Kidnapping Bail Amounts in California: PC 207, 209, False Imprisonment & Child Abduction
A kidnapping charge sounds like the most serious accusation a family can hear, and sometimes it is. But “kidnapping” in a California booking covers a wide range of charges. Some carry a life sentence and $1,000,000 bail. Others, like a custody dispute between parents, can be released before the first court date with no money bail at all. This guide explains each charge, what it is scheduled at in Southern California, and when bail can be denied entirely.
The short version: Simple kidnapping (PC 207) is scheduled at $100,000 in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Bernardino counties, and $50,000 in Riverside. Aggravated kidnapping for ransom, robbery, or sexual assault (PC 209) and carjacking kidnapping (PC 209.5) carry life sentences and are scheduled at $1,000,000 everywhere. False imprisonment and parental abduction are much lower and often released pre-arraignment in Los Angeles County. Estimate the cost of any amount with our bail cost calculator.
The kidnapping-related charges in California
- PC 207 — Kidnapping. Moving a person a substantial distance by force or fear. Punishable by 3, 5, or 8 years in state prison (PC 208(a)). If the victim is under 14, the term rises to 5, 8, or 11 years (PC 208(b)). That increase does not apply to a biological or adoptive parent, or one with court-ordered access.
- PC 209(a) — Kidnapping for ransom or extortion. Life with the possibility of parole. Life without parole if the victim dies, suffers bodily harm, or is exposed to a substantial likelihood of death.
- PC 209(b) — Kidnapping to commit robbery, rape, or certain sex offenses. Life with the possibility of parole.
- PC 209.5 — Kidnapping during a carjacking. Life with the possibility of parole.
- PC 210.5 — False imprisonment to evade arrest or as a human shield. 3, 5, or 8 years.
- PC 236/237 — False imprisonment. Restraining someone without consent. A wobbler: as a misdemeanor, up to one year in county jail and/or a $1,000 fine. It becomes a felony when committed with violence, menace, fraud, or deceit. Against an elder or dependent adult (PC 237(b)), it is punished under the elder-abuse statute.
- PC 278 — Child abduction by a non-parent. Taking or concealing a child by someone with no right to custody. A wobbler: up to one year in jail, or 2, 3, or 4 years and a fine up to $10,000.
- PC 278.5 — Depriving a parent of custody or visitation. Often called parental kidnapping. A wobbler: up to one year in jail, or 16 months, 2, or 3 years and a fine up to $10,000.
Strike status: kidnapping under PC 207, 209, and 209.5 is both a violent felony (PC 667.5(c)(14)) and a serious felony (PC 1192.7(c)(20)), which makes it a strike under California’s Three Strikes law. False imprisonment, PC 278, and PC 278.5 are not on those lists.
Kidnapping bail amounts by county (2026 schedules)
| Charge | Los Angeles | Orange | Riverside | San Bernardino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC 207 kidnapping | $100,000 | $100,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| PC 207, child under 14 | $150,000* | $500,000 | $80,000 | $100,000 (violent-felony tier) |
| PC 209 (ransom, robbery, sex offense) | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| PC 209.5 carjacking kidnapping | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 |
| PC 210.5 hostage / shield | Magistrate review | $1,000,000 | $50,000 | Formula** |
| PC 237(b) false imprisonment, elder | Magistrate review | $50,000 | $30,000 | Formula** |
| PC 278 child abduction (felony) | Magistrate review | $25,000 | $30,000 | Formula** |
| PC 278.5 parental abduction | Book & release | Formula** | Formula** | Formula** |
*Los Angeles: PC 207 with the PC 667.85 allegation (taking a child under 14 to deprive a parent of custody). Orange’s $500,000 figure applies to PC 207(b), luring a child under 14 for lewd purposes. **Not listed by name, so the county’s sentence-based catch-all formula applies: Orange scales by top prison term, Riverside multiplies the middle term by $10,000, and San Bernardino uses its serious/violent tiers or a sentence chart.
What “magistrate review” and “book and release” mean in Los Angeles
Since October 2023, Los Angeles County has used a pre-arraignment release protocol. Instead of a dollar amount, many offenses are designated Cite and Release, Book and Release, or Magistrate Review. All three are $0 before arraignment, but they are not the same:
- Book and Release: the person is booked and released on a promise to appear.
- Magistrate Review: the person is booked and held while a judge decides release conditions. That can mean an overnight stay or longer, and the magistrate can leave the decision to arraignment.
When a judge sets money bail later, at arraignment or on a warrant, the court’s guideline for a Magistrate Review felony is $75,000. Exceptions apply to people on felony probation or parole and to those with repeated failures to appear. Those cases are referred to a magistrate. PC 207, 209, and 209.5 are not in this system at all. They carry dollar bail from the moment of booking.
Can bail be denied for kidnapping?
Usually no, but it is possible. Under the California Constitution, bail can be denied for a violent felony when the evidence of guilt is strong and there is clear and convincing evidence of a substantial likelihood that the person would cause great bodily harm to others. Kidnapping is a violent felony, so prosecutors can ask for a no-bail hold, and judges sometimes grant it in aggravated cases.
Without that finding, even PC 209 has a scheduled amount. Across all four counties, life-sentence offenses are listed at $1,000,000, not “no bail.” Schedule-level “no bail” is reserved for capital and life-without-parole offenses. Los Angeles also lists certain offenses as ineligible for release before arraignment.
What you would pay with a bail bond
- $100,000 (PC 207): $10,000 premium, or $8,000 at the qualifying 8% rate
- $150,000: $15,000 premium, or $12,000 at 8%
- $1,000,000 (PC 209 / 209.5): $100,000 premium, or $80,000 at 8%. Bonds this size almost always require collateral, such as real estate, and one or more qualified cosigners
Iron Bail Bonds offers low down payments and payment plans upon qualification. Read how much you pay upfront for bail and what a cosigner agrees to.
Parental kidnapping: the most common “kidnapping” call we get
Many kidnapping-related arrests are not stranger abductions at all. They are custody disputes. A parent who keeps a child past a court-ordered exchange, or takes a child out of state, can be charged under PC 278.5. A non-parent relative who takes a child can be charged under PC 278.
These cases move differently from PC 207. In Los Angeles County, PC 278.5 is book and release, so a dollar figure often never attaches before the first court date. The bigger issue is usually the family court order. Release conditions frequently include a no-contact or stay-away order, and violating one can lead to a new arrest. If a domestic violence or child endangerment allegation is added, bail can change significantly.
Why the actual bail may be higher
- Enhancements: a firearm allegation adds $50,000 in Los Angeles, and each prior strike adds another $50,000. See weapons charges bail.
- Companion charges: kidnapping is often charged with robbery, carjacking, or sex offenses. Bail is set on the most serious charge, which is why PC 209 cases land at $1,000,000. See robbery bail and sex crimes bail.
- Separate victims: counts involving different victims can be stacked rather than merged.
- Probation or parole holds can block release entirely. See bail after a probation or parole violation.
Step by step after a kidnapping arrest
- Find out the exact code section. PC 207, 209, 236, and 278.5 lead to very different bail outcomes.
- Locate them with our California inmate locator and get the booking number.
- Ask whether a no-bail hold has been requested. If it has, a defense attorney is needed before bail can be posted.
- Call a licensed bail agent to confirm the amount and the collateral needed for a large bond.
- Hire a defense attorney, especially for any strike offense. Retaining private counsel may also qualify you for the 8% premium rate.
- Prepare for arraignment, usually within 48 hours, where bail can be changed. See what happens at arraignment.
Someone arrested on a kidnapping or false imprisonment charge? We can confirm the bail and explain your options right now. Call 800.590.7321 or message 626.862.0627 any time.
Related guides
- California Bail Amounts Hub
- Average Bail Amounts in California
- Felony vs. Misdemeanor Bail
- Robbery Bail Amounts
- Domestic Violence Bail Amounts
- California Bail Cost Calculator
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