You can bail someone out of jail from another state without getting on a plane. Kansas law allows a bondsman to take the premium by card or electronic transfer, and the bondsman, not you, has to be physically present at the jail to sign the bond. If your son, sister or friend was arrested in Wichita and you are in Texas, Missouri, California or anywhere else, much of the process can be handled by phone. This page gives the steps in order and the points where families lose time or money.
Case Bail Bonds is at 705 N Broadway in Wichita, three blocks from the Sedgwick County Jail. We answer (316) 900-1667 24 hours a day. Wichita is on Central Time.
On this page
- 6 steps to bail someone out from another state
- What if the person arrested lives out of state too?
- What you can do from home while they are in custody
- What if the arrest is on a warrant from your state?
- Mistakes that cost out of state families money
- Frequently asked questions
- Call Case Bail Bonds
6 steps to bail someone out from another state
1. Verify the arrest yourself
Do this before anything else. Scammers use fake bail emergencies, and distance makes the story harder to check. A real booking in Wichita appears on the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s inmate search, with the charges and bond amounts. Our Sedgwick County inmate search page links to it. The jail’s automated line is 316-660-5245.
If the person is not listed and you cannot reach them, read jail scam calls in Wichita before you send money to anyone.
2. Read the bond lines
The Sheriff lists each charge on its own line with its own bond amount. The total is the sum of the lines. Look for three things:
| What you see | What it means |
|---|---|
| A dollar amount | A bondsman can post it |
| Cash only | The full amount must be paid in cash. See cash only bonds in Sedgwick County |
| $0.00 or no bond | A judge has not set it, or a hold applies. See what no bond means |
3. Call a bondsman who is in Wichita
K.S.A. 22-2809b requires the bondsman to be physically present at the jail when the bond is posted and to sign it there. So you need a company on the ground, authorized by the 18th Judicial District. Have this ready:
- The full legal name and date of birth of the person in jail
- The charges and bond amounts, if you found them
- Your own name, address, employer and phone number
- Your relationship to the person
4. Sign as cosigner
In most out of state cases, the person paying is also the cosigner. You guarantee two things: the premium, and the full bond if the person does not go to court. Read bail bond cosigner responsibilities before you agree. Ask the bondsman how the paperwork is signed when you are not in Kansas.
5. Pay the premium
Kansas sets the minimum premium at 10% of the bond. At least half of that minimum has to be received before the bond is posted. The statute lists the accepted forms of payment:
- United States currency
- A check that is properly payable and promptly deposited
- A credit or debit card transaction with an approval number
- A completed bank, wire or electronic transfer
| Bond | Minimum premium | Minimum due before posting |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $100 | $50 |
| $2,500 | $250 | $125 |
| $5,000 | $500 | $250 |
| $10,000 | $1,000 | $500 |
| $25,000 | $2,500 | $1,250 |
Any unpaid balance goes on a written financing agreement. The full table is in how much a bond costs in Kansas.
6. Plan the release and the court dates
Posting the bond is the middle of the job, not the end.
- A ride. Someone local, a rideshare or a taxi from 141 W Elm.
- A place to stay. Home may be 800 miles away.
- A phone. Theirs may be dead or held as evidence.
- The court date. Get a photo of the bond paperwork the same day.
See our guide to a Sedgwick County Jail release.
What if the person arrested lives out of state too?
That adds three problems.
Release on a signature is unlikely. The Sheriff’s rules say people from out of state generally do not qualify for an OR bond unless a judge authorizes it. A surety bond is the usual route. See OR bond in Sedgwick County.
Going home needs permission. A judge can restrict travel under K.S.A. 22-2802, and a bail contract normally requires the bondsman’s consent to leave Kansas. Tell the bondsman at the start that the person lives elsewhere, and get the approval in writing. See can you leave Kansas while on bond.
Coming back for court is not optional. The person has to return to Wichita for court dates. Ask the defense lawyer early whether any hearing can be handled without the person present. Do not assume it can. A missed date forfeits the bond, puts a warrant in a national database on a felony and leaves the cosigner owing the full amount.
Budget for those trips now. Wichita’s airport is Dwight D. Eisenhower National, code ICT, on the west side of the city. The courthouse and City Hall are downtown on North Main.
What you can do from home while they are in custody
| Task | How |
|---|---|
| Add money for phone calls and commissary | JailATM, online by card |
| Receive calls | Set up an account with ICSolutions, the jail’s phone provider |
| Schedule a remote video visit | JailATM account, at least 24 hours ahead. First time users are approved on weekdays |
| Send a letter | To the jail’s mail processing address, not to Elm Street |
Each inmate gets two free calls a week. All calls are recorded, so do not discuss the case. Details are in Sedgwick County Jail phone calls and visitation.
One thing cannot be done remotely. Releasing an inmate’s property or money to another person requires that person to be in the jail lobby with a physical photo ID.
What if the arrest is on a warrant from your state?
Then the rules change. The Sedgwick County Sheriff states that on an out of state warrant, no bond is allowed until a judge of the 18th Judicial District sets one. The person will see a Wichita judge, and your home state decides whether to come and get them. Call a defense lawyer in Kansas right away.
Mistakes that cost out of state families money
- Paying someone who called you, before checking the jail record.
- Posting bond on one charge when another line is a hold. The person stays in.
- Cosigning without a plan for how the person gets back to Wichita for court.
- Letting the person go home without written travel approval.
- Assuming the premium comes back. It does not. See what happens to bail money when charges are dropped.
Frequently asked questions
Can I bail someone out of jail in Kansas if I live in another state?
Yes. You can act as cosigner and pay the premium by card or electronic transfer. The bondsman posts the bond in person.
Do I have to come to Wichita to sign?
Ask the bondsman how they handle signatures for out of state cosigners.
How long does it take?
There is no fixed time. Paperwork and payment can be done quickly. Release then depends on the jail.
Can I pay the bond directly to the jail from out of state?
Cash bonds are paid at the jail. From a distance, a bondsman is the practical route.
What if they miss court after going home?
The bond is forfeited and a warrant is issued. As cosigner, you are responsible under the contract. See failure to appear in Kansas.
Call Case Bail Bonds
We are a family owned company run by Tyson and Rachel Case, both born and raised in Wichita. Call (316) 900-1667. The office is at 705 N Broadway, Wichita, KS 67214.
Sources
- K.S.A. 22-2809b, compensated sureties, Kansas Office of Revisor of Statutes
- Sedgwick County Sheriff, how to post bond for an inmate
- Sedgwick County Sheriff, inmate communications
- K.S.A. 22-2802, release before trial
- Federal Trade Commission, scammers use fake emergencies
This article is general information checked against the sources above in October 2026. It is not legal advice.
