Licensing
- Individual bail agent license current
- Agency or business license as required by your state (some require a separate bail permittee or agency license)
- City and county business licenses
- Fictitious business name filed if operating under a trade name
- Licenses displayed as required
Surety relationship
- Written agreement with a surety; appointment filed with the regulator
- Understand build-up fund (BUF) terms, collateral and indemnity obligations
- Know the surety's limits on bond size and risk
- Process for receiving and returning powers of attorney
- Reporting deadlines and formats
Business setup
- Business entity formed and EIN obtained
- Separate operating and trust (collateral) bank accounts
- Bookkeeping and premium tracking system
- General liability and, where needed, errors and omissions coverage
- Workers' compensation if you have employees
Office and operations
- Office location meets any state requirements (signage, hours, accessibility)
- 24/7 phone coverage plan
- Approved forms: application, indemnity agreement, collateral receipt, premium receipt
- Rate sheet from your surety
- Secure storage for files and collateral
Records and privacy
- Record-retention policy aligned with state law
- Access controls on customer data
- Shredding and disposal process
- Incident response plan for lost or stolen data
People
- Licenses verified for every employee performing licensed duties
- Written policies for collections, check-ins and recovery referrals
- Training on approved rates and disclosures
General information only, not legal advice. Laws change — confirm current requirements with your state regulator, your surety and an attorney.