Marin County Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Marin County Jail

Address:
13 Peter Behr Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903

Phone:

415-473-6655

Can I pay an Inmate's bail bond online?

Marin County Jail uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPayNow) 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 415-473-6655 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

How else can bail be paid in Marin County?

Bail may be posted in the following ways:

  • Cash (US Currency)
  • Postal Money Order or bank money order made out to the Clerk of the Court issuing the warrant or having jurisdiction over the charged individual.
  • Bail Company (Google "Marin County Bal Bondsman")
  • No personal checks are accepted.

 

Who do I call to find out the Bond for an Inmate?

Please call the jail at 415-473-6655 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Marin County Jail.
A bond is set according to a court-approved schedule.
The purpose of the bond is to assure the offender's appearance in court.

Instructions on how to post Bail or Bond in Marin County

Because Marin County and California can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Marin County Jail at 415-473-6655, or the court in the jurisdiction (i.e. Municipal Court, District Court, etc.) where the offender was charged, right after an arrestee has been booked. 

Ask the staff at the Marin County Jail or the Marin County Court Clerk these specific questions:

  1. Is the defendant eligible for bail or a bond?
  2. How much will the bail or bond be, and what are the additional fees?
  3. Where do I go to pay it?
  4. Are there any days or times of the day or night when I cannot post bail?
  5. What types of payment are allowed? Cash? Money order? Credit card? What types of credit cards? Property or other collateral? Surety bonds?
  6. Do I have to use a bail or bond agent?

If you feel the bail is too high and you wish to get it reduced, contact a lawyer or the defendant's public defender and get them to look into what they can do to get a bail reduction. The sooner you get working on this the quicker you will get your loved one released. 

This entire process will go smoother and faster with a criminal attorney or bail agent handling it for you.

Option 1 - How to Post Bail using Cash for a Defendant at Marin County Jail

The first option, a cash bond, is to pay the full bail amount in cash, cashier's check, or money order. Personal Checks are not accepted.

Depending on the crime, this amount could be anywhere from $100 to $75,000 or more.

To pay a cash bond, go to Marin County Jail or to the court where the bail hearing occurred. Going directly to the jail will quicken the release of the defendant as any bail paperwork processed at the court will have to be transferred to the jail.

Cashier's Checks and Money Orders may be made out to Marin County Jail where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Marin County Sheriff's Office or to the Marin County Court.

To purchase money orders visit any Western Union, Moneygram or Post Office.

Option 2 - How to Post a Private or Surety Bond for a Defendant at Marin County Jail

In the event that someone does not have the full bond amount available to him or her, there is what is called a private bond or surety bond.

This is an agreement made with a bail agent or bondsman who will post the full bail amount. In return, the defendant and/or cosigner will pay a premium to the bail agent. This premium will be 10-15% of the full bail amount.



For example, if bail is posted at $5,000, then the premium will cost approximately $500-$750.

A bail agent will often require some form of collateral, for example, a lien on a house, a car or jewelry. This is to ensure that if the defendant skips bail, or does not appear in court, the bail agent has some sort of compensation for the full bail amount being paid.

Remember, by making an agreement with a bail agent the signatory takes responsibility for paying the full bail amount if the defendant does not appear in court.

Option 3 - How to Post a Property Bond for a Defendant at Marin County Jail

If you are a landowner in Marin County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Marin County may be used as collateral to bail someone out. All owners of the property must be present to sign the bond in order for this to happen.

To find if property located outside of Marin County can be used as collateral, call a local bail or bond agent or contact a defense lawyer.

Click here for additional information on how to post bail at Marin County Jail.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Marin County Jail?

Anyone over the age of 18 who can produce a valid government-issued photo ID can post bail. Accepted forms of ID include a Photo Driver's License, Passport, or Motor Vehicle issued ID.

In many circumstances, if the defendant has the resources, they can post their own cash bail from jail.

Surety Bonds are arranged by a third party, typically a California state licensed Bail Bond firm.

Juveniles may only be bailed or bonded out of custody by a parent or legal guardian.

Marin County Justice System Flowchart

When will the Cash Bail or Collateral be returned to me?

Money or collateral will not be returned until the defendant's court case is finished, so realistically it could take several months to years, depending on the severity of the charges. If a defendant posts his or her own bail, Marin County Court may retain whatever amount of fines or fees have accumulated throughout the trial.

What happens to my Bail or Collateral if the Defendant misses Court?

The Marin County Judge may order a failure to appear warrant for the person's arrest or the Judge may order a Bail Commissioner's Letter be issued that will be sent to the person with a new court date.

If cash bail was paid, the entire amount may be forfeited.

Paying an Inmate's Bond Online in Marin County

Marin County Jail uses a service called allpaid (also known as GovPay Now) for paying an inmate's Bail Bond online for an inmate.

Register with them online or call them at 877-392-2455 for assistance.

For full information on paying an inmate's bond and getting them released after they have been arrested in Marin County, check out our 
Inmate Bail Page.


Depositing Commissary Money Online for an Inmate in Marin County Jail

If you want to deposit money online for an inmate in Marin County you may also be able to use allpaid.

Register with them online or call them at 888-604-7888 for depositing inmate commissary money assistance 24 hours a day.
For full information about depositing money for an inmate, deposit limits and helpful instructions, visit our Send Money to an Inmate page for Marin County.


 

Marin County Jail Inmate Mail Guidelines

Postcards
The Marin County Jail allows inmates to receive pre-metered postcards like the type purchased from the post office. They may also allow certain photo postcards as long as they have not been tampered with or contain images that may be considered to be obscene or violent in nature.

Envelopes
The Marin County Jail also allows envelopes to be mailed to inmates.

Postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Marin County Jail – 1102
PO Box 96777
Las Vegas, NV 89193



Legal Mail

Send all legal Mail to this Address:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Marin County Jail
13 Peter Behr Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903



Newspapers
Local or national newspapers may also be mailed to the inmate as long as they are mailed directly from the newspaper publisher.

Magazines
News, special interest or sports magazines may also be mailed to an inmate as long as they are shipped directly from the publisher. Any magazines that contain profanity, weapons, pornography or other content that is adult in nature will be confiscated by the jail staff and will NOT be delivered to the inmate.

Books
The Marin County Jail allows books to be mailed directly to the jail from a reputable source such as AmazonBarnes & Noble or Books-A-Million. You can order them directly from your computer and have them shipped to the inmate at the address below.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Marin County Jail standards will be disposed of. No more than three books may be shipped at any one time.
Hard cover books will not be accepted by the jail due to their potential to be used as a weapon.


All newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & Inmate ID#
Marin County Jail
13 Peter Behr Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903


 

How Do You Communicate with an Inmate in the Marin County Jail by Phone

Follow these instructions on how to open an account with GTL Connect Network (aka Viapath Technologies)

  • Advance Pay - This phone account allows you to prepay so that your inmate can call you (and only you) whenever he/she wants and the cost of each call is deducted from your balance. You can even be notified by text when your balance gets low. You still have the option of accepting or rejecting each call.
  • Pin Debit  -  This option allows you to fund an inmate's commissary account and lets him pay for phone calls to you and others with the money. You will have no control over who your inmate calls.
  • Voicemail  -  You can leave a secure voicemail without having to contact the facility. When you call the local phone number for a facility offering Inmate Voicemail (call Customer Service at 877-650-4249 to get the local voicemail number for Marin County Jail, you will be informed of the cost for leaving a message. To leave your message, simply select the inmate by ID number. Then, record your voicemail.

For full instructions on the Marin County Jail Inmate Phone System, what the costs are, how it works, and tips and guidelines on rules, regulations and saving money on calls, check out our Inmate Phones Page.


 

Depositing Money for Communicating with an Inmate

How to Make a Deposit for Phone, Email or Visitation using GettingOut.com

Marin County Jail uses GettingOut for some or all of its communication services with an inmate.

If you want to deposit money using this company for your use or your inmate's account, there are four ways to do it:

  • Online - They accept all major credit cards including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
  • At the Marin County Jail using the kiosk in the jail lobby - (cash, debit or credit card) NOTE - Marin County Jail may require identity verification so bring your driver’s license or some other form of ID.
  • By phone by calling 866-516-0115 - They have bi-lingual operators are standing by 24 hours 7 days a week to assist you with your deposit. Major credit cards accepted are Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.
  • By using their app, either Android or iphone. - All credit cards mentioned above are accepted.

For all the information you need to know, including tips, guidelines and warnings about depositing money in a Marin County Jail inmate's account for communication services, check out our Send Money page.


 

How Do You Visit an Inmate in Marin County Jail?

To visit an inmate in Marin County, whether by video or in person 'at the jail', follow these steps:

Other than 'at the jail' visits between you and your inmate, which is explained and outlined in detail on our Visit Inmate Page, Marin County remote video inmate visitation can be done using the services of GettingOut

There are three ways to remotely visit your inmate in Marin County Jail:
1.  Using the GettingOut Kiosk at the jail.
2. Using your computer from home.
3. Using your phone on the GettingOut apps.

To remotely visit an inmate in Marin County follow these steps:
1.  Start by confirming that Marin County Jail's Video Visitation is working correctly by looking up Marin County here.

2.  The next step is to create an account here for GettingOut.
3. Then add funds to your account.
4. Last, select Marin County Jail, and then the inmate you wish to communicate with.

Other Marin County Services provided by GettingOut:
 - Phone Calls & Voicemail 
 - Email, Photo & Video Sharing
-  Inmate Tablet Rental
-  Deposits

Customer Service
If you have any questions about the Marin County Jail Visitation Services you can call them at 866-516-0115.
Frequently Asked Questions

* All the information you need to have complete knowledge about inmate visitation; policies, rules, fees, schedules, tips, dress codes, and children, lawyers and clergy visitation in Marin County, can be found on our Visit Inmate Page.

Marin County Jail Phone: 415-473-6655


 

How Inmates Can Use a Tablet to Access Services at Marin County Jail

To find out how to get access to a tablet for inmate read the following:

1.  First, Register or Sign In to GettingOut/GTL

2.  Purchase the services you want for your Marin County Jail inmate.
3. All inmates have free access to the tablets to read their letters from family & friends, but there are many other services available to keep your inmate busy while incarcerated... such as Games, Books, Music and Movies. These other services come with fees that you can pay for when you pay for phone service.

To learn more about Tablet Rentals for inmates, including the cost, all the services available and everything else you need to know, check out our Tablet Rental Page.


 

How to Communicate with an Marin County Jail Inmate by Mail and by Email

To mail or email an inmate in Marin County follow these steps:

When mailing a letter or postcard to an inmate, please follow these instructions:

  • All mail sent to an inmate at the Marin County Jail must include the sender's name and mailing address in the top left corner of the envelope or postcard.
  • All mail must include the facility's address, as well as the inmate's name and assigned number.
  • Failure to include your return address will most likely result in your mail NOT being delivered and your letter destroyed.
  • The Marin County Jail has a zero-tolerance policy regarding mail violations. 
  • All the information you need to understand mail and email policies can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.

Emailing Messages & Photos

Facility_name_1} contracts with GTL GettingOut, the same service that handles iInmate Phone Systems and Video Visitation, for sending secure messages and photos between you and your inmate.
 
If you are not already registered, do so here, or Log in.

Then use the Facility Finder to:
1.  Select Marin County Jail,
2. Add your inmate to your list of contacts,
3. Add a credit or debit card to cover your costs.

  • Messages can be up to 500 characters long, including punctuation. At the bottom of your message there is a 'character countdown' feature.  
  • After you click the “CONTINUE” button, you can review the cost to send your message to your inmate. You can also attach credits for your inmate to reply to your message.  Be sure to accept the Terms and Conditions and click the “SEND” button for your message to be successfully delivered to your inmate.
  • You can also send your Marin County inmate photos and videos.

Customer Service Questions
'Online' Contact Form, or
Call   866-516-0115

Go here to this FAQ to get answers to how the transition to ViaPath from GTL and gettingout will affect your account.

All the information you need to understand mail and email policies for Marin County can be found on our Inmate Mail Page and our Text/Email an Inmate Page.


 

For mailing, emailing and texting an Inmate in the Marin County Jail use Pigeonly

Pigeonly allows you to physically or digitally send an inmate:

  • Letters (including drawings)
  • Greeting Cards
  • Postcards
  • 4x6 Photos (limit of up to 10 per parcel)
  • Unbound Newsletters

Pigeonly offers a service where you don't even have to use the USPS to send the inmate mail, but can send your letters and photos directly from your phone or computer. There are several plans; monthly and annual, that come with a fee, but save you the trouble of dealing with writing and mailing letters the old school way.

will either print them out for your inmate or put them on a terminal in their unit to see and read them.

For complete information on using pigeonly to mail letters, email letters, cards, photos, articles, as well as find out pricing plans, check out our Inmate Email page or Inmate Mail page.


 

How to Send a Carepack Commissary Package Directly to an Inmate in Marin County

To send a commissary carepack (food, snacks and goods) directly to an inmate in Marin County Jail follow these steps:

  • Select California, then select Marin County Jail, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Marin County.
  • Choose the inmate and the products you want shipped to them, and input your payment method. 
  • NOTE: There may be a limit on how much product you can send your inmate in Marin County at any one time.

For all information, tips and available items for shipping Commissary packages to an inmate in Marin County Jail check out our Commissary Instructions Page for Marin County.


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Marin County

To send commissary money to an inmate in Marin County Jail follow these steps:

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select California, then select Marin County Jail, and then the inmate you want to send money to.
  • Choose the amount of money you want to send, and input your payment method.

For all information on how to Send Money to an inmate's account check out our full money and commissary guide for Marin County Jail.


 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I pay a Marin County Jail inmate's bond online?
Yes, you can pay a Marin County Jail inmate's bond online using a third-party service called 'allpaid'. The instructions are easy... From their website, look up Marin County Jail or Marin 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 Marin 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 Marin County Jail, call allpaid directly at 877-392-2455, or call the jail at 415-473-6655.