How to verify a Texas debt collection agency is bonded
By Kai Greenspan, Founding Editor
The surety bond every third-party debt collector must have on file with the Texas Secretary of State before collecting consumer debts. Checking takes under five minutes and costs nothing.
Source: statutes.capitol.texas.gov · Last checked: October 1, 2026
What brings you here?
Two of the most common reasons people check a collector. Pick whichever fits.
Run a collection agency? See how we rank agencies, and how to get listed.
The four steps
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Open the Texas Secretary of State's TPDC Public Search Portal | Go to the official register: https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/tpdc-public-search-portal, the TPDC Public Search Portal. This is the one to use. It is official, free, and needs no account, and it is the State's public record of the surety bonds filed under Texas Finance Code Chapter 392, though it does not return every older filing. It is now the only public search: the Secretary of State's older debt collector search was retired on September 29, 2026 and now leads to a site-down page. |
| 2. Search the agency name | Type the agency name in the Principal Name field, exactly as it appears on its paperwork or website, and press Search All, which also lists bonds that have ended. Try shorter versions of the name too, since agencies sometimes file under a parent or legal name that differs from their trading name. If you have the file number, search the Debt Collector File Number field instead. |
| 3. Check the bond status and dates | A result showing a bond in force means the agency currently meets the Chapter 392 requirement. On the TPDC portal an in-force bond shows as Filed or Active; Closed, Bond Cancelled or Pending Closure mean it has ended or is ending. If a cancellation date is shown, the bond ends on that date, whatever the status word says. Note the file number and dates for your records. |
| 4. If there is no result, ask before engaging | First search again with Search All and with shorter versions of the name. If the portal shows no filing under any version of the name, that is a serious red flag. Ask the agency directly for its Secretary of State file number and verify that number before signing anything or handing over accounts. |
Source: statutes.capitol.texas.gov · Last checked: October 1, 2026
Common questions about bond checks
Is the Texas Secretary of State search free to use?
Yes. The TPDC Public Search Portal is a free public register maintained by the Texas Secretary of State. Anyone can search it without an account, and it is the register Debt Collection Index re-checks every listed Texas bond against each week.
There seem to be two versions of the Secretary of State search. Which should I use?
Use the TPDC Public Search Portal. It is now the only one. The Secretary of State's older debt collector search recorded no new filing after August 12, 2025 and no cancellation after it either, and it was retired on September 29, 2026: its address now leads to a site-down page. Both drew on the same statutory register, bonds filed under Texas Finance Code Chapter 392, though they label the same states with different words: the portal says Filed where the old search said Active, and the full mapping is on our methodology page.
What if an agency says it is bonded but I cannot find it?
Ask the agency for its Secretary of State file number and check that number on the register directly. Agencies sometimes file under a legal or parent-company name that differs from their trading name; the file number resolves that. If it still cannot be verified, treat the claim as unproven.
Does a bond mean an agency is good at collecting?
No. The bond is a legal minimum, not a quality mark. It tells you the agency may lawfully collect in Texas. Performance is a separate question, which is why our rankings also weigh verified certifications and years continuously bonded; a complaint-handling measure built from public CFPB data is in development and is not part of the ranking until it is published on the methodology page.
How do I check a collection agency outside Texas?
The CFPB’s advice works in any state: ask the collector for its name, company name, street address, telephone number and "professional license number, if your state licenses debt collectors", and contact your state attorney general and state regulator to learn more. Requirements genuinely vary by state: Texas, for example, uses a $10,000 bond filed with the Secretary of State rather than a license. This site’s coverage is Texas-first, so for other states go to that state’s own official register rather than any third-party directory.
How can I tell a legitimate collection agency from a scam?
The CFPB’s five red flags: threats or calls late at night or at work, refusal to provide a mailing address or phone number, refusal to give information about the debt or collection of a debt you don’t recognize, threats of criminal charges, and requests for your personal financial information. The FTC’s fraud guidance adds one more that settles many cases outright: insistence on payment by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency or payment app; in the FTC’s words, only scammers tell you to buy a gift card to pay them. To verify, ask for the collector’s name, company name, street address, phone number and professional license number where applicable, and check with the state attorney general and state regulator. In Texas there is a stronger check available to anyone: search the Secretary of State’s public register to see whether the firm has the surety bond the law requires.