When a person is arrested, a county judge determines a specific amount of money that must be paid before the person can go free. This is to ensure that they will return for their court appearances, instead of disappearing. This money is known as bail. But most people do not have enough cash on hand to pay their own bail, especially if they're being accused of something serious, in which case bail could be a few thousand dollars.

While you may be able to call a family member or friend for a $200 bail, high amounts of bail may require you to borrow the money. The best option for borrow money to pay bail is to contact a bail agent and request a bail bond. A bail bond is a loan made by a bail agent to release a person from jail. Most of the time a indemnitor, someone close to the arrested person, contacts a bail bondsmen and agrees to pay a fee for the borrowing of the bail money.

This indemnitor often must prove they will be able to pay the bail if the person skips town and cannot pay it back. Also, a fee is always required, usually between 10 and 15 percent of the amount loaned. This is how the bail agent makes his money. If the arrested person leaves town, the indemnitor must pay the entirety of the bail, as well as the fee. This is one reason not to agree to borrow bail for someone you don't trust.

Bail bonds, also known as a jail bond, can usually be secured within a few hours. Most bail bonds agencies don't require a credit check, but some do require a large down payment, especially if they consider the arrested person a flight risk. If a down payment can't be paid, collateral may be required.

Bail bondsmen are risking their own money when they lend bonds, so they must take precautions to avoid people who don't intend to pay them back. The alternative to paying bail is to sit in jail until either sentenced or released. This can be very frustrating, and may cause the arrested person to miss out on important events or lose their job.

If you're released on bail bonds in Florida, you will also be required to wear a GPS tracking unit. A tracking device helps the court locate you if you try to flee the area or the state. This helps keep those who have borrowed bail money in the area, making it less of a risk for Florida bail bondsmen to lend money. On the downside, this tracking unit may keep you limited to a specific county or distance from the court.