Candidates should verify licensing requirements in their area. Gain experience and network within the community. Bail bonds agents and bounty hunters have very close business relationships. Most work for bounty hunters comes from bail bond companies tracking down fugitives who have missed court after posting bail.
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.
Bail enforcement agents (bounty hunters) must have a license from the New York State Department of State (NYSDOS). Applicants must meet training and experience requirements to qualify. Also, all applicants must pass a background check.
Meet New York Minimum License and Experience Requirements. Before you pursue a career as a bounty hunter in New York, you must be at least 25 years old and have no felony convictions. You must have at least 3 years of experience working as a: Police officer
Bail Enforcement Agent Certification (BEA) Designed for those persons seeking licensing in the State of Connecticut to apprehend persons who have eluded the Judicial process by “skipping”.
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.
Fugitive recovery agents are professionals who find and retrieve fugitives who didn't make an appearance in court. Bail bonds companies employ these agents to help enforce the conditions of the bail bonds contract. The bail bond system allows some defendants to avoid spending time in jail pending their trial.