2.2 Court Registration, Contact Changes, Assumed Names, and Duty to Report
Key Takeaways
- A surety bail bond agent may not file a bond in an Ohio court unless licensed, appointed, and registered with that court's clerk when the court requires registration (ORC 3905.87(A)).
- Registration requires a copy of the surety bail bond license, a driver's license or state ID, and a certified copy of the power-of-attorney appointment from each insurer represented.
- Court registration must be renewed biennially by April 1 of each odd-numbered year, and clerks give jails a list of registered agents annually by May 1 (ORC 3905.87).
- Within 30 days after changing a principal business address or telephone number, a bail licensee must notify the insurer or MGA and the common pleas clerk in the county of registration in writing (ORC 3905.89).
- An agent must report a criminal prosecution (other than misdemeanor traffic) within 30 days after the initial appearance, and an out-of-state administrative action within 30 days after its final disposition (ORC 3905.22).
Why Registration and Reporting Show Up on the Exam
Most licensing duties in this section come with a 30-day or April 1 deadline. PSI questions often give you a date and ask whether an agent is compliant. Build a table of these deadlines and practice applying them.
Court Registration (ORC 3905.87)
The Filing Prohibition
Under 3905.87(A), a surety bail bond agent shall not file a bond in any court of this state unless the agent:
- is licensed and appointed under ORC 3905.83 to 3905.95; and
- has registered with the clerk of that court, if the court requires registration.
Registration is court-by-court. Registering with one clerk does not register you with a different court.
What You File
To register, the agent files with the clerk of the court:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| A copy of the agent's surety bail bond license | Proves ODI licensure |
| A copy of the agent's driver's license or state identification card | Proves identity |
| A certified copy of the agent's appointment by power of attorney from each insurer the agent represents | Proves the agent can bind each surety |
Renewal Timing
The agent renews registration biennially by April 1 of each odd-numbered year (for example, April 1, 2027 and April 1, 2029). This is a different cycle from the annual license renewal, which is due April 1 every year (Section 2.3).
The Jail List (ORC 3905.87(C))
The clerk makes a list of court-registered agents available to the holding facility, jail, correctional facility, or similar entity in the court's jurisdiction annually no later than May 1. If an agent registers after the last day of April, the court adds the agent and gives the updated list to those facilities within 24 hours of approving the registration. In practice, this list is how jail staff know which agents may post bonds on that court's cases.
Reporting Contact Changes
Ohio has overlapping notice duties, and each goes to a different audience.
| Statute | Who | Trigger | Deadline | Notify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORC 3905.89 | Every person licensed under 3905.83 to 3905.95 | Change of principal business address or telephone number | 30 days, in writing | The appropriate insurer or MGA, and the clerk of the court of common pleas of the county where the licensee is registered |
| ORC 3905.061(A) | Resident agent | Address change within Ohio | 30 days | The Superintendent or designee |
| ORC 3905.061(B) | Resident agent | Change of home state | 30 days | The Superintendent, with certification from the new home state |
| ORC 3905.071 | Nonresident agent | Address change in the home state, or change of home state | 30 days | The Superintendent |
The PSI bulletin adds that agents must tell ODI about any address, email, or phone number change within 30 days. They can do so electronically through NIPR or on ODI form INS3241. Section 3905.89 expressly says its notice duty is in addition to these other requirements.
A resident who moves out of Ohio and complies with 3905.061(B), while in good standing, has the license converted to a nonresident license with no fee or new application. The renewal date does not change.
Assumed Business Names (ORC 3905.11)
An insurance agent that intends to do business in Ohio under any name other than the agent's legal name must notify the Superintendent before using the assumed name. OAC 3901-5-09(N) ties compensation to this rule: commissions for licensed activity must be paid in the licensee's legal name as it appears in ODI records, or in a trade name registered under 3905.11. Operating under an unreported name can also be misleading advertising (Section 3.3).
Duty to Report Administrative Actions and Prosecutions (ORC 3905.22)
| Event | Deadline | What to send the Superintendent |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative action taken against the agent in another jurisdiction, or by another government agency with professional, occupational, or financial licensing authority | Within 30 days after the final disposition | A copy of the order, consent order, or other relevant legal document |
| Criminal prosecution of the agent in any jurisdiction, other than misdemeanor traffic | Within 30 days after the initial appearance before a judge or magistrate | A certified copy of the charging document |
| Disposition of that prosecution | Within 30 days after the disposition | A certified copy of the court's entry or order reflecting the final disposition, plus relevant documents |
The trigger for reporting a prosecution is the initial appearance, not the conviction. An agent arrested for theft must report within 30 days of first appearing in court, even while pleading not guilty.
Consequences
Under ORC 3905.14(G)(2), failing to comply with 3905.061, 3905.071, or 3905.22 is a class B offense. For a class B offense, the Superintendent may impose civil penalties, administrative costs, corrective-action orders, or accept a surrender for cause, rather than the full class A menu. Filing a bond in a court without required registration violates 3905.87(A). As a violation of insurance law, it is also a 3905.14(B)(2) ground for discipline.
An agent first registered with a county common pleas court clerk in June 2025. By what date must she renew that court registration under ORC 3905.87(B)?
An Ohio bail agent moves her office across town and gets a new business phone number. Under ORC 3905.89, whom must she notify in writing within 30 days?
A licensed agent is charged with misdemeanor theft and first appears before a municipal judge on June 3. When must he notify the Superintendent of the prosecution under ORC 3905.22(B)?
Which document must an agent file with a court clerk to register under ORC 3905.87(B)?