All Professional Bondsmen Must Register with TDCI By March 1

NASHVILLE – All bail bondsmen must register with the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Regulatory Boards as part of a new law that took effect January 1, 2026.

Under this law, TDCI’s Division of Regulatory Boards will license and have oversight of professional bondsmen through the newly created Board of Professional Bondsmen. Local courts will still approve of professional bondsmen operating within their jurisdiction; however, all professional bondsmen must first be licensed by TDCI. TDCI will have authority to receive complaints against professional bondsmen and issue discipline, such as the suspension or revocation of a professional license and/or the assessment of civil penalties.

A bail bondsman is a financial professional who posts bail for criminal defendants who cannot provide the total amount of bail that might be set by a court. The bondsmen act as a surety, guaranteeing that the defendant will appear in court.

“The Board of Professional Bondsmen will uphold the industry’s professional standards to protect Tennessee consumers,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner for Regulatory Boards Reid Witcher. “We appreciate the collaborative input received from bail professionals, law enforcement, court officials, and other industry stakeholders as we launch this program in 2026.”

Bondsmen licensing began January 1, 2026. All bondsmen must register with TDCI by March 1, 2026 in order to lawfully operate in Tennessee.

TDCI’s Division of Regulatory Boards ensures that individuals meet established professional standards, addresses complaints, and offers consumer education on regulated professions and industries. The Division licenses and regulates over 357,000 Tennesseans in their professions and businesses through 26 regulatory programs, which includes the Tennessee Real Estate Commission, Cosmetology & Barber Examiners Board, the Detection Services Licensing Program, the Board for Licensing Contractors, and more.

Under the law, rules were established giving the seven-member Board of Professional Bondsmen numerous duties including the creation of a registry for bondsmen, the ability to create the standards of practice for the issuance of a license, the ability to administer discipline for violations of rules, among others.  A detailed summary of the law can be found here.

For more information about licensing and other questions, please visit the Board of Professional Bondsmen online, or contact our team by phone at (615) 741-1741 or email at Bondsmen.Board@tn.gov.

Program Executive Director Roxana Gumucio can be reached at (615) 532-7081or by email at roxana.gumucio@tn.gov.

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