Connecticut Laws Regarding Bail Bonds & Bounty Hunters
Below is basic information on bail bond laws for Connecticut concerning Bail Enforcement, Bounty Hunters, Fugitive Apprehension and Bail Bondsman. This is not legal advice. Laws change frequently, please check the links provided for possible updates and current information.
- Connecticut bail bond law state statutes:
- Connecticut General Statutes Annotated Title 29. Public Safety And State Police Chapter 533a. Bail Enforcement Agents.
- connecticut General Statutes Annotated Title 54. Criminal Procedure Chapter 960. Information, Procedure And Bail.
- connecticut General Statutes Annotated Title 29. Public Safety And State Police Chapter 533. Professional Bondsmen.
- Connecticut licensing requirements for Bail agents:
- Connecticut Statutes provide for the recovery of persons failing to appear on bonds by those licensed as “professional bondsmen,” “surety bail bond agents” and “bail enforcement agents.” Therefore, while some of the licensing requirements are similar, the licensing provisions for all three positions are given below. As described in the Connecticut statutes, the role of “bail enforcement agent” seems most akin to that of a bounty hunter, while the other two seem more similar to sureties.
- Any person desiring to engage in the business of a bail enforcement agent shall apply to the Commissioner of Public Safety for a license therefor. Such application shall set forth under oath the full name, age, date and place of birth, residence and occupation of the applicant. It shall also set forth under oath a statement of whether the applicant has been charged with or convicted of crime, and such other information, including fingerprints and photographs, as required by the commissioner. The commissioner shall submit the applicant’s fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a national criminal history record check. Within five years prior to the date of application, the applicant shall have successfully completed a course in the criminal justice system consisting of not less than twenty hours of study approved by the commissioner. No person who has been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanor under section 21a-279, 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a, 53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-173, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178 or 53a-181d, shall be licensed to do business as a bail enforcement agent in this state. No person engaged in law enforcement or vested with police powers shall be licensed to do business as a bail enforcement agent.
- Upon being satisfied, after investigation, that the applicant is a suitable person to receive a license as a bail enforcement agent, and that the applicant meets the licensing requirements of section 29-152f, the Commissioner of Public Safety may issue a license to such applicant to do business in this state as a bail enforcement agent. The fee for such license shall be one hundred dollars. Each such license shall be for such term not exceeding one year as said commissioner determines. Any bail enforcement agent holding a license issued pursuant to this section or section 29-152h shall notify the commissioner within two business days of any change of address. The notification shall include the bail enforcement agent’s old address and new address.
- Each person licensed as a bail enforcement agent under the provisions of sections 29-152f to 29-152i, inclusive, may apply for a renewal of such license upon renewal application forms provided by the Commissioner of Public Safety and requiring the disclosure of such information as said commissioner requires in determining whether or not such agent’s suitability to continue in such business has changed since the issuance of any prior license. The fee for renewal of a bail enforcement agent’s license shall be one hundred dollars.
- The Commissioner of Public Safety may suspend, revoke or refuse to renew the license of any bail enforcement agent, provided notice shall have been given to the licensee to appear before the commissioner to show cause why the license should not be suspended, revoked or refused renewal, upon a finding by the commissioner that:
- (1) The licensee has violated any of the terms or provisions of sections 29-152e to 29-152m, or section 38a-660a or any of the regulations adopted under section 29-152o;
(2) the licensee has practiced fraud, deceit or misrepresentation;
(3) the licensee has made a material misstatement in the application for issuance or renewal of such license;
(4) the licensee has demonstrated incompetence or untrustworthiness in the conduct of the licensee’s business;
(5) the licensee has been convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor specified in section 29-152f or other crime affecting the licensee’s honesty, integrity or moral fitness; or
(6) the licensee is unsuitable. The suspension or revocation of, or the refusal to renew, any bail enforcement agent’s license shall also constitute the revocation of the bail enforcement agent’s firearms permit issued pursuant to section 29-152m. Any bail enforcement agent who fails to surrender such license within five days of notification in writing of the suspension or revocation of, or refusal to renew, such license shall be guilty of a class C misdemeanor. Any party aggrieved by an order of the commissioner under this section may appeal therefrom in accordance with the provisions of section 4- 183, except venue for such appeal shall be in the judicial district of Hartford. - Any person who makes a business of furnishing bail in criminal cases or who furnishes bail in five or more criminal cases in any one year, whether for compensation or otherwise, shall be deemed a professional bondsman and shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter. Any resident elector of the state of Connecticut who is of good moral character and of sound financial responsibility may, upon obtaining a license therefore in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, engage in the business of professional bondsman within this state.
- Any person desiring to engage in the business of a professional bondsman shall apply to the Commissioner of Public Safety for a license therefor. Such application shall set forth under oath the full name, age, residence and occupation of the applicant, whether the applicant intends to engage in the business of a professional bondsman individually or in partnership or association with another or others, and, if so, the identity of each. It shall also set forth under oath a statement of the assets and liabilities of the applicant, and whether he has been charged with or convicted of crime, and such other information, including fingerprints and photographs, as said commissioner from time to time may require. No person who has been convicted of a felony shall be licensed to do business as a professional bondsman in this state. No person engaged in law enforcement or vested with police powers shall be licensed to do business as a professional bondsman.
- The Commissioner of Public Safety shall, upon receipt of such application, cause an investigation to be made of the character and financial responsibility of the applicant and, if he finds that such applicant is a resident elector of good moral character and of sound financial responsibility, he shall, upon payment by such applicant to the state of a license fee of one hundred dollars, issue a license to such applicant to do business in this state as a professional bondsman. Each such license shall be for such term not exceeding one year as said commissioner determines.
- Each professional bondsman licensed under the provisions of this chapter may apply for a renewal of his license upon renewal application forms provided by the Commissioner of Public Safety and requiring the disclosure of such information as said commissioner requires in determining whether or not such professional bondsman’s financial responsibility remains unimpaired or whether for any other reason such bondsman’s fitness to continue in such business has been otherwise altered since the issuance of any prior license. Said commissioner may suspend for a definite term or revoke any license issued under the provisions of this chapter if it appears to said commissioner that such licensee has been convicted of a felony in this state or elsewhere or is engaged in any unlawful activity affecting his fitness to continue in the business of professional bondsman or that his financial responsibility has been substantially impaired.
- The Commissioner of Public Safety may suspend any license issued under the provisions of this chapter of any professional bondsman when he finds that such surety has failed to pay a forfeited bond. Such license shall remain so suspended and shall not be reinstated nor shall any such license be issued to such surety until such person pays such forfeited bond.
- Each professional bondsman licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall forthwith inform the Commissioner of Public Safety in writing of any material change in his assets or liabilities affecting his responsibility as a bondsman and shall at any time, upon request of said commissioner, furnish him with a statement under oath of his assets and liabilities, including all bonds on which such bondsman is obligated.
- Any person who violates any provision of this chapter shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than two years or both and his right to engage in the business of a professional bondsman in this state shall thereupon be permanently forfeited.
- “Surety bail bond agent” means any person who has been approved by the commissioner and appointed by an insurer by power of attorney to execute or countersign bail bonds for the insurer in connection with judicial proceedings;
- “Disqualifying offense” means: (A) A felony; or (B) a misdemeanor if an element of the offense involves dishonesty or misappropriation of money or property.
- Any person desiring to act within this state as a surety bail bond agent shall make a written application to the commissioner for a license in such form and having such supporting documents as the commissioner prescribes. Each application shall be signed by the applicant and shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable filing fee as determined by the commissioner. The applicant must also submit with the application a complete set of the applicant’s fingerprints, certified by an authorized law enforcement officer, and two recent credential-sized full-face photographs of the applicant. At the time of application, each applicant for a license shall forward a copy of the applicant’s complete application and supporting documents to the bond forfeiture unit of the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney.
- Every applicant for a license must file with the commissioner a notice of appointment executed by an insurer or its authorized representative authorizing such applicant to execute undertakings of bail and to solicit and negotiate such undertakings on its behalf. Each appointment shall, by its terms, continue in force until: (1) Termination of the surety bail bond agent’s license; or (2) the filing of a notice of termination by the insurer or its representative or by such surety bail bond agent.
- An applicant for a license shall be required to appear in person and take a written examination testing the applicant’s competency and qualifications to act as a surety bail bond agent. The commissioner may designate an independent testing service to prepare and administer such examination, provided any examination fees charged by such service shall be paid by the applicant. The commissioner shall collect the appropriate examination fee, which shall entitle the applicant to take the examination for the license, except when a testing service is used, the testing service shall pay such fee to the commissioner. In either case, such examination shall be as the commissioner prescribes and shall be of sufficient scope to test the applicant’s knowledge of subjects pertinent to the duties and responsibilities of a surety bail bond agent, including all laws and regulations of this state applicable thereto.
- In addition to all other requirements prescribed in this section, each applicant for a license shall furnish satisfactory evidence to the commissioner that: (1) The applicant is at least eighteen years of age; (2) the applicant is a citizen of the United States; and (3) the applicant has never been convicted of a felony or any misdemeanor under section 21a-279, 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a, 53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-173, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178 or 53a- 181d. Such applicant shall also submit to a background investigation, including an investigation of any prior criminal activity, to be conducted by the Division of Criminal Justice utilizing the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies. All processing fees incurred as a result of such investigation shall be paid by the applicant.
- Upon satisfying himself that an applicant meets the licensing requirements of this state and is in all respects properly qualified and trustworthy and that the granting of such license is not against the public interest, the commissioner may issue to such applicant the license applied for.
- A license may, in the discretion of the commissioner, be renewed or continued upon payment of the appropriate fee as the commissioner deems necessary without the resubmittal of the detailed information required in the original application.
- Any individual aggrieved by the action of the commissioner in revoking, suspending or refusing to reissue a license or in imposing a fine or penalty may appeal therefrom, in accordance with the provisions of section 4-183, except venue for such appeal shall be in the judicial district of Hartford. Appeals under this section shall be privileged in respect to the order of trial assignment.
- Nothing in this section shall be construed as limiting an individual’s ability to operate as a professional bondsman in this state pursuant to chapter 533 provided such individual is in compliance with all requirements of said chapter.
* Throughout the sections below, “Commissioner” means the Insurance Commissioner of Public Safety.
- Connecticut General Statutes Annotated Title 29. Public Safety And State Police
Chapter 533A. BAIL ENFORCEMENT AGENTS § 29-152e. License required
No person shall, as a surety on a bond in a criminal proceeding or an agent of such surety, engage in the business of taking or attempting to take into custody the principal on the bond who has failed to appear in court and for whom a rearrest warrant or a capias has been issued pursuant to section 54-65a unless such person is licensed as a professional bondsman under chapter 533, a surety bail bond agent under chapter 700f or a bail enforcement agent under sections 29-152f to 29-152i, inclusive.- § 29-152f. Application for license
- § 29-152g. Issuance of license
- § 29-152h. Renewal of license
- § 29-152i. Suspension or revocation of license
- Connecticut General Statutes Annotated Title 29. Public Safety And State Police
Chapter 533. PROFESSIONAL BONDSMEN § 29-144. Definition- § 29-145. Bondsmen to be licensed
- § 29-146. Investigation of applicant for license. Fee. Term of license
- § 29-147. Renewal, revocation or suspension of license
- § 29-147a. Suspension of license for failure to pay forfeited bond
- § 29-148. Statement of assets and liabilities
- § 29-152. Penalty
Connecticut General Statutes Annotated Title 38a. Insurance Chapter 700f. Bail Bond Insurance § 38a-660. Bail bond insurance and agents. Licensing. Examinations. Fees
- Connecticut bail agent’s arrest authority.
Connecticut General Statutes Annotated Title 29. Public Safety And State Police Chapter 533a. Bail Enforcement Agents § 29-152k. Notice to law enforcement agency prior to apprehension of principal- Prior to taking or attempting to take into custody the principal on a bond, a professional bondsman licensed under chapter 533, a surety bail bond agent licensed under chapter 700f or a bail enforcement agent licensed under sections 29-152f to 29-152i, inclusive, shall notify the police department or resident state trooper for, or state police troop having jurisdiction over, the municipality in which the principal is believed to be located of such bondsman’s or agent’s intentions.
Court decisions
- Taylor v. Taintor 83 U.S. 366, 1872
The court said: “When bail is given, the principal is regarded as delivered to the custody of his sureties. Their dominion is a continuance of the original imprisonment. Whenever they choose to do so, they may seize him and deliver him up in their discharge; and if that cannot be done at once, they may imprison him until it can be done. They may exercise their rights in person or by agent. They may pursue him into another State: may arrest him on the Sabbath; and, if necessary, may break and enter his house for that purpose.”
- State v. Nugent 508 A.2d 728, 1986
Bail bondsman had the same common-law right to seize the principal on the bond even if he acted as an agent for an insurance bonding company, a corporation, rather than as an individual bail bondsman.
- Connecticut bounty hunter (fugitive apprehension) provisions:
- At this time, there appear to be no specific regulations for “Bounty Hunters” in the Connecticut statutes.
- Links to State and Local Authorities:
Please check with the Connecticut’s Department of Insurance, Licensing Board and/or Local Law Enforcement for the most recent updates. If you know of any updates to Connecticut’s bail bond laws, please provide as much detail as possible and send to us using our contact form.
