How to Start a Bail Enforcement Business in Pennsylvania
Bail enforcement agents, also known as bounty hunters, are professionals hired to track down defendants who have fled while out on bail. Most bail enforcement agents are employed by bail bond services, who hire the agents to prevent the forfeiture of a client's bail money. While in some states, bail enforcement agents are regulated as a separate profession from bail bondsman, in Pennsylvania, there are no specific legal provisions for bail enforcement agents. This means that only bail bondsmen have the right to arrest clients who have "skipped" bail. Therefore, a person who wishes to work as a bail enforcement agent must start a bail bond service business.
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Instructions
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Check if you qualify. Only some people are legally allowed to be bail bondsmen. While Pennsylvania does not make explicit the qualifications for becoming a bail bondsman in its laws, generally people with felonies and practicing law enforcement officers are ineligible to receive a bondsman's license. Check with your local Secretary of State office or the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance for details.
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Find a location. The bail bonds business in Pennsylvania is regulated on the county level. Before a bail bondsman can be licensed to issue bonds in a county, he must open a physical office there. Bail bondsmen generally choose to place their offices near a court or a jail.
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Fill out an application. All bondsmen must apply to the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance to receive a license to issue bail bonds. This application is available from your local secretary of state's officer and must be filled out in writing. You must also turn in a $50 registration fee.
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Get insured. All bondsmen must be insured by an insurance company before he can issue bonds. This policy will cover the bondsman in the event that he is forced to forfeit bail money on an absconded client.
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Renew yearly. In Pennsylvania, a bail bondsman must renew his license annually. The license is nontransferable. While he does not need to reapply to the Department of Insurance, he does need to notify the office of his intent to renew and pay an additional $50 registration fee.
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Tips & Warnings
Although as of November 2010, bounty hunters are not specifically licensed by the state of Pennsylvania, a law passed in September 2010 will change this. As of July 1, 2012, all bail enforcement agents, also known as fugitive recovery agents, must be specially licensed by the state. To qualify, a bail enforcement agent must meet a number of criteria. This includes being at least 25 years of age; having no substance abuse problems; having committed no felonies and serious misdemeanors; and passing a state licensing exam, as well as completing an application to receive the license.
