Florida · statute · Fla. Stat. ch. 648 · 49 active provisions
It is the public policy of this state and the intent of the Legislature that a bond for which fees or premiums are charged must be executed by a bail bond agent licensed pursuant to this chapter in connection with the pretrial or appellate release of a criminal defendant and shall be construed as a commitment by and ob…
As used in this chapter, the term:(1) “Appointment” means the authority given by an insurer or the managing general agent of an insurer through the department to a licensee to transact insurance or adjust claims on behalf of the insurer or managing general agent.(2) “Bail bond agency” means:(a) The building where a lic…
(1) The department shall administer the provisions of this chapter as provided in this chapter.(a) The department has authority to adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this chapter conferring powers or duties upon it.(b) The department may employ and discharge such employees,…
(1) A license may not be issued except in compliance with this chapter, and may not be issued except to an individual. A firm, partnership, association, or corporation, as such, may not be licensed.(2) For the protection of the people of this state, the department may not issue, renew, or permit to exist any license or…
The issuance of a license pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall confer upon the holder the right to perform all duties and powers as authorized or conferred by the laws of this state.
(1) A person may not own, control, manage, or otherwise have a pecuniary interest in a bail bond agency unless such individual is licensed pursuant to s. 648.27, appointed through the department, and actively engaged as a bail bond agent for at least the preceding 24 months. Any agency that is not in compliance with th…
(1) All build-up funds pledged to indemnify an insurer which are posted by a bail bond agent or agency with the insurer must be held in an individual build-up trust account for the agent or agency in an FDIC-approved or FSLIC-approved bank or savings and loan association in this state, jointly in the name of the agent…
(1) All premiums, return premiums, or other funds belonging to insurers or others received by a person licensed pursuant to this chapter in transactions under her or his license are trust funds received by the licensee in a fiduciary capacity, and the licensee must account for and pay the same to the insurer, insured,…
(1)(a) A person or entity may not act in the capacity of a bail bond agent or bail bond agency or perform any of the functions, duties, or powers prescribed for bail bond agents or bail bond agencies under this chapter unless that person or entity is qualified, licensed, and appointed as provided in this chapter.(b) A…
The department shall collect in advance all appointment taxes and fees for the issuance of any appointment to a bail bond agent as provided in s. 624.501. There is no fee for the issuance of any appointment to a bail bond agency.
After a license as a bail bond agent has been issued to an individual, the same individual is not required to file another application for a similar license unless:(1) Specifically ordered by the department to complete a new application; or(2) A period of 48 months transpires between the time the licensee’s last limite…
(1) Bail bond rates are subject to the provisions of part I of chapter 627 of the insurance code.(2) It is unlawful for a bail bond agent to execute a bail bond without charging a premium therefor, and the premium rate may not exceed or be less than the premium rate as filed with and approved by the office.(3) Any pers…
(1) An application for licensure as a bail bond agent must be submitted on forms prescribed by the department. The application must include the applicant’s full name; date of birth; social security number; residence, business, and mailing addresses; contact telephone numbers, including a business telephone number; and…
In addition to the qualifications prescribed in s. 648.34, to qualify as a professional bail bond agent an applicant shall:(1) File with his or her application for licensure and with each application for renewal or continuation of his or her appointment a detailed financial statement under oath; and(2) File with his or…
(1) The applicant shall furnish, with the application for license, a complete set of the applicant’s fingerprints in accordance with s. 626.171(4). The department may not issue a license under this section until the department has received a report from the Department of Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Invest…
Each licensee must maintain in his or her office such records of bail bonds executed or countersigned by him or her to enable the department to obtain all necessary information concerning such bail bonds for at least 3 years after the liability of the surety has been terminated. Such records shall be open to examinatio…
(1) Each insurer and each bail bond agent who writes bail bonds in this state, shall maintain and transmit the following information, based on their Florida bail bond business, to the department or office when requested and shall report the information separately for each company represented but only insurers shall rep…
(1) Upon approval by the department of a licensure application, the applicant for licensure as a bail bond agent shall appear in person to take a written examination prepared by the department, or by a person designated by the department for that purpose, testing the applicant’s ability and qualifications to be a bail…
Any applicant for licensure who has taken an examination and failed to make a passing grade, has failed to appear for the examination, or has failed to take or complete the examination at the time and place specified in the notice of the department may take additional examinations upon the filing of an application for…
(1)(a) Each insurer or managing general agent appointing a bail bond agent or bail bond agency in this state must file the appointment with the department and, at the same time, pay the applicable appointment fees and taxes. A person appointed under this section must hold a valid bail bond agent or bail bond agency lic…
(1) The appointment of a bail bond agent shall continue in force unless suspended, revoked, or otherwise terminated, subject to a renewal request filed by the appointing entity in the appointee’s birth month and every 24 months thereafter. A renewal request must be filed with the department or person designated by the…
(1) Upon the expiration of any person’s appointment as provided in s. 648.383, such person is without any authority to engage or attempt to engage in any activity requiring such appointment.(2) If a bail bond agent fails to maintain an appointment with an insurer during any 48-month period, the bail bond agent may not…
(1) The purpose of this section is to establish requirements and standards for continuing education courses for persons authorized to write bail bonds in this state.(2) Each person subject to this chapter must complete a minimum of 14 hours of continuing education courses every 2 years as specified in s. 626.2815.
(1) DEFINITION OF “CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION”.—As used in this section, the term “classroom instruction” means a course designed to be presented to a group of students by a live instructor using lecture, video, webcast, or virtual or other audio-video presentation.(2) SCHOOLS AND CURRICULUM FOR PRELICENSING SCHOOLS.—In ord…
(1) The owner or operator of a bail bond agency shall designate a bail bond agent in charge for each location, and shall file with the department the name and license number of the person and the address of the location on a form approved by the department. The designation of the bail bond agent in charge may be change…