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Surety Bonds

Contractor
License Bond.

The $25,000 CSLB contractor license bond, qualifying individual bonds, and the $100,000 LLC employee/worker bond — quoted fast for new licenses, renewals, and replacements.

Licensed contractor drafting building plans Contractor and client shaking hands Contracting crew on a California jobsite

Get a Contractor License Bond Quote

Most bonds are quoted same day. We pull your license details directly from the CSLB record using your license number.

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California Contractor License Bonds, Explained

Every active CSLB contractor license requires a $25,000 contractor license bond (or an equivalent cash deposit) on file with the Contractors State License Board. The bond protects consumers and employees from violations of the Contractors' State License Law — it is not insurance for you, which is why pairing it with proper general liability and workers' compensation matters.

The Three Bonds Contractors Actually Need

  • Contractor License Bond — $25,000. Required for every active license. Annual premiums typically run from roughly $100 to a few hundred dollars depending on the owner's credit.
  • Bond of Qualifying Individual — $25,000. Required when the qualifier (RME or RMO with less than 10% ownership) is not an owner of the business.
  • LLC Employee/Worker Bond — $100,000. Required in addition to the license bond for every contractor licensed as an LLC. This is the one new LLC licensees most often miss.

Why the Bond Affects Your License Status

If your bond cancels or lapses, the surety notifies CSLB automatically and your license is suspended — the same automatic suspension that applies to a lapsed workers' comp policy. A suspended license means no permits, no legal contracting, and potential disciplinary exposure on active jobs. We track bond renewal dates alongside your insurance renewals so nothing lapses.

Discipline and Credit Pricing

Sureties price license bonds primarily on the owner's personal credit. Contractors with strong credit pay the lowest published rates; those with liens, bankruptcies, or prior license discipline pay more but are still placeable — including disciplinary bonds when CSLB requires them after a citation or revocation proceeding. If you've been quoted a high rate elsewhere, it's worth a second look across our surety markets.

Bundle It With Your Insurance

Most of our bond clients also carry their workers' comp, general liability, and commercial auto through Wellington Partners Insurance Services — one broker, one renewal calendar, and certificates issued the same day from our certificate desk.

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Wellington Partners Insurance Services — Independent California Commercial Insurance Brokerage since 2009
(818) 492-4355 Get a Quote