Assault & Battery Bail Amounts in California: PC 240, 242 & 245

Gavel illustration representing assault and battery bail amounts in California

Assault & Battery Bail Amounts in California: PC 240, 242 & 245

Assault and battery charges in California cover an enormous range — from a simple assault that ends in a citation to an assault with a deadly weapon that carries a felony “strike” and six-figure bail. People often use the two words interchangeably, but the law treats them differently, and the bail follows the seriousness of the specific code section charged. This guide breaks down how bail is set at each tier so you know what to expect before you call.

The short version: bail for a California assault or battery charge is set by the bail schedule in the county where the arrest happened, then adjusted at arraignment based on the exact section and any injury or weapon enhancements. A bail bond costs a premium of around 10% of the full amount. Estimate yours with our California bail cost calculator.

Assault vs. battery — the legal difference

In California, assault is an attempt to use force or violence on someone; battery is the actual unlawful touching. You can be charged with one or both. The bail exposure depends far more on injury and weapons than on the label.

Simple assault (Penal Code 240) — a misdemeanor. Usually low bail, often cite-and-release.
Battery (Penal Code 242) — a misdemeanor for a basic unlawful touching. Low bail.
Battery causing serious bodily injury (Penal Code 243(d)) — a “wobbler” that can be a felony; bail rises with the injury.
Assault with a deadly weapon, “ADW” (Penal Code 245(a)(1)) — a wobbler often filed as a felony; one of the most common serious assault charges, and bail rises sharply.
Assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury (Penal Code 245(a)(4)) — a wobbler with felony exposure.

Typical assault & battery bail ranges in California

Exact numbers vary by county — Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino each publish their own bail schedule and the figures differ. The ranges below are typical, not guarantees, and any of them can move at arraignment.

Simple assault (240) or battery (242): frequently cite-and-release, or bail in the low thousands.
Battery with serious bodily injury (243(d)): commonly mid five figures when filed as a felony.
Assault with a deadly weapon (245(a)(1)): often in the tens of thousands and up, depending on the weapon and injuries.
Assault with great-bodily-injury enhancements: can reach six figures once the enhancement is added.

Because the spread is so wide, the most reliable way to learn the real number is to have a licensed bondsman pull the booking record. We can do that 24/7 — start by locating the person with our California inmate locator.

What pushes assault & battery bail higher

A weapon. Any deadly weapon — a knife, a bottle, even a car — moves the charge toward PC 245 and multiplies bail.
Serious or great bodily injury. A great-bodily-injury enhancement (Penal Code 12022.7) stacks on top of the base charge and can add years and bail.
A “strike.” Many felony assault charges qualify as serious felonies under California’s Three Strikes law, which raises both the stakes and the bail.
Protected victims. Assault or battery on a peace officer, firefighter, or other protected person (Penal Code 243(b)/(c)) carries its own elevated bail.
Gang or hate-crime allegations. These enhancements push bail up significantly.
Holds. A probation, parole, or immigration hold can block release even after bail is posted. We explain how each one works in our guide to police, ICE & “no bail” holds.

Can assault & battery bail be reduced?

Yes. At arraignment — usually within 48 hours of arrest, as we cover in our arraignment guide — a defense attorney can ask the judge to lower bail based on community ties, employment, lack of a record, or a self-defense claim. For misdemeanor and first-time cases, judges often grant release on the defendant’s own recognizance or a reduced amount. Under the California Supreme Court’s decision in In re Humphrey, the court must also consider the person’s ability to pay before setting bail they cannot afford.

How a bail bond works for an assault or battery charge

If you can’t pay the full bail in cash, a licensed bail bondsman posts it for you in exchange for a premium — typically about 10% of the face amount. On a $30,000 felony assault bail, that’s roughly $3,000, and we can usually arrange a payment plan so you don’t pay it all at once. See how little can get the process started with a $500 down bail bond in LA County, and read the mechanics in our how does bail work guide.

Step-by-step if a loved one was arrested for assault or battery

Locate them and get the booking number using the inmate locator.
Call a licensed bondsman to confirm the exact charge, the bail amount, and whether any hold is attached.
Decide on representation. For any felony assault — especially a PC 245 or a case with a GBI enhancement — a defense attorney should be involved before arraignment.
Arrange the bond. You’ll need a cosigner and the premium or a payment plan — see what cosigning means in our cosigner guide.
Post and walk out. Once the bond is posted, release timing depends on the jail — see how long it takes to get out.

Facing a California assault or battery charge? Let’s get the real bail number and a plan to get out. Call 800.590.7321 or message 626.862.0627 any time.

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