban 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 Westchester County have bail?  

New York only applies bail in violent or felony cases. Non-violent and most misdemeanor cases qualify for release on own recognizance.

What kind of bonds are accepted in Westchester County? 

Westchester County recognizes most types of bonds.

Who can set bail in Westchester County?  

Bail is set by officers during booking for misdemeanor offenses. A judge sets bail for felony arrests.

When is bail set in New York? 

Bail for lesser offenses is set at the time of booking. If bail is required for felony cases, it will be set by a judge at the first court hearing. This hearing, also called an arraignment, generally takes place on the next available court date excluding weekends and holidays.

Can I get the bail or bond reduced in Westchester County New York? 

Yes, if bail has been assessed, your attorney may file a motion to have it reduced.

In Westchester County New York, 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 New York could be the surety and execute a bond to the court on your behalf.

Can bail be paid online in Westchester County New York?

Yes, New York does offer online bail payment. Please contact the jail for specific information on how to pay bail. Go to the Westchester County Jail for more information about the jails in Westchester County.

What options are there to pay bail in Westchester County New York? 

Most all jail and courts accept cash, a cashier or bankers’ check. Some accept a credit card with fees. Please contact the jail for specific information on what methods of payment are accepted. Go to the Westchester County Jail for more information about posting bail in Westchester County.

Will I get all my bond money back in New York? 

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 Westchester County? 

Most non-violent crimes do not require bail. If bail is assessed cash, or a minimum down payment, will be required.

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 New York?  

The Westchester 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.

Search for an Inmate or Active Arrest Warrant in Westchester County

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