A bail agent's license lets the holder effect undertakings of bail on behalf of whom?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1802(a)
A friend furnishes a bail bond and is paid nothing for it. Is a bail license required?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1800.7
A licensee promises a client, before any offense, that bail will be ready if the client is ever arrested. How do the regulations treat the promise?10 CCR Sec. 2070
A violation of the bail licensing chapter is a public offense. What is the largest fine?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1814
An arrestee's mother asks the bail agent to recommend a lawyer. What do the regulations allow?10 CCR Sec. 2071
Before bail above or below the schedule is set for a serious or violent felony, the attorneys get written notice of how long?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1270.1(b)
Besides the application and bond, what must every applicant for a bail agent's license file?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1802.1(a)
The commissioner may decline a bail license until satisfied the applicant has been a continuous California resident for how long?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1805(i)
Show all 84 questions (76 more)
Bail: general, continued
For a court to accept an admitted surety insurer's bail bond without further acknowledgment, where must the power of attorney be on file?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1276(a)
From which of these persons may a bail licensee solicit bail?10 CCR Sec. 2079(c)
How long is the term of a bail license?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1807.7
How many hours of classroom education must an applicant complete to be eligible for the bail examination?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1810.7(a)(1)
How often must the commissioner give or arrange the written bail examination?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1810.6
In setting, reducing or denying bail, what is the primary consideration?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1275(a)(1)
In the Penal Code, what is "admission to bail"?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1268
Instead of giving bail, a defendant may deposit the sum named in the order with whom?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1295(a)
Pending a hearing, the commissioner may temporarily suspend a bail license for how long?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1807.5
Unless the arrestee or the arrestee's attorney authorizes another time in writing, a family member may be solicited only between which hours?10 CCR Sec. 2079.1
What must a bail licensee do with the identification card the commissioner issues?10 CCR Sec. 2077.1
What share of a corporate bail licensee's stock must licensed bail agents hold?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1810(b)(3)
Where do the regulations forbid soliciting a person for bail?10 CCR Sec. 2074
Where must a bail license be shown?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1820
Which is one of the four bail licenses the Insurance Code lists?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1801(a)
Which licensee issues and delivers bail bonds, the contracts not executed by a surety insurer?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1802.5
Who prepares, adopts and annually revises the uniform countywide schedule of bail?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1269b(c)
Bail bond contracts 6
A bail contract has the guarantor sign a confession of judgment. What do the regulations say?10 CCR Sec. 2087
At or right after the arrestee's release, the licensee delivers a numbered document. Which item must it show?10 CCR Sec. 2083(e)
Under the statute of frauds, which contract is invalid unless it is in writing?Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 1624(a)(2)
What must be delivered to a person who signs as guarantor?10 CCR Sec. 2084
Which is essential to the existence of a contract under the Civil Code?Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 1550
Whose bail agent license number must every undertaking of bail carry?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1278(b)
Indemnity agreements 6
An obligation imposed on several persons may take which forms?Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 1430
Apart from the exceptions the Civil Code names, an obligation imposed on several persons is presumed to be what?Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 1431
Before enforcing a guarantor's agreement, what must the licensee disclose to the guarantor?10 CCR Sec. 2084
The Civil Code defines indemnity as a contract by which one engages to do what?Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 2772
Upon an indemnity against claims, demands, damages or costs, the person indemnified may not recover without what?Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 2778(2)
Upon an indemnity against liability, when may the person indemnified recover?Cal. Civ. Code Sec. 2778(1)
Financial responsibilities 14
A bail agreement runs past a year. May the licensee collect a renewal premium?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1276.1(a)
A bail business receives more than $10,000 in cash in one transaction. Within how many days must it file Form 8300?Internal Revenue Service, Form 8300 and reporting cash payments of over $10,000
A defendant who has not failed to appear is surrendered without good cause. Who may order the premium returned?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1300(b)
A licensee diverts premium funds to personal use. Of what is the licensee guilty?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1733
A licensee surrenders an arrestee early and can show no increase in the hazard. What must be returned?10 CCR Sec. 2090
After a forfeiture that is not set aside, expenses incurred within how many days of it may be charged in addition to the forfeiture?10 CCR Sec. 2081(e)
At what rate may a licensee collect the premium on an undertaking of bail?10 CCR Sec. 2081(a)
Beyond the premium, what may a licensee charge for services in a bail transaction?10 CCR Sec. 2082
Expenses caused by the arrestee's breach of the written bail agreement may be recovered up to what limit?10 CCR Sec. 2081(d)
Guard fees may be charged as an expense only after how many hours following the arrestee's release?10 CCR Sec. 2081(c)(1)
How must a surety company keep buildup or reserve funds collected from its bail agents?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1823
How must expenses charged to the arrestee be shown on the licensee's written statement?10 CCR Sec. 2083(i)
If fiduciary funds are not remitted, where must the licensee maintain them?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1734(b)
May a surety pledge an agent's buildup account as collateral for a loan?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1823
Collateral 7
A deed that conveys title to real property is taken as collateral. What must it state on its face?10 CCR Sec. 2088.3
After the bond is exonerated and the time to appeal has run, within how many days of notice must the licensee deliver a reconveyance of the property?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1276.5(d)
Collateral is worth more than the bail forfeited. What happens to the excess?10 CCR Sec. 2089
How must a licensee hold collateral before any forfeiture of bail?10 CCR Sec. 2088
In what type must the lien disclosure for a bail bond secured by real property be made?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1276.5(b)
May collateral be moved out of California?10 CCR Sec. 2088.1
When must collateral that secured the obligation of a bond be returned?10 CCR Sec. 2088.2
The criminal justice system 8
A defendant in custody is arraigned on a misdemeanor complaint. To what is the defendant entitled unless the court makes a finding on the record?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1270(a)
A defendant must be taken before the magistrate without unnecessary delay, and in any event within how long after arrest, Sundays and holidays excluded?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 825(a)(1)
After the examination, a magistrate who finds sufficient cause to believe the defendant guilty orders that the defendant be what?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 872(a)
Besides the clerk of the superior court, who may approve and accept bail in the amount fixed by the schedule?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1269b(a)
Unless both sides waive or good cause is found, a preliminary examination is held within how many court days of arraignment or plea?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 859b
Where is a defendant arraigned on an accusatory pleading?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 976(a)
Which crime is a felony?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 17(a)
Which of these is an "accusatory pleading" in the Penal Code?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 691(c)
Laws on bail agents and fugitive recovery 10
A bail enforcer licensed only in another state wants to arrest a bail fugitive in California. What does the Act require?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1299.02(c)
A bail who arrests a defendant in California must deliver the defendant to the court or jail within how long?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1301
A defendant is arrested outside California and brought back. From what moment do the 48 hours to deliver the defendant run?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1301
A person admitted to bail in another state escapes bail and is in California. What may that state's bail bondsman do?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 847.5(a)
The court vacates a forfeiture and exonerates the bond when the defendant appears in court within how many days of the forfeiture?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1305(c)(1)
Except in exigent circumstances, how soon before an attempt to apprehend a bail fugitive must local police or the sheriff be notified?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1299.08(a)
For a bond over $400, within how many days of a forfeiture must the clerk mail notice of it to the surety?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1305(b)(1)
What is the penal sum of the bond a bail agent files with the commissioner?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1802(a)
What minimum limit of liability insurance does a bail fugitive recovery agent file with the commissioner?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 1802(b)(2)(A)
Which may a person authorized to apprehend a bail fugitive do?Cal. Penal Code Sec. 1299.07(e)
Privacy protection provisions 4
A licensee learns that police plan to arrest a client's brother tomorrow. May the licensee pass that on to the family?10 CCR Sec. 2069
A written authorization to disclose personal information, submitted by someone other than an insurer or agent, must have been obtained how recently?Cal. Ins. Code Sec. 791.13(a)(2)(C)
The commissioner's representative asks a licensee about a bail transaction. What is the licensee's duty?10 CCR Sec. 2092
May a licensee give advertising pens of nominal value to the deputies directly in charge of prisoners at a jail?10 CCR Sec. 2078
Ethics 4
A licensee's unlicensed cousin offers to negotiate bonds for free. May the licensee allow it?10 CCR Sec. 2068
May a bail licensee collect an attorney's fee on behalf of an arrestee?10 CCR Sec. 2072
Under which yellow-pages heading may a bail licensee not advertise the bail business?10 CCR Sec. 2067
What may a bail licensee do toward a petition for a writ of habeas corpus?10 CCR Sec. 2073
How this list was compiled: California Insurance Code sections 1800 to 1823, 1733, 1734 and 791.13, Penal Code sections 17, 691, 825, 847.5, 859b, 872, 976, 1268 to 1306 and 1299 to 1299.12, and Civil Code sections 1430, 1431, 1550, 1624, 2772 and 2778, read on October 12, 2026 in the Legislative Counsel's published copy of the codes (https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov) and linked to their pages on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov; California Code of Regulations, title 10, sections 2064 to 2092, read the same day on the official publisher's site (https://govt.westlaw.com/calregs, current through Register 2026, No. 39); and the Internal Revenue Service page on Form 8300. The nine topics and their weights follow the Bail Educational Objectives of the California Department of Insurance (March 2023; 75 questions, 2 hours), posted at https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0200-industry/0030-seek-pre-lic/prelicensing-educational-objectives.cfm. Each question names its section and links to it. Licence: Own work. Every question, wrong choice and explanation was written for this site from the text of the California codes and regulations. Nothing comes from the state examination, its sample questions, a testing vendor, a prelicensing course or a prep publisher.
How it works
This unofficial California bail bonds practice test follows the Department of Insurance's bail educational objectives: 84 questions of our own from the Insurance Code, the Penal Code and Title 10 regulations. Not affiliated with the California Department of Insurance.
Read the full guide
The nine parts of the examination
Of the examination's 75 questions, the objectives give bail in general 22, financial responsibilities 12, laws on bail agents and fugitive recovery 8, the criminal justice system 7, contracts, indemnity and collateral 6 each, privacy and ethics 4 each.
Three time limits
A defendant who appears within 180 days of a forfeiture gets it vacated. A bail has 48 hours to deliver an arrested defendant. Police hear of an apprehension no more than six hours ahead (Penal Code 1305, 1301, 1299.08).
What is left out
The history of bail, the roles of court officers and contract theory that no code section states are not asked.
One premium covers a bail agreement until exoneration; no renewal premium may be collected (Penal Code 1276.1).
Solicit bail only from the arrestee, the attorney, adult immediate family or a person named in writing (10 CCR 2079).
Collateral is held as a fiduciary and may not leave California (10 CCR 2088, 2088.1).
Questions and answers
How many questions are on the California bail agent exam?
75 multiple-choice questions in two hours, and bail examinations need a score of 70 percent to pass, by the California Department of Insurance's bail objectives and its page on examination time limits.
What do I need before I take the California bail license exam?
At least 20 hours of approved classroom study before licensing (Ins. Code 1810.7). The Department's bail agent page also asks for a certificate from a 40-hour power of arrest course and a $1,000 bond with the application.
How long is a California bail agent license good for?
Two years (Ins. Code 1807.7). Renewal needs at least 12 hours of continuing education in each two-year term (Ins. Code 1810.7(e)), and the Department's page says no late renewals are allowed.
Can a bail agent recommend a lawyer in California?
No. A bail licensee may not suggest the name of or recommend any attorney to an arrestee or anyone acting for an arrestee (10 CCR 2071), and may not collect an attorney's fee (10 CCR 2072).