Florida Surety BondsWhere Hurricanes Drive Bond Demand
Florida is the only state where weather events reshape the surety bond market every year. After each hurricane season, demand surges for $50,000 public adjuster bonds, construction bid bonds for rebuilding contracts, and contractor licenses for firms entering the state. Add in Florida's unique credit-triggered FRO bond system, the $5 million cannabis MMTC bond, and a $200,000 Little Miller Act threshold, and no state has a more complex bonding landscape. We write every bond Florida requires -- and we keep capacity open during storm season.
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Official Florida Requirements
"Any person who applies for initial licensure, or change of status... and whose credit score is below 660, must provide a surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit."Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board • F.S. 489.119
Why Florida's Bond Market Is Unique
Hurricane exposure, a credit-score-triggered contractor bond, and one of the nation's largest cannabis bonds combine to create a bonding environment found nowhere else.
Public Adjuster Bond
$50,000 -- F.S. 626.865Florida leads the nation in public adjuster licensing. After every named storm, hundreds of adjusters apply for licensure or reinstate lapsed licenses. The $50,000 bond protects policyholders from adjuster misconduct during the claims process.
Post-Hurricane Demand: Applications typically triple in the 90 days following a major hurricane landfall. We maintain dedicated capacity for fast turnaround.
Cannabis MMTC Bond
$5,000,000 -- F.S. 381.986Florida's Medical Marijuana Treatment Center license requires a $5 million performance bond -- one of the largest surety bonds in the country. This bond guarantees the MMTC will comply with all state regulations and properly destroy inventory if the license is revoked.
Reduced Amount: Once an MMTC serves more than 1,000 qualified patients, the required bond amount may be reduced to $2,000,000 under the statute.
FRO Bond (Credit Trigger)
$10K-$20K -- F.S. 489.119Unlike most states, Florida does not require every contractor to carry a bond. Instead, the CILB triggers a bond requirement only when the Financially Responsible Officer's credit score falls below 660. Division I contractors post $20,000; Division II contractors post $10,000.
Credit Above 660: No bond is required. This makes Florida one of the few states where a contractor can be licensed with zero bonding cost.
Florida Bond Requirements by Type
18 verified bond categories with current amounts and statutes. For general pricing information, see our surety bond cost guide or browse all bond types on our surety bonds hub.
| Bond Type | Amount | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notary (Traditional) | $7,500 | F.S. 117.01 |
| Notary (RON) | $25,000 | F.S. 117.225 |
| FRO Bond -- Div I | $20,000 | F.S. 489.119 |
| FRO Bond -- Div II | $10,000 | F.S. 489.119 |
| Auto Dealer | $25,000 | F.S. 319/320 |
| Public Adjuster | $50,000 | F.S. 626.865 |
| Cannabis MMTC | $5,000,000 | F.S. 381.986 |
| Public Works (Little Miller) | 100% of contract | F.S. 255.05 |
| Mortgage Lender | $10,000 | F.S. 494 |
| Money Transmitter | $50K-$2M | F.S. 560 |
| Collection Agency | $50,000 | F.S. 559.545 |
| Telemarketing | $50,000 | F.S. 501 |
| Health Studio | $50,000 | F.S. 501.015 |
| Title Insurance Agency | $35K + $50K fidelity | F.S. 626.8473 |
| Seller of Travel | $25K-$50K | F.S. 559.927 |
| Household Mover | $25,000 | F.S. 507.04 |
| Pawnbroker | $10,000 | F.S. 539.001 |
| ABT Distributor | $5K-$100K | DBPR ABT-6032 |
| Freight Broker | $75,000 | 49 USC 13906 |
| Court / Probate | Set by court | F.S. 733.402 |
Florida's FRO Bond: The Credit-Score System Explained
Florida's Construction Industry Licensing Board uses a credit-score threshold instead of a universal bond requirement. If you understand how it works, you can plan accordingly. For background on surety bonds generally, see our guide on what a surety bond is. To estimate your premium, use our contractor license bond calculator.
FRO Bond Decision Flow
CILB pulls FRO's credit score
At initial application, change of status, or renewal
Credit Score Check
No bond required. License proceeds without surety obligation.
Florida FRO Bond Cost by Credit Score
Based on a $20,000 (Div I) / $10,000 (Div II) bond amount
- Near-Threshold (620–659)Rate: 2–4%$200 – $800/yr
- Fair (580–619)Rate: 4–7%$400 – $1,400/yr
- Below Average (540–579)Rate: 7–10%$700 – $2,000/yr
- Poor (500–539)Rate: 10–15%$1,000 – $3,000/yr
- Very Poor (Below 500)Rate: 15%+$1,500 – $3,000+/yr
FRO bond is only required when the Financially Responsible Officer's credit score is below 660 (F.S. 489.119). Division I (GC, Building, Residential) = $20,000 bond; Division II (Mech, Plumbing, Electrical) = $10,000 bond. Costs shown are estimates and depend on full underwriting review.
FRO Cancellation Risk: If the surety cancels the FRO bond, the CILB must be notified 30 days in advance via certified mail. The FRO designation -- and the contractor's license -- may be suspended if no replacement bond is filed. The surety remains liable for obligations incurred during the bond period, including the 30-day notice window.
Florida Notary Bonds: Traditional vs. RON
Florida requires separate bonds for in-person and remote online notarizations
Traditional Notary
Remote Online Notarization (RON)
Required in addition to the traditional $7,500 bond if performing RON services
Florida Metro Bond Markets
Public works thresholds and demand patterns across Florida's major metros
Miami-Dade
Florida's largest construction market. Miami-Dade County requires bid bonds at 5% of the contract price on public projects and has some of the highest hurricane-driven bonding demand in the state.
Tampa Bay
Rapidly growing metro with major infrastructure and commercial development. City of Tampa frequently requires $5,000 per field for recreational facility performance bonds.
Orlando
Theme park and hospitality construction drive a steady stream of performance bond requirements. City of Orlando uses $5,000 performance bonds for smaller municipal contracts.
Explore Florida Bond Categories
Court & Fiduciary
Business & Licensing
Specialty & High-Value
- Cannabis MMTC ($5M)
- Public Adjuster ($50K)
- Money Transmitter ($50K-$2M)
- Collection Agency ($50K)
- Commercial Surety Bonds
Get Your Florida Bond in 3 Steps
Choose Your Bond & Apply
Select from 18+ Florida bond types. Notary bonds require zero financial documentation. FRO, public adjuster, and MMTC bonds require financial statements or credit review.
We Match You with a Florida-Authorized Surety
We compare rates from multiple A-rated sureties authorized by the Florida Department of Financial Services. Even during hurricane season, our carrier relationships ensure available capacity.
Receive Your Bond on the Correct State Form
Your bond is issued in the exact format required by DBPR, DHSMV, the Department of State, or whichever Florida agency serves as obligee. Download immediately or have it mailed.
Florida Surety Bond Questions
Covering CILB, FRO bonds, public adjusters, cannabis MMTC, and Florida-specific rules
What triggers the Florida FRO bond requirement?
How much does a Florida public adjuster bond cost?
What is the Florida cannabis MMTC bond?
What is the difference between a Florida traditional notary bond and a RON bond?
Does Florida have a Little Miller Act for public works bonds?
How does hurricane season affect surety bond demand in Florida?
What bonds do Florida auto dealers need?
Can I get a Florida surety bond with bad credit?
Official Florida Resources
Government sources for Florida bond requirements and statutes
FRO bond triggers, credit score thresholds, and CILB licensing procedures
Traditional notary bond ($7,500) and RON bond ($25,000) requirements
Performance and payment bond requirements for contracts over $200,000
$50,000 surety bond requirement for all licensed public adjusters
Federal listing of Treasury-certified surety companies authorized to write bonds for U.S. government contracts
Other Florida Bonds
Additional surety bonds available in Florida
Get Your Florida Surety Bond Today
FRO bonds, public adjuster bonds, notary bonds, cannabis MMTC bonds, and every other bond Florida requires -- with storm-season capacity guaranteed