Bail Bond Agent Requirements
Becoming a bail bond agent requires being licensed, trained, insured and having basic knowledge of the legal system. The job of a bail bond agent does not have set hours of operation; an agent may be required to bond defendants out of jail all times of the day and night. There are age, citizenship and background requirements a person wanting to become a bail bond agent must pass.
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Bail Bondsman
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A bail bond agent is an individual or company representative who presents a surety bond to a court of law to affect the release of a defendant, who without posting a bond would be held in police custody until the case was closed or a conviction was made. After a bail bond agent posts bond for a defendant, the agent becomes responsible for the defendant while he is out on the bail bond.
Basic Requirements
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Requirements to become a bail bond agent can vary from state to state, but the typical age requirement to become an agent is 18. A bail bond agent must pass a written examination, and submit fingerprints that stay on file with the state insurance commissioner. A bail bond agent is required to submit to a criminal background investigation. Having a conviction or criminal record does not disqualify a person from becoming a bail bond agent, depending on the type of conviction and circumstances surrounding it.
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How to Obtain a License
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A license is required to become a bail bond agent. To receive a license, an individual should contact the Department of Insurance, or the state insurance commissioner, in his state to start the process. That agency will suggest courses that a bail bond agent can take, because obtaining a license typically requires 12 or more hours of pre-licensing class work. The classwork covers legal aspects of providing bail bonds, including ethical business practices and the rights of the accused.
Purchasing Insurance
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A bail bond agent is required to purchase insurance, generally known as a blanket bond, before she may begin conducting business. The insurance protects the agent financially from a client who fails to attend his assigned court date. If the defendant fails to appear in court, the bail bond agent is responsible for paying the full bond amount, plus any fees assessed by the court, within a certain time frame. Insurance protects the bail bond agent from losing her own money.
Irregular Working Hours
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A bail bond agent does not work a typical 9-to-5 job, or the normal 40 hours a week. He may have to get up in the middle of the night to go to a police station or precinct to bond a defendant out of jail. The bail bond agent is on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Being a bail bond agent can be a physical and psychologically demanding job, and the work can be dangerous and unpredictable.
Bounty Hunters
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A bounty hunter is often referred to as a bail enforcement agent or fugitive recovery agent. Most bounty hunters are employed by a bail bond agent. The responsibility of the bounty hunter is to track down a defendant that has skipped out on bail. A bounty hunter in some states does not have to undergo any type of training, and is generally unlicensed and only requires sanction from a bail bondsman to operate. A bounty hunter is prohibited from carrying a firearm without a proper permit in most states. The requirements vary from state to state. In Louisiana a bounty hunter must wear clothing that identifies him as a bounty hunter, and in California a bounty hunter must undergo a background check. In some cases the bounty hunter is also qualified to be a bail bond agent.
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