Bounty Hunter Legal States 2025

Legal

Not Legal

State	Legal Status of Bounty Hunting↓	Bounty Hunting License Required	Additional Bounty Hunting Details
Illinois	Not Legal
Kentucky	Not Legal
Oregon	Not Legal
Wisconsin	Not Legal
Alabama	Legal	Yes	It is only necessary to obtain a business license from the Alabama Department of Revenue. This license is usually that of a private investigator and is accompanied by a surety bond, used to ensure that the business operator complies with state law, and a nominal fee.
Alaska	Legal	No
Arizona	Legal	Yes	To Become a bounty hunter in Arizona an individual must work for a licensed bail bondsman.
Arkansas	Legal	Yes	To become a licensed bondsman in Arkansas you must be a resident of the state employed by a licensed bail bond company. One must also provide three character references, fingerprints, a background check, and pay a $100 annual fee. An exam is also required alongside 8 hours of formal education in “pertinent subjects”. Training is thus essential to becoming a bail bondsman in Arkansas.
California	Legal	Yes	Becoming a bounty hunter in California involves taking courses as well as meeting several other requirements. The California Department of Insurance (CDI) handles licensing for the state and only allows people over 18 to apply. The first thing that must be done is the completion of a 12 hour “pre-licensing bail education” course. Then, you must apply for your bounty hunter license through the CDI and take a bail license examination and score at least 70%. Lastly, you must negotiate a contract with a surety company to pursue fugitives that have skipped bail. The California Bail Agents Association can help you obtain the required licenses and offers information about specific location of classes in the state.
Colorado	Legal	Yes	Licensing in Colorado is carried out through the Insurance Division of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). In order to become licensed proof that the individual is not a felon, subject to fingerprinting and a background check, must be provided along with a full face photograph and other identifying information. Proof of a bail recovery education course must also be provided and a yearly report of bond recovery activity is necessary.
Connecticut	Legal	Yes	The formal training must be approved by the Commissioner of Safety and include cover one or more of the following subjects: use of force, laws of arrest, search and seizure, constitutional laws/criminal justice system.
Delaware	Legal	Yes	One can apply to the Department of Safety and Homeland Security for a bail enforcement agent. Prior to obtaining a license Bail Enforcement Agents must also “complete training in the following courses: Constitution/Bill of Rights, Laws of Arrest, Laws of Search & Seizure of Persons Wanted, Police Jurisdiction, Use of Deadly Force, and the Rules & Regulations of bounty hunters/Bail Enforcement Agents.”
District of Columbia	Legal	Yes	To engage in the bonding business real estate and financial information, previous criminal history, at least two character references, a list of representatives, and an oath to abide by Chapter 11 of Title 23 in the District of Columbia law is required. They must also provide fingerprints and renew licenses every two years.
Florida	Legal	Bail Agent	Under current Florida statutes, bounty hunters, or runners as they are known in Florida, are required to be licensed as bail agents. To work as a bail bond agent, you will need to acquire a license, which is regulated by the Division of Insurance Agent and Agency Services.
Georgia	Legal	Bail Recovery Agent	Georgia allows the practice of bounty hunting but does not use the term “bounty hunter” in its statutes. Instead, those employed in the capacity of fugitive recovery are known in the state as bail recovery agents.
Hawaii	Legal	No
Idaho	Legal	No
Indiana	Legal	Bail Recovery Agent	Licenses in the state are known as a “Bail Agent’s License” and they may only be issued to individuals.
Iowa	Legal	Bail Enforcement Agents	Licensing is required in Iowa and costs $100 for two years.
Kansas	Legal	No
Louisiana	Legal	Bail Enforcement Agent	A bounty hunter license in Louisiana can be obtained from the Department of Insurance after the prerequisite eight hours of approved training is completed. The license must be renewed after two years, a process that requires an additional 12 hours of approved continuing education
Maine	Legal	No
Maryland	Legal	No	Presently there are little requirements beyond being employed by a licensed Bail Agent. However, Bail Agents' licenses must meet a number of requirements, including continuing education of no less than 16 hours before license renewal. As such, education is highly recommended for bounty hunters in Maryland and is necessary for those who wish to work personally with the courts.
Massachusetts	Legal	No	Licensing is not required in Massachusetts, although professional bondsmen must register with the Superior Court. Additionally, the Superior Court has the ability to set rules for professional bondsmen
Michigan	Legal	No
Minnesota	Legal	No
Mississippi	Legal	Yes	Before obtaining a license an individual must complete at least 8 hours of education approved by the Professional Bail Agents Association of Mississippi and offered by Mississippi Judicial College or another approved institution. Licenses expire annually on the last day of May, and an additional 8 hours of continuing education is required for renewal. One contingency is that individuals may work as Fugitive Recovery Agents without education but must complete the education at the first possible opportunity. Other requirements include a $40 fee, “proof of good moral character,” and proof that the applicant is not a felon.
Missouri	Legal	Yes	To obtain a bounty hunting license in Missouri, you must be 21, never convicted of a felony, a resident of the state with a GED or high school diploma, and able to obtain a surety bond of at least $1,000,000. Licensure also requires 24 hours of training.
Montana	Legal	No
Nebraska	Legal	No
Nevada	Legal	Yes	In order to qualify for a bounty hunter’s license one must be a resident of Nevada, a US citizen or legally allowed to work in the US, have a high school diploma or GED, submit a report of an investigation of his or her criminal history, submit a report conducted by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist from Nevada proving that he or she is of good mental health, and pass a test for controlled substances no earlier than 30 days prior to application. A written application, available through the Division of Insurance,
New Hampshire	Legal	Yes	Becoming a bounty hunter in New Hampshire requires training, certification, and registration. Specifically, one must receive training that is approved by the Professional Bail Agents of the United States, a national organization of bail bond professionals.
New Jersey	Legal	Yes	To become a bounty hunter in New Jersey one must have at least five years experience as either a private detective, a law enforcement officer, or as a bounty hunter prior to the establishment of legal regulation. Even if one has experience as a bounty hunter they must also complete a training course approved by the commissioner of the Division of State Police. Thus, to become a bounty hunter one must have significant previous experience.
New Mexico	Legal	Yes	The closest thing to a bounty hunter in New Mexico state law is known as a “solicitor”, defined as “a person employed by a bail bondsman for the purpose of assisting the bail bondsman in presenting the defendant in court when required, or to assist in the apprehension and surrender of defendant to the court or keeping the defendant under necessary surveillance” among other things.Becoming licensed as a solicitor requires at least 10 hours of classroom training on topics such as ethics and laws and regulations of the bail bonds business. Then, they must pass an examination presented by the Insurance Division of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.
New York	Legal	Yes	To become a bounty hunter in New York, you must have “three years' 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.” Bail Enforcement Agents’ licenses are regulated by the Department of State in New York.
North Carolina	Legal	Yes	In order to apply for a bounty hunting or “runner” license in North Carolina must be sponsored by a bond agent and be employed by only one professional bondsman who is responsible for their actions. In order to obtain a license, 20 hours of bounty hunter education is required. Following this education, you must pass an examination administered by the Department of Insurance ranging from prohibited practices to bond limits and terminology.
North Dakota	Legal	Bail Bondsmen	Licensing for bail bondsmen falls under the same requirements as all insurance producers in North Dakota. In order to receive a license it is necessary to pass an exam regarding insurance laws of the state and their duties, responsibilities, and “lines of authority”, which comes with a licensing fee.
Ohio	Legal	Yes	In order to become licensed as a bounty hunter in Ohio you must first complete education and pass an examination. Once the exam has been passed a criminal record check must be completed and you must submit the surety bail bond agent application and submitted to: Ohio Department of Insurance, 2100 Stella Court, Columbus, Ohio 43215.
Oklahoma	Legal	Bail Enforcement	The Oklahoma Bail Enforcement and Licensing Act requires bounty hunters to be trained and certified through the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training (CLEET)
Pennsylvania	Legal	No	Pennsylvania allows the practice of bounty hunting in the apprehension of fugitives, but bounty hunters must be employed by a licensed professional bail bondsman.
Rhode Island	Legal	No	Although there are no specific licensing requirements for bounty hunters in Rhode Island, “professional bondsmen” must register with the Superior Court.
South Carolina	Legal	Yes	Runners, or Fugitive Recovery Agents, must also be employed by only one bond company, who must endorse their application. Therefore, it is essential to prove your expertise as a bounty hunter through successful training, education, and any prior experience dealing in fugitive recovery or law enforcement.
South Dakota	Legal	Bail Enforcement Agent	Bond agencies employing the Bail Enforcement Agent must take responsibility for their actions, an act that carries with it a great deal of trust and confidence in the Runner—something that must be earned through exemplary behavior and proof of competency as a Fugitive Recovery Agent.
Tennessee	Legal	Yes	Becoming a bounty hunter in Tennessee requires eight hours of continuing education, given by the Tennessee Association of Professional Bail Agents.
Texas	Legal	Yes	Becoming a bounty hunter in Texas can be achieved through formal training and courses offered by colleges and agencies statewide. To become a bounty hunter in Texas you first must be licensed as a peace officer, a commissioned security officer, or a private investigator. Once you are licensed it helps to register with organizations such as the Texas Association of Licensed Investigators in order to maintain contact with fellow bounty hunters and law enforcement professionals.
Utah	Legal	Yes	Bail Enforcement Agents must have at least 2000 hours of experience in bail enforcement or law enforcement and be able to document it specifically should they wish to obtain a license. Bail Recovery Agents must have at least 1000 documented hours of experience and provide a signed letter of intent from the company that will employ them. Otherwise, the requirements are the same as for a Bail Enforcement Agent, except the fee. Forms for license applications are available through the Utah Department of Public Safety,
Vermont	Legal	No
Virginia	Legal	Yes	To become a bounty hunter in Virginia one must either find employment with a bail bond agency under a licensed bondsman or create their own business, completed the bail bondsman exam, which follows the 24 hours of training. Licensing costs $900 and must be accompanied by a fingerprint card and Finger print processing application.
Washington	Legal	Yes	bounty hunter licenses are issued by the Washington State Department of Licensing. After training is completed, one must pass an examination, along with a fingerprints card and a $400 fee.
West Virginia	Legal	No	No license is required to work as a bounty hunter in West Virginia. However, Fugitive Recovery Agents must register with the West Virginia State police,
Wyoming	Legal	No

Laws regarding bounty hunting may change at any time, and data presented should not be considered legally authoritative. Interested parties are advised to confirm details with local authorities.

Bounty hunting, a profession often glamorized in movies and television shows, is a legal endeavor in many states across the United States. In states like Alaska, Arizona, and California, bounty hunting is not only legal but also widely practiced. Bounty hunters, also known as bail recovery agents or bail enforcement agents, play a crucial role in apprehending fugitives who have skipped bail. These states have regulations in place to govern the activities of bounty hunters, ensuring accountability and adherence to the law.

However, the legality of bounty hunting varies from state to state. In states like Illinois, Maine, and Massachusetts, bounty hunting is illegal. Individuals operating as bounty hunters in these states could face legal consequences for their actions. The laws surrounding bounty hunting often reflect the unique legal landscape and cultural attitudes toward law enforcement in each state.

One common requirement for prospective bounty hunters is that they must be at least 18 or 21 years old, depending on the state. Additionally, some states may require individuals to undergo specific training or obtain a license before they can work as bounty hunters. These requirements aim to ensure that bounty hunters operate with professionalism and accountability while carrying out their duties.

The legal status of bounty hunting varies significantly from state to state in the United States. While some states fully embrace the practice, others prohibit it altogether. Understanding the laws and regulations surrounding bounty hunting is essential for anyone considering entering this challenging yet potentially rewarding profession.

Bounty Hunter Legal States 2025

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