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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>378664</law_id><section_number>9.1-186.8</section_number><catch_line>Professional conduct standards; grounds for disciplinary actions</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="36" identifier="9.1">Commonwealth Public Safety</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="1">Department of Criminal Justice Services</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="12" identifier="12">Bail Enforcement Agents</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any violations of the restrictions or standards under subsection B shall be grounds for placing on <span class="dictionary">probation</span>, refusal to <span class="dictionary">issue</span> or renew, sanctioning, suspension or <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> of the <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agent&#x2019;s license. A licensed <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agent is responsible for ensuring that his employees, partners and individuals contracted to perform services for or on his behalf comply with all of these provisions, and do not violate any of the restrictions that apply to <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agents. Violations by a <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agent&#x2019;s employee, partner or agent may be grounds for disciplinary action against the <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agent, including <span class="dictionary">probation</span>, suspension, or <span class="dictionary">revocation</span> of license. <a id="paragraph-1414079" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> A licensed <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agent shall not: <a id="paragraph-1414080" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> Engage in any <span class="dictionary">fraud</span> or willful misrepresentation, or provide materially incorrect, misleading, incomplete or untrue information in applying for an original license, or renewal of an existing license, or in submitting any documents to the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>. <a id="paragraph-1414081" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> Use any letterhead, advertising, or other printed matter in any manner representing that he is an agent, employee, or instrumentality of the federal government, a state, or any political subdivision of a state. <a id="paragraph-1414082" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> Impersonate, permit or <span class="dictionary">aid and abet</span> any employee to impersonate, a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span> or employee of the United States, any state, or a political subdivision of a state. <a id="paragraph-1414083" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> Use a name different from that under which he is currently licensed for any advertising, solicitation, or <span class="dictionary">contract</span> to secure business unless the name is an authorized fictitious name. <a id="paragraph-1414084" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> Coerce, suggest, <span class="dictionary">aid and abet</span>, offer promise of favor, or threaten any person to induce that person to commit any <span class="dictionary">crime</span>. <a id="paragraph-1414085" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B6" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">6.</span> Give or receive, directly or indirectly, any gift of any kind to any nonelected public official or any employee of a governmental agency involved with the administration of justice, including but not limited to <span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement personnel, <span class="dictionary">magistrates</span>, <span class="dictionary">judges</span>, jail employees, and attorneys. De minimis gifts, not to exceed $50 per year per recipient, are acceptable, provided the purpose of the gift is not to directly solicit business, or would otherwise be a violation of <span class="dictionary">Department</span> regulations or the <span class="dictionary">laws</span> of the Commonwealth. <a id="paragraph-1414086" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B6"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B7" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">7.</span> Knowingly violate, advise, encourage, or assist in the violation of any <span class="dictionary">statute</span>, <span class="dictionary">court order</span>, or <span class="dictionary">injunction</span> in the course of conducting activities regulated under this chapter. <a id="paragraph-1414087" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B7"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B8" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">8.</span> Solicit business for an attorney in return for compensation. <a id="paragraph-1414088" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B8"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B9" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">9.</span> Willfully neglect to render to a client services or a report as agreed between the parties and for which compensation has been paid or tendered in accordance with the agreement of the parties, but if the <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agent chooses to withdraw from the case and returns the funds for work not yet done, no violation of this section exists. <a id="paragraph-1414089" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B9"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B10" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">10.</span> Fail to comply with any of the statutory or regulatory requirements governing licensed <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agents. <a id="paragraph-1414090" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B10"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B11" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">11.</span> Fail or refuse to cooperate with any investigation by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>. <a id="paragraph-1414091" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B11"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B12" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">12.</span> Fail to comply with any <span class="dictionary">subpoena</span> issued by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>. <a id="paragraph-1414092" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B12"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B13" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">13.</span> Employ or <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with any unlicensed or improperly licensed person or agency to conduct activities regulated under this article, if the licensure status was known or could have been ascertained by reasonable inquiry. <a id="paragraph-1414093" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B13"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B14" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">14.</span> Solicit or receive a bribe or other consideration in exchange for failing to recover or <span class="dictionary">detain</span> a <span class="dictionary">bailee</span>. <a id="paragraph-1414094" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#B14"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> The <span class="dictionary">Department</span> shall have the authority to place on <span class="dictionary">probation</span>, suspend or revoke a <span class="dictionary">bail</span> enforcement agent&#x2019;s license if an agent is arrested or issued a <span class="dictionary">summons</span> for a criminal <span class="dictionary">offense</span>, or becomes the subject of a protective order. <a id="paragraph-1414095" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/9.1-186.8/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2004, c. 397.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
