Effective this month, consumers will have the option to make their cash bail payments by credit or debit card through a new service called GovPayNet.

GovPayNet allows major credit and debit cards for cash bail twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week on-site, online (www.govpaynow.com) or by phone (1-877-EZBAIL5). Cardholders can make payments on their own behalf or on behalf of friends or family. They need only know some basic information about the arrestee and the bail amount. For convenience, GovPayNet’s dedicated, bilingual Bail Specialists are available around the clock should cardholders require additional assistance.

Cardholders pay a fee to GovPayNet at the time of their transaction. There is no fee to the Sheriff’s Office for participation in the GovPayNet basic service, and enhanced participation is also available upon request. Improving the convenience of bail transactions with the Sheriff’s Office means more frequent and timely payments. By expediting the legal release of arrestees, agencies can anticipate increased revenue and reduced expenses. “This will help keep people who have been granted bail from spending a night or weekend in jail, when banks are closed or they don’t have access to a lot of cash,” according to Assistant Sheriff Lisa Haney, who is head of the Detention Bureau, “And that will save taxpayers money and increase our agency’s efficiency.”

GovPayNet accepts major credit, debit and pre-paid debit card brands-MasterCard®, Visa®, American Express® and Discover®. “The consumer pays the fee for using the service,” says Mark MacKenzie, CEO of GovPayNet. “On the next business day, we reconcile the day’s payment with the government office and then electronically forward payment in full to the agency’s bank account.”

GovPayNet, based in Indianapolis, is the category leader in accepting credit and debit cards, on behalf of consumers, to government agencies. More than 1,400 agencies in over 40 states utilize GovPayNet to process payments from nearly a million consumers annually. In 2010, GovPayNet processed over $130 Million in payments to government agencies. Making GovPayNet available to consumers is an excellent opportunity forthe Washoe County Sheriff’s Office to be at the forefront in offering a convenient, flexible way to pay their government obligations. For more company information, visit the website at www.GovPayNet.com or call GovPayNet toll-free at (888) 561-7888.