What is a Pennsylvania Hunting License Bond?
Hunting licenses are regulated by state laws to control sports and recreational hunting, particularly game hunting and trapping. In Pennsylvania, before issuing hunting licenses to interested applicants, a surety bond must be provided as part of the licensing and permit requirements.
The Hunting License Bond is for hunting license agents/agencies to ensure their ethical and honest dealing with the sale and issuance of hunting licenses. The bond is also a financial guarantee concerning the payment of all taxes, fees, and fines due to the state.
License types may include:
- General hunting licenses
- Mentored hunting permits
- General furtaker
- Elk applications
- Add-on licenses (migratory game bird, special spring turkey, bear, etc.)
What are the bond conditions?
- The Surety must be authorized to conduct business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
- The Principal is designated as an issuing agent by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to issue Hunting Licenses by Chapter 27 of the Game and Wildlife Code (34 Pa. C.S. §2701 et. seq.).
- The bond must be filed with the Pennsylvania Game Commission to enable the Principal to obtain from the Commission an annual supply of licenses.
- The Principal must faithfully execute, perform, and discharge the trusts and duties of his office as required by law, and pay all monies, taxes, and fees due and owing to the state.
- If the Principal follows by all pertinent rules and regulations in providing hunting licenses, the obligation will be considered null and void. Otherwise, it will remain in full force and effect.
- The Surety’s liability will not exceed the determined bond amount.
What is the bond amount?
The bond amount is $18,000.
The cost of the bond is a percentage of the bond amount. It ranges between 1% and 5% and will serve as your bond premium.
How do I obtain a Hunting License Bond?
According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, to be considered as an issuing agent, a person must:
- Be a resident of Pennsylvania or an entity registered to do business in the state
- Manage a legit sporting goods sales outlet where the public expects to find this service
- Be open to the public during reasonable daylight and evening hours
- Not operate on a seasonal or part-time basis
Once you meet these requirements, you may download the Pennsylvania Game Commission's agency application. The application must be completed and returned, with a $500 application fee, for review.
If your application is approved, you will be notified to complete the Pennsylvania Automated License Systems (PALS) Hunting License Issuing Agent Agreement, which includes an Authorization Agreement for Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT). Then you will need to post a surety bond.
SEND US A BOND APPLICATION – Begin the bonding process by getting a FREE, fast, and accurate quote HERE!
UNDERWRITING – Once we have received your application, an underwriter will ask you to submit the following important requirements:
- Your credit score
- Your copy of the BOND FORM, which can be obtained from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
To avoid any delay, make sure that your requirements are complete before submitting them.
ISSUANCE – As soon as the underwriter has completed the necessary in-depth check, we will immediately issue the surety bond and send it to you!