North Carolina Bail Bondsman Exam 2026 |
Actual Exam Question with Verified Correct
Answers and Detailed Rationales (Latest Update)
1. Before a surety bondsman can write a bond, he must:
Correct Answer: Be listed on the Electronic Bondsmen Registry. ✓
Rationale: North Carolina law requires all licensed bondsmen to be registered with the
Electronic Bondsmen Registry (EBR) maintained by the NC Administrative Office of the Courts.
This allows magistrates and clerks to verify the bondsman's authority to write bonds.
2. Which of the following is a bail bondsman legally allowed to do?
Correct Answer: Post bonds in any county in North Carolina. ✓
Rationale: A licensed bail bondsman in North Carolina has statewide authority to post bonds.
Once licensed, they are not restricted to a specific county and can operate throughout the state.
3. A bondsman who doesn't pay premium he owes to an insurer is guilty of:
Correct Answer: Misappropriation. ✓
Rationale: Misappropriation is the illegal use of funds entrusted to the bondsman. Premiums
collected from defendants must be forwarded to the surety company. Failing to do so is a
criminal offense and violates NC bail bond laws.
4. A professional bail bondsman who willfully falsifies a monthly report is guilty of a:
Correct Answer: Class I Felony. ✓
Rationale: Under NCGS 58-71, willfully falsifying a monthly report submitted to the Department
of Insurance is a Class I felony. This is a serious offense that can result in imprisonment and
license revocation.
5. In a bail bond office, an unlicensed person can be hired to:
Correct Answer: Perform normal office duties. ✓
Rationale: Unlicensed office staff may perform clerical, administrative, and reception duties.
pg. 1
,However, they cannot engage in the actual writing of bonds, negotiating premiums, or providing
bail bond services to the public, as those activities require a license.
6. With the exception of the felonies cited in NCGS 58-71, the maximum charge for a bondsman
violating any other bail bond law is:
Correct Answer: Class 1 Misdemeanor. ✓
Rationale: Most violations of bail bond statutes that are not specifically designated as felonies
are classified as Class 1 misdemeanors in North Carolina. This can result in fines and possible
jail time.
7. If a bondsman doesn't return collateral valued at $1,000 within 15 days after his defendant's
case is over, he can be convicted of a:
Correct Answer: Class 1 Misdemeanor. ✓
Rationale: Failure to return collateral valued at $1,000 or less within 15 days of bond discharge
is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bondsman must promptly return collateral when the bond liability
terminates.
8. Under NCGS 58-71, which is a Class I Felony?
Correct Answer: Failing to return collateral that has a value of over $1,500; a professional
bondsman willfully falsifying a monthly report. ✓
Rationale: Both of these offenses are classified as Class I felonies. Failure to return high-value
collateral ($1,500+) constitutes a felony due to the significant financial harm to the principal or
indemnitor.
9. Your defendant missed his court date. In order to get off the bond, you must:
Correct Answer: Surrender the defendant and file a motion to strike the forfeiture. ✓
Rationale: When a defendant fails to appear (FTA), a forfeiture notice is issued. To avoid or
minimize liability, the bondsman must surrender the defendant to the sheriff and then file a
motion to strike or set aside the forfeiture with the court.
10. As a licensed bail agent in NC, you may:
Correct Answer: Surrender your defendant to the sheriff at any time. ✓
Rationale: A bondsman has the authority to surrender a defendant to the sheriff or magistrate at
pg. 2
,any time, including before a breach of bond conditions. This action releases the bondsman from
further liability.
11. Bondsmen are authorized to check ACIS (AOC Criminal Information System) to:
Correct Answer: Check criminal case dispositions. ✓
Rationale: ACIS is the Administrative Office of the Courts Criminal Information System.
Bondsmen may access it to check case status, verify court dates, and confirm dispositions.
Misuse of ACIS is a violation and can result in penalties.
12. In NC, a bail agent cannot legally do any of the following, except:
Correct Answer: Accept a boat valued at $7,000 and a guitar valued at $2,000 as collateral for a
$10,000 bond. ✓
Rationale: Accepting non-cash collateral (boats, guitars, property) is legal provided the
bondsman follows statutory requirements: the collateral value must not exceed the bond amount,
and proper receipts must be issued.
13. When his defendant's case is over, if a bondsman does not return collateral worth over
$1,500, he is guilty of:
Correct Answer: A Class I felony. ✓
Rationale: Failure to return high-value collateral ($1,500+) within 15 days of bond discharge is
a Class I felony. This emphasizes the seriousness of collateral management for the bondsman.*
14. A NC bail bondsman may accept a premium of:
Correct Answer: Up to 15% of the bond amount (no minimum). ✓
Rationale: North Carolina law caps the premium at 15% of the bond amount. There is no
statutory minimum; a bondsman may charge less than 15% or even $0.
15. An NC bail bondsman may legally do all of the following, except:
Correct Answer: Paying an unlicensed bounty hunter to apprehend a defendant. ✓
Rationale: Only licensed bail bondsmen (or their licensed runners) may apprehend or surrender
a defendant. Hiring an unlicensed "bounty hunter" is illegal and constitutes unauthorized
practice.
pg. 3
, 16. The maximum referral fee a bondsman is legally allowed to pay is:
Correct Answer: $0.00 (no referral fees are allowed). ✓
Rationale: North Carolina law prohibits paying referral fees to finders (e.g., attorneys, police
officers, inmates) for referring clients. This prevents unethical solicitation and fee-splitting.
17. In NC, a bail bondsman may:
Correct Answer: Run ads in the local newspaper. ✓
Rationale: Advertising is permitted, provided it is not false or misleading. Banners, signs,
newspaper ads, and yellow page listings are legal forms of advertising.
18. A bail bondsman may do all of the following, with the exception of:
Correct Answer: Charging a fee in order to not surrender a defendant; paying a defendant to
solicit business; paying an unlicensed bounty hunter to apprehend a defendant. ✓
Rationale: All three are prohibited. A bondsman cannot extort extra fees to avoid surrender,
cannot use a defendant as a paid solicitor while in jail, and cannot delegate apprehension to
unlicensed persons.
19. As collateral on a $20,000 bond, a bondsman may legally accept:
Correct Answer: $15,000 deed of trust on a $950,000 house, or $20,000 cash. ✓
Rationale: Collateral must be sufficient to protect the bondsman but cannot exceed the bond
amount. A deed of trust (equity in property) is acceptable as long as its assigned value is
reasonable and disclosed.
20. Which of the following people and/or entities are legally responsible to the state for a bond?
Correct Answer: A surety company, an accommodation bondsman, and a professional
bondsman. ✓
Rationale: These three are "sureties" who are legally obligated to pay the full bond amount if
the defendant fails to appear. The runner is not a surety.
21. Who can be monetarily compensated for posting a bond?
Correct Answer: A licensed bail bondsman. ✓
Rationale: Only a licensed bondsman (professional or surety) may charge a premium. An
accommodation bondsman posts for free (family/friend).
pg. 4
Actual Exam Question with Verified Correct
Answers and Detailed Rationales (Latest Update)
1. Before a surety bondsman can write a bond, he must:
Correct Answer: Be listed on the Electronic Bondsmen Registry. ✓
Rationale: North Carolina law requires all licensed bondsmen to be registered with the
Electronic Bondsmen Registry (EBR) maintained by the NC Administrative Office of the Courts.
This allows magistrates and clerks to verify the bondsman's authority to write bonds.
2. Which of the following is a bail bondsman legally allowed to do?
Correct Answer: Post bonds in any county in North Carolina. ✓
Rationale: A licensed bail bondsman in North Carolina has statewide authority to post bonds.
Once licensed, they are not restricted to a specific county and can operate throughout the state.
3. A bondsman who doesn't pay premium he owes to an insurer is guilty of:
Correct Answer: Misappropriation. ✓
Rationale: Misappropriation is the illegal use of funds entrusted to the bondsman. Premiums
collected from defendants must be forwarded to the surety company. Failing to do so is a
criminal offense and violates NC bail bond laws.
4. A professional bail bondsman who willfully falsifies a monthly report is guilty of a:
Correct Answer: Class I Felony. ✓
Rationale: Under NCGS 58-71, willfully falsifying a monthly report submitted to the Department
of Insurance is a Class I felony. This is a serious offense that can result in imprisonment and
license revocation.
5. In a bail bond office, an unlicensed person can be hired to:
Correct Answer: Perform normal office duties. ✓
Rationale: Unlicensed office staff may perform clerical, administrative, and reception duties.
pg. 1
,However, they cannot engage in the actual writing of bonds, negotiating premiums, or providing
bail bond services to the public, as those activities require a license.
6. With the exception of the felonies cited in NCGS 58-71, the maximum charge for a bondsman
violating any other bail bond law is:
Correct Answer: Class 1 Misdemeanor. ✓
Rationale: Most violations of bail bond statutes that are not specifically designated as felonies
are classified as Class 1 misdemeanors in North Carolina. This can result in fines and possible
jail time.
7. If a bondsman doesn't return collateral valued at $1,000 within 15 days after his defendant's
case is over, he can be convicted of a:
Correct Answer: Class 1 Misdemeanor. ✓
Rationale: Failure to return collateral valued at $1,000 or less within 15 days of bond discharge
is a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bondsman must promptly return collateral when the bond liability
terminates.
8. Under NCGS 58-71, which is a Class I Felony?
Correct Answer: Failing to return collateral that has a value of over $1,500; a professional
bondsman willfully falsifying a monthly report. ✓
Rationale: Both of these offenses are classified as Class I felonies. Failure to return high-value
collateral ($1,500+) constitutes a felony due to the significant financial harm to the principal or
indemnitor.
9. Your defendant missed his court date. In order to get off the bond, you must:
Correct Answer: Surrender the defendant and file a motion to strike the forfeiture. ✓
Rationale: When a defendant fails to appear (FTA), a forfeiture notice is issued. To avoid or
minimize liability, the bondsman must surrender the defendant to the sheriff and then file a
motion to strike or set aside the forfeiture with the court.
10. As a licensed bail agent in NC, you may:
Correct Answer: Surrender your defendant to the sheriff at any time. ✓
Rationale: A bondsman has the authority to surrender a defendant to the sheriff or magistrate at
pg. 2
,any time, including before a breach of bond conditions. This action releases the bondsman from
further liability.
11. Bondsmen are authorized to check ACIS (AOC Criminal Information System) to:
Correct Answer: Check criminal case dispositions. ✓
Rationale: ACIS is the Administrative Office of the Courts Criminal Information System.
Bondsmen may access it to check case status, verify court dates, and confirm dispositions.
Misuse of ACIS is a violation and can result in penalties.
12. In NC, a bail agent cannot legally do any of the following, except:
Correct Answer: Accept a boat valued at $7,000 and a guitar valued at $2,000 as collateral for a
$10,000 bond. ✓
Rationale: Accepting non-cash collateral (boats, guitars, property) is legal provided the
bondsman follows statutory requirements: the collateral value must not exceed the bond amount,
and proper receipts must be issued.
13. When his defendant's case is over, if a bondsman does not return collateral worth over
$1,500, he is guilty of:
Correct Answer: A Class I felony. ✓
Rationale: Failure to return high-value collateral ($1,500+) within 15 days of bond discharge is
a Class I felony. This emphasizes the seriousness of collateral management for the bondsman.*
14. A NC bail bondsman may accept a premium of:
Correct Answer: Up to 15% of the bond amount (no minimum). ✓
Rationale: North Carolina law caps the premium at 15% of the bond amount. There is no
statutory minimum; a bondsman may charge less than 15% or even $0.
15. An NC bail bondsman may legally do all of the following, except:
Correct Answer: Paying an unlicensed bounty hunter to apprehend a defendant. ✓
Rationale: Only licensed bail bondsmen (or their licensed runners) may apprehend or surrender
a defendant. Hiring an unlicensed "bounty hunter" is illegal and constitutes unauthorized
practice.
pg. 3
, 16. The maximum referral fee a bondsman is legally allowed to pay is:
Correct Answer: $0.00 (no referral fees are allowed). ✓
Rationale: North Carolina law prohibits paying referral fees to finders (e.g., attorneys, police
officers, inmates) for referring clients. This prevents unethical solicitation and fee-splitting.
17. In NC, a bail bondsman may:
Correct Answer: Run ads in the local newspaper. ✓
Rationale: Advertising is permitted, provided it is not false or misleading. Banners, signs,
newspaper ads, and yellow page listings are legal forms of advertising.
18. A bail bondsman may do all of the following, with the exception of:
Correct Answer: Charging a fee in order to not surrender a defendant; paying a defendant to
solicit business; paying an unlicensed bounty hunter to apprehend a defendant. ✓
Rationale: All three are prohibited. A bondsman cannot extort extra fees to avoid surrender,
cannot use a defendant as a paid solicitor while in jail, and cannot delegate apprehension to
unlicensed persons.
19. As collateral on a $20,000 bond, a bondsman may legally accept:
Correct Answer: $15,000 deed of trust on a $950,000 house, or $20,000 cash. ✓
Rationale: Collateral must be sufficient to protect the bondsman but cannot exceed the bond
amount. A deed of trust (equity in property) is acceptable as long as its assigned value is
reasonable and disclosed.
20. Which of the following people and/or entities are legally responsible to the state for a bond?
Correct Answer: A surety company, an accommodation bondsman, and a professional
bondsman. ✓
Rationale: These three are "sureties" who are legally obligated to pay the full bond amount if
the defendant fails to appear. The runner is not a surety.
21. Who can be monetarily compensated for posting a bond?
Correct Answer: A licensed bail bondsman. ✓
Rationale: Only a licensed bondsman (professional or surety) may charge a premium. An
accommodation bondsman posts for free (family/friend).
pg. 4
