West Virginia Bail Bondsman License

Professional Bail Bondsman Initial Licensing Requirements

Fingerprint Requirements:

• Applicants must be fingerprinted at initial application and at each two-year renewal. Each applicant must schedule an appointment to submit your fingerprints using IdentoGo. Please visit identogo.com or call 1-855-766-7746. Please read the important information regarding the fingerprint process.
  
  • The West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner service code to utilize for fingerprints is 228NS5. You must report this service code when submitting your fingerprints or the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner will not be able to view the results of your fingerprint records.

Supplemental Application

• Additional documents can be loaded to the NIPR Attachment Warehouse Additional Licensing Document section once your renewal application has been submitted.
• View the Supplemental application.

Surety Bail Bondsman Initial Licensing Requirements

• If applying as a Surety Bondsman, you will need a limited lines Surety line of authority or a Producer license with a Property and Casualty lines of authority.  

• Pre-licensing education requirement of 20 hours per each line of authority for Property and Casualty.
• Find a certified provider:
1. Go to Sircon.
2. Click Approved Providers Inquiry.
3. Select West Virginia and click Submit.
4. In Education Type, select Pre-Licensing Education. View the approved providers in the Provider Name list.

• After completing the pre-licensing course, Surety Bondsman applicants may take the West Virginia Property and Casualty examination. Please take a copy of your proof of completion regarding the pre-licensing course to the test center. Note that you will not be able to sit for the insurance exam without proof of pre-licensing course completion. Pre-licensing course completions are valid for six months currently due to the Covid-19 emergency.

• Please review the Insurance Licensing Examination Candidate Handbook. The handbook describes how, when and where to apply for the producer examination.
• After taking the examination, you will be given an exam score. The exam score will be sent to the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner automatically. If you fail the exam, you may choose to reschedule at any time; however, there is an eight-test limit per lifetime of the individual pursuant to W. Va. Code §33-12-5. 
• Apply for the Property and Casualty line of authority using NIPR.
• Applicant must have an active Property and Casualty or Surety license before applying for the Surety Bail Bonds license. 

Fingerprint Requirements:

• Applicants must be fingerprinted at initial application and at each two-year renewal. Each applicant must schedule an appointment to submit your fingerprints using IdentoGo. Please visit identogo.com or call 1-855-766-7746. Please read the important information regarding the fingerprint process.
  • The West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner service code to utilize for fingerprints is 228NS5. You must report this service code when submitting your fingerprints or the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner will not be able to view the results of your fingerprint records.

Supplemental Application

• Additional documents can be loaded to the NIPR Attachment Warehouse Additional Licensing Document section once your renewal application has been submitted.
• View the Supplemental application.

Supplemental Application Requirements

Important notes to assist in the completion of the supplemental application are as follows:

• Form A (Bail Bondsman Affidavit) must be completed by both professional and surety bondsmen. Note that your signature on Form A must be notarized

• Form B (Employees Engaged in the Bonding Business) must be completed by an applicant who is an owner of a bail bonding business and employs individuals who issue bail bonds. Note that any individual who issues bail bonds must first be appropriately licensed as bail bondsman by the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner

• A completed form substantially similar to Form C must be submitted by a professional bondsman who intends to use an Irrevocable Letter of Credit as security for issuing bail bonds. Note that the Irrevocable Letter of Credit must be on the financial institution’s letterhead. Form D (Power of Attorney) must also be completed and submitted by this applicant. Note that your signature on Form D must be notarized

• Form D (Power of Attorney) must be completed and submitted by a professional bondsman who intends to use cash as security for issuing bail bonds. Note that your signature on Form D must be notarized. Please further note that cash is acceptable when it is presented in the form of a personal check, business check, money order, or cashier’s check made payable to the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner and is in an amount of the pledged securities.

• For professional bondsmen who intend to use real estate as security for issuing bail bonds, Forms D, E and F must be submitted. Note that your signature on Form D must be notarized. Please further note that Form F must be completed by your attorney.

• Both professional bondsmen and surety bondsmen must complete Form G (FBI Privacy Act Statement) that will be asked in the NIPR application.

Bail Bondsman Renewal Requirements

• Bail Bondsman licenses renewal period will open up 90 days prior to the expiration date up to the last day of the applicant's birth month biennially. The renewal fee is $200.  Below are the additional requirements for renewals:
  • Fingerprints
  • Bail Bondsman Affidavit 
    • Form A in the Supplemental application packet. 
  • Additional documents can be loaded to the NIPR Attachment Warehouse Additional Licensing Document section once your renewal application has been submitted.