Resources · Data
A curated, sourced reference for journalists, researchers and agents. Every figure carries its date, its source and what it does — and doesn't — measure.
2026 edition · Updated November 1, 2026 · Reviewed annually
There is no official national count of bail agents, bonds written or premiums collected. Insurance regulators track licensees state by state, and the most detailed federal data on how defendants are released dates from 2009. Several widely quoted industry figures come from a 2017 advocacy report. We include them because they're cited so often, but we label them clearly. Please quote the date and source with any figure, and don't compare numbers measured in different ways.
$3.5 billion
IBISWorld's industry estimate for U.S. bail bond services. Its definition excludes the insurance companies that underwrite the bonds.
$1.4–$2.4 billion
Range reported for annual premiums collected by bail agents and their insurers, often summarized as about $2 billion.
$14 billion
Total bail amount secured by commercial bonds each year — bond face value, not premium revenue or number of bonds.
Up to 25,000
The report describes a national network of as many as 25,000 bail agents.
About 2,300
Approximate count published by the California Department of Insurance.
Fewer than 10
The report states fewer than ten insurance companies backed a large majority of commercial bail bonds.
About 10% of the premium
Described share of the agent's premium paid to the backing insurer.
Usually 10% of bail
The Bureau of Justice Statistics defines a surety bond as a bail company taking on the full bail amount for a fee usually equal to 10%.
15% of the bond
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 58-71-95(5) caps the premium a bondsman may accept.
10%, $100 minimum
Terms listed on Florida's bail bond rate filing form for state bonds; federal bonds are listed at 15% with a $100 minimum.
658,700
One-day count of people in local jails.
68%
More than two-thirds of people in local jails had not been convicted.
7.9 million
Number of jail admissions during the year — entries, not unique people.
667,700
Average number held per day across the reporting year.
31 days
Average time in custody before release, down from 32 days the prior year.
49%
Share of released felony defendants in the 75 largest U.S. counties who were released on a commercial surety bond.
61%
Share released through any financial condition (surety, cash, property, deposit).
17%
Share of released felony defendants who failed to make a scheduled appearance (table 18).
Surety 18% · Cash 20% · Conditional 22% · Recognizance 26% · Unsecured 30%
Pooled federal data on felony defendants in the 75 largest counties (table 7).
1,836 cases · $51.7M in judgments · $6.5M collected
A state investigative commission found negotiated settlements averaged about 12.5% of the original bond, and the 2012 statewide collection rate was under 9%.
4: Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon, Wisconsin
States identified as having banned for-profit bail bonding.
January 1, 2017
New Jersey shifted from mainly money bail to risk-based release and detention.
January 1, 2020
Required release for many non-qualifying offenses and added non-monetary conditions; later amended.
September 18, 2023
First state to eliminate cash bail under the Pretrial Fairness Act. Commercial bail was already banned decades earlier.
We found no reliable, current national data on licensed agents by state, average premiums actually charged, or forfeiture trends over time. Rather than estimate, we've left those out. State-by-state rules are in our bail costs by state reference, forfeiture timelines and CE requirements. If you hold better data — a regulator count, an audited survey — send it to us for the next edition.
Please cite the original source shown with each figure. To reference this compilation: “Bail Industry Statistics & Data,” Bail Bonds Magazine, updated November 1, 2026, bailbondsmagazine.com/bail-industry-statistics. Each stat has its own link for direct reference. For terms, see our bail bonds glossary.