ARTICLE 5. Deposit Instead of Bail [1295. - 1298.]

Cal. Penal Code - PEN 5.

in effect

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 1295. Section 1295.

(a) The defendant, or any other person, at any time after an order admitting defendant to bail or after the arrest and booking of a defendant for having committed a misdemeanor, instead of giving bail may deposit, with the clerk of the court in which the defendant is held to answer or notified to appear for arraignment, the sum mentioned in the order or, if no order, in the schedule of bail previously fixed by the judges of the court, and, upon delivering to the officer in whose custody defendant is a certificate of the deposit, the defendant must be discharged from custody. (b) Where more than one deposit is made with respect to any charge in any accusatory pleading based upon the acts supporting the original charge as a result of which an earlier deposit was made, the defendant shall receive credit in the amount of any earlier deposit. (c) The clerk of the court shall not accept a general assistance check for this deposit or any part thereof.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 1296. Section 1296.

If the defendant has given bail, he may, at any time before the forfeiture of the undertaking, in like manner deposit the sum mentioned in the recognizance, and upon the deposit being made the bail is exonerated.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 1297. Section 1297.

When money has been deposited, a receipt shall be issued in the name of the depositor. If the money remains on deposit at the time of a judgment for the payment of a fine, the clerk shall, under the direction of the court, if the defendant be the depositor, apply the money in satisfaction thereof, and after satisfying restitution to the victim or the Restitution Fund, fines, and costs, shall refund the surplus, if any, to the defendant. If the person to whom the receipt for the deposit was issued was not the defendant, the deposit after judgment shall be returned to that person within 10 days after the person claims it by submitting the receipt, and, if a claim is not made within 10 days of the exoneration of bail, the clerk shall immediately notify the depositor of the exoneration of bail.

Cal. Penal Code - PEN § 1298. Section 1298.

In lieu of a deposit of money, the defendant or any other person may deposit bonds of the United States or of the State of California of the face value of the cash deposit required, and these bonds shall be treated in the same manner as a deposit of money or the defendant or any other person may give as security any equity in real property which he or she owns, provided that no charge is made to the defendant or any other person for the giving as security of any equity in real property. A hearing, at which witnesses may be called or examined, shall be held before the magistrate to determine the value of the equity and if the magistrate finds that the value of the equity is equal to twice the amount of the cash deposit required he or she shall allow the bail. The clerk shall, under order of the court, when occasion arises therefor, sell the bonds or the equity and apply the proceeds of the sale in the manner that a deposit of cash may be required to be applied.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026