Using Property to Bond Someone Out of Coweta County Jail: In-County and Out-of-County Checklist

First things first: the property must be located in Coweta County, Georgia. If it's not, you'll need to follow the out-of-county process instead.

The property has to be a real, lived-in residence - not vacant land. Coweta requires an occupied residential structure, and the surety (the person putting up the property) must have owned it for at least five years.

Thinking about using property outside Coweta County? Don't assume Coweta handles the paperwork. You'll need to work with the sheriff's office in the county where the property is located - that office sets its own requirements for preparing the bond.

Required Docs Signer Rules

• ✓ A current paid property tax bill
• ✓ All individuals listed on that current paid tax bill must be present to sign the property bond documents
• ✓ If someone listed on the tax bill is deceased, bring a death certificate
• ✓ Confirm the property taxes are paid for the current year

Bring a government-issued photo ID that shows your address. Coweta requires this for property bond paperwork, so don't rely on an ID that doesn't display where you live.

Using property for bond doesn't end when your loved one walks out. After the case is sentenced, you'll need to bring a copy of the final disposition back to the bonding office to clear the property.

Even if a property is in Coweta and has a residence on it, certain ownership situations disqualify it. Coweta County does not accept property listed as being in an estate or in a trust, Habitat for Humanity property, property listed "in care of" (in c/o), or property conveyed by quitclaim.

If the property is outside Coweta County, the bond has to be prepared by the sheriff of the county where the property is located. Start by contacting that sheriff’s office directly, because you’ll need to meet that county’s requirements before anything can be accepted in Coweta.

• ✓ Make sure the out-of-county bond is delivered to the Coweta County Jail in a sealed package bearing the other county’s letterhead
• ✓ Confirm it arrives at the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office before midnight on the same date the bond is written and signed

Bring Checklist

• ✓ Property is located in Coweta County, Georgia
• ✓ Property has an occupied residential structure and has been owned by the surety for at least five years
• ✓ Property is not listed as in an estate, in a trust, a Habitat for Humanity property, listed “in care of (in c/o),” or conveyed by quitclaim
• ✓ Current paid property tax bill
• ✓ Proof the property taxes are paid for the current year
• ✓ Every person listed on the current paid tax bill (all must be present to sign)
• ✓ Death certificate (only if someone listed on the tax bill is deceased)
• ✓ Government-issued ID showing an address