Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 153-X-4 — License Renewal and Continuing Education

153 Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board

Ala. Admin. Code r. 153-X-4-.01 License Renewal And Continuing Education

(1) All professional bail companies, professional surety companies, professional bondsmen, professional surety bondsmen, and recovery agents, commencing and/or conducting business in any judicial circuit in this state, shall obtain and maintain a current license, which shall expire each year on October 31 at 11:59 p.m., unless renewed within the time allowed as set forth herein. Once a license has expired, an individual and/or company shall immediately cease and desist from providing bail bond and/or recovery services as providing bail bond or recovery agent services under an expired license is prohibited. Once a license expires, an individual and/or company cannot request inactive status.

(2) A completed renewal application and assessed late fee penalty, if applicable, must be received by the Board's office no later than October 31 at 11:59 p.m. on each year to prevent expiration. Upon the Board's timely receipt of the licensee's completed renewal application, background check, proof of required education and assessed late fee penalty, if applicable, said renewal application will be processed within a reasonable time after the Board's office has received the same. An individual may not provide bail bond or recovery agent services under an expired license.

(3) Licensees who fail to complete the required continuing education program will not be re-1icensed for the upcoming-renewal period. Licensees desiring to have their licenses reinstated must attend a continuing education class offered in the current licensing period before a license will be issued. A second continuing education class must be attended for a licensee to obtain a license for the following-renewal period.

(4) The Board will notify all individuals with an expired license of their license status in writing, will notify their employer of record, and will post their name on the Board website. The Board's Executive Director or its designee will follow up on each expired license to ensure that bail bond services are not being provided under an expired license. Persons providing any type of bail services under an expired license are subject to disciplinary action by the Board.

History

• Author: Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§15-13-202, 15-13-217.
• New Rule: Published June 30, 2020; effective August 14, 2020; operative upon approval by Joint Committee on November 10, 2020. Amended: Published September 30, 2022; effective November 14, 2022. Amended: Published August 30, 2024; effective October 14, 2024.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 153-X-4-.02 Renewal Application Deadlines

(1) Renewal applications must be received at the Board's office by September 30th of each year. All licensees shall submit renewal applications in accordance with the Board's application requirements (which annually require a minimum number of hours of educational or instructional courses, unless exempted) and the background check to the Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board electronically at www.apbb.alabama.gov or via certified mail to the Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board office. The Board's application requirements are located at www.apbb.alabama.gov and the renewal application forms can be located on-1ine at www.apbb.alabama.gov. Failure to receive a renewal application form from the Board shall not constitute an excuse for a licensee's failure to renew a license and shall not constitute an excuse for a licensee's failure to timely renew a license.

(2) Renewal applications received at the Board's office after September 30th and by October 31st will be processed; however, the applicant will pay a renewal license fee of twice the amount otherwise required. Said renewal license fee must be received at the Board's office when the completed renewal application form is received at the Board's office for the renewal application to be deemed properly submitted and subsequently processed.

(3) Renewal application forms received after 11:59 p.m. on October 31st, will be processed on the licensees' expired license; however, the applicant will pay a renewal license fee of twice the amount otherwise required. Said renewal license fee must be received at the Board's office when the completed renewal application form is received at the Board's office for the renewal application to be deemed properly submitted and subsequently processed.

(4) Licensees must have completed the applicable minimum continuing education or instructional hours for their license to be renewed. (See 153-X-4-.06) A company owner, who is at least 55 years of age and has five (5) years of experience in the profession, shall only be required to complete four (4) hours of continuing education. See Code of Ala. 1975, §15-13-217(b).

History

• Author: Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§15-13-202, 15-13-217.
• New Rule: Published September 30, 2022; effective November 14, 2022. Amended: Published May 31, 2024; effective July 15, 2024.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 153-X-4-.03 Failure To Meet License Renewal Deadline

(1) A license will be designated as "Expired" effective November 1st of each year if the Board has not received a licensee's completed renewal application form and assessed late fee penalty, if applicable, by 11:59 p.m. on October 31st• Once a license has expired, an individual and/or company must immediately cease and desist from providing bail bond and/or recovery services as an individual and/or company is prohibited from providing bail bond or recovery agent services under an expired license. Once a license expired, an individual and/or company cannot request inactive status.

(2) The license status remains "Expired" until the licensee receives official written notification from the Board's office that states that the licensee's "Expired" license has been reinstated.

History

• Author: Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§15-13-202, 15-13-217.
• New Rule: Published September 30, 2022; effective November 14, 2022.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 153-X-4-.04 Reinstatement Of An Expired License

(1) A license expires if a completed renewal application and late fee penalty, if applicable, is not received at the Board's office by 11:59 p.m. on October 31st each year. A licensees' expired license can be reinstated under the following limited conditions:

(2) By submitting a completed renewal application form (with the necessary applicable education or instructional course hours) and an assessed late fee penalty of $125.00 to the Board which will be processed by the Board so long as both the completed renewal application form and assessed late fee penalty are received by the Board's office within 12 months of expiration.

(3) Personal checks and/or cash will NOT be accepted with the renewal application form.

History

• Author: Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§15-13-202, 15-13-217.
• New Rule: Published September 30, 2022; effective November 14, 2022.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 153-X-4-.05 Required Continuing Education To Be Licensed

(1) Licensees shall annually complete not fewer than eight (8) hours of continuing education courses presented by a Board- approved provider which shall be published on the Board's website except for the following stated limited exception and exemptions:

(a) Licensees who commencing business i.e., began working for the first time as a professional bondsman, professional surety bondsman and/or as a recovery agent on or after June 1, 2020, shall complete an initial 16-hour instructional course in lieu of the eight (8) hours of continuing education courses for that licensure cycle.

(b) Professional bail Company Owners who are 55 years of age and have a least 5 years of experience must only complete 4 hours of continuing education, and

(c) Professional Bail Company Owners or Professional Bondsmen who are 65 years of age or older and have at least 15 years' experience are exempt from continuing education requirements.

(d) Licensees who fail to complete the applicable annually-required continuing education course hours from a Board-approved provider or, if applicable, fail to complete the initial 16-hour instructional courses program will not be re-1icensed and their license will not be renewed until they are in full compliance with Board requirements. Licensees desiring to have their licenses timely renewed or reinstated must attend and complete the applicable number of continuing education course hours or instruction course hours before a license will be renewed or reinstated and these continuing education or instructional course hours will only apply toward fulfilling the past deficient hours required for the past renewal or licensing period. The licensee must then also complete and attend the applicable annually-required continuing education course hours from a "board-approved" provider to obtain and/or renew a license for the current renewal period. The same educational hours cannot be applied twice.

History

• Author: Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§15-13-202, 15-13-217.
• New Rule: Published September 30, 2022; effective November 14, 2022.

Ala. Admin. Code r. 153-X-4-.06 Notification Of Expired License

The Board will notify all individuals and companies with an expired license of their expired license status in writing and will notify the individual's employer of record and will post the name of each individual and/or company with an expired license on the Board's website. The Board's Executive Director of the Board's designee will follow up on each expired license to ensure that bail bond services are not being provided under an expired license. Individuals and/or companies providing any type of bail services under an expired license are subject to disciplinary action by the Board in addition to criminal charges.

History

• Author: Alabama Professional Bail Bonding Board
• Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§15-13-202, 15-13-217.
• New Rule: Published September 30, 2022; effective November 14, 2022.