Authority of Bail Bond Agents Bail bond agents can carry firearms (like regular citizens) and make arrests in California. However, they do not have the same power as police officers to investigate crimes, enforce traffic laws, or cordon off specific areas.
In order to obtain a Bail Bond Agent license an individual must be at least 18 years of age; must be deemed by the Commissioner to be competent, trustworthy and financially responsible; have passed a written examination; be appointed by a sponsoring insurer and submit a license application and fees.
Vermont does not require bounty hunters to hold any type of license. Bounty hunters, or those who have the power to arrest fugitives from law, must simply gain authorization to apprehend fugitives in Vermont.
So if you simply won't leave your home, the bounty hunter cannot force their way inside. They may, however, be able to contact local authorities to have you arrested. In some cases, bounty hunters may follow you to California from another state.
It is not necessary to complete any formal training to become a bounty hunter or skip tracer in Vermont; however, you need to be at least 18 years old and have no felony convictions. You also need to follow the correct processes by obtaining court approval before you can legally apprehend a fugitive.
While both roles are intertwined, they have distinct responsibilities and legal boundaries. When facing a legal issue, a bail bondsman is your first point of contact to secure your release, while a bounty hunter is the professional called upon when individuals fail to meet their legal obligations.
Some states, including California, have specific statutes in place that regulate the practice of bounty hunting, but do not require licensure for these professionals. Just 4 states – Oregon, Kentucky, Wisconsin, and Illinois – ban the practice of bounty hunting altogether.
In the state of California, bail bond agreements must be verified and certified by the California Department of Insurance. The practice of commercial bail bonds is unlawful in the states of Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon, and Wisconsin.
Bail bond agents can carry firearms (like regular citizens) and make arrests in California. However, they do not have the same power as police officers to investigate crimes, enforce traffic laws, or cordon off specific areas. The authority of bail bond agents is more circumstance-dependent.
State laws vary widely as to the legality of the practice; Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon, and Wisconsin have outlawed commercial bail bonds, while Wyoming offers few (if any) regulations governing the practice. An Afro-Brazilian bounty hunter looking for escaped slaves in an 1823 portrait by Johann Moritz Rugendas.