A high bounty in Red Dead Redemption 2 can turn every ride into a manhunt. Lawmen, bounty hunters, and rival gunslingers won’t rest until you pay the price. Here’s how to clear your name and keep your head out of the noose.
You can check the current level of the bounty for Arthur on the map of the world (the fine appears where the cursor is located) and by pressing the down button on the game pad’s cross. The fine (Bounty) is calculated separately for each state (region) on the world map.
There are two main ways to get rid of the Bounty set for catching the main character.
The first way to get rid of the Bounty is to pay the fine. You can visit any post office for this purpose. They are located at train stations. You have to talk to the person in the window and choose the option to pay the fine. You can only pay a fine for one state of your choice or for all those in which crimes have been recorded.
It is best to decide to pay the bounty early before it increases to a very high level. In further chapters of the game it can even reach the level of up to 1500 dollars.
The second method is less obvious and involves surrender peacefully to law officers and serving a sentence in prison. This is only possible if you have not committed a serious crime and only in the initial phase of law enforcement intervention, i.e. before they attack Arthur. After encountering a law officer, you must start by hiding your weapon. Hold down the camera centering button on the target – law officer (L2 / left trigger) and then press the surrender button (Triangle / Y).
How to clear bounty without paying in Red Dead Redemption 2
You can clear a bounty without directly paying it at the post office by letting the law arrest you and serving jail time, ideally after you’ve made sure they can’t take much (or any) of your money.
Core “no-payment” method
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Go to the state/region where you have the bounty and cause a small disturbance (antagonize the sheriff or a lawman, shove someone, fire a gun in the air, etc.) so the law comes after you, but do not start killing everyone. This will usually give you a cheap “disturbing the peace” type crime if you don’t escalate.
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When armed lawmen confront you, holster your weapon and choose the “Surrender” option (e.g., hold lock-on and press the surrender button like Triangle/Y on console). You will be arrested, time will fast-forward, and when you leave jail your bounty for that region is gone.
How to make it effectively free
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Before you surrender, get as close to $0 on hand as possible:
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Donate cash to the camp lockbox.
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Convert cash into items (tonics, ammo, food) or just stash money in camp, since the sheriff only takes money you are carrying, not valuables in your satchel or in camp funds.
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If your bounty is higher than the cash you carry, they will just take what little you have and still clear the entire bounty after jail, which makes it functionally a “free” reset.
Things to keep in mind
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This must be done in the state where the bounty exists; bounties are tracked separately by region, so you may need to repeat the process in each wanted state.
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“Wanted: Dead or Alive” story-locked areas (like early-game Blackwater) cannot be cleared this way until the story progresses; there the law simply tries to kill you instead of arresting you.
How to surrender and go to jail to clear bounty in RDR2
To clear a bounty in Red Dead Redemption 2 by surrendering and going to jail, commit a minor crime in the relevant state or region to attract lawmen, then surrender without escalating violence.
Steps to Surrender
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Enter a town in the wanted region (e.g., Valentine for New Hanover) and trigger law attention via a low-level offense: antagonize an NPC twice (aim with L2/LT, select antagonize), fire your weapon into the air (without hitting anyone), or disturb the peace near a sheriff.
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Holster your weapon immediately (scroll wheel or button prompt) and approach lawmen slowly on foot-do not draw, run, or fight, as this makes them shoot on sight.
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Target a lawman (L2/LT to aim without firing), and when the surrender prompt appears (usually Y/Triangle on console, or equivalent on PC), press it to drop hands and enter cutscene arrest.
After Arrest
Time skips forward a few in-game days; upon release from jail, the bounty for that region clears completely, regardless of its size.
Tips for No Cash Loss
Stash all carryable money first (donate to camp ledger box, buy items/tonics, or bury valuables), as jail deducts only what’s on your person-often less than the full bounty amount.
Limitations
Method fails in “Dead or Alive” zones like Blackwater (pre-story progress); repeat per region since bounties are state-specific; random camp rescues (e.g., Dutch) may occur but still clear the bounty.
