For a license or small commercial bond
Most license and small commercial bonds are quick to place. Underwriting is light, and a soft credit check usually carries the file. Have these ready:
- Legal business name and address. Exactly as registered, along with your entity type (sole proprietor, LLC, or corporation).
- License number and classification. Or, for a non-contractor bond, the specific requirement or code section the obligee is asking you to bond.
- Owner name and information. The owner or owners, with the details needed for a soft credit check.
- Bond amount and obligee. The dollar amount required and the agency or entity requiring the bond.
For a contract or performance bond, add
Contract bonds (bid, performance, and payment) are underwritten on your finances and track record, so they ask for more. On top of the items above, gather:
- Business financial statements. The stronger the statement, the more capacity you unlock. Year-end and interim statements both help.
- Work-in-progress schedule. Your open jobs, billings to date, and costs to complete, so the surety can see your current load.
- Resume of experience. A short history of similar jobs completed, which tells the underwriter you can deliver this one.
- The bid or contract. The specific job you are bonding, with its scope, dollar amount, and terms.
How the credit check works
For most license and small commercial bonds, the owner check is a soft pull. It does not affect your credit score and it is not a hard inquiry. Larger or contract bonds can look deeper, but the first step is almost always the light-touch soft pull. If you want the full picture, read how surety bond credit checks work.
Have it ready, get bonded faster
Gather the list that fits your bond and you can often be quoted the same day. Missing a piece is the most common thing that slows a file down, so a few minutes of prep up front saves the back-and-forth later.
Ready when you are: start a quote, or if you are bonding for your license, head straight to the contractor license bond page.