A. The application for license to serve as a bail bondsman shall affirmatively show that the applicant:
1. Is a person who has reached the age of twenty-one (21) years;
2. Has not been previously convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contendere to, any felony crime that substantially relates to the occupation of a bail bondsman and poses a reasonable threat to public safety;
3. Is a citizen of the United States;
4. Has been a bona fide resident of the state for at least one (1) year;
5. Will actively engage in the bail bond business;
6. Has knowledge or experience, or has received instruction in the bail bond business; and
7. Has a high school diploma or its equivalent; provided, however, the provisions of this paragraph shall apply only to initial applications for license submitted on or after November 1, 1997, and shall not apply to renewal applications for license.
B. The applicant shall apply electronically on forms approved by the Insurance Commissioner, and the Commissioner may propound any reasonable interrogatories to an applicant for a license pursuant to Sections 1301 through 1341 of this title, or on any renewal thereof, relating to qualifications, residence, prospective place of business and any other matters which, in the opinion of the Commissioner, are deemed necessary or expedient in order to protect the public and ascertain the qualifications of the applicant. The Commissioner may also conduct any reasonable inquiry or investigation relative to the determination of the fitness of the applicant to be licensed or to continue to be licensed including, but not limited to, requiring a national criminal history record check as defined by Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The Commissioner may require any documents reasonably necessary to verify the information in the application.
C. An applicant shall furnish to the Commissioner a license fee of Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) with the application, two complete sets of the fingerprints of the applicant and a recent credential-size full face photograph of the applicant. The fingerprints of the applicant shall be certified by an authorized law enforcement officer. The applicant shall provide with the application an investigative fee of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) with which the Commissioner will conduct an investigation of the applicant. All fees shall be nonrefundable.
D. In addition to the license fee set forth in subsection C of this section, an applicant for a multicounty agent bondsman license shall furnish to the Commissioner a license fee of Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00).
E. Failure of the applicant to secure approval of the Commissioner shall not preclude the applicant from reapplying, but a second application shall not be considered by the Commissioner within three (3) months after denial of the last application.
F. The fee for a duplicate pocket license shall be Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00).
G. As used in this section:
1. "Substantially relates" means the nature of criminal conduct for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the fitness or ability to perform one or more of the duties or responsibilities necessarily related to the occupation; and
2. "Poses a reasonable threat" means the nature of criminal conduct for which the person was convicted involved an act or threat of harm against another and has a bearing on the fitness or ability to serve the public or work with others in the occupation.
Added by Laws 1965, c. 184, § 5, eff. Jan. 1, 1966. Amended by Laws 1984, c. 225, § 5, emerg. eff. May 23, 1984; Laws 1987, c. 211, § 7, eff. Nov. 1, 1987; Laws 1992, c. 98, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1992; Laws 1995, c. 357, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1995; Laws 1997, c. 251, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1997; Laws 1997, c. 418, § 120, eff. Nov. 1, 1997; Laws 2003, c. 204, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 2003; Laws 2010, c. 222, § 55, eff. Nov. 1, 2010; Laws 2011, c. 242, § 12 and Laws 2011, c. 293, § 12, eff. June 20, 2011; Laws 2012, c. 82, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2012; Laws 2014, c. 53, § 2, eff. July 1, 2014; Laws 2017, c. 161, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2017; Laws 2019, c. 363, § 46, eff. Nov. 1, 2019.
NOTE: Laws 2011, c. 242, § 12 and Laws 2011, c. 293, § 12 made identical changes to this section.