Surety Bail Bond Agent Registration Process

According to O.R.C. § 3905.87 and Local Court Rule #58

A list of all qualified and approved bail bond agents for the Delaware County Common Pleas Court General Division will be maintained by the Clerk of Courts.  Local Rule #58 of the Delaware County Common Pleas Court’s General Division explains the process for registration and qualification.

  1. REGISTRATION: All bail bond agents and surety companies seeking to do business in the Delaware County Common Pleas Court General Division must register and file their required credentials by the first day of April of each odd numbered year in accordance with O.R.C. § 3905.87.  If you are a licensed and insured bail bond agent and you did not register by the deadline of April 1, 2021, a Bail Bond Registration Application can be found at the link at the bottom of this page or from the Delaware County Clerk of Courts office.

Registration after April 1, 2021 (and every odd-numbered year) will require the filing of a petition and approval by the Common Pleas Court to be added to the court-approved list.  The Petition for Judicial Approval for Surety Bail Bond Agent Registration can be found at the link at the bottom of this page or from the Delaware County Clerk of Courts office.  Please note, the Court will review petitions on a quarterly basis.

Bail bond agents who are registered in Delaware County Common Pleas Court will be added to the bail bond agent registration list for the current registration period.  This list is made available to the appropriate holding facilities within the Court’s jurisdiction.  If a bail bond agent is removed from the eligibility list for any reason, the agent will be removed from the bail bond agent registration list.

  1. FAILURE TO PRODUCE: Upon a defendant’s failure to appear at a scheduled hearing or trial, unless good cause is shown, the Court will issue a warrant for the defendant’s arrest, revoke previously established Terms and Conditions of bond and order forfeiture of the posted surety bond.  A notice for a show cause hearing will be issued to the bail bond agent that he/she shall have not less than 45 days but not more than 60 days to bring the defendant before the Court.  If the bail bond agent is unable to secure the defendant’s appearance within this time frame, judgment will be entered against the bail bond agent and/or Surety Company and insurance company.  The bail bond agent will then be reported to the Ohio Department of Insurance, will be removed from the Delaware County bail bond agent eligibility list and his/her bail bond agent registration in the Delaware County Common Pleas Court will be revoked.
  2. CANCELLATION: Pursuant to O.R.C. §3905.932(K), a bail bond agent shall not execute a bond in this state if a judgment has been entered on a bond executed by the bail bond agent, which judgment has remained unpaid for at least 60 days, unless the full amount of the judgment is deposited with the Clerk of the Court.

Therefore, if a judgment remains unpaid for 60 days, registration with the Clerk of Courts pursuant to O.R.C. §3905.87 will be cancelled.  Pursuant to O.R.C. §3905.87(A), the bail bond agent will not thereafter be permitted to post bonds at the Delaware County Common Pleas Court until the current obligations are met and credentials are submitted for registration during the next registration period.