Arrested in Fort Lauderdale? All Broward County bookings go through Central Intake at the Main Jail on SE 1st Avenue. We connect you with licensed bondsmen who post there around the clock.
The Broward Sheriff's Office (BSO) operates three separate detention facilities in the county, but every single arrest, whether it happens in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pembroke Pines, or Coral Springs, starts at the same place:
If you are trying to bail someone out, the Main Jail downtown is where the action happens. Even if the person has been transferred to North Broward or Conte, the bond paperwork processes through Central Intake.
Broward County uses its own terminology that can be confusing if you are used to how other Florida counties describe their bond process. In the 17th Circuit, the pre-hearing bond amounts are called the "convenience bond schedule." The name reflects the fact that these bonds are a convenience for the booking process; they allow police and jail staff to release people arrested for certain non-violent offenses without waiting for a judge.
The amounts largely mirror the Uniform Statewide Bond Schedule:
| Offense Level | Force/Threat | Convenience Bond | You Pay (10%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Third-Degree Felony | Yes | $5,000 | $500 |
| Third-Degree Felony | No | $2,500 | $250 |
| First-Degree Misdemeanor | Yes | $1,000 | $100 |
| First-Degree Misdemeanor | No | $500 | $50 |
| Second-Degree Misdemeanor | Yes | $250 | $25 |
| Second-Degree Misdemeanor | No | $150 | $15 |
Once the defendant appears before a judge at first appearance (within 24 hours), the convenience schedule no longer applies. The judge conducts an individualized assessment and can set any bond amount.
This is something you will encounter in Broward County far more often than in most other Florida jurisdictions. A Nebbia hold, named after the case United States v. Nebbia, is a court order requiring the defendant to prove that the money being used to pay bail comes from legitimate, non-criminal sources.
In practice, this means even if the judge sets a bond and you have the money to pay it, you cannot actually post the bond until the court conducts a Nebbia hearing where the defense demonstrates the source of funds. This is common in:
A Nebbia hold effectively adds days or even weeks to the time someone spends in jail, even after bail is set. It requires a defense attorney to prepare financial documentation and present it to the court. A bail bondsman cannot resolve a Nebbia hold. This is strictly a legal proceeding.
First appearance hearings in Broward County are held at the Broward County Courthouse at 201 SE 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale. Most defendants appear via video conference from the jail rather than being physically transported to the courthouse. The court operates daily, including weekends and holidays.
At first appearance, the judge reviews probable cause, advises the defendant of rights, and determines release conditions. Factors the judge considers under the 17th Circuit's application of Florida Statute 903.046 include:
If the judge sets a bond you cannot afford, your attorney can file a motion for a bond reduction hearing before the assigned division judge. This is separate from first appearance and typically takes 1 to 2 weeks to get scheduled in the 17th Circuit.
After bail is posted at the BSO Main Jail, release typically takes 6 to 14 hours. Broward County's release process is on the longer end of Florida averages, partly because of the sheer volume the Main Jail processes and partly because of a known bottleneck: shift changes between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM.
During shift change, release processing slows significantly. If you post bail at 1:00 PM, the release may not start processing until after 5:00 PM. Experienced Broward County bondsmen know this and will advise you on timing to avoid the worst delays.
All of these cities book arrests through Central Intake at the Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale:
Broward County bail bond agents are regulated by the same Florida statutes as every other county. The 17th Circuit enforces these protections:
A licensed Broward County bondsman who works the Main Jail is ready to help right now.