Polk County South Jail Inmate Bail & Bonds

Polk County South Jail

Address:
1103 U.S.Hwy 98 West
Frostproof, FL 33843

Phone:

863-635-6826

How do Bail Bonds work at Polk County South Jail

The Polk County Sheriff recommends you call a licensed bail bond agent in Polk County to handle someone's bond who has recently been arrested. 

If you prefer to pay it yourself, accepted payment methods include cash, credit card, money order, or check made payable to the Polk County Clerk of Courts.

Accepted credit cards include American Express, Apple Pay, Discover, Google Pay, MasterCard, Samsung Pay, or Visa.

A service charge is applied to credit card transactions.

Call [phone} to get information on the amount due, where to pay, or any other questions you have.


 

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

Please call the jail at 863-635-6826 for the type of bond and any information that is required for a particular individual at Polk County South 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 Polk County

Because Polk County and Florida can change their bail bond procedures, it is always best to call either the Polk County South Jail at 863-635-6826, 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 Polk County South Jail or the Polk 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 Polk County South 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 Polk County South 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 Polk County South Jail where the defendant is being held, but usually to the Polk County Sheriff's Office or to the Polk 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 Polk County South 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 Polk County South Jail

If you are a landowner in Polk County you may be able to post a property bond. Property within Polk 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 Polk 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 Polk County South Jail.

Who can post Bail or Bond for a Defendant at Polk County South 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 Florida state licensed Bail Bond firm.

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

Polk 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, Polk 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 Polk 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.

Polk County South Jail Inmate Mail Types

Postcards
The Polk County South 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 Polk County South Jail also allows regular postcards and envelopes to be mailed to inmates as well.

Personal postcards and envelopes MUST be mailed to the following address:
Inmate's Full Name & ID NUMBER
PCSO-CO SC
PO Box 1848
Pinellas Park, Florida 33780


Legal Mail
Legal Mail is mail from Attorneys, law enforcement, the courts, bail companies, etc.

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 Polk County South 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 above.
Books must NOT contain images or content that are considered excessively violent, pornographic or obscene. Any book that does not meet the Polk County South 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 legal mail, newspapers, magazines and books are to be shipped to:
Inmate's Full Name & ID NUMBER
Polk County Jail
2390 Bob Phillips Road
Bartow, FL 33830


 

How to Send and Receive Secure Text and Email Messages with an Inmate in Polk County South Jail

To communicate by text or email with an Polk County inmate, follow these instructions:

  • To send or receive a message you MUST first open a SmartJailMail.com account.
  • Once you open an account, you may search for Polk County inmates or detainees to connect with.
  • When you locate the Polk County inmate that you want to connect with, you can send them a connection request.
  • Polk County South Jail will then need to approve the request before you can send messages.

For all the information you need to send and receive secure messages in the form of text or email with a Polk County South Jail inmate, including how it works, how much it costs, renting your inmate a tablet, how often you can communicate and more, check out our Text/Email an Inmate Page.
NOTE: Your messages will be monitored and stored. You may want to refrain from discussing your inmate's court case.


 

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

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

  • Select Florida, then select Polk County South Jail, and then select the 'Send a Package Order' option.
  • Register and create an account with Access Securepak, for Polk 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 Polk County at any one time.

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


 

How to Send Money to an Inmate in Polk County

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

  • Register with Access Corrections by creating an account.
  • Select Florida, then select Polk County South 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 Polk County South Jail.


 

How an Inmate Makes a Phone Call to You or Others from Polk County South Jail

To set up a phone account so that your inmate can call you from Polk County do the following:

1. Enroll in an account with Securus Technologies.

2. Choose one of three account types, Securus Debit, Advance Connect or Direct Bill.
3. Choose [facility_name_1}, then connect with your inmate.
4. If you have any questions, call Securus: 972-734-1111 or 800-844-6591.

To find out fees, how to's, calling times, limits on phone calls and other systems Securus has do that you can communicate with your Polk County inmate, check out our Inmate Phone Page.
NOTE: All of your inmate's phone calls are recorded and stored. It is advised not to discuss their pending case.


 

How to Schedule and Visit an Inmate in Polk County South Jail

To schedule and set up a visit, either at-the-jail or remotely from your home, follow these instructions:

  • Register and/or log in.
  • Select Polk County South Jail, then your inmate.
  • Review the days, available hours and the cost of remote and on-site visits in Polk County.
  • Schedule your visit.

To get more complete instructions, and understand visit lengths, times, locations, fees and all the other rules including children, dress codes and more, check out or Visit Inmate Page.
NOTE: All visits are recorded and whatever you say and do will be monitored. It is best to never discuss sensitive information regarding your inmate's pending case.


 

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