How to Get Your Cash Bond Back from Chatham County Sheriff's Office (in-person and by mail)
If you paid a cash bond through the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, you can get it back once you have the right paperwork together. You'll need to submit specific documents, either in person or by mail.
For an in-person cash bond return at the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, the person who paid the bond must be the one to make the request. If someone else shows up on your behalf, even with good intentions, the office won't process it.
Bring a current, valid government-issued photo ID when you go in person. Staff will use it to verify your identity before accepting your bond return paperwork.
Documents in Person
- ✓ You are the person who paid the bond
- ✓ A current, valid government-issued photo ID
- ✓ A certified copy of the court proof of disposition, signed by the judge or clerk
To request a cash bond refund by mail, you'll need to complete the "Affidavit and Claim for Refund of Cash Bond" form. Fill it out carefully and follow the instructions exactly. The completed form itself is a required part of a valid request.
- ✓ Completed “Affidavit and Claim for Refund of Cash Bond” form
- ✓ Copy of a current, valid government-issued photo ID
- ✓ Certified copy of the court proof of disposition, signed by the judge or clerk
Your mailed request must also be notarized. Sign the affidavit in front of a notary (not ahead of time). The notary needs to witness your signature for it to count.
Once the office receives your request and confirms all original required documents are in order, your refund will be ready for pickup after 2 business days.
Checklist Common Mistakes
- ✓ In person: you are the person who paid the bond
- ✓ In person: you have a current, valid government-issued photo ID
- ✓ In person: you have a certified copy of the proof of disposition signed by the judge or clerk
- ✓ By mail: you completed the “Affidavit and Claim for Refund of Cash Bond” and followed the form instructions
- ✓ By mail: you included a copy of a current, valid government-issued photo ID
- ✓ By mail: you included a certified copy of the proof of disposition signed by the judge or clerk
- ✓ By mail: you signed the affidavit in the presence of a notary
Common holdups: Mail requests often get stuck because the affidavit wasn't signed in front of a notary, the court disposition isn't a certified copy signed by the judge or clerk, or the ID is missing.
Waiting on your refund? Use the 2-business-day timeline as your baseline, starting from when the office has received and validated all original required documents. If anything is missing or not in the required certified/notarized form, the clock resets once the correct paperwork arrives.
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