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Bail Act 1976

1976 c. 63 · Enacted 15 November 1976 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 8 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 29 April 2026.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
s. 5(6A)(a)words insertedCriminal Justice Act 2003 Sch. 36 para. 2(2)
s. 5(6A)(a) (iia)insertedCriminal Justice Act 2003 Sch. 36 para. 2(3)
s. 5(6A)(a) (iiia) and wordinsertedCriminal Justice Act 2003 Sch. 36 para. 2(4)
s. 5A(1)words substitutedPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 Sch. 11 para. 6
s. 3A(1)words substitutedPolice, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 Sch. 11 para. 5
Sch. 1 Pt. 2 para. 3substitutedMental Health Act 2025 s. 49(4)
Sch. 1 Pt. 1 para. 3substitutedMental Health Act 2025 s. 49(2)
Sch. 1 Pt. 1A para. 5substitutedMental Health Act 2025 s. 49(3)
An Act to make provision in relation to bail in or in connection with criminal proceedings in England and Wales, to make it an offence to agree to indemnify sureties in criminal proceedings, to make provision for legal aid limited to questions of bail in certain cases and for legal aid for persons kept in custody for inquiries or reports, to extend the powers of coroners to grant bail and for connected purposes.[15 November 1976] I1C1C2C3E1

Contents

  1. Preliminary
  2. 1Meaning of “bail in criminal proceedings”.
  3. 2Other definitions.
  4. Incidents of bail in criminal proceedings
  5. 3General provisions.
  6. 3AAConditions for the imposition of electronic monitoring requirements: children and young persons released on bail other than in extradition proceedings
  7. 3AAAConditions for the imposition of electronic monitoring requirements: children and young persons released on bail in extradition proceedings
  8. 3AABConditions for the imposition of electronic monitoring requirements: certain adults released on bail where real prospect of suspended sentence
  9. 3ABConditions for the imposition of electronic monitoring requirements: other persons
  10. 3ACElectronic monitoring: general provisions
  11. 3AConditions of bail in case of police bail.
  12. Bail for accused persons and others
  13. 4General right to bail of accused persons and others.
  14. Supplementary
  15. 5Supplementary provisions about decisions on bail.
  16. 5ASupplementary provisions in cases of police bail.
  17. 5BReconsideration of decisions granting bail.
  18. 6Offence of absconding by person released on bail.
  19. 7Liability to arrest for absconding or breaking conditions of bail.
  20. 8Bail with sureties.
  21. Miscellaneous
  22. 9Offence of agreeing to indemnify sureties in criminal proceedings.
  23. 9ABail decisions relating to children or young persons who are accused of offences mentioned in Schedule 2 to the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980
  24. 10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  25. 11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Repealed
  26. 12Amendments, repeals and transitional provisions.
  27. 13Short title, commencement, application and extent.
  28. Schedule 1: Persons Entitled to Bail: Supplementary Provisions
  29. Part I: Defendants Accused or Convicted of Imprisonable Offences
  30. Application of Part 1
  31. 1Paragraph 1
  32. 1AParagraph 1A
  33. Exceptions to right to bail
  34. 2Paragraph 2
  35. 2ZAParagraph 2ZA
  36. 2AParagraph 2A
  37. 2BParagraph 2B
  38. 3Paragraph 3
  39. 4Paragraph 4
  40. 5Paragraph 5
  41. 6Paragraph 6
  42. 6ZAParagraph 6ZA
  43. Exception applicable to drug users in certain areas
  44. 6AParagraph 6A
  45. Exception applicable to drug users in certain areas
  46. 6BParagraph 6B
  47. Exception applicable to drug users in certain areas
  48. 6CParagraph 6C
  49. Exception applicable only to defendant whose case is adjourned for inquiries or a report
  50. 7Paragraph 7
  51. Restriction of conditions of bail
  52. 8Paragraph 8
  53. Decisions under paragraph 2
  54. 9Paragraph 9
  55. 9AAParagraph 9AA
  56. 9ABParagraph 9AB
  57. 9AParagraph 9A Repealed
  58. Cases under section 128A of Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980
  59. 9BParagraph 9B
  60. Part 1A: Defendants Accused or Convicted of Imprisonable Offences to which Part 1 does not apply
  61. Application of Part 1A
  62. 1Paragraph 1
  63. 1AParagraph 1A
  64. Exceptions to right to bail
  65. 2Paragraph 2
  66. 3Paragraph 3
  67. 4Paragraph 4
  68. 5Paragraph 5
  69. 6Paragraph 6
  70. 7Paragraph 7
  71. 8Paragraph 8
  72. Application of paragraphs 6A to 6C of Part 1
  73. 9Paragraph 9
  74. Part II: Defendants Accused or Convicted of Non-Imprisonable Offences
  75. Defendants to whom Part II applies
  76. 1Paragraph 1
  77. Exceptions to right to bail
  78. 2Paragraph 2
  79. 3Paragraph 3
  80. 4Paragraph 4
  81. 5Paragraph 5
  82. 6Paragraph 6
  83. Part IIA: Decisions where Bail Refused on Previous Hearing
  84. 1Paragraph 1
  85. 2Paragraph 2
  86. 3Paragraph 3
  87. Part III: Interpretation
  88. 1Paragraph 1
  89. 2Paragraph 2
  90. 3Paragraph 3
  91. 4Paragraph 4
  92. Schedule 2: CONSEQUENTIAL AND OTHER AMENDMENTS OF ACTS
  93. Habeas Corpus Act 1679
  94. 1Paragraph 1
  95. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  96. Criminal Law Amendment Act 1867
  97. 3Paragraph 3
  98. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  99. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  100. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  101. Criminal Justice Administration Act 1914
  102. 7Paragraph 7
  103. Indictments Act 1915
  104. 8Paragraph 8
  105. Children and Young Persons Act 1933
  106. 9Paragraph 9
  107. Public Order Act 1936
  108. 10Paragraph 10
  109. Criminal Justice Act 1948
  110. 11Paragraph 11
  111. 12Paragraph 12 Repealed
  112. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  113. 14Paragraph 14 Repealed
  114. Administration of Justice Act 1960
  115. 30Paragraph 30
  116. 31Paragraph 31
  117. 32Paragraph 32 Repealed
  118. Backing of Warrants (Republic of Ireland) Act 1965
  119. 33Paragraph 33 Repealed
  120. Criminal Justice Act 1967
  121. 34Paragraph 34
  122. 35Paragraph 35 Repealed
  123. 36Paragraph 36
  124. 37Paragraph 37
  125. Criminal Appeal Act 1968
  126. 38Paragraph 38
  127. 39Paragraph 39 Repealed
  128. 40Paragraph 40 Repealed
  129. 43Paragraph 43
  130. 44Paragraph 44
  131. 45Paragraph 45
  132. Courts-Martial (Appeals) Act 1968
  133. 46Paragraph 46
  134. Children and Young Persons Act 1969
  135. 47Paragraph 47
  136. 48Paragraph 48 Repealed
  137. Schedule 3: REPEALS
  138. Schedule 4: Transitional Provisions
  139. 1Paragraph 1
  140. 2Paragraph 2
  141. 3Paragraph 3
  142. 4Paragraph 4