Oregon Surety Bonds Overview
A surety bond may be required in the state of Oregon for a number of reasons. Applicants for a business license may be asked to get bonded in order to obtain their license.
Contractors who wish to work on certain state or federal construction projects may also be required to get bonded first.
Finally, certain courts in Oregon may also require a bond to be obtained for certain court proceeding.
Why do I need a bond at all?
The purpose of any surety bond is to guarantee that the bonded party (the bond principal) will comply with certain conditions, such as the state rules and regulations that govern their lines of business. Alternatively, a surety bond for contractors may guarantee their compliance with a construction contract.
If a bond principal violates their bond agreement and causes losses or damages to the state or the public (the bond obligees), the bond also guarantees compensation to these parties.
To learn more about how bonds work, and why they are required, see our detailed ‘What is a surety bond’ guide!
You can proceed directly to your application by finding the surety bond that you need in the table below. Simply click on the ‘Apply’ button and get started!
If you’re new to surety bonds, you may want to browse through the sections below and read more about the various types of surety bonds, how much they cost and how you can get yours.
Find the Bond You Need
The table below contains a list of only the most popular surety bonds. If you can't find yours, fill out our online application and select "Not in the list".
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Construction Contractors Board | Residential Construction Contractor License | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Landscape Contractors Board | Landscape Contractor License | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Landscape Contractors Board | Landscape Contractor License | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Landscape Contractors Board | Landscape Contractor License | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Construction Contractor Board | State of Oregon Construction Contractor Board- Com | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | OR Water Resources Department | Water Well Constructor's | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Construction Contractors Board | Statutory Public Works | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Construction Contractors Board | Commercial Contractor License Bond | Apply Now |
Contractor License Performance & Payment (State) Bond | Bureau of Labor and Industries | Farm Labor Contractor Bond | Apply Now |
Investment Advisor (Blue Sky) Bond | Oregon Department of Consumer & Business Services | Investment Advisor Surety | Apply Now |
Collection Agency Bond | Dept of Consumer & Buisness Services | Collection Agency | Apply Now |
Debt Consolidators Bond | Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Sevices | Debt Management Service Provider | Apply Now |
Mortgage Broker (1st & 2nd Mortgages) Bond | Dept of Consumer & Buisness Services, Division of | Mortgage Lender Surety | Apply Now |
Mortgage Lender/Banker (1st & 2nd Mort.) Bond | Division of Finance and Corporate Securities | Mortgage Lender | Apply Now |
Auto & Mobile Home Dealers (New & Used) Bond | Department of Transportation - Driver and Motor Ve | Motor Vehicle Dealer | Apply Now |
Auto & Mobile Home Dealers (New & Used) Bond | Department of Consumer & Business Services | Manufactured Structures Dealer Bond | Apply Now |
Auto & Mobile Home Dealers (Used Only, No New) Bond | Department of Transportation - Driver and Motor Ve | Dismantler or Rebuilder of Vehicles | Apply Now |
Auto & Mobile Home Dealers (Used Only, No New) Bond | Dept of Transportation Driver and Motor Vehicle Se | Motorcycles, Mopeds, Snowmobiles, ATV | Apply Now |
Motor Vehicle (Non-Dealer, Not Listed) Bond | State of Oregon, Dept of Transportation | Disseminator Bond | Apply Now |
Sport Permits Bond | Dept. of State Police, OR Athletic Commission | Sport Promoter | Apply Now |
Detectives Bond | DPSST, Private Investigator Licensing Program | Private Investigator Bond | Apply Now |
Employment Agencies Bond | Oregon Employment Department | Employment Agencies Bond | Apply Now |
Professional Licenses (All Other) Bond | Dept of Public Safety and Training | Department of Public Safety Standards and Training | Apply Now |
Professional Licenses (All Other) Bond | Dept of Consumer and Business Services | Appraisal Management Company | Apply Now |
Professional Licenses (All Other) Bond | Oregon Dept. of Consumer & Business Services, Div. | Pawnbroker | Apply Now |
Professional Licenses (All Other) Bond | Department of Environmental Quality | Sewage Disposal Service | Apply Now |
Professional Licenses (All Other) Bond | Board of Pharmacy | Prescription Drug Wholesale Distributor | Apply Now |
Professional Licenses (All Other) Bond | OR Department of Environmenal Quality | Waste Tire Carrier Bond | Apply Now |
Schools (All) Bond | Construction Contractors Board | Continuing Education Provider Bond | Apply Now |
Alcohol (Manufacturers, Warehouses, Wholesalers) Bond | Oregon Liquor Control Commission | Liquor Control Commission Licensee | Apply Now |
Alcohol (Retailers) Bond | Oregon Liquor Control Commission | Liquor Control Commission Licensee's Bond | Apply Now |
Fuel Tax (All Others, Sellers & Users) Bond | OR Dept of Transportation | Motor Vehicle Fuel Dealer Bond | Apply Now |
Fuel Tax (All Others, Sellers & Users) Bond | OR Dept of Transportation | Use Fuel Seller Bond | Apply Now |
Miscellaneous Taxes Bond | Department of Transportation Division | Miscellaneous Taxes Bond | Apply Now |
Miscellaneous Taxes Bond | DOT Motors Carrier Transportation Division | Highway Use Tax Bond | Apply Now |
Financial Guarantee (All Other) Bond | Pacific Pride Services, LLC | Franchise Bond (Pacific Pride Services, LLC) | Apply Now |
Wages & Fringe Benefits Bond | Construction Contractors Board | Statutory Public Works | Apply Now |
Lottery Bond | Oregon State Lottery Commission | Lottery Commission Agent | Apply Now |
Money Transmitter Bond | Department of Consumer & Business Services | Money Transmitter | Apply Now |
Appraisal Management | Appraiser Certification and Licensure Board | Appraisal Management Company Bond | Apply Now |
Types of Surety Bonds in Oregon
There are three different types of bonds, depending on your needs. These are:
- License and permit bonds
- Contract bonds
- Court bonds
License & Permit Bonds
Oregon state requires many of its businesses to obtain a surety bond before they get their license issued or renewed. These bonds are known as license and permit bonds. They guarantee that the bonded principal will comply with the regulations for their license.
Some of the most popular such bonds in the state are the auto dealer bond, the mortgage broker bond, as well as freight broker bonds. Many other businesses also require a bond in order to get licensed.
Contract Bonds
Contract bonds, sometimes also referred to as construction bonds, are surety bonds which Oregon contractors must obtain when they want to work on projects above a certain dollar amount.
These bonds are almost always necessary when contractors work on a state or federal project, and private project owners will often ask contractors to get bonded too.
Before contractors can work on a project, they also need to get licensed and bonded with the relevant license and permit bond.
Court Bonds
Court bonds are bonds which may sometimes be requested by Oregon courts.
For example, in order to appeal a judgement in the state of Oregon, you may be asked to obtain a supersedeas or appeal bond. In order to become a fiduciary in the state of Oregon, you may be asked to obtain a fiduciary bond.
If all of this is still new to you and you would like to speak to someone, you can always reach us at (866) 450-3412! We can help you determine what kind of bond you need and help you get bonded!
How Much Does a Surety Bond Cost in Oregon?
How much you will have to pay to get your Oregon surety bond depends on the type of bond you are applying for and its amount.
What is the difference between bond amount and cost?
The amount of your surety bond is the coverage that it provides to the obligees. In other words, if there is a claim against this bond, this is the maximum amount of compensation it can provide to obligees. The cost of your surety bond is based on this amount and constitutes a fraction of the whole sum.
What determines the cost of my bond?
What fraction or percentage of the whole sum you will have to pay depends on your financial standing and mostly on your personal credit score. Personal credit is usually taken by sureties as the most important factor when determining your premium.
Applicants who have high or stellar credit are usually offered the lowest rates. There are also other things that can influence your rates. These are:
- Personal and/or business financial statements
- An applicant’s industry experience
- How long a business has existed
- Further financial and business factors
Applicants with a high credit score are usually offered a rate 1%-4% of the total amount of their Oregon surety bond, though these percentages differ between the different types of bonds. These rates are called standard market rates.
What if I have a low credit score?
Applicants with bad or poor credit can get bonded just as easily as those with higher scores. Rates on bonds for such applicants are, out of necessity, slightly higher - between 5%-15% of the total bond amount.
To learn more about getting bonded with a lower score, see the Bad Credit Surety Bond Program page.
If you’re curious to know how much approximately your bond may cost, try out our surety bond calculator below.
If you would like to know more about bond cost and how exactly rates are determined, our Surety Bond Cost page can provide you with all the relevant information.
How Can I Get Bonded in Oregon?
Follow the steps below to apply for the surety bond you need.
License bond application
To apply for a license bond, complete our simple online bond form. We will contact you with your free bond quote along with further details on completing the application.
Contract Bond Application
To apply for a contract bond, complete the contract bond online form that’s right for you. Once you’re done, send it to us. We’ll contact with more details about the bonding process you as soon as we receive and process your application.
If you experience trouble with your application or have any questions you would like to ask us, our surety bond experts are available to you at (866)-450-3412. Call us anytime, we will be happy to assist you!