NY bail enforcement agent bonds.
$5,000 flat.

New York requires a licensed bail enforcement agent to file a $500,000 surety bond, taken in the name of the People of the State of New York and filed with the Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, under General Business Law § 74. Ours is $5,000 flat, and the price you see is the checkout price. The application includes a credit consent, but it authorizes a soft credit pull only — a soft inquiry that never affects your score.

Required to hold a New York bail enforcement agent license under General Business Law § 74 (Article 7)
Fixed price, fixed amount — $500,000 bond, $5,000, no quote process
Multi-year terms available — set it up once for up to 3 years
A-ratedA.M. Best carriersSoft pull onlynever a hard inquiry1–3 yrterms available
Trusted by industry leaders
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

A bail enforcement agent's license bond is one of the simpler filings in surety. Here's the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Your details, an effective date, and a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. No financials, no lengthy underwriting queue.

MINUTES, USUALLY

Pay & e-sign

License bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. The credit consent authorizes a soft pull only — it never affects your score. At most, 1–2 business days.

SAME DAY

File with the Department of State

Your executed bond and power of attorney arrive by email, ready to file with your bail enforcement agent license application or two-year renewal. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

New York licenses bail enforcement agents — sometimes called bounty hunters — through the Department of State, Division of Licensing Services, under Article 7 of the General Business Law. Licensure is conditioned on a $500,000 surety bond, taken in the name of the People of the State of New York, that stands behind the agent's compliance with the licensing law while apprehending a defendant who has forfeited bail.

It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier — which must be authorized by the New York Superintendent of Financial Services — and the People of the State of New York (the obligee), with anyone harmed by a violation of the licensing law as the protected party. If a licensed agent violates Article 7's conduct rules and causes compensable harm, the harmed party can recover against the bond.

It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. The Department of State issues bail enforcement agent licenses for a two-year term, so the bond must stay active for the life of your license; we track it and notify you ahead of your renewal date.

GBL § 74 (Article 7) — NY Department of StateNew York General Business Law § 74 requires a licensed bail enforcement agent to file a surety company bond of $500,000, taken in the name of the People of the State of New York, written by a company approved by the Superintendent of Financial Services, and filed with the Department of State. (By comparison, § 74 sets a $10,000 bond for a private investigator or watch, guard, or patrol agency license — a different license class, not this bond.) The Department of State issues bail enforcement agent licenses for a two-year term.

You need this bond if you're

Applying for a New York bail enforcement agent license with the Department of State
Renewing your bail enforcement agent license for its next two-year term
Moving your bail enforcement business into New York from another state
Reinstating a lapsed license that needs a fresh bond filing

One application, quick turnaround.

These are the actual issuing fields — your details, an effective date, and a consent that authorizes a soft credit pull only.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the New York bail enforcement agent bond?The premium is $5,000 flat — set by our carrier's rate book for this bond, the same for every applicant. The $500,000 bond amount is set by General Business Law § 74, so there is no quote process.
Do I pay the $500,000?No. You pay $5,000. The $500,000 is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made against the bond — not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.
How fast will I have the bond?License bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase — many applicants finish the application and have the bond in the same sitting. At most, 1–2 business days.
Is there a credit check?The application includes a credit consent, but it authorizes a soft credit pull only — a soft inquiry that never affects your score. No hard inquiry ever runs on this bond.
Does this bond also cover a private investigator or watch, guard, or patrol license?No. GBL § 74 sets a separate $10,000 bond for a private investigator or watch, guard, or patrol agency license — a different license class from bail enforcement agent. This bond is written specifically at the $500,000 amount for the bail enforcement agent license.
Related bonds

Other New York bonds.

Finish your Department of State license filing today.

$5,000 flat, soft pull only, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.

Your price$5,000
Apply now →