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MMBONDING
Cost calculator

What will your surety bond cost?

Pick your bond amount and credit for an instant estimate of the annual premium. Then get your exact rate from a real broker.

A surety bond costs a percentage of the bond amount per year, not the bond amount itself. For most California license and commercial bonds the premium runs about 0.75% to 15% annually, and personal credit is the largest single factor. A $25,000 bond is roughly $150 to $375 a year on strong credit, or $1,875 to $3,750 if credit is being rebuilt. You are quoted before you pay, and underwriting sets the final number.

The face amount the obligee requires.

$
Your credit

The biggest driver of your rate.

Estimated annual premium
$150 to $750

For a $25,000 bond with good credit. You pay this premium, not the $25,000.

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Estimate only. Your real rate comes from underwriting, and minimum premiums may apply.

By bond amount

What a surety bond costs, by bond amount

Estimated annual premium for California license and commercial bonds. The spread between the two columns is credit: it is the difference between the same bond costing a few hundred dollars and a few thousand.

Estimates for license and commercial bonds, not quotes. Minimum premiums apply, so the smallest bonds do not scale down indefinitely. Underwriting sets the real rate.
Bond amountStrong credit (720+)Rebuilding credit (Under 640)
$10,000$100 to $150$750 to $1,500
$15,000$115 to $225$1,125 to $2,250
$25,000$150 to $375$1,875 to $3,750
$50,000$375 to $750$3,750 to $7,500
$75,000$565 to $1,125$5,625 to $11,250
$100,000$750 to $1,500$7,500 to $15,000

Contract bonds price differently. A performance or payment bond is rated against the contract amount and your financial statements rather than the table above, and the premium is billed once at issuance rather than every year.

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How surety bond pricing works

The number you keep seeing, like $25,000 for the contractor license bond, is the bond's face amount, the maximum a valid claim could pay. You never pay that. You pay an annual premium, a percentage of the face amount set by underwriting.

Credit is the biggest lever. Strong credit earns the lowest rates; tougher credit costs more but is still very placeable. Because we are a broker, we shop several surety markets and quote the most competitive rate you qualify for, instead of a single take-it-or-leave-it number.

Want the details by bond?

See the full breakdown on the contractor license bond cost guide, or read about surety bonds with bad credit. Ready now? Get a quote.

How much does a surety bond cost?
You pay a premium, which is a percentage of the bond amount, not the bond's face value. For most license and commercial bonds it runs roughly 0.75% to 15% a year, driven mostly by your credit. The calculator estimates that range for your amount.
Do I pay the full bond amount?
No. A $25,000 bond does not cost $25,000. You pay only the annual premium, a small percentage of it, which is what this tool estimates.
Why is the estimate a range, not one number?
Because your exact rate depends on the specific bond, the surety market, and your full credit profile. As a broker we shop multiple markets to land you the best available rate, then give you a firm number.
Can I get bonded with bad credit?
Usually, yes. Credit raises the rate, not the eligibility. Hard-to-place is our specialty, and we shop the markets that write credit-challenged files. Underwriting still applies.
How much does a $100,000 surety bond cost?
For a license or commercial bond, roughly $750 to $1,500 a year on strong credit and $7,500 to $15,000 while credit is being rebuilt. A $100,000 LLC worker bond is the most common bond at this amount in California.
How much does a $50,000 surety bond cost?
About $375 to $750 a year on strong credit, or $3,750 to $7,500 on rebuilding credit. The premium scales with the bond amount, so the percentage matters more than the face value when you compare quotes.
Are surety bond premiums paid monthly or annually?
License and commercial bond premiums are billed annually, in full, at issuance and on each renewal. They are not monthly like an insurance policy. Where the premium is large enough to be awkward, it can often be financed rather than paid at once.
Is a surety bond cheaper than bond insurance?
They are not competing products, so there is no cheaper option. A surety bond guarantees your obligation to someone else and you repay any claim. Insurance is bought to protect you and the insurer absorbs the loss. Most contractors are required to carry both.