Surety Bond Requirements By State

Factors That Affect Surety Bond Requirements

Thousands of surety bonds are available to fulfill various licensing, occupational, and court requirements across the U.S. 

The majority are required at a state level, meaning the bond type you need is dictated by state regulations and laws. Additionally, your industry of operation will determine the type of surety bond you need.

State

State laws and regulations dictate many surety bond requirements. However, some types of surety bonds are common across multiple states (even though they may still vary in bond amount). This includes Auto Dealer Bonds and Freight Broker Bonds.

Contract Bonds, such as Bid Bonds and Performance Bonds, are also not state-dependent—they are usually a government requirement for public jobs. However, they can sometimes be required by private entities and general contractors as well. 

Contrastingly, there are also bonds for industries that are very state specific. Such bonds include the Florida Health Care Clinic Surety Bond and New York Second Hand Dealer Bond. Court Bonds—while common—heavily vary and also fall under this category. 

In general, surety bonds aren’t one size fits all across the U.S. That’s why JW Surety offers a vast range of bonds for all 50 states. 

Industry

Government agencies, industry regulators, and similar obligees require surety bonds for licensing, permits, contract work, etc. These bonds guarantee the principal (bond holder) will carry through with their contractual agreements.

While there are hundreds of industries that require bond issuance, there are three prevalent types of license and permit bonds:

• Auto Dealer Bond: Required in the majority of states to obtain an auto dealer license in order to sell motor vehicles and/or operate a dealership.
• Freight Broker Bond: Needed to work as a freight broker or operate a freight brokerage.
• Contractor License Bond: Required for tradespeople, construction workers, subcontractors, and more to legally operate (who needs this bond heavily varies depending on the state of operation). The construction industry also has multiple other bonding requirements, including Permit Bonds, Performance Bonds, and Payment Bonds. Additionally, Bid Bonds are regularly needed for certain types of construction projects (generally when the contract amount or contract price is over a certain threshold). 

Is there a surety bond that all industries need?

ERISA Bonds are for both large and small businesses—regardless of industry. They are required by law for employers with employee benefit plans to protect the plan participants. 

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Whether you need a licensing bond, contractor bond, fidelity bond, or something more, JW Surety is proud to offer surety bonds across a vast array of industries.