Bounty hunters have a reputation for living exciting lives, but there are several qualifications you must meet. Learn what steps you need to take to become a bounty hunter in your state.
What is a Bounty Hunter?
A bounty hunter is a person who tracks down and apprehends people who fail to meet the requirements of their bail.
When people are arrested and must await a court date, two things may happen. They can either stay in jail until the court date, or they may be eligible for bail.
Bail is an amount of money given to the court system to ensure that an arrested person isn't a 'flight risk.' The bail money signifies that the defendant will stay in the area and show up to the assigned court date.
The bail amount is set at the discretion of the judge and often depends on the person and the crime he or she is accused of committing.
Sometimes, the bail amount can be incredibly high, and the defendant isn't able to pay for it. In that case, the defendant may enter into a contract with a bail bond agent.
The agent will charge a percentage of the total bond and provide a written contract to the courts to pay the bail in full if the defendant fails to appear at their trial.
In the case that a defendant fails to appear on their assigned court dates, a bounty hunter may be hired to hunt them down.
Bounty hunters typically work as independent contractors. The bail bond agent passes them the right to locate, detain, arrest, and transport a fugitive.
These rights mean that bounty hunters can use tactics that police can't, like entering a home without a warrant or arresting someone without reading them their Miranda rights.
How to Become a Bounty Hunter
The steps to becoming a bounty hunter will depend on several factors, most significantly the state that you live in.
Step 1: Determine Your State's Bounty Hunting Requirements and Regulations
Every state has different rules and requirements for bounty hunters. It's extremely important that you know and understand these before becoming a bounty hunter.
Bounty hunting is illegal in four states: Oregon, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Kentucky. Of the 46 states where it is legal, 22 require a license.
Most states have some sort of laws in place that regulate bounty hunting:
- laws about how bounty hunters can arrest fugitives
- laws about how bounty hunters can dress
- laws about how bounty hunters can enter homes and private property
- laws about notifying law enforcement before an arrest
Often, states will have minimum requirements that you need to meet in order to become a bounty hunter.
These may include:
- United States citizenship
- be at least 18, though in some states the minimum age is 21
- no criminal record, or a clean criminal record for a certain number of years
Checking your state's laws and requirements for bounty hunters will ensure that you don't end up in legal trouble yourself. It will also give you an idea what your next step forward should be.
Step 2: Get Educated and Take Bounty Hunter Training Courses
Educational and training requirements for bounty hunters will vary from state to state.
College Education
Very few states require any formal college education to become a licensed bounty hunter. However, there are a few good reasons why you may want to secure a college degree before beginning your career.
To work as a bounty hunter, you must be contracted through a bail bond agency. Bail bond agents are more likely to hire candidates that will successfully bring in the fugitive.
Experience and education are two things that will get you hired. In some states, certain experience is required before you can become a bounty hunter.
A few states require bounty hunters to have experience as private detectives, police officers, or other types of peace officers. Depending on where you live, a degree may be required for those careers.
For many people who want to become bounty hunters, a degree in criminal justice will teach the skills needed to start a career as a bounty hunter.
Bounty Hunter Training
Many states require you to take a certain amount of hours of bounty hunter training. Sometimes this training is run through the state, while others are through state-approved programs.
Even if these courses aren't required by your state, they're still a good idea.
These programs will teach you the basics of bounty hunting as well as review your state laws surrounding bounty hunting.
The states that require you to take bounty hunter training courses are:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
Some states also require you to take a bounty hunter exam before you can begin to work as a bounty hunter.
The states that require you to take a bounty hunter exam are:
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Virginia
- Washington
Often, the bounty hunter training will prepare you for this exam.
Step 3: Pursue Your Bounty Hunter License or Get Registered
Every state has different requirements for bounty hunters to follow.
The states that require you to obtain a bounty hunter license are:
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington
In the states that don't require a bounty hunter license, you may still need to register your status as a bounty hunter with the courts or the local sheriff's office.
You may also be able to join local bounty hunter organizations and receive bounty hunter certifications.
Step 4: Gain Experience and Begin to Network
Most bail bond companies won't hire someone without experience. After fulfilling all state requirements, you'll need to gain bounty hunting experience.
One of the best ways to gain experience is by working with an experienced bounty hunter as an intern or assistant. This will allow you to get hands-on experience in the field.
While you're gaining experience, you also want to network and build relationships with bail bond agencies and other bounty hunters.
Most bounty hunters work as independent contractors, so developing these relationships is an important part of building a successful career.
Step 5: Begin Working as a Bounty Hunter
Once you have met your state requirements and trained as a bounty hunter, you'll be able to start working on your own.
To do this, you'll need to utilize the relationships you've made through networking. Contracting with local bail bond agencies will help ensure steady work.
Become a Bounty Hunter Today
Working as a bounty hunter can be an exciting career. Contact Best Accredited Colleges for assistance in becoming a bounty hunter.
