Map Options
State | Bounty Hunting Legality | License Required | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Alabama | Legal | No | |
Alaska | Legal | Yes | |
Arizona | Legal | Yes | |
Arkansas | Legal | Yes | Only licensed professional bail bondsmen and their authorized agents are allowed to engage in bounty hunting. |
California | Legal | Yes | |
Colorado | Legal | Yes | |
Connecticut | Legal | Yes | Bounty hunting is legal in Connecticut, but there are restrictions and regulations surrounding the practice. According to Connecticut state law, a bail enforcement agent (bounty hunter) must be employed by a Connecticut licensed bail bond agent or surety bail bond agent. |
Delaware | Legal | Yes | |
District of Columbia | Legal | Yes | |
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. Without a bail agent license, bounty hunting is now strictly prohibited in the state. |
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 | Yes | Hawaii allows the practice of bounty hunting and has few laws regulating bounty hunters, also known as bail enforcement agents. |
Idaho | Legal | No | |
Illinois | Illegal | ||
Indiana | Legal | Bail Recovery Agent | |
Iowa | Legal | Yes | |
Kansas | Legal | No | |
Kentucky | Illegal | ||
Louisiana | Legal | Bail Recovery Agent | |
Maine | Legal | No | |
Maryland | Legal | No | |
Massachusetts | Legal | No | |
Michigan | Legal | No | |
Minnesota | Legal | No | |
Mississippi | Legal | Bail Recovery Agent | |
Missouri | Legal | Yes | |
Montana | Legal | No | |
Nebraska | Legal | No | |
Nevada | Legal | Bail Recovery Agent | The state allows bail enforcement but prohibits the use of the word “bounty hunter.” Bail enforcement agents in Nevada must be licensed by the Nevada Division of Insurance (DOI). Bail enforcement agents work for bail bondsmen to locate and return defendants who have skipped bail. |
New Hampshire | Legal | Yes | |
New Jersey | Legal | No | |
New Mexico | Legal | Yes | |
New York | Legal | Yes | |
North Carolina | Illegal | Bail Bonding | Bounty hunting in itself is not legal in North Carolina. In order to preform or engage in duties related to the recovery of fugitives or other bail bonding activities, individuals must obtain a bail bonding license, issued by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. |
North Dakota | Legal | No | |
Ohio | Legal | No | Since 2001, bounty hunting in the state of Ohio has been explicitly regulated by state law. As such, only a law enforcement officer or a qualified, licensed and appointed surety bail bond agent are authorized to arrest fugitives in the state. |
Oklahoma | Legal | Yes | |
Oregon | Illegal | ||
Pennsylvania | Legal | Yes | |
Rhode Island | Legal | No | |
South Carolina | Legal | Yes | |
South Dakota | Legal | Bail Recovery Agent | |
Tennessee | Legal | Yes | Bounty hunters in Tennessee must be employed by and work as agents of a professional bondsmen to find and return defendants who have “skipped” bail. |
Texas | Illegal | Bounty hunters are not allowed to work as such in Texas, those interested in working to apprehend fugitives (or “skips”) may wish to become private investigators. Private investigators must be at least 18 years of age. | |
Utah | Legal | No | |
Vermont | Legal | No | |
Virginia | Legal | No | |
Washington | Legal | Yes | |
West Virginia | Legal | Bail Recovery Agent | |
Wisconsin | Illegal | ||
Wyoming | Legal | No |