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Last reviewed: 9 October 2026

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How to check a Florida bail bond agent's license

The short answer: in Florida, bail bond agents are licensed by the Department of Financial Services under chapter 648,[5] and the Department's Licensee Search has a "Bail Bonds" license category you can filter on.[4] Chapter 648 says a license may be issued only to an individual, and that a firm, partnership, association or corporation, as such, may not be licensed.[2] It defines a "bail bond agent" as a limited surety agent or a professional bail bond agent, and requires an appointment from an insurer for the limited surety kind.[1] This page covers Florida only; other states differ.

The short version

Florida terms in chapter 648

TermWhat section 648.25 says
Limited surety agentAn individual appointed by an insurer by power of attorney to execute or countersign bail bonds in connection with judicial proceedings who receives or is promised money or other things of value for it.[1]
Professional bail bond agentA person who pledges United States currency, United States postal money orders or cashier's checks as security for a bail bond in connection with a judicial proceeding and receives or is promised money or other things of value for it.[1]
Bail bond agent in chargeA licensed bail bond agent responsible for the overall operation and management of one bail bond agency location, including hiring and supervising everyone there; an agent may be in charge of only one location.[1]
AppointmentThe authority given by an insurer or its managing general agent, through the department, to a licensee to transact insurance or adjust claims on its behalf.[1]
Temporary bail bond agentSummary: a person licensed before January 1, 2024 who is employed by a bail bond agent or agency, insurer, or managing general agent; the license expires 18 months after issuance and is no longer valid on or after June 30, 2025.[1]

What Florida requires of an applicant

Section 648.34(2) lists qualifications that must appear at application and throughout licensure. They include being a natural person aged 18 or older with a high school diploma or equivalent, being a United States citizen or legal alien with work authorization who resides in Florida, maintaining a place of business in Florida and working with a licensed agency accessible to the public, and being vouched for by sworn statements from at least three reputable citizens. The applicant must also not have been convicted of or pleaded guilty or no contest to a felony, a crime involving moral turpitude, or a crime punishable by imprisonment of one year or more, whether or not a judgment of conviction has been entered. Within two years before applying, the applicant must have completed a basic criminal-justice certification course of at least 120 classroom hours with a passing grade of 80 percent or higher and a department-approved correspondence course, and must have passed any required examination. The department conducts a background investigation that includes fingerprints.[3] A current license is the department's record that an applicant met these requirements when licensed; it does not show anything about a particular bond.

How to run the check

  1. Get the person's full name as licensed, and ask for the Florida license number or NPN (see what an NPN is).
  2. Open the Department's Licensee Search, set the license category to "Bail Bonds" and enter the name, license number or NPN.[4]
  3. Read the status and check the appointment. The form includes an option to find licensees with no qualifying appointment, which shows appointments are tracked in the same system.[4] See how to verify an appointment.
  4. Do not rely on an agency name alone: because a firm cannot hold a license under chapter 648, ask which licensed individual is the bail bond agent in charge.[1][2]

For Florida's full license-check route, see how to check an agent's license in Florida. For how bail bonds fit the producer-license system nationally, see bail bond agent licensing, producer surety bonds and lines of authority. If something went wrong, see how to file an insurance complaint in Texas and Florida. This page is general information, not legal advice, and says nothing about any particular agent or bond.

Related checks

Our standard explains how we check an agent's license and disciplinary history. Check an agent reports our findings at category level, as a method and not a verdict. Neither reviews any insurer, plan or product. For what can lead to license action, see grounds for suspension or revocation.

When we will update this page

We re-read the sources when they change. If something here is out of date, tell us. Corrections are dated on the page.

References

  1. [1] Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes, section 648.25 (definitions), read 9 October 2026 — flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/648.25
  2. [2] Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes, section 648.27 (licenses and appointments; general), read 9 October 2026 — flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/648.27
  3. [3] Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes, section 648.34 (bail bond agents; qualifications), read 9 October 2026 — flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/648.34
  4. [4] Florida Department of Financial Services, Licensee Search form (license categories, status and NPN fields), read 9 October 2026 — licenseesearch.fldfs.com
  5. [5] Florida Senate, 2026 Florida Statutes, section 624.05(1) ("Department" defined), read 9 October 2026 — flsenate.gov/Laws/Statutes/2026/624.05

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