If you want to learn how to become a bounty hunter in New Mexico under the direct supervision of a bail bondsman, you must complete the following:
Bounty hunters are not licensed or regulated in the State of New Mexico. However, according to the New Mexico Office of the Superintendent of Insurance (OSI), Agent Licensing Bureau, bail bondsmen are permitted to “arrest the accused and deliver him to the sheriff of the county,” thereby acting as a bounty hunter.
Further, solicitors, who must be appointed to work under the direct supervision of a bail bondsman, are permitted, according to New Mexico statue, to “assist in the apprehension and surrender of [a] defendant to the court.”
The Agent Licensing Bureau licenses both bail bondsmen and solicitors in the State of New Mexico. For purposes of this report, the term “bounty hunter” will refer to solicitors.
Step 1. Meet the Basic Requirements for Becoming a Bounty Hunter in New Mexico
To become a bounty hunter in New Mexico, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be a United States citizen
- Have no felony convictions
Step 2. Complete New Mexico’s Education Requirement
In order to be eligible to take the examination for bounty hunter and obtain licensure to work as a solicitor in New Mexico, you must complete at least 10 clock hours of formal classroom education in subjects related to the duties and responsibilities of becoming a bounty hunter, which includes ethics and laws related to the bail bond business.
Many individuals interested in learning how to become a bounty hunter seek their education through an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, most often in the field of criminal justice. Further, a degree in criminal justice or a similar program prepares many bounty hunters to go on to pursue careers in other areas of criminal justice or law enforcement.
View programs in New Mexico for bounty hunter educational training
Step 3. Complete On-the-Job Training in New Mexico
After completing the educational requirements, you must complete at least 30 hours of on-the-job training under the direct supervision of a sponsoring bail bondsman. Upon completion of the training program, the sponsoring bail bondsman must certify in writing that you have completed training that includes the duties and responsibilities associated with becoming a bounty hunter. This written statement means that you are prepared to take the examination to become licensed as a bounty hunter.
Step 4. Take the New Mexico Insurance Examination
The OSI has contracted with PSI to handle all aspects of the bounty hunter examination, including registering and scheduling for the examination and taking the examination. Bounty hunters in New Mexico take the bail bondsman licensure examination.
You must first complete a license application, the exam registration form and include a $75 examination fee (made payable to PSI) submitted to:
PSI New Mexico Processing Center
P.O. Box 28909
Santa Fe, NM 87592
You must also submit a set of fingerprint cards, along with $44 (made payable to PSI) to the above address. You can obtain your fingerprint cards by sending an e-mail request to [email protected].
PSI will contact you upon receiving your application packet, fingerprint cards, and application fee. Upon receiving notification from PSI, you can schedule the date, time, and location of the exam through the PSI Internet scheduling system. You may also schedule by phone at 1-800-733-9267. You must take your examination within 6 months of receiving notification to test from PSI or you will need to complete the application process again; therefore, it is important to register to take the exam in a timely manner.
Within New Mexico, you may schedule your exam at one of the following locations:
- Santa Fe
- Roswell
- Las Cruces
- Farmington
- Albuquerque
PSI recommends preparing to take the examination by taking the New Mexico bail bondsman online practice examination at www.psiexams.com.
The bail bondsman license exam is a computer-based examination that includes multiple-choice questions. You will have time before the start of the examination to familiarize yourself with the computer system. You must arrive at least 30 minutes before the start of the exam and bring your government-issued photo ID with you. You will not be able to take the exam without a valid photo ID.
Upon completion of the examination, the computer system will provide you with a pass or fail notification. PSI will notify the OSI of your passing status within 10 working days. However, if you fail the exam, you must wait at least one business day to register to retake the exam. If you fail the exam twice, you must wait at least 30 days to reschedule. If you fail the exam two more times, you must complete the registration process again.
Step 5. Apply for Licensure and Get to Work in New Mexico
After passing the bail bondsman examination, you must apply for licensure by completing, signing and returning the Individual Limited Surety application, along with an application fee of $30 (made payable to OSL), to:
Producer Licensing Bureau
P.O. Box 1689
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Upon applying for a bounty hunter license in New Mexico, you must be endorsed by your appointing bail bondsman, who will thereafter supervise your activities. The appointing bail bondsman must complete, sign and return the Solicitor Appointment form, along with a $20 application fee (made payable to OSL), to:
OSI
P.O. Box 1689
Santa Fe, NM 87504
Some of the largest bail bond companies in New Mexico include:
- All Pro Bail Bonds, Inc.
- Gerald Madrid Bonding
- Hank’s Bail Bonds
- Jackie Sanchez Bail Bonds
- Jerry Gonzales Bail Bonding, Inc.
- New Mexico Bonding, LLC
Step 6. Maintain your New Mexico License
To maintain your New Mexico bounty hunter license, which must be renewed annually, you must:
Complete at least 15 clock hours of continuing education each year. You must provide the OSI with proof of your continuing education by completing the Continuing Education Certificate of Completion form and mailing it to:
OSI Producer Licensing Bureau
P.O. Box 1689
Santa Fe, NM 87504
When you receive your renewal notice from your sponsoring bail bondsman within the first week of March, you’ll then complete your license renewal online through the National Insurance Producer Registry (NIPR), which includes paying the renewal fee of $20.
Sources: http://www.osi.state.nm.us/agent-licensing/
http://www.osi.state.nm.us/agent-licensing/forms-applications.html#individualapplications
http://public.nmcompcomm.us/nmpublic/gateway.dll/?f=templates&fn=default.htm