Yes, bail bondsmen are allowed to keep the 10% fee, as it is their non-refundable service charge for posting bail on behalf of a defendant.
- The 10-15% fee is the bondsman’s profit and is not returned, even if the defendant appears in court or the case is dismissed.
- This fee compensates the bail bond company for taking on the financial risk of guaranteeing the defendant’s bail.
- If the defendant fails to appear, the bondsman may lose the full bail amount unless they locate and return the defendant to custody.