Bail Bonds - Learn How to Become a Bondsman

If you are interested enough in bail bonds that you are considering making it your career, it is time to learn how to get started as a bondsman. You first should have an interest in fronting money to criminals so they can get out of jail until their court date. This involves cultivating a relationship with both a lender and the local courts. You should also not be afraid to hire a bounty hunter to go after the people who do not attend their court date, as you will lose money if you fail to do so. Find out how to begin this type of career if this sounds interesting.

First make sure that bail bonds are legal and used often where you live. Then find out how many current businesses in this field exist in your area, as you do not want to open a company that has too much competition to succeed. You should also get some statistics to make sure you have a chance of being successful. Areas with low crime rates are unlikely to have much use for a bond business since it means few criminals will have a need for it. You should consider finding out the percentage of people who try to get bail at the local jail, too, as this will have a say in how popular you will be in your city. If it seems like there is not a need for this type of business where you live, you can either open one in a different area, or get involved in a related field, such as by becoming a bounty hunter.

You also typically need to get a license for this type of business, and this can be done through your local insurance department. You can usually skip this step if you have enough funds to not need the help of insurance companies or other lenders, but few people fit this description. Note that many areas require bondsmen to stay updated on the local laws of this field, so you may have to take a test before opening a business. You might be required to take a course first, or you can usually skip this if you already know all the related laws.

Next, you need to learn about bondsman surety insurance, typically by talking to your agent and looking over the policy. You will be required to have a build up fund, or BUF, which you will give to the insurance company to put in a secure account. As long as you follow all the rules of the trade and make your best effort to collect on the bail bonds you give out, you should be able to stay in business and in good standing with the insurer. If you break the rules, though, the insurer can keep the money in your account.

This means there is some risk to becoming a bondsman, but as long as you know how the process works, and make a good faith effort, you should eventually be successful.