3.1 Biennial Renewal: Deadline, Fee, Attestation and Criminal History Check

Category III, Renewal of License, is worth only 1–2 questions. The five outline items are short and precise: renewed biennially (4.1), renewal fee (4.2), attestation at renewal (§51-10-8(g), 4.3), applications (4), and criminal history check and fingerprinting (4.4). One or two easy points are available here if you learn the numbers.

When: 114CSR103-4.1

Bail bondsman licenses shall be renewed biennially (every two years) by the last day of the birth month of the bondsman, unless revoked or suspended prior thereto by the Commissioner. The expiration year will be established based upon the year of initial licensure.

• Every two years, by the last day of the bondsman's birth month.
• The year of expiration depends on the year of first licensure. The month depends on the birth month.
• A license suspended or revoked before then does not simply roll over at renewal.

Example. A bondsman born in March whose renewal falls in 2027 must renew by March 31, 2027, then by March 31 two years later.

How much: 114CSR103-4.2

The renewal fee is $200 and is nonrefundable. The statute requires the same $200 biennial fee (§51-10-8(b)). A bondsman with both a professional and a surety license pays renewal fees for each license (3.9). The OIC's renewal checklist (July 2026) shows $250 for a surety bondsman: $200 for the bail bond license plus $50 for the property and casualty or limited lines surety producer license renewal. It is payable by check to the WVOIC or through NIPR.

The attestation and the affidavit

Two overlapping sworn statements are required:

• 114CSR103-4.3: the renewal application includes an attestation that the applicant meets the qualifications in section 3 of the rule. That covers age, citizenship, license or ID, no felony, sufficient competence and the rest (section 2.2).
• W.Va. Code §51-10-8(g): the bondsman renews every two years and files an affidavit stating that, since the previous license, he or she has abided by Article 10. A person who files a false affidavit is guilty of false swearing.

So the attestation looks forward ("I still qualify"), and the affidavit looks back ("I have obeyed the law since my last license"). A false one is a suspension and revocation ground (11.1.3 and 11.1.13) and a criminal offense (§51-10-8(g)).

The application packet

The OIC's Checklist for the renewal of your West Virginia Bail Bond License lists:

The renewal supplemental application asks the same history questions as the original: prior authority, forfeitures, defaults and current total bond liability. Non-resident surety bondsmen again prove home-state good standing and producer authority.

Criminal history check: 114CSR103-4.4

The Commissioner shall require a criminal history record check at the time of renewal under W.Va. Code §33-12-37, through the West Virginia State Police and the FBI. That means new fingerprints every renewal. The OIC checklist says fingerprints must be completed within 60 days of the bail bond license expiration date. The candidate handbook confirms that bail bond fingerprinting is required at initial licensure and at each renewal.

What can block a renewal

No continuing education for the bail license

The Pearson candidate handbook states that no pre-licensing or continuing education is required for bail bonds. A surety bondsman's separate producer license follows its own producer rules.

When a license lapses

• A license authorizes the holder only until it expires (3.7). After expiration the bondsman must stop writing bonds and return the ID card within 10 working days (3.6).
• Reapplying within one year: someone licensed before July 1, 2024 whose license expired in good standing is exempt from the exam on reapplication within one year of expiration, if not under investigation when it expired (3.10.1).
• Retained jurisdiction: the Commissioner keeps jurisdiction over a person who cancels or lets the license lapse if that person allegedly violated the rule while licensed (11.4). Letting a license expire does not end an investigation.

Exam traps

• Last day of the birth month, not the anniversary of first licensure and not December 31.
• $200, nonrefundable, every two years, the same as the application fee.
• Fingerprints at every renewal, not just once.
• Attestation of qualifications (4.3) plus affidavit of compliance (§51-10-8(g)).