Tow trucks are a common tool in repossession because they make the car keys unimportant.
California has more vehicle repossession agencies than any other state, and it's no surprise when you consider that agents can make anywhere from $200 to $1,000 per vehicle. It's a potentially lucrative field that allows operators to run their own schedules, and with 1.5 million cars repossessed in the U.S. in 2007 there seems to be a fair amount of work to go around.
Instructions
Getting Licensed
1. Visit California's Bureau of Security and Investigative Services website at http://www.bsis.ca.gov/.
2. Click "Repossessor Agencies & Repossessor Agency Employees."
3. Click "Licensing Application Packet."
4. Print and read through the entire packet.
5. Ensure that you meet all of the California bureau's requirements, including the required experience as an employee of a repossession agency.
6. Fill out the paperwork as the "qualified manager" since you will be operating in California as a single entity.
7. Visit one of California's Live Scan stations to have your fingerprints submitted to the California Department of Justice and the FBI. The fee for this is $51 ($32 to the state Department of Justice and $19 to the FBI).
8. Return the following forms and the appropriate fees to:
Bureau of Security and Investigative Services
P.O. Box 989002
West Sacramento, CA 95798-9002
Forms:
31A-4 (Application for License) - $825 fee
31A-8 (Certificate in Support of Experience)
31A-9 (Personal Identification Form)
31A-12 (Request for authorization of business name)
31A-26 (Application for Qualification Certificate) - $325 fee
The second copy of the Live Scan form completed by the operator
Two recent photos of passport quality sized 1.5" x 2"
9. Schedule the date and time of your license examination after receiving your study materials from Psychological Services Industries (PSI) of Burbank, Calif.
10. Take the examination and await your official license.
Finding Clients
11. Call area banks, credit unions and car dealerships to offer your services as a licensed repossession agency.
12. Network with agencies outside of your region to create a list of unofficial partners. You can use this list to refer clients to a partner if the vehicle owner has moved outside of the region, and hopefully you'll receive a few referrals in return.
13. Place an ad in the local phone directory or buy ad space on Google when someone searches for "auto repossession" + "your area of operation".
14. List your business location on Google Maps so clients searching for agencies near them can find you easily.
Tags: Bureau Security, Bureau Security Investigative, Department Justice, Investigative Services, Live Scan, repossession agency
