MIKE CHANEY
Commissioner of Insurance
501 N. West St.
1001 Woolfolk State Office Building
Jackson, MS 39201
P.O. Box 79
Jackson, MS 39205
PROFESSIONAL BAIL AGENT: LIMITED AND PERSONAL SURETY
LICENSING INSTRUCTIONS
Limited Surety: Defined as any individual who is appointed by an insurer by power of attorney to execute or
countersign bail bonds in connection with judicial proceedings, and who is duly licensed by the
commissioner to represent such insurer for the restricted lines of bail, fidelity and surety after successfully
completing a limited examination by the department for the restricted lines of business.
Personal Surety: Defined as any individual who, having posted the necessary qualification bond and been
duly licensed by the commissioner as required by Section 83-39-7, may execute and sign bail bonds in
connection with judicial proceedings.
(1) The licensing application requirements for a professional bail agent are as follows:
a. Application (must be notarized) and privilege tax of $100
b. Successful completion of the professional bail agent examination
c. Complete set of fingerprints (taken by the MID, $50.00, see Fingerprinting Instructions)
d. Recent full face color photograph
e. The 40-hour pre-licensing course is required unless item No. 7 below is applicable.
(Course completion info is sent electronically to the MS Insurance Dept. by the instructor.)
(2) No license shall be issued to a professional bail agent unless the applicant has been duly licensed by the
Mississippi Insurance Department as a soliciting bail agent for a period of three (3) consecutive years
immediately preceding the submission of the application, unless the applicant was previously licensed as a
professional bail agent before July 1, 2011.
(3) In addition, the Limited Surety agent must include a “Professional Bail Agent: Limited Surety
Appointment Form” from the sponsoring company and a $25.00 Certificate of Authority fee with the
application.
(4) In addition, the Personal Surety agent must post a $30,000.00 security deposit with the Mississippi
Insurance Department at the time the original application is filed. This security may be in the form of a
Certificate of Deposit, Treasury Bond or Note and made payable in the name of both the bail agent and
the Mississippi Insurance Department as set forth in Miss. Code Ann. § 83-39-7. No security will be
accepted with another person’s name or “Joint Right to Survivorship.” An Irrevocable Security Power
form must be completed by officers at the lending institution, signed by the bail agent and the original
attached to the security.
(5) Also for the Personal Surety agent: The lending institution may issue a Safekeeping Receipt instead of the
actual security to the Insurance Department. The Safekeeping Receipt must be an original and the following
language must be typed on the Receipt: “Pledged to the Mississippi Insurance Department as required by
law.” This Receipt must be attached to the copy of the security.
(6) The Professional Bail Agent must file an annual report for the previous calendar year, before June 1 of each
year as required by law. This form is available at: http://www.doi.state.ms.us/licensing/pbaannrpt.pdf . If
the Professional Bail Agent was not licensed during the previous calendar year, they may submit a
statement stating the license was not held during the previous year in lieu of submitting an annual report.
(7) Prelicensing education is not required for a professional bail agent (currently licensed) who applies for a
different category of license if the prior license has remained in effect without any action taken against it and the
applicant has successfully completed the continuing education requirements under this section for all periods
between the completion of prelicensing education and the submission of the application for a license in a
different category.
(8) As of July 1, 2011, continuing education shall not be required for renewal of a professional bail agent license for
any applicant who is sixty-five (65) years of age and who has been licensed as a professional bail agent for a
continuous period of twenty (20) years immediately preceding the submission of the application as evidenced by
submission of an affidavit, under oath, on a form prescribed by the department, signed by the licensee attesting
to satisfaction of the age, licensing, and experience requirements.
(9) A Personal Surety agent’s qualification bond may be released by the department to the agent upon an order to
release the qualification bond issued by a court of competent jurisdiction, or upon written request to the
department by the professional bail personal surety agent no earlier than five (5) years after the expiration date
of his last license.
(10) Non-Resident applicants must comply with all licensing requirements listed in paragraph (1).
(11) The license period for professional bail agents expires Sept. 30
th
of each odd numbered year. Follow-
up renewals will consist of 24-month license terms.
(12) For additional information, contact the Licensing Division at (601) 359-3582.
09/2012
