§ 58-71-40. Bail bondsmen and runners to be qualified and licensed; license applications generally. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 58‑71‑40.  Bailbondsmen and runners to be qualified and licensed; license applicationsgenerally.

(a)        No person shall actin the capacity of a professional bondsman, surety bondsman, or runner orperform any of the functions, duties, or powers prescribed for professionalbondsmen, surety bondsmen, or runners under this Article unless that person isqualified and licensed under this Article. No license shall be issued underthis Article except to an individual natural person.

(b)        The applicant shallapply for a license on forms prepared and supplied by the Commissioner. TheCommissioner may propound any reasonable interrogatories to an applicant for alicense under this Article about the applicant's qualifications, residence,prospective place of business, and any other matters that the Commissionerconsiders necessary to protect the public and ascertain the qualifications ofthe applicant. The Commissioner may also conduct any reasonable inquiry orinvestigation relative to the determination of the applicant's fitness to belicensed or to continue to be licensed.

(c)        A person whoseapplication is denied may reapply, but the Commissioner shall not consider morethan one application submitted by the same person within any one‑yearperiod.

(d)        When a license isissued under this section, the Commissioner shall issue a pictureidentification card, of design, size, and content approved by the Commissioner,to the licensee. Each licensee must carry this card at all times when workingin the scope of the licensee's employment. A licensee whose license terminatesor is terminated shall surrender the identification card to the Commissionerwithin 10 working days after the termination. The Commissioner may contractdirectly with persons for the processing and issuance of picture identificationcards required by this section and may charge a reasonable fee in addition tothe license fee charged under G.S. 58‑71‑55 in an amount thatoffsets the cost of the service, including the costs associated with thecontract authorized by this subsection. Contracts entered into pursuant to thissubsection shall not be subject to Article 3 of Chapter 143 of the GeneralStatutes.

(e)        This section doesnot prohibit the hiring of personnel by a bail bondsman to perform only normaloffice duties. As used in this subsection, "normal office duties" donot include acting as a bail bondsman or runner. (1963, c. 1225, s. 9; 1975,c. 619, s. 1; 1995 (Reg. Sess., 1996), c. 726, s. 2; 2001‑269, s. 2.4;2007‑507, s. 11.)