Minnesota Bounty Hunter Guide: Requirements and Steps

Minnesota has a population of 5.7 million people and allows the bounty hunting profession, but has few laws governing bounty hunters.¹ Bounty hunters, known as surety recovery agents in Minnesota, are guided by Minnesota Statute Section 629.63, which gives arresting authority to surety agents or a person working under the direction of the surety. Although there are no licensing requirements for surety recovery agents in the state, there are still recommended steps you should follow in order to become a successful surety recovery agent. If you’re interested in finding and returning fugitives in the state of Minnesota, continue reading this guide to learn more about the profession and general requirements.

Table of Contents

• Surety Recovery Agent Requirements
• Steps to a Career
• Related Careers
• Training and Education Options
• Finding Work
• Salary and Job Outlook
• Surety Recovery Agent Resources

Requirements for Surety Recovery Agents in Minnesota

Surety recovery agents locate and return fugitives who have “skipped” bail, working under the direction of a licensed bail bondsmen. To act as a surety recovery agent in Minnesota, you must:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Be a US citizen or resident alien
• Have no felony convictions

Steps to a Career as a Surety Recovery Agent in Minnesota

If you meet the three requirements for surety recovery agents listed above, you can begin the process of becoming one. Prior to working as a surety recovery agent, you should:

1. Gain the required training.

Surety recovery agents must understand laws relating to bail and arrest in Minnesota. To gain this knowledge, you should look for training on basic laws in the state. You can contact the Minnesota Department of Public Safety (MNDPS) for leads on training classes for civilians. If no local bail agency training classes are available, look for online courses that teach general surety recovery agent methods such as interviewing techniques and skip tracing. It may also be helpful to obtain a two- or four-year degree in criminal justice. You can find more information on formal training further in this guide.

2. Identify a mentor.

Getting into the surety recovery agent business can be difficult if you don’t have existing connections. One way to increase your success in the field is to find an experienced bounty hunter who is willing to be your mentor and show you the ropes. Mentors may offer job-shadowing opportunities and can introduce you to bail bondsmen who are hiring.

3. Begin working as a surety recovery agent.

After familiarizing yourself with the ins and outs of the fugitive recovery business, you can begin working as a surety recovery agent in Minnesota. Under Minnesota state law, you can request the assistance of the sheriff’s department when arresting a fugitive. You may want to inform your local sheriff’s office of your new job and maintain regular contact with them. As a surety recovery agent, be sure to stay up-to-date on laws relating to surety and bail bonds.

Related Careers

Bounty hunters sometimes work in similar jobs in order to supplement their income. Two of those jobs include working as a private investigator and a process server. A brief summary of the requirements for both professions in Minnesota can be found below.

Private Investigator/ Private Detective

Private detectives (PDs), also known as private investigators (PIs), research legal, financial, and personal matters for their client. In Minnesota, private investigators are licensed by the State of Minnesota Board of Private Detective and Protective Agent Services. The Board requires that PDs:

• Be at least 18 years of age
• Have no felony convictions
• Have a $10,000 surety bond
• Have at least 6,000 hours of full-time investigation experience

To apply for licensure as a PD, submit the application request packet along with the required $25 application request fee (as of July 2022).

Process Server

A process server works for the court system to file legal papers and serve legal documents to parties involved in a lawsuit. Process servers do not have to be licensed to work in Minnesota. They must, however, be at least 18 years of age. For more information or to start a process server career, visit your county clerk’s office.

Training and Education Options in Minnesota

Surety recovery agents should be well-versed in criminal justice and the legal system. To enhance your legal knowledge and to show future employers that you are serious about your career, you should consider obtaining a two-year degree or certificate in criminal justice. Criminal justice degrees use an interdisciplinary approach to help you identify criminal behavior patterns and explain how society can control crime and unwanted behavior. There are several school options for earning an associate degree in criminal justice and related fields in Minnesota.

Hibbing Community College
1515 E 25th St
Hibbing, MN 55746
https://hibbing.edu/academics/areas-of-study/law-enforcement/

Leech Lake Tribal College
6945 Little Wolf Rd NW
Cass Lake, MN 56633
https://www.lltc.edu/academics/career-and-technical-education/law-enforcement/

Minneapolis Community and Technical College
1501 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
https://minneapolis.edu/academics/school-education-and-public-and-human-service/criminal-justice-transfer-pathway

Rochester Community and Technical College
851 30th Ave SE
Rochester, MN 55904
https://www.rctc.edu/program/criminal-justice/

Finding Work

Without the right networks in place, finding work as a surety recovery agent can be difficult. Surety recovery agents in Minneapolis will have to identify bail bondsmen who need assistance and convince them that their skills and experience make them the best fit for the job. To make your job search easier, consider joining related professional associations and try to find an apprenticeship with an experienced surety recovery agent or bail bondsmen.

Featured Bail Bondsmen Agencies in Minnesota

The following are some of the most highly-rated bail bond agencies in Minnesota.

AAA Bail Bonds
12 2nd St NE
Buffalo, MN 55313
https://aaabailbondsmn.com/

Absolute Bail Bonds
322 S 3rd St
Minneapolis, MN 55415
https://www.absolutebailbond.com/

AnyTime Bail Bonds
1041 Grand Ave
#222
St. Paul, MN 55105
https://anytimebailbondsmn.com/

Bail Bonds Doctor
415 S 5th St
Minneapolis, MN 55415
https://www.bailbondsdoctor.com/

Banks Bail Bonds LLC
4455 Village Lake Dr SE
#601
Prior Lake, MN 55372
http://www.banksgetmeout.com

Foster Bail Bonds
PO Box 107
Owatanna, MN 55060
​​https://www.fbbmn.com/

Goldberg Bail Bonds
400 S 4th St
#107M
Minneapolis, MN 55415
http://www.goldbergbonding.com

Metro Bail Bonds
7900 International Dr
Ste 300
Bloomington, MN 55425
https://www.metrobailbondsmn.com/

Midwest Bonding
316 E Main St
Anoka, MN 55303
https://midwestbailbonding.com/

Surety Recovery Agent Salary and Outlook in Minnesota

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not provide salary data for bounty hunters, so we use data for private investigators as a proxy because this career is most closely related to that of surety recovery agents. An estimated 340 private investigators were employed in Minnesota as of 2021, with an average salary of $66,810 per year.² On average, private detectives and investigators earn $60,970 nationally.² Jobs for PIs in Minnesota are projected to increase by 10% between 2020 and 2030, according to Projections Central.⁴

Additional Resources

Joining a professional association is a great way to expand your network and keep your skills and knowledge up-to-date with best practices.

• Minnesota Association of Pretrial Services Agencies (MAPSA): Provides training and information to those involved in pretrial services, including bail/bond studies.

References:
1. US Census Bureau Quick Facts, Minnesota: https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/MN/PST045221
2. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021, Minnesota: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_mn.htm
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021, Private Detectives and Investigators: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes339021.htm
4. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm