Can someone describe the processes involved in becoming a bail-bondsman, running the bail-bonds business and so on?

I have contacted the Department of Insurance in the state I wish to find out about. However, I was unable to talk to a human being, it was all done in recordings and menus, and I was required to leave a message with my name and address and materials are supposed to be mailed to me.

I understand that there is possibly a small amount of classroom time required to obtain the license. Aside from the badge (license) what else is required as far as any certification, insurance or whatever? What are the classes (does the course have a name?)? How do I find a school? I've seen some online schools, are any of these legit?

How much financial backing would be needed?

Do I have to be insured?

Is it possible to have your own office in an underserved territory but technically work for a larger agency (sorta like a "franchise")? How does this work? As I understand, you can work for yourself completely, or you can work for someone-what determines this? In other words, for a small community, approx how much financial ground would the average bondsman have to have?

What are all the factors I would need to know, and to calculate, in order to figure out (a rough idea, of course) what my potential income could be, and my potential financial liability? (How much money would I need to have in order to get things off the ground until I start being profitable enough?)

Thanks for any help!

Edit: One more question: Does a bail-bondsman have to pay the full bail price to the courts or do they pay 10% (or whatever %)? I know when a regular person pays a bail, they pay the full bail, but I am not sure if bondsmen have to as well?

And-I know that there is a cap of 10% of the bail amount (up to $3000, after that it's 8%) on what bondsmen charge a defendant, but as for the fees, is there a cap or an industry standard? Am I correct in that bondsmen charge an additional fee on top of the 10%?

Requirements vary by state, and even within states each county may have their own local court requrements to write bonds in that court.

Many are underwritten though some various insurance companies, and in other cases, the owners merely risk their own personal money or other assest.

I doubt there is few under served, most even hole in the wall places have 5 or 6 bondsmen that write there and at least 2 or so that have offices next to the jail. Also unless you work a very large city and have a following you are going to have to work 5 or more countys normally to even get enough business.

The one company I new, the fee paid was 10 to 20 percent of the bond.
The bondsman got 1/4 of that 10 percent. So on a 10,000 bond, they paid 1000, bondsman got 250. But with most of the large companies you are only going to get 10 or 15 percent of that 10 percent, or maybe 100 dollars for a 10,000 bond.

If they don't show up, you have to pay that money back to the company also.

In most cases, you have to get permission from the local court to write there, showing you have a company backing, or personal wealth to cover bonds you write.


The bondsman does not pay anything to the court, he only pays the court the full amount if the person does not show up

The bondsman does not pay anything to the court, he only pays the court the full amount if the person does not show up

Oh, OK, I did not know that! That helps.

I have already looked into the laws regarding the fees, in this area the cap is 10% up to $3000, any amount after $3000 it drops to 8%. There was no mention of what fees can be charged on top of that standard fee though. I have heard a lot of places charge $50. I don't know any more than that though.

Well, I know the area I am thinking of setting up shop, and believe me, it's underserved. Of course, there is bondsmen available, natually, but it truly is underserved and there is no bondsmen right there near the courthouse. I'm not sure where the closest one is, but it's pretty far.

I think a lot of the key to success here will be in "presence".

I think with this business, I can wade in without taking a huge risk-as most other business types typically pose great risks. I will have to put up money to get my license, and to be insured (I do not think I'll ever have enough money to just strike out completely on my own! Well, unless I manage to get bigger than "Dog"! LOL! ). I can always work out of my home until I get profitable enough to get a storefront, right? And I can take as many or as few bonds as I want (or can handle)-what I'm saying is, I can certainly start slowly and grow, potentially rather quickly. I could do this as more of a "side business" while still working part-time and my husband works full-time-we can work together on it, when he's not working at his "real job:", he can work for me, and vice-versa.

So... I guess I could call the courthouse and ask them about how many people get put in per week with a bail set, a good feel for what most bail amounts are, and so on. And from that info, I can roughly determine potential income and whether I'd be better off working for myself or being an agent for someone else.

You mentioned that bondsmen typically have to get permission from the courts to bail people out... what are the courts looking for? I imagine first and foremost they want to see [financial] security, but what else?

Yes, being there when they call, but you can't just bond everyone out, if you think they will skip, normally on larger bonds, you will need a family member to put up their house so if they skip you can put a lien on mom or dads house.

Well *** first this info is about 25 years old, but back then, one wanted to be sure you were insured or had the money to cover 100 percent of any loans. In others they required a 5000 dollar local bond just for their court. And in a few it was a matter of a bribe **<< sorry election donation to the judges relection.

Also remember you will not always be that loved by law enforcement, you are letting the people they arrest back out, often before the report is done.

And you will have to be available day and night

Also remember all of that money you take in, is not profit, you are self employed, so you will have to pay normal taxes that take about 30 percent of what you take in.

You do not qualify in NY because of your background - which you have posted on various threads. You could not pass the background check.

Also, your husband is in law enforcement. He doesn't know the procedure to become a bail bondsman?

I would advise that if you wanted to do this, you work for one, either as a clerk in a office or as a skip chaser ( bail enforcement or bounty hunter) what ever name you like to use.
Remember part of the job is also tracking them down if they don't show up, if they have a 50,000 bond, unless you want to pay out 50,000 from your pocket basically you have to find them.

And even if you work for a company, you have to pay back any of your commssion from the bail if they don't show up, and if you write too many that don't show up, they stop letting you write for them