The Nine Places a Transfer Bond Cannot Go
- District of Columbia - D.C. releases almost all defendants on non-financial conditions through Pretrial Services. There is no commercial bail industry to transfer a bond into.
- Illinois - Illinois abolished commercial bail bonding and, under the Pretrial Fairness Act, eliminated cash bail entirely. No transfer bond is possible.
- Kentucky - Kentucky prohibited commercial bail bonding in 1976. Bail is posted directly with the court. No transfer bond is possible.
- Maine - Maine has no commercial bail bond industry. Bail is posted directly with the court or a bail commissioner.
- Massachusetts - Massachusetts uses bail magistrates and court-posted bail. No commercial bail bond industry operates.
- Nebraska - Nebraska prohibits commercial bail bonding. Defendants post 10% of bail directly with the court, refundable at case conclusion.
- Oregon - Oregon prohibits commercial bail bonding. Defendants deposit 10% of bail with the court directly. No transfer bond is possible.
- Vermont - Vermont has no commercial bail bond industry. Bail is posted directly with the court.
- Wisconsin - Wisconsin prohibited commercial bail bonding in 1979. Bail is posted with the clerk of court. No transfer bond is possible.
All Fifty States
Premium figures are typical market rates, not guarantees. Rate schedules are filed with state regulators and change. Confirm the exact number with the receiving surety before the client pays anything.
| State | Transfer | Regulator | Typical premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Available | Alabama Department of Insurance | 10-15% |
| Alaska | Available | Alaska Division of Insurance | 10% |
| Arizona | Available | Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions | 10% |
| Arkansas | Available | Arkansas Professional Bail Bondsman Licensing Board | 10% |
| California | Available | California Department of Insurance | 10% |
| Colorado | Available | Colorado Division of Insurance | 10-15% |
| Connecticut | Available | Connecticut Insurance Department / DESPP | Sliding scale set by regulation |
| Delaware | Available | Delaware Department of Insurance | 10% |
| District of Columbia | Not available | D.C. Pretrial Services Agency | - |
| Florida | Available | Florida Department of Financial Services | 10% statutory minimum |
| Georgia | Available | Sheriff of the county of issue | 12-15% |
| Hawaii | Available | Hawaii Insurance Division | 10% |
| Idaho | Available | Idaho Department of Insurance | 10% |
| Illinois | Not available | N/A | - |
| Indiana | Available | Indiana Department of Insurance | 10% |
| Iowa | Available | Iowa Insurance Division | 10% |
| Kansas | Available | Kansas Insurance Department | 10% |
| Kentucky | Not available | N/A | - |
| Louisiana | Available | Louisiana Department of Insurance | 12% |
| Maine | Not available | N/A | - |
| Maryland | Available | Maryland Insurance Administration; District Court of Maryland | 10% of the bond, filed with and approved by the Insurance Commissioner |
| Massachusetts | Not available | N/A | - |
| Michigan | Available | Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services | 10% |
| Minnesota | Available | Minnesota Department of Commerce | 10% |
| Mississippi | Available | Mississippi Department of Insurance | 10% |
| Missouri | Available | Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance | 10% |
| Montana | Available | Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance | 10% |
| Nebraska | Not available | N/A | - |
| Nevada | Available | Nevada Division of Insurance | 15% |
| New Hampshire | Available | New Hampshire Insurance Department | 10% |
| New Jersey | Available | New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance | 10% |
| New Mexico | Available | New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance | 10% |
| New York | Available | New York State Department of Financial Services | Sliding scale set by statute |
| North Carolina | Available | North Carolina Department of Insurance | 15% |
| North Dakota | Available | North Dakota Insurance Department | 10% |
| Ohio | Available | Ohio Department of Insurance | 10% |
| Oklahoma | Available | Oklahoma Insurance Department | 10% |
| Oregon | Not available | N/A | - |
| Pennsylvania | Available | Pennsylvania Insurance Department | 10% |
| Rhode Island | Available | Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation | 10% |
| South Carolina | Available | South Carolina Department of Insurance | 10-15% |
| South Dakota | Available | South Dakota Division of Insurance | 10% |
| Tennessee | Available | Approved by the court of each judicial district | 10% |
| Texas | Available | County Bail Bond Board (most counties); sheriff in counties without a board | 10-20% |
| Utah | Available | Utah Insurance Department | 10% |
| Vermont | Not available | N/A | - |
| Virginia | Available | Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) | 10% minimum, 15% maximum - set by Va. Code § 9.1-185.10 |
| Washington | Available | Washington State Department of Licensing | 10% |
| West Virginia | Available | West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner | 10% |
| Wisconsin | Not available | N/A | - |
| Wyoming | Available | Wyoming Department of Insurance | 10% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states can I not transfer a bail bond into?
Nine jurisdictions. Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon and Wisconsin have banned commercial bail bonding outright. The District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska and Vermont have no commercial bail industry at all. In each, bail is handled directly with the court.
Do premium rates change from state to state?
Significantly. Virginia caps the premium between 10 and 15 percent by statute. Nevada and North Carolina commonly run 15 percent. Texas has no statutory cap and rates vary county to county. On a transfer bond the receiving state's rate governs, not Virginia's.
Why do Texas and Georgia work differently?
Both license bondsmen locally rather than statewide. Texas approves them through county bail bond boards; Georgia through the sheriff of each county. A surety approved in one county has no standing in the next, so tell us the county and not just the state.
Does bail reform affect whether a transfer bond is possible?
It can. New Jersey and New York have both moved most cases toward non-monetary release, which can mean there is no bond to post at all. Before arranging anything we confirm that monetary bail was actually set.
Can a Virginia bondsman post a bond in another state?
No. Licenses are not transferable and there is no national reciprocity agreement. A transfer bond works by coordination: we underwrite and contract with you here, and a bondsman licensed in the receiving state executes the bond at the jail.
What information do you need to start a transfer bond?
Full legal name and date of birth, the exact facility, the booking number if you have it, the bond amount and the charge. From the co-signer: government identification, proof of address and a payment method.