Contractor (License & Permit) Bonds
What is a Contractor License Bond? (What does the bond cover?)
While starting the process of getting your contractor license, you may discover your state’s licensing board lists securing a Surety Bond as a licensing requirement. The licensing board enforces this requirement to ensure you perform your duties, as a licensed contractor, ethically and abide to all of the rules and regulations set by the state or city.
We realize contractors have many steps to complete when getting their license. Our goal is to be one of the easiest steps.
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| State | Bond Type | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | City Of Auburn | Get Quotes |
| Alabama | City Of Chickasaw | Get Quotes |
| Alabama | City Of Dothan - General Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Alabama | City Of Dothan - Commercial Refrigeration Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Alabama | City Of Dothan - Electrical Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Alaska | Contractor for $5,000 | Get Quotes |
| Alaska | General Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Alaska | Residential Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Alaska | Specialty Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Arizona | Commercial Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Arizona | Contractor Taxpayer | Get Quotes |
| Arizona | Dual Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Arizona | Residential Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Arkansas | City of Arkadelphia | Get Quotes |
| Arkansas | City of Benton | Get Quotes |
| Arkansas | Commercial Contractor | Get Quotes |
| California | Contractor Bond ($15,000) | Get Quotes |
| California | Contractor Bond ($12,500) | Get Quotes |
| Colorado | City Of Denver | Get Quotes |
| Connecticut | City of Milfred | Get Quotes |
| Delaware | City of Wilmington Licensed Plumber | Get Quotes |
| Delaware | Non-Resident Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Florida | Contractor’s Sales or Use Tax | Get Quotes |
| Florida | County of Hernando | Get Quotes |
| Florida | County of Orange | Get Quotes |
| Florida | County of Palm Beach | Get Quotes |
| Florida | County of Polk | Get Quotes |
| Florida | Lake County | Get Quotes |
| Georgia | City of Smyrna | Get Quotes |
| Georgia | City of Valdosta | Get Quotes |
| Georgia | County of Richmond | Get Quotes |
| Georgia | Residential and General Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Hawaii | Contractor’s License | Get Quotes |
| Idaho | City of Pocatello | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Aurora | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Batavia | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Berwyn | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Chicago Heights | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Darien | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Des Plaines | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Elmhurst | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Harvey | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Lockport | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Kankakee | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Markham | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Mattoon | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Morris | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Naperville | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of North Chicago | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Peoria | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Springfield | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | City of Urbana | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | County of Grundy | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | County of Kankakee | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | County of Will | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Frankfort | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Glencoe | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Glenwood | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Gurnee | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Harwood Heights | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Hinsdale | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of La Grange | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of La Grange Park | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Lincolnwood | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Lindenhurst | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Matteson | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Maywood | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Melrose Park | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of McCook | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Merrionette Park | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Monee | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Mount Prospect | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of North Aurora | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Northbrook | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Park Forest | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Plainfield | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Richton Park | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Round Lake Beach | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Schiller Park | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of South Holland | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Sugar Grove | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Summit | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Thornton | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of University Park | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Villa Park | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Westchester | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Wheeling | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Willow Springs | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Winfield | Get Quotes |
| Illinois | Village of Woodridge | Get Quotes |
| Indiana | City of West Lafayette | Get Quotes |
| Indiana | County of Lake | Get Quotes |
| Indiana | County of LaPorte | Get Quotes |
| Indiana | County of Marshall | Get Quotes |
| Indiana | Town of Chesterton | Get Quotes |
| Indiana | Town of Dune Acres | Get Quotes |
| Indiana | Town of New Carlisle | Get Quotes |
| Iowa | City of Davenport | Get Quotes |
| Iowa | City of Eldridge | Get Quotes |
| Iowa | Out-of-State Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Kansas | City of Emporia | Get Quotes |
| Kansas | City of Wichita | Get Quotes |
| Kansas | City of Winfield | Get Quotes |
| Louisiana | City of Lake Charles | Get Quotes |
| Louisiana | City of Jennings | Get Quotes |
| Louisiana | City of Sulphur | Get Quotes |
| Maryland | Home Improvement Contractor Bond $20,000 | Get Quotes |
| Maryland | Home Improvement Contractor Bond $100,000 | Get Quotes |
| Minnesota | City of Brainerd | Get Quotes |
| Minnesota | City of Minneapolis - Residential | Get Quotes |
| Mississippi | City of Jackson | Get Quotes |
| Mississippi | City of Meridian | Get Quotes |
| Mississippi | Contractor's Blanket Sales, Use, Income, Franchise, Withholding and Special Fuel Tax Bond | Get Quotes |
| Mississippi | Department of Revenue - Contractor's Bond - Single Job | Get Quotes |
| Missouri | County of Jefferson | Get Quotes |
| Montana | Special Fuel User Contractor's Bond | Get Quotes |
| Nevada | State Contractors Board Bond - Northern Nevada | Get Quotes |
| Nevada | State Contractors Board Bond – Sothern Nevada | Get Quotes |
| New Jersey | Borough of Franklin Lakes - Septic Contractor's Bond | Get Quotes |
| New Mexico | Contractor | Get Quotes |
| New Mexico | Contractor's License Bond - Continuous | Get Quotes |
| New Mexico | Contractor's License Bond - Definite | Get Quotes |
| New York | Putnam County | Get Quotes |
| New York | Putnam County Home Improvement Contractor Bond | Get Quotes |
| North Dakota | City of Grand Forks - Moving Contractor's License Bond | Get Quotes |
| North Dakota | City of Jamestown | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Aurora | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Bedford | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Bedford Heights | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Broadview Heights - Contractor License Bond | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Bexley | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Canton | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Brook Park | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Chillicothe | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Cleveland | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Cleveland Heights | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Columbus | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | Village of Hartville - Contractor Registration Bond | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Mentor-On-The-Lake - Contractor Bond | Get Quotes |
| Ohio | City of Sandusky - Contractor Bond | Get Quotes |
| Oklahoma | Construction Industries License | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Flagging Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Commercial Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Residential Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Landscape Contractor Bond ($10,000) | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Landscape Contractor Bond ($15,000) | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Landscape Contractor Bond ($20,000) | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Landscape Contractor Bond ($3,000) | Get Quotes |
| Oregon | Statutory Public Works Bond | Get Quotes |
| Pennsylvania | Wright Township | Get Quotes |
| South Carolina | City of North Augusta | Get Quotes |
| Texas | City of Lumberton | Get Quotes |
| Texas | City of Amarillo | Get Quotes |
| Texas | Universal City | Get Quotes |
| Utah | Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Virginia | Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Virginia | City of Lynchburg | Get Quotes |
| Virginia | City of Martinsville | Get Quotes |
| Virginia | City of Newport News | Get Quotes |
| Virginia | City of Portsmouth | Get Quotes |
| Washington | Continuous Plumbing Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Washington | General Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Washington | Specialty Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Washington | Electrical Contractor | Get Quotes |
| Wisconsin | City of Madison | Get Quotes |
| Wisconsin | City of Superior | Get Quotes |
When competing for a job, the contractor with a license, insurance and a bond offers more peace-of-mind for the client. Because, the Contractor Bond protects your clients from financial loss if your craft is inferior or you fail to meet the terms of the agreed upon contract. By enforcing the Surety Bond requirement, the licensing board removes risk of being financially responsibility for claims against your license.
Surety Bond vs Insurance
The Surety Bond does not function the same way as your insurance policy. Unlike liability insurance, the bond doesn’t provide coverage for you as the contractor. The bond serves as a contract between three parties.
The Principal – As the licensed contractor, you are named the principal on your bond document.
The Obligee – This is the entity enforcing the bond requirement. Typically, the obligee is the state, city or county licensing board.
The Surety – The company that issues your Surety Bond.
Your Surety Bond is coverage for your clients should they need to make a claim against your job performance or failure to complete your work. If a claim is deemed valid by the surety company, your client will be reimbursed up to the full amount of your bond.
Who is responsible for paying a claim?
Neither you nor the surety company expect to receive a claim. Which is why the cost of a Contractor Bond is only a small fraction of the bond amount. However, claims do happen.
If your client makes a claim against your bond, the surety company that issued your bond will conduct a thorough investigation on the claim. If the surety finds the claim to be valid, they will payout up to the total bond amount to the claimant. The responsibility of repaying the surety back in full is yours to bear as the principal of the bond.
Types of Contractor License Bonds
The type of Contractor License Bond you require largely depends on the location you operate your business and the type of work you perform. These bond types can be residential or commercial.
The most common types of Contractor Bond requests we receive:
General Contractor License Bond
Municipality (County / Town / Village) Contractor License Bond
State Contractor License Bond
Specialty (Electrical / HVAC / Landscaping / Plumbing) Contractor License Bond
Please be aware not every state or municipality require licensees to get a bond. We recommend contacting your area’s licensing department to determine their licensing requirements. If a Surety Bond is necessary to receive your license, please request they provide a copy of the bond form. This will ensure you get quotes for the correct bond type.
If you’re a contractor needing a Surety Bond for a different reason not related to your license, such as a bid for a job or protection if an employee steals from a client, we can help! Contract Bonds or Construction Bonds include Payment Bonds, Bid Bonds and Performance Bonds. While Fidelity Bonds include Business Service Bonds (Janitorial Bonds) and Employee Dishonesty Bonds (Commercial Crime Policies). Get additional information and quotes for these types of policies using the buttons below.
How much does a Contractor Bond cost?
The surety considers the risk they are taking on when calculating the premium for your bond. When reviewing your application, your credit score and the bond amount you require are two of the biggest factors for determining your bond premium.
If your bond does require a credit check, we’ll perform a soft-pull on your credit. A soft-pull does not adversely affect your credit score. Most of our clients pay $100 – $200 for their Contractor License Surety Bond. Which is typically 1% or less of the total bond amount.
What if I have bad credit?
You may still be approved for your Contractor Bond even if your credit isn’t good. Our partnerships with the leading surety companies allows us to quote applicants with non-standard credit.
Applicants with non-standard credit usually receive quotes in the range of 5%-15% of the total bond amount, if approved. Since there is greater risk associated with the bond, the premium is slightly higher.
Don’t let your credit score prevent you from requesting a quote.
Where to get a Contractor Bond near me?
Don’t settle for just one quote for your Contractor License Bond. At Surety Solutions, A Gallagher Company, you have access to an online marketplace of leading surety companies. Compare prices from multiple companies to ensure you get the best deal for your bond.
We are licensed to issue bonds in all 50 states. If you have any questions, our staff of surety professionals are happy to help! Contact us by emailing info@suretysolutions.com or reach us by phone at (866) 722-9239. Don’t wait! Get your Contractor Surety Bond quotes, today!
Additional Resources
Everything you need to know about becoming a licensed contractor.
Check out the answers to our frequently asked questions.
Find the specific steps needed to get a contractor license in your state.
We can assist with other bond types!
Start by clicking your state on the map below.
