Travis County Central Booking Inmate Bail & Bonds

Locally, the first hearing goes by the name Counsel at First Appearance, or CAFA. Criminal Associate Judges hold it in an open, street-level courtroom of the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, 509 W. 11th St., Austin, TX 78701. The arrested person stands in that room in person, not on a video link, unless sickness, an emergency or safety prevents it. On any charge that carries possible jail time, a defense lawyer stands beside them, and a prosecutor may speak too.

During CAFA the judge:

• reads out the accusation and the person's rights, like staying quiet and getting a lawyer;
• asks if they want a lawyer at county expense;
• names a bond figure and the rules that go with release.

State law gives officers 48 hours from arrest to get the person before a magistrate (CCP arts. 14.06, 15.17). The bail choice has to fit that one person, with the mildest rules that still work (CCP art. 17.028). Questions about a CAFA setting go to Criminal Court Administration, 512-854-9244.

State law splits release into two families, the bail bond and the personal bond, in CCP art. 17.01. Here are the three you will hear about at the jail:

• Cash bond. Someone hands the Sheriff's Office the entire amount, and it may be paid back when the case wraps up (CCP art. 17.02).
• Surety bond. A state-licensed company backs the full bond in court. In exchange, the family pays its fee.
• Personal bond. Nobody pays to walk out. Their written promise to return to court takes the place of money. Only Pretrial Services or a defense lawyer may request one, and a judge must approve it. Within seven days of release, Pretrial Services collects a fee of $40 or 3% of the bond.

Under CCP art. 17.03, a judge may not grant a no-money bond in several cases. That covers many violent crimes and a felon accused of having a gun. It covers some protective order cases too. It also covers anyone already under supervision for a violent offense, such as parole, who now faces a new felony or an assault charge. Second-time drunk drivers, and drivers accused of DWI with a kid in the vehicle, must have a breath-test lock put in the car as a bond term (CCP art. 17.441). Our Texas bail law summary goes deeper into the statewide rules.

To track a personal bond request, phone Pretrial Services at 512-854-9381. Its office is at 411 W. 13th St., Room 401, Austin, TX 78701.

No single price list covers Texas, so the judge sets a figure for each charge. You can read it on the Sheriff's inmate search, listed beside each charge. The jail line, 512-854-4180, can read it to you too.

Texas judges weigh these points when they choose a figure, as set out in CCP art. 17.15:

• Will this sum get the person back to every hearing?
• Is it so steep that it works as punishment?
• How serious is the charge, and what are the facts?
• What is the person able to pay?
• Could release endanger the victim, police or neighbors?
• What does their record say, and what is their citizenship?

Two figures are fixed by statute. Picture an arrest made with no warrant, where a magistrate hasn't ruled on probable cause in time. On a misdemeanor, that person must be freed within 24 hours, with bond capped at $5,000. A felony allows 48 hours and a $10,000 cap. If even that is out of reach, the release is on personal bond instead (CCP art. 17.033).

Cash bonds are paid in person at the jail building that houses the person, which is often the Correctional Complex in Del Valle. Work through this list:

1. Pull up the booking number and bond on the online jail search.
2. Ring 512-854-4180 to learn where to pay today and whether some other hold applies.
3. Gather the exact sum in cash, or buy a money order or cashier's check for that sum with "Travis County Sheriff's Office" as payee.
4. Take a photo ID to the Correctional Complex, 3614 Bill Price Rd., Del Valle, TX 78617, or to the Bonding Office in the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, 509 W. 11th St., Austin, TX 78701.
5. Guard the receipt. Any refund depends on it.

Release paperwork lists the next court date. Ask the person to read it the day they walk out.

Downtown, the Sheriff runs a Bonding Office in the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, 509 W. 11th St., Austin, TX 78701, the building that also holds the criminal courtrooms. It takes cash bonds, as does the jail where the person sleeps. Hours shift, so phone 512-854-4180 before driving over.

A warrant out of a different Texas county can be bonded here as well. For that kind, staff want a money order, cashier's check or traveler's check covering the full sum, and they give you the payee name at the window.

Certain warrants can be paid off rather than bonded. Constable Precinct 2 accepts warrant payments over the phone at 512-854-4515 and at its office, 10409 Burnet Rd., Suite 150, Austin, TX 78758. Its warrant payment page lays out how.

For a cash bond, the Sheriff's Office lists three ways to pay:

• Exact cash. Staff can't break bills or hold onto extra, so count it twice.
• Cashier's check, with "Travis County Sheriff's Office" as payee.
• Money order with that same payee.

Stick to those three. Before trying a card, a personal check or anything else, check with the jail at 512-854-4180. Bonds on out-of-county warrants also allow a traveler's check.

Money put up as bond for past-due child support stays with that debt. It is credited toward the support rather than refunded. Never send bond cash through the mail.

A bondsman, which Texas law calls a surety, vouches to the court for the full bond. For that promise, the bondsman charges the family. Get in writing whether any piece of it is returned. The Sheriff's Office accepts surety bonds from companies approved in this county, and it issues photo ID cards to approved bondsmen and lawyers.

Every county of 110,000 people or more is required to keep a bail bond board. That board licenses sureties and hangs its list in the criminal courts and the booking area (Occupations Code 1704.002, 1704.051). Other state rules:

• Texas puts no cap on the fee, so shop around.
• Each payment earns you a receipt (Occupations Code 1704.301).
• Drumming up business behind the jail walls is against the rules (Occupations Code 1704.304).
• Collateral you pledged, such as a truck title, must be returned no later than 30 days after a written request, once the case closes (Occupations Code 1704.305).
• The defense lawyer on the case may also post bond.

A bondsman who wants out has to notify the defense lawyer and file an affidavit, as CCP art. 17.19 requires.

A bond clears only the charge it was posted on. Other holds stay put, such as:

• Family violence wait. When further violence seems likely, the person stays 4 more hours once bond is posted, and a magistrate's written order can make the wait as long as 48 hours, per CCP art. 17.291.
• Warrant from elsewhere in Texas. A magistrate here can take bail on it, then mail the bond on, as CCP art. 15.18 allows.
• Parole blue warrant. The person stays put until the parole violation hearing.
• Immigration detainer. Only papers proving lawful status get the person out from under it (CCP art. 2A.060).
• More than one charge. Each may carry a separate bond.

Before any money changes hands, ask jail information at 512-854-4180 to read out every hold.

Texas starts from the idea that people accused of crimes can be bailed. A capital charge with clear proof is the oldest exception (Tex. Const. art. I, §11). Sections 11a, 11b and 11c of that same article add narrower limits for repeat felonies, new arrests while out on bond and certain bond or protective order violations.

Voters approved Proposition 3 in November 2025, which created §11d. The list includes murder, capital murder, trafficking, indecency with a child, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, aggravated sexual assault and certain aggravated assaults. For those charges, the judge must say no to bail once the state proves at a hearing that the accused is a flight risk or a threat. Nobody but the prosecutor can start that process. If the judge sets bail anyway, a written order explaining why is required.

Also from 2025, S.B. 9 gives prosecutors two tools. Under CCP art. 17.029, a felony bail can be sent up for a second look by a district judge. In certain violent cases, prosecutors may also take a bail they dislike to the appeals court, which keeps the accused jailed until it decides (CCP art. 44.01). Prosecutors here:

• District Attorney (felony cases), Ronald Earle Building, 416 West 11th St., Austin, TX 78701, 512-854-9400
• County Attorney (misdemeanor cases), 314 West 11th Street, Room 300, Austin, TX 78701, 512-854-9415

1. Phone Pretrial Services at 512-854-9381, which is staffed around the clock. Officers can say whether a personal bond came up and which conditions might win one.
2. Have the defense lawyer put a bond reduction motion before the judge on the case. Pay stubs, a lease and local family ties all carry weight.
3. Be honest about what the family can raise. Under CCP art. 17.15, bail may not be a tool of oppression, and a person's means count.

The calendar helps as well. If the state drags its feet on getting ready for trial, the judge has to either lower the figure or switch to a personal bond. The clock gives the state 90 days on a felony, 30 days on a misdemeanor with a maximum over 180 days in jail, 15 days for lesser jailable misdemeanors and 5 days for fine-only charges (CCP art. 17.151). A few offenses are excluded.

The Pretrial Services office sits in the Executive Office Building, 411 W. 13th St., Room 401, Austin, TX 78701. The public may come in 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays.

At CAFA, anyone facing a jailable charge already has defense counsel at their side. Pretrial Services also collects income details, from people in custody and out, which the judge relies on to decide about free counsel.

• Public Defender's Office, 1010 Lavaca St., Austin, TX 78701, 512-854-5100. Use the entrance on the south side.
• Capital Area Private Defender Service, 507 West 11th St., Austin, TX 78701, 512-774-4208. It manages the private lawyers who take appointed adult cases.
• Court Appointment unit, 512-854-5507, for appointment questions.

In big counties like this one, the judge must name a lawyer no later than one working day after getting the request (CCP art. 1.051). That lawyer is expected to reach out to the client within one more working day. The full local plan is on the state indigent defense plan site.

Nearly every criminal hearing happens downtown. Here is who does what:

• Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center, 509 W. 11th St., Austin, TX 78701: nine felony district courts, seven County Courts at Law for Class A and B charges, plus a magistrate court. Court Administration: 512-854-9244.
• District Clerk, Criminal Division (felony files), 501 W. 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701 (Room 2.300), 512-854-9420, open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
• County Clerk, Misdemeanor Records, 5501 Airport Boulevard, Austin, TX 78751, 512-854-9188, open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays.
• Justice of the Peace courts (fine-only Class C): Pct. 1, 4717 Heflin Lane, Suite 107, Austin, TX 78721, 512-854-7700; Pct. 2, 10409 Burnet Road, Suite 180, Austin, TX 78758, 512-854-4545; Pct. 3, 8656-B West Highway 71, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78735, 512-854-6763; Pct. 4, 4011 McKinney Falls Parkway, Suite 1200, Austin, TX 78744, 512-854-9479; Pct. 5, 1000 Guadalupe Street, Suite 112, Austin, TX 78701, 512-854-9049.
• Municipal Court for city tickets, Building 310, 6800 Burleson Road, Suite 175, Austin, TX 78744, 512-974-4800.
• Federal courthouse, 501 West Fifth Street, Suite 1100, Austin, TX 78701, 512-916-5896.

Cash bond is refunded after the person has made every hearing and the case is closed. First a judge signs a refund order. The next stop depends on the case level:

• Felony. Turn in the signed Cash Bond Refund Motion and Order plus the bond receipt to the District Clerk, in person or by email. There is a 30-day waiting period, and the check follows in about 7 to 10 business days. Questions: 512-854-9420.
• Class A, Class B or an appealed Class C. The County Clerk processes these, 512-854-9188.

Refunds are paid to whoever is named on the receipt (CCP art. 17.02). A guilty finding or deferred adjudication lets the clerk keep 5%, never more than $50. Bond cash may also be used to pay off what the person owes the court (CCP art. 17.53).

A skipped hearing changes everything. The judge may forfeit the bond, and the money can be lost (CCP art. 22.01). If the person lands back in jail fast enough, the bondsman is excused: 180 days on misdemeanors, 270 on felonies (CCP art. 22.13). Missing court on purpose can bring a separate charge called bail jumping (Penal Code 38.10).

Money held for a person inside goes into the Inmate Trust Fund. The Trust Fund office works from the Finance Building, #230, at the Correctional Complex, 3614 Bill Price Rd., Del Valle, TX 78617, 512-854-5319. Ask how any balance is paid out at release.

Belongings taken at booking, like keys and wallets, are handled by jail staff. Phone jail information at 512-854-4180, ask for Property, and have the booking number handy. Fetching items on a friend's behalf? Phone ahead about a signed note from them and the ID staff expect.

See our jail account money page to learn how deposits work.

The Western District of Texas, a federal trial court, takes federal charges brought in this county. The local federal courthouse is 501 West Fifth Street, Suite 1100, Austin, TX 78701, and its clerk answers at 512-916-5896.

• Soon after arrest comes a detention hearing. That judge weighs whether to let the defendant out pending trial or keep them held (18 U.S.C. 3142).
• County bond rules and local bondsmen don't apply in federal court.
• Federal prisoners awaiting trial answer to the U.S. Marshals Service, and that agency can say where the person is. Its office: 501 West 5th Street, Suite 3300, Austin, TX 78701, 512-916-5393.
• Defendants who qualify get a free lawyer from the Federal Public Defender, 504 Lavaca Street, Suite 960, Austin, TX 78701, 512-916-5025.

Once a sentence is handed down, find the person through the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator.

No. An immigration detainer stands apart from county bond, so paying bond leaves it in place. Expect it to unfold like this:

1. Immigration agents send a Form I-247A that flags this specific prisoner.
2. Under that form, staff may keep the person up to 48 hours after they would otherwise be released, giving ICE time to collect them (8 CFR 287.7(d)).
3. Texas law tells jails to follow these detainers (CCP art. 2A.060). Cities and counties also can't adopt rules that slow down federal immigration work, thanks to a 2017 law (Gov't Code 752.053).
4. S.B. 8, passed in 2025, put a December 1, 2026 deadline on jail-running sheriffs to seek 287(g) status with ICE. Where things stand locally is a question for the Sheriff's Office, 5555 Airport Blvd., Austin, TX 78751, 512-854-9770.
5. After transfer, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. It asks for the full name, birth country and either the A-number or date of birth.

When the locator comes up empty, call ICE's San Antonio Field Office, which serves 36 south central Texas counties, at 3523 Crosspoint Drive, San Antonio, TX 78217, 210-564-3300.

Felony sentences are carried out by TDCJ, the state's prison system. Someone convicted of a state jail felony serves it in a state jail; first, second and third degree felonies lead to prison (Penal Code 12.35, 12.32 to 12.34). Later, TDCJ collects the person from the county lockup. Intake staff then check and classify them before a transfer to a unit that matches their needs.

• On the TDCJ inmate search, enter the surname and a first initial. Searching by TDCJ number or SID number is also allowed. Its records refresh on working days and run at least one day behind.
• Our Texas state prisons page describes the units.

A probation sentence is supervised by Adult Probation, 411 W. 13th St., Room 722, Austin, TX 78701, 512-854-4600.

Texas juvenile court handles children aged 10 through 16 when the alleged offense took place. Anyone 17 or older faces adult court (Family Code 51.02). The officer who takes a child in must quickly tell a parent or guardian why (Family Code 52.02).

Youths are taken to the Gardner-Betts Juvenile Justice Center, 2515 S. Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78704, never to the adult jail. Every juvenile courtroom is in that same building. The Juvenile Probation Department answers at 512-854-7000.

• The detention hearing happens no later than the second working day in custody. When the pickup falls on a Friday or Saturday, it comes one working day sooner, under Family Code 54.01.
• The court appoints a lawyer for the child before that hearing.
• The judge has to release the child unless one of the specific reasons in that law for holding a youth applies.