bail enforcement

Become a Bail Enforcement Agent

Steps to become a bail enforcement agent.
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Become a Bail Enforcement Agent

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Requirements

  • Submit a completed application and the required fee to the Department of State.
  • Be 25 years old
  • Three years of experience as a police officer; an investigator in an agency of the state, county, or federal government; or an employee of a licensed private investigator or at a firm, partnership, company, or corporation where one member has been performing the duties described in the definition of bail enforcement agent; OR twenty years' experience as a police officer or fire marshal.
  • Completion of a training program not less than 25 hours as approved by the Secretary of State (Training may be waived when the person has served as police officer for not less than three years.)
  • Proof of Fingerprint completion.
  • Have a current NYS photo driver’s license or non-driver ID card
  • Must maintain a surety bond in the sum of $500,000
     

Must maintain in its files an Employee Statement for each of its staff

Fees

There are fees associated with a Bail Enforcement Agent (Bounty Hunter) license. You may pay these fees by check or money order made payable to the Department of State or by MasterCard or Visa using a credit card authorization form. DO NOT SEND CASH. Application fees are nonrefundable. A $20 fee will be charged for any check returned by your bank.

Individual:

  • $400 - Initial Application
  • $400 - Branch Office Application
  • $400 - Renewal

Corporate or Business:

  • $500 - Initial Application
  • $500 - Branch Office Application
  • $500 – Renewal
  • $88.50 - Fingerprinting Fee, Support Staff/Employee Statement
    (payable to IDEMIA)
  • $100 - Late Renewal Penalty
  • $150 - Change of Status
  • $10 - Change of Personal Name and/or Address (No fee is required if a name change is the result of a change in marital status)
  • $10 - Duplicate License/Registration Request

Course Providers

Course Providers offer the qualifying education courses for Bail Enforcement Agents.

APPROVED SCHOOLS AND EDUCATION INFORMATION

Apply

To apply for a Bail Enforcement Agent license, submit a completed application to the NYS Department of State, Division of Licensing Services.

FAQs

Contact Contact the Division of Licensing Services

Have a question regarding your license? First, see if your questions are answered in the FAQs above. Otherwise, the quickest way to get in touch with us is through email: Contact us here!


Mailing Information: 
NYS Department of State Division of Licensing Services 
PO Box 22001 
Albany NY 12201-2001 

Please note: If you utilize express services or next day ground services such as UPS, Federal Express, DHL, etc. you should use the physical address of the building. 

Albany Physical Address
Division of Licensing Services 
1 Commerce Plaza 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor 
Albany, NY 12231

Phone Information:
General Information (518) 474-4429 
Security Guard and Armored Car Guard Information (518) 474-7569 

Call Center Representatives are available from 8:45am to 4:30pm Monday through Friday except on Legal Holidays.

Deaf, hard of hearing and speech-disabled callers, please use 7-1-1

For all other inquiries, email Licensing Services

Visitor & Customer Service Center Information:
Below is a listing of Licensing Customer Service Centers and the hours of operation. Please monitor this page for updates to office hours, guidelines and or any closures. 

Albany: 
NYS Department of State Division of Licensing Services 
1 Commerce Plaza 99 Washington Avenue, 6th Floor 
Albany, NY 12231 

Customer Service hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm
Apostille Service hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:15pm 

Albany Parking 
Limited on street metered parking is available for 1 Commerce Plaza in Albany. The Office of General Services has various parking lots throughout downtown Albany which have limited visitor parking. To find out more information about the OGS lots, please visit their website.   

 

New York City: 
NYS Department of State 
Division of Licensing Services 
123 William St. 2nd Fl. New York, NY 10038-3804

Customer Service hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am to 4:30pm
Apostille Service hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am to 4:00pm  

Binghamton: 
NYS Department of State 
Division of Licensing Services 
State Office Building 
44 Hawley Street, Room 1506 
Binghamton, NY 13901-4455 
(518) 474-4429 
Customer Service Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm & 12:45pm - 4:00pm


Buffalo: 
NYS Department of State 
Division of Licensing Services 
295 Main Street, 8th Floor, Suite 821 
Buffalo, NY 14203 
(518) 474-4429

Customer Service Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00am - 12:00pm & 12:45pm - 4:00pm

Hauppauge: Licensing Customer Service Center is closed until further notice. Licensing examinations will continue to be held as scheduled.

NYS Department of State 
Division of Licensing Services 
State Office Building 
250 Veterans Memorial Highway 
Hauppauge, NY 11788-5519 
(518) 474-4429

Utica: 

NYS Department of State 
Division of Licensing Services 
State Office Building 
207 Genesee Street Utica, NY 13501-2812 

Customer Service hours: Monday – Friday 9:00am-12:00pm & 12:45pm-4:00pm