Professional Bondman, Runner and Surety Bondsman

GENERAL INFORMATION ON THE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROFESSIONAL BONDSMAN, RUNNER AND SURETY BONDSMAN

Act 189 of 1985, as amended by Act 356 of 1986, requires that the Director of Insurance issue a license to Professional Bondsmen, Runners and Surety Bondsmen, effective May 1, 1986.  All persons who desire licensing as Professional Bondsmen and Runners are required to register with one of the approved technical colleges.  You must pass the examination and receive a certificate which must accompany the Insurance Department Application, Form BB1100.  Applicants' registration and $20.00 examination fee must be mailed to the technical college in advance to reserve a place for the examination.  See PreLicensing Examination Locations.

A background investigation will be conducted by the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) records will be checked on each Professional Bondsman/Runner applicant. No person will be licensed if he or she has been convicted of, or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to a charge involving a felony of a crime of moral turpitude within the last ten years.

PROFESSIONAL BONDSMAN REQUIREMENTS

1. Successfully complete the examination and obtain a certificate which is to accompany the application.
    

2. File a completed application for license as a Professional Bondsman, Form BB1100.
    

3. Attach a passport size photograph to the application.
    

4. Submit a non-refundable fee of $400.00. Checks should be made payable to the South Carolina Department of Insurance.
    

5. Submit two (2) fingerprint cards. The applicant's fingerprints must be certified by an authorized law enforcement officer. The top portion of the cards must be completed in their entirety.
    

6. Complete and file a Professional Bondsman Financial Statement, Form BB1106.

RUNNER REQUIREMENTS

1. Successfully complete the examination and obtain a certificate which is to accompany the application.
    

2. File a completed application for license as a Runner, Form BB1100.
    

3. Attach a passport size photograph to the application.
    

4. Submit a non-refundable fee of $ 200.00. Checks should be made payable to the South Carolina Department of Insurance.
    

5. Submit two (2) fingerprint cards which are already coded for the S.C. Insurance Department. The applicant's fingerprints must be certified by an authorized law enforcement officer. The top portion of the cards must be completed in their entirety.
    

6. A Runner can only represent one Professional Bondsman. Submit an appointment for Runner, Form BB1102.
    

7. A Runner may be authorized to execute bail bonds by a Professional Bondsman. If a Runner is to have this authority, a Power of Attorney-Bail Bond Runner, Form BB1104, is to be submitted.

SURETY BONDSMAN REQUIREMENTS

1. A person must follow the normal procedure for appointment as a surety agent by an insurer authorized to write the surety class of insurance in South Carolina. This includes completion of the Prelicensing Educational Requirements S.C. Code Ann. 38-43-105(1995 Supp.), and compliance with the Continuing Education Requirements S.C. Code Ann. 38-43-106 (1995 Supp.).
    

2. The surety Insurer must submit an Appointment of Surety Bondsman, Form BB1107, for individual.
    

3. The surety insurer can withdraw the Appointment of Surety Bondsman by filing the Termination of Appointment of a Surety Bondman, Form BB1108.
    

4. A Surety Bondsman cannot give a Runner power of attorney to execute bail bonds.
    

5. A surety insurer may appoint one or more Surety Bondsmen for each place of business and all such bondsmen shall have power of attorney to execute or countersign bail bonds.
    

6. Since a surety bondsman is a licensed resident surety agent, his activities as a surety bondsman is an extension of his agent's authority. S.C. Code Ann. 38-43-30 (1995 Supp.) requires that when an agent is operating under a corporate or trade name, he must obtain an agency license. A surety bondsman operating under a trade name is likewise required to obtain an agency license. Once the agency is licensed, any number of licensed agents (surety Bondsmen) may represent the organization. Please request appropriate forms for making application as an agency in the event the organization you intend to represent is not licensed.

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. All fees are fully earned when paid and non-refundable, regardless of whether a license is issued.
    

2. Only individual natural persons who are South Carolina residents can be licensed as a Professional Bondsmen, Runners, or Surety Bondsmen. Any trade name used must be shown on the application for license. The Department of Insurance must be advised immediately of any change in trade name, business or residence address.
    

3. The original license issued by the Department of Insurance is to be filed with the Clerk of Court in the county where the principle place of business is located, and the Clerk can provide certified copies to be filed with the other counties in which the Bondsman is to conduct a bail bond business.
    

4. The questions on the Professional Bondsman / Runner examination are taken from S.C. Code Ann. 38-53-10 through 38-53-340. If such applicant fails the examination, he or she must wait six (6) months before taking the examination a second time.
    

5. A Professional Bondsman can cancel the appointment of a Runner by executing a Termination of Appointment of Runner, Form BB1103, and withdraw the power of attorney of the Runner to post bonds by filing a Revocation of Power of Attorney Bail Bond Runner, Form BB1105.

Please contact Mr. Willie Seawright, Phone (803) 737-6134 at the S.C. Insurance Department concerning any questions regarding the licensing of Professional Bondsmen, Runners or Surety Bondsmen.

1201 Main Street, Suite 1000
Columbia, South Carolina 29201
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Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 100105, Columbia, S.C. 29202-3105