Some Bail Bonds Businesses are soliciting unlawfully – Read below about Solicitation and Transfer Fees!
Here at A Absolute Bail Bonds – We are “By The Book”
Bail Bond Transfer Fees
The transfer fee that can be lawfully charged under 69B-221.105(1), F.A.C. must be paid to ANOTHER bail bond agent for handling the transfer, not the writing agent. The original bond and the transfer bond must be maintained in separate files and apart from each other.
Recently, a bail bond agent charged $100 calling it a “transfer fee” because she chose to travel to another county to post a bond. The transfer fee is only to be paid to ANOTHER bail bond agent for the agent’s courtesy for facilitating the bond transfer.
Solicitation of Bail Bond Business
We’ve recently received complaints about bail bond agents soliciting business unlawfully. Florida Statutes 648.44 prohibits:
- Directly or indirectly soliciting business in or on the property or grounds of a jail, prison, or other place where prisoners are confined or in or on the property or grounds of any court. The term “solicitation” includes the distribution of business cards, print advertising, or other written or oral information directed to prisoners or potential indemnitors, unless a request is initiated by the prisoner or a potential indemnitor. Permissible print advertising in the jail is strictly limited to a listing in a telephone directory and the posting of the bail bond agent’s or agency’s name, address, and telephone number in a designated location within the jail.
- Initiate in-person or telephone solicitation after 9:00 p.m. or before 8:00 a.m., in the case of domestic violence cases, at the residence of the detainee or the detainee’s family at any time.
- Any solicitation not prohibited by this chapter must comply with the telephone solicitation requirements in Florida Statutes 501.059(2)(4), 501.613, and 501.616(6).
This is an excerpt about Solicitation and Transfer Fees from http://www.myfloridacfo.com/division/agents/newsletter/Archive/2016/May/ComplianceCorner.htm