Collection agency near me: for businesses owed money
You run a business and customers owe you money. Before you hire an agency, check that it holds a license from the state where it will collect, then get its fee in writing. The state lists below are where to check.
A collector contacted you about your own debt? Use the consumer lookup instead, or call our debt help line at (844) 393-5856.
Does the agency need a license in your state?
These three states publish a list or a search you can use today.
- California: California DFPI: debt collection licensees
- Colorado: Colorado Attorney General: collection agency rules
- Texas: Texas Secretary of State: debt collector search
We have no verified license list for your state yet. Ask your state attorney general's office whether collection agencies need a license there before you sign.
California, for example, charges a $350 application fee plus a $150 investigation fee to license a collector. So a licensed California agency has paid the state before it collects for anyone. Ask any agency for its license number and check it on the DFPI list before you sign.
Is a Texas bond record the same as a license?
No. The Texas search shows debt collector bonds, and a bond record alone does not prove a license. California and Colorado list licensing rules. Read the rules for your kind of account.
What will an agency charge me?
Most agencies keep a share of what they collect, and we have no verified typical rate. So put three questions to every agency, and get the answers in writing:
- What share of each recovered dollar do you keep?
- Is there a minimum fee or a setup fee?
- What do I owe you if you recover nothing?
Sources
- California DFPI: debt collection licensees (dfpi.ca.gov).
- Colorado Attorney General: collection agency rules (coag.gov).
- Texas Secretary of State: debt collector search (direct.sos.state.tx.us).
Last checked October 2026.
What to do now
You are a business in your state with customer accounts to collect. An agency without a license where it collects can put the accounts at risk, so check before you sign.
- Ask the agency for its license number and the state that issued it.
- Look it up on that state's list above; if your state publishes no list, ask the state attorney general's office whether a license is required.
- Get the fee share, any minimum fee and the no-recovery charge in writing before you hand over accounts.
California listColorado listTexas list
We do not match businesses with collection agencies and do not take business accounts. Debt Collector Lookup is not a law firm or a collection agency.