California Bail License Types Explained

All Five At A Glance

Bail Agent

This is the license on every agent page here. It lets the holder solicit, negotiate and effect bail for a surety insurer, but only while that insurer has an appointment on file.³ The agent also posts a $1,000 bond that covers the money they and their staff collect.³ The state page calls agents the appointed representatives of licensed surety insurance companies.⁴

Bail Agency

Some offices hold a license as a company. The people who work there still need their own licenses. So a company name on the wall tells you nothing about the person across the desk. Check the person.

Bail Solicitor

A solicitor works only for the agent or permittee who appointed them, and only while that appointment is on file. The law treats the solicitor as acting for that licensee.² Solicitors are rare. The state lists 6. If you meet one, ask who appointed them and look up that person too.

Bail Permittee

A permittee license lets the holder solicit, negotiate, issue and deliver bail bonds, with a $5,000 bond on file.⁵ This is the rarest kind. The state lists 1.

Bail Fugitive Recovery Person

These licensees go after people who skip court. They post a $1,000 bond and carry liability cover of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, though the state may delay that cover if it cannot be bought at a fair price.³ Before an arrest they normally must tell local police or the sheriff no more than six hours ahead.⁶ The law on who may make these arrests also names bail agents, permittees and solicitors in certain cases.⁷

Our agent pages do not list fugitive recovery licensees unless they also hold a bail agent license. When they do, the agent page says so.

Check Any Of Them

The state license lookup covers every type.⁸ Our agent lookup covers bail agents. Want the wider picture? See California bail agents by the numbers. Thinking of getting licensed yourself? We wrote that up on the blog.