A bail bond in court is a formal, often financial, guarantee ensuring a person complies with legal obligations, most commonly appearing for all scheduled hearings while remaining free from jail. If the defendant fails to appear or violates conditions, the bond (money or collateral) is forfeited to the court.
The Montrose County Sheriff’s Office accepts bond 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.
We accept cash bond and surety bond only. Property bonds are not accepted.
A surety bond must be obtained through a licensed bondsman. Please contact a bondsman prior to coming to the jail.
A cash bond requires payment of the full bond amount as set by the court.
For security reasons, if an inmate’s cash bond is extremely high, the jail will accept a cashier’s check drawn on a verifiable bank or a money order made payable to the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office.
Personal checks are not accepted for any amount.
Cash bonds may be paid using cash or credit card only. All cash and credit card payments from the public must be processed through the Jail ATM kiosk located in the visitation lobby or online at www.jailatm.com.
A $30 booking fee and a $10 bonding fee (for each bond written) will be assessed to the inmate’s account. These fees do not need to be paid prior to release.
The person in custody will be given every opportunity to arrange for procuring his/her own release by posting a bond through:
a. A licensed Bail Bondsman
b. Acquisition of the correct amount of cash from another source or sources to post his/her bond.
c. All cash bonds shall be posted through the Jail ATM Kiosk in the visitation lobby. online through www.jailatm.com. or through the kiosk located in booking.
Types of bond include:
- Property Bond: This type of bond must be requested and handled through the courts, as they require equity in a home or other types of real property.
- Cash Bond: The full amount of the bond is required in cash only. Any method of payment other than cash is unacceptable.
- Surety Bond: This type of bond must be handled through a professional licensed bonding agent. The person in custody may choose any agent he/she wishes from the lists from any local phone book. Detention Staff will not recommend any bonding agent.
- Personal Recognizance or PR Bond: The judge may release a person in custody on their own personal recognizance.
Fees
$30 Booking Fee (not charged to those here on a WRIT from another County Facility)
$5.50 Welcome Pack Fee (upon transfer to the housing unit from holding)
$10 Bond Fee (for each bond posted)
Pursuant to HB21-1280: Bond fees, Booking Fees, and other fees or debts never need to be paid to secure a person’s release on money bond.
E-Bond
Bondsmen may now utilize the eBond option. However, each bondsman must first be vetted by the Montrose County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) prior to using this process.
To complete the vetting process, please contact the MCSO Administrative Sergeant by calling 970-252-4084 or by emailing slnelson@montrosecounty.net.
Bondsmen who have already completed the vetting process should email mcsoebonds@montrosecounty.net with “Bond Request” in the subject line.
Online Bonding information
Friends and family may post bond for individuals in custody using the online bonding system.
Please follow the steps below:
Step 1: Schedule the Bond
Call the Montrose County Jail Booking Desk at (970) 252-4071 to schedule the bond.
Please call at least one hour prior to the time you plan to post the bond.
Step 2: Post the Bond Online
At the scheduled time, visit www.jailatm.com and complete the following:
- Select “Send Money Now.”
- Log in to your account or create a new account.
- Select State: Colorado
- Select Facility: Montrose County Jail
- Search for the inmate by last name or inmate ID number.
- Select the inmate’s name to proceed.
Once the funds have been received by the Montrose County Jail, the individual will be released, pending processing.
Additional Information
- A $10 bond fee is charged for each bond posted.
- Pursuant to House Bill 21-1280: Bond fees, booking fees, and other fees or debts are not required to be paid in order to secure a person’s release on a money bond.
Legal Rights
Legal Rights Related to Posting Money Bond Pursuant to Section 16-4-102, Colorado Revised Statutes
- Bond fees, booking fees, and other fees or debts never need to be paid to secure a person’s release on money bond. A payor need only pay the bond amount in order to secure release.
- While never a basis to hold a defendant in jail, the following fees are chargeable as a debt to the defendant after release if the payor chooses not to pay the fees at the time of bonding: a $10 bond fee and a maximum 3 .5%credit card payment fee. No other bond-related fees may be charged at any time, including any kiosk fees or fees for payment by cash, check, or money order.
- Bond payments are to be made out to the holding county and are never to be made out in the name of the incarcerated person.
- A sheriff must release a defendant within six hours after a personal recognizance bond is set and the defendant has returned to jail or within six hours after a cash bond has been set and the defendant has returned to jail and the defendant or surety notified the jail that bond is prepared to be posted, unless extraordinary circumstances exist. In the event of a delay of more than six hours, a surety and the defendant have a right to know what, if any, extraordinary circumstance is causing the delay. Supervisory conditions of release do not justify a delay in release; except that a sheriff may hold a defendant for up to 24 hours if necessary to ensure a defendant is fitted with required electronic monitoring.
- Anyone who posts a money bond has the right to receive a copy of the bond paperwork, including documentation of the next upcoming court date.
- A surety may never be asked to use posted bond money to pay a defendant’s debts. Only when defendants have posted their own money bond may they be asked if they would like to voluntarily relinquish bond money to pay their debts. Relinquishment of bond money by a defendant to pay a debt is never required and is entirely a voluntary choice by the defendant.
To file a complaint about violations of these provisions contact by Email jailsgts@montrosecounty.net or by phone at 970 252 4072.