How Long It Takes to Get Released After Posting Bond at El Paso County Jail
After bond is set, waiting is usually the hardest part. El Paso County follows Colorado law: once the jail knows bond is ready to be posted, they have six hours to release the defendant—unless extraordinary circumstances come up.
At El Paso County Jail, release timing centers on a six-hour requirement under Colorado law. Once a cash bond is set and the defendant, a surety, or a third-party payer notifies the jail that bond is ready to be posted, the sheriff must release the defendant within six hours - unless extraordinary circumstances exist. The key detail: the clock doesn't start when money changes hands. It starts when the jail is notified that bond is ready, which kicks off the release process.
The “six-hour rule”: After a cash bond is set, the jail must release the defendant within six hours once the defendant/surety/third-party payer notifies the jail that bond is prepared to be posted (unless extraordinary circumstances exist).
Online payments work a bit differently. The six-hour window begins when the defendant, surety, or third-party payer actually submits the payment - or when a power of attorney is electronically filed. Families sometimes assume the clock starts when they decide to pay or first log into the system. It doesn't. The policy ties the start time to the actual submission.
Paying online? Bonds can be paid by debit or credit card through the El Paso County Sheriff's Office payment line at 719-390-2142. Save your payment confirmation or transaction details. Since the six-hour timeline starts when payment is submitted (or a power of attorney is electronically filed), having that documentation makes it easier to confirm the jail has everything needed to process the release.
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- ✓ Call the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office booking desk at 719-390-2151 to confirm what the jail is showing for bond and release status.
- ✓ Have your payment confirmation/transaction details ready so staff can verify the payment was received and matched correctly.
- ✓ If you paid online by card, you can also contact the payment line at 719-390-2142 to confirm the payment submission details.
Note: Don’t take official action based on inmate-search results alone - call the booking desk at 719-390-2151 to confirm the information first.
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