Starfield features a mechanism of punishment or a bounty system for criminal offenders. These bounties are in the control of different factions. When you commit a crime in the region of a particular faction, they will place a bounty on your head. Consequently, you will be considered wanted in the control system of that faction, prone to being arrested and jailed.
It can be hard for newbies to know what these bounties are and how they work. Moreover, you may not know how to check and clear them if you are naughty. Thankfully, the process is rather simple and easily done.
How the Bounty System Works in Starfield
As we established above, a bounty is added every time you commit a crime in Starfield. There are a set of crimes that will get a bounty put on your head.
Pickpocketing
If you get caught pickpocketing people in Starfield then the authorities will place a bounty on your head. It doesn’t have to be law enforcement personnel for the bounty to be placed. Even if regular NPCs catch you in the act, you will get a bounty against you.
Murder
Fairly self-explanatory, but killing non-violent NPCs of any kind will place a bounty on your head. Killing NPCs as part of a quest or other enemies will not add a bounty.
Getting caught with contraband
If you are apprehended with contraband in your inventory or on your ship, then the authorities will place a hefty bounty on you. They will further confiscate contraband and sometimes, even haul you off to jail.
Trespassing and Hacking
Going somewhere where you’re not supposed by lockpicking or hacking terminals or computers can also place a bounty on your head.
How to check bounties in Starfield
To check your current bounty in Starfield, open up the map when you commit a crime in a certain faction’s solar system, and you’ll see the value of the bounty under the governing faction on your star map.
As soon as you commit a crime in a certain faction’s solar system, you will see that a bounty is placed on you. You will see that a specific amount of credits is added to the Bounty section of the System map (right below the faction’s name).
How to clear bounties in Starfield
When clearing bounties in Starfield, you have a few options depending on your financial position. No matter how heinous the crime you may have committed, there is always a chance to redeem yourself. Below are the ways you can try to clear your bounties and make peace with the corresponding factions.
Pay off your bounties to the Faction Security
The quickest method to clear your bounties is by paying a certain amount of money to the faction guards of the current system. There is a catch here: you must also hand over any stolen goods in your inventory. You will pay off your bounty but also lose any stolen goods you would have in your inventory.
So ensure you stash these goods elsewhere before paying off your bounty if you value these goods.
Spend some time in Jail
The second way to clear bounties for your crimes is by peacefully going to jail in Starfield. You will lose a substantial amount of XP, besides losing the stolen items in your possession.
This option is preferable when you lack the resources to pay off the bounties. Wait in jail for a while, and you will have served your sentence.
Self-Service Bounty Clearance Kiosk
The best way to remove bounties in Starfield is to access the Self-Service Bounty Clearance Kiosk. They will clear the bounty with the relevant faction remotely. Of course, you will have to pay the credits. However, you will not have to lose the stolen goods in your inventory. On top of that, you will retain your XP points.
ere are all the locations where you can find Self-Service Bounty boards in Starfield:
| System | Planet/Location | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne | Akila | Freestar Collective |
| Cheyenne | Trident Luxury Lines | Freestar Collective |
| Sol | Deimos Staryard | United Colonies |
| Sol | Mars | United Colonies |
| Alpha Centauri | Jemison | United Colonies |
| Volii | Volii Alpha | Freestar Collective |
| Valo | Polvo | Freestar Collective |
| Kryx | The Key | Crimson Fleet |
Alternatively, you can place a bounty board on any of your outposts. Do note that you can only place one kiosk at any given outpost. But said kiosk will allow you to clear bounties for both the Freestar Collective and the United Colonies.
