How to Become a Fugitive Recovery Agent

Bounty hunters, also known as “bail recovery agents” or “fugitive recovery agents”, return escaped criminals to jail. These people are generally employed by bail bond companies and are legally authorized to locate and capture individuals who have skipped out on their bond contracts (usually by failing to appear at their required court hearings). Legal requirements to become a bounty hunter vary by state but usually include being free from any felony convictions and convictions related to possession of deadly weapons.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Handcuffs
• Telephone
• Cellular phone/service (recommended)
• Computer system (recommended)
• Internet access (recommended)
• License/fees
• Knowledge of state, local and federal laws regarding bounty hunters
• Reliable transportation/fuel
• Detailed maps
• Business license, if required
• Home occupation permit, if applicable

1. Investigate what the requirements are for becoming a fugitive recovery agent in your state, and for obtaining a business license and home occupation permit (if applicable), filing, recording a fictitious business name statement (FNB) and paying any required application or other fees. Also, you will need to read court case decisions that have involved bounty hunters, especially cases involving your state. Information about your state’s relevant case law can be found at the Fugitive Recovery website.
2. Consider attending one of the nation’s few bail recovery agent schools. Another form of good training is to accompany a licensed bounty hunter on some excursions (but do not participate in any way) to see exactly what bail recovery agents really do.
3. Contact bail bond companies and inquire as to whether they are hiring bail recovery agents. Usually, you cannot operate as a bounty hunter without having an employment contract with a licensed bail bond company.
4. Go to your local police station and request that the police fingerprint you and complete an FBI criminal record search fingerprint card. The police will likely charge you a small fee for this service. A background investigation and criminal record search will be conducted.
5. Submit a check for the appropriate application fee. You should include a completed fingerprint card and send all these materials to the appropriate licensing agency.
6. Contest if your license is denied if you feel that you have a good legal basis for contesting the actions of the licensing agency. You have a right to appeal that decision. Additional fees will likely be required.
7. Begin to make money capturing fugitives. Generally, earnings vary depending upon a bounty hunter’s success rate and experience (along with other factors). You can anticipate earning 10 percent of the amount of the bail bond.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice good people skills. Your job entails eliciting information from informants and other people. You’ll need to know what questions to ask and but how to ask them.
• Fugitive recovery agents are in a hazardous profession. Also, it is generally a felony to act as an unlicensed bounty hunter.

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