{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/9.1-185.4.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/9.1-185.4.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/9.1-185.4.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/9.1-185.4.html"}],"law_id":80999,"edition_id":1,"section_id":80999,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.4","catch_line":"Limitations on licensure","history":"2004, c. 460; 2007, c. 133; 2008, c. 438; 2014, c. 84.","full_text":"A\n\nIn order to be licensed as a bail bondsman a person shall (i) be 18 years of age or older, (ii) have received a high school diploma or passed a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of Education, and (iii) have successfully completed the bail bondsman exam required by the Board or successfully completed prior to July 1, 2005, a surety bail bondsman exam required by the State Corporation Commission under former § 38.2-1865.7.B\n\nThe following persons are not eligible for licensure as bail bondsmen and may not be employed nor serve as the agent of a bail bondsman:1\n\nPersons who have been convicted of a felony within the Commonwealth, any other state, or the United States, who have not been pardoned, or whose civil rights have not been restored;2\n\nEmployees of a local or regional jail;3\n\nEmployees of a sheriff’s office;4\n\nEmployees of a state or local police department;5\n\nPersons appointed as conservators of the peace pursuant to Article 4.1 (§ 9.1-150.1 et seq.) of this chapter;6\n\nEmployees of an office of an attorney for the Commonwealth;7\n\nEmployees of the Department of Corrections, Department of Criminal Justice Services, or a local pretrial or community-based probation services agency; and8\n\nSpouses of or any persons residing in the same household as persons referred to in subdivisions 2 through 7 who are sworn officers or whose responsibilities involve direct access to records of inmates.C\n\nThe exclusions in subsection B shall not be construed to limit the ability of a licensed bail bondsman to employ or contract with a licensed bail enforcement agent authorized to do business in the Commonwealth.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":290295,"text":"In order to be licensed as a bail bondsman a person shall (i) be 18 years of age or older, (ii) have received a high school diploma or passed a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of Education, and (iii) have successfully completed the bail bondsman exam required by the Board or successfully completed prior to July 1, 2005, a surety bail bondsman exam required by the State Corporation Commission under former § 38.2-1865.7.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":290296,"text":"The following persons are not eligible for licensure as bail bondsmen and may not be employed nor serve as the agent of a bail bondsman:","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"B1"},"2":{"id":290297,"text":"Persons who have been convicted of a felony within the Commonwealth, any other state, or the United States, who have not been pardoned, or whose civil rights have not been restored;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"B1","prefix_anchor":"B1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"B2"},"3":{"id":290298,"text":"Employees of a local or regional jail;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"B2","prefix_anchor":"B2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B1","next_prefix":"B3"},"4":{"id":290299,"text":"Employees of a sheriff’s office;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"B3","prefix_anchor":"B3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B2","next_prefix":"B4"},"5":{"id":290300,"text":"Employees of a state or local police department;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"B4","prefix_anchor":"B4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B3","next_prefix":"B5"},"6":{"id":290301,"text":"Persons appointed as conservators of the peace pursuant to Article 4.1 (§ 9.1-150.1 et seq.) of this chapter;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"B5","prefix_anchor":"B5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B4","next_prefix":"B6"},"7":{"id":290302,"text":"Employees of an office of an attorney for the Commonwealth;","type":"section","prefixes":["B","6"],"prefix":"6","entire_prefix":"B6","prefix_anchor":"B6","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B5","next_prefix":"B7"},"8":{"id":290303,"text":"Employees of the Department of Corrections, Department of Criminal Justice Services, or a local pretrial or community-based probation services agency; and","type":"section","prefixes":["B","7"],"prefix":"7","entire_prefix":"B7","prefix_anchor":"B7","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B6","next_prefix":"B8"},"9":{"id":290304,"text":"Spouses of or any persons residing in the same household as persons referred to in subdivisions 2 through 7 who are sworn officers or whose responsibilities involve direct access to records of inmates.","type":"section","prefixes":["B","8"],"prefix":"8","entire_prefix":"B8","prefix_anchor":"B8","level":2,"prior_prefix":"B7","next_prefix":"C"},"10":{"id":290305,"text":"The exclusions in subsection B shall not be construed to limit the ability of a licensed bail bondsman to employ or contract with a licensed bail enforcement agent authorized to do business in the Commonwealth.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B8"}},"ancestry":[{"id":13031,"edition_id":1,"name":"Bail Bondsmen","identifier":"11","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12897,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:10","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:10","permalink":{"id":284635,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13031,"identifier":"11","token":"9.1\/1\/11","url":"\/9.1\/1\/11\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12897,"edition_id":1,"name":"Department of Criminal Justice Services","identifier":"1","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12896,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":284489,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12897,"identifier":"1","token":"9.1\/1","url":"\/9.1\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12896,"edition_id":1,"name":"Commonwealth Public Safety","identifier":"9.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:59","permalink":{"id":284487,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12896,"identifier":"9.1","token":"9.1","url":"\/9.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":79481,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/9.1-185\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185","metadata":false},{"id":57721,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.1","catch_line":"Inapplicability of this article","url":"\/9.1-185.1\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.1","metadata":false},{"id":65288,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.10","catch_line":"Collateral received in the course of business; standards and requirements","url":"\/9.1-185.10\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.10","metadata":false},{"id":54096,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.11","catch_line":"Firearms, training and usage; standards and requirements","url":"\/9.1-185.11\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.11","metadata":false},{"id":62447,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.12","catch_line":"Uniforms and identification; standards and restrictions","url":"\/9.1-185.12\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.12","metadata":false},{"id":55531,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.13","catch_line":"Documentation and recordkeeping standards and requirements","url":"\/9.1-185.13\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.13","metadata":false},{"id":56701,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.14","catch_line":"Reporting standards and requirements","url":"\/9.1-185.14\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.14","metadata":false},{"id":71199,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.15","catch_line":"Recovery of bailees; methods of capture; standards and requirements; limitations","url":"\/9.1-185.15\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.15","metadata":false},{"id":56282,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.16","catch_line":"Department submission to the State Corporation Commission","url":"\/9.1-185.16\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.16","metadata":false},{"id":87309,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.17","catch_line":"Department submissions to local and regional correctional facilities","url":"\/9.1-185.17\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.17","metadata":false},{"id":72995,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.18","catch_line":"Penalties","url":"\/9.1-185.18\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.18","metadata":false},{"id":58599,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.2","catch_line":"Powers of the Criminal Justice Services Board relating to bail bondsmen","url":"\/9.1-185.2\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.2","metadata":false},{"id":72276,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.3","catch_line":"Powers of Department of Criminal Justice Services relating to bail bondsmen","url":"\/9.1-185.3\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.3","metadata":false},{"id":80999,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.4","catch_line":"Limitations on licensure","url":"\/9.1-185.4\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.4","metadata":false},{"id":69915,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.5","catch_line":"Bail bondsman licensure requirements","url":"\/9.1-185.5\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.5","metadata":false},{"id":60799,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.6","catch_line":"Licenses; renewal","url":"\/9.1-185.6\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.6","metadata":false},{"id":54481,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.7","catch_line":"Licensure of nonresidents","url":"\/9.1-185.7\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.7","metadata":false},{"id":56525,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.8","catch_line":"Professional conduct standards; grounds for disciplinary actions","url":"\/9.1-185.8\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.8","metadata":false},{"id":68649,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.9","catch_line":"Solicitation of business; standards; restrictions and requirements","url":"\/9.1-185.9\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":72276,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.3","catch_line":"Powers of Department of Criminal Justice Services relating to bail bondsmen","url":"\/9.1-185.3\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.3","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":69915,"structure_id":13031,"section_number":"9.1-185.5","catch_line":"Bail bondsman licensure requirements","url":"\/9.1-185.5\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.5","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/9.1-185.4\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2004. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 460<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 3 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2007, chapter 133<\/a>; in 2008, chapter 438<\/a>; in 2014, chapter 84<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":74519,"section_number":"9.1-150.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/9.1-150.1\/"}],"permalink":{"id":284689,"object_type":"law","relational_id":80999,"identifier":"9.1-185.4","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.4","url":"\/9.1-185.4\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/9.1-185.4\/","token":"9.1\/1\/11\/9.1-185.4","dublin_core":{"Title":"Limitations on licensure","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 9.1-185.4","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> In order<\/span> to be licensed as a bail bondsman a person shall (i) be 18 years of age or older, (ii) have received a high school diploma or passed a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board<\/span> of Education, and (iii) have successfully completed the bail bondsman exam required by the Board<\/span> or successfully completed prior to July 1, 2005, a surety bail bondsman<\/span> exam required by the State Corporation Commission under former § 38.2-1865.7. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The following persons are not eligible for licensure as bail bondsmen and may not be employed nor serve as the agent<\/span> of a bail bondsman: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> Persons who have been convicted of a felony<\/span> within the Commonwealth, any other state, or the United States, who have not been pardoned, or whose civil rights have not been restored; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> Employees of a local or regional jail; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> Employees of a sheriff’s office; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> Employees of a state or local police<\/span> department<\/span>; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> Persons appointed as conservators of the peace pursuant to Article 4.1 (§ 9.1-150.1<\/a> et seq.) of this chapter; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

6.<\/span> Employees of an office of an attorney for the Commonwealth; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

7.<\/span> Employees of the Department<\/span> of Corrections, Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services, or a local pretrial or community-based probation<\/span> services agency; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

8.<\/span> Spouses of or any persons residing in the same household as persons referred to in subdivisions 2 through 7 who are sworn officers or whose responsibilities involve direct access to records of inmates. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The exclusions in subsection B shall not be construed to limit the ability of a licensed bail bondsman to employ or contract<\/span> with a licensed bail enforcement agent<\/span> authorized to do business in the Commonwealth. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLIMITATIONS ON LICENSURE (\u00a7 9.1-185.4)\n\nA. In order to be licensed as a bail bondsman a person shall (i) be 18 years of\nage or older, (ii) have received a high school diploma or passed a high school\nequivalency examination approved by the Board of Education, and (iii) have\nsuccessfully completed the bail bondsman exam required by the Board or\nsuccessfully completed prior to July 1, 2005, a surety bail bondsman exam\nrequired by the State Corporation Commission under former § 38.2-1865.7.\n\nB. The following persons are not eligible for licensure as bail bondsmen and may\nnot be employed nor serve as the agent of a bail bondsman:\n\n 1. Persons who have been convicted of a felony within the Commonwealth, any\n other state, or the United States, who have not been pardoned, or whose civil\n rights have not been restored;\n\n 2. Employees of a local or regional jail;\n\n 3. Employees of a sheriff’s office;\n\n 4. Employees of a state or local police department;\n\n 5. Persons appointed as conservators of the peace pursuant to Article 4.1\n (§ 9.1-150.1 et seq.) of this chapter;\n\n 6. Employees of an office of an attorney for the Commonwealth;\n\n 7. Employees of the Department of Corrections, Department of Criminal Justice\n Services, or a local pretrial or community-based probation services agency;\n and\n\n 8. Spouses of or any persons residing in the same household as persons\n referred to in subdivisions 2 through 7 who are sworn officers or whose\n responsibilities involve direct access to records of inmates.\n\nC. The exclusions in subsection B shall not be construed to limit the ability of\na licensed bail bondsman to employ or contract with a licensed bail enforcement\nagent authorized to do business in the Commonwealth.\n\nHISTORY: 2004, c. 460; 2007, c. 133; 2008, c. 438; 2014, c. 84.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}