Is agreeing to a peace bond the same thing as pleading guilty?

No. A person does not plead guilty when they enter into a peace bond. There is no finding of guilt made or conviction registered if a person agrees to a peace bond.

One of the reasons why a person may agree to enter a peace bond is to avoid a criminal record.

While a peace bond is still in effect it will appear in a criminal record check. After the peace bond has expired, it should not be visible in a criminal record check. However, there are certain types of criminal record searches, such as something called a “vulnerable person check” where a peace bond will still show up even after it has expired.