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Last updated: General Colorado surety bond information — confirm current requirements with the licensing authority.
Colorado Surety Bonds

Colorado Surety Bonds— No Statewide Contractor Bond -- Municipal Rules Apply

Colorado has no statewide contractor licensing board and no statewide contractor bond requirement. Instead, each municipality sets its own rules -- Denver requires a $50,000 right-of-way bond while Colorado Springs requires just $5,000. Colorado also stands out as one of the few states that does not require a notary bond. From the Colorado auto dealer bond to freight broker bonds, we handle every bond Colorado state agencies and municipalities require. Browse all state surety bond requirements to see how Colorado compares.

Key difference from most states: Colorado has no CSLB-equivalent agency. Contractor licensing and bonding is handled city-by-city. If you work across multiple Colorado cities, you may need separate bonds for each jurisdiction.

Every Municipality
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Quick answer
Colorado has no statewide contractor license or contractor bond, so each city sets its own. Denver requires a $50,000 right-of-way bond while Colorado Springs requires $5,000. The state auto dealer bond is $50,000, and Colorado does not require a notary bond.
  • Who requires it: Individual municipalities for contractor bonds and the DOR Auto Industry Division for dealers.
  • Amount: $50,000 auto dealer, $15,000 auto salesperson, $75,000 federal freight broker. City contractor bonds run $5,000 to $20,000.
  • Typical cost (estimate): about 1-3% of the bond amount for applicants with strong credit. The surety sets the final price.
  • Timing: We submit complete applications to the carrier promptly; most quotes within one business day.
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Official Colorado Requirements

"Before any contract in excess of one hundred fifty thousand dollars... the contractor shall execute and deliver to the state a good and sufficient performance bond in the amount of fifty percent of the contract price and a good and sufficient payment bond in the amount of fifty percent of the contract price."
Colorado Revised Statutes • CRS 24-105-202
50%
P&P Bond Threshold
$50K
Auto Dealer Bond
No Bond
Notary Requirement
Prompt
Submission

Colorado Municipal Contractor Bond Requirements

Since Colorado has no statewide contractor bond, each city sets its own rules. New to bonding? Our guide on what a surety bond is explains the fundamentals. Here are bond amounts for major Colorado municipalities.

What Makes Colorado Bonding Different

No Notary Bond Required

Under CRS 24-21-531, Colorado does not require notaries public to carry a surety bond. Most states mandate notary bonds -- California requires $15,000, Florida requires $7,500 -- but Colorado relies on its commission process and liability statutes instead.

Colorado notaries save $40-$100 per commission term compared to bonded states.

Cannabis Bond Abolished (2016)

As the first state to legalize recreational cannabis (Amendment 64, 2012), Colorado initially required a $5,000 surety bond for cannabis businesses. HB 16-1041 eliminated this in 2016, finding it created barriers without meaningful consumer protection.

Some municipalities may still require local cannabis bonds -- check your city or county ordinances.

Bond Assistance Program

The Statewide Bond Assistance Program, administered by the Statewide Equity Office, guarantees $50,000-$150,000 toward performance and payment bonds on state contracts. The program helps small, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, and disadvantaged businesses qualify for bonding they might not obtain independently.

View eligibility requirements on dhr.colorado.gov

Complete Colorado Bond Reference

Every state-level surety bond required in Colorado with current amounts, forms, and issuing agencies.

Bond TypeAmountFormAgencyEst. Premium
Auto Dealer Bond$50,000DR 2830DOR Auto Industry Division$500-$2,500/yr
Auto Salesperson Bond$15,000DR 2831DOR Auto Industry Division$100-$450/yr
MLO Bond (Individual)$25,000NMLSDORA / Div. of Real Estate$250-$750/yr
MLO Bond (Company <20)$100,000NMLSDORA / Div. of Real Estate$1,000-$5,000/yr
MLO Bond (Company 20+)$200,000NMLSDORA / Div. of Real Estate$2,000-$10,000/yr
Collection Agency Bond$12,000-$20,000N/ADept. of Law$200-$600/yr
Public Adjuster Bond$20,000N/ADiv. of Insurance$200-$600/yr
Paid Solicitor Bond$15,000N/ASecretary of State$150-$450/yr
Money Transmitter Bond$250,000-$2,000,000N/ADiv. of BankingQuote required
Title Bond (Vehicle)2x appraised valueDR 2922DMVQuote required
Freight Broker Bond$75,000BMC-84FMCSA (federal)$750-$3,750/yr
Sales Tax BondSet by DORN/ADept. of RevenueQuote required

Premium estimates are based on applicants with good credit (680+). Higher-risk applicants may pay 5-10% of the bond amount. Use our surety bond cost calculator to estimate your premium, or get an exact quote for your specific situation.

Colorado Public Works Bonds

Colorado's public works bonding thresholds differ from the federal Miller Act and many other states. Understanding these differences can reduce your bonding costs.

Bid Bonds -- 5% Minimum

Under CRS 24-105-201, bid bonds on competitively bid state projects must be at least 5% of the bid amount. This guarantees the contractor will enter the contract if awarded.

Performance Bond -- 50% of Contract

Required on contracts over $150,000 per CRS 24-105-202. Colorado sets the performance bond at 50% of the contract price -- lower than the 100% required by the federal Miller Act and most other states.

Payment Bond -- 50% of Contract

Also 50% of the contract price for contracts over $150,000. The payment bond protects subcontractors and suppliers who furnish labor or materials on the project.

Colorado vs. Federal Comparison

Colorado P&P Bond50% each
Federal Miller Act100% each
CO Threshold>$150K
Federal Threshold>$150K

Colorado's 50% threshold means contractors bonding a $1M project need $500K in performance and $500K in payment bonds -- versus $1M each under the Miller Act. This can significantly reduce premiums.

How to Get Your Colorado Bond

Three steps -- whether you need a Denver contractor bond or a statewide dealer bond

1

Identify Your Requirement

Tell us your bond type and the municipality or state agency that requires it. We maintain current requirements for every Colorado jurisdiction, so you do not need to research bond amounts yourself.

2

Compare Rates Quickly

We quote from multiple Treasury-listed sureties licensed by the Colorado Division of Insurance. Qualifying bonds are quoted quickly, most others within one business day, and every application is submitted promptly.

3

Receive and File

We email your bond as soon as the carrier issues it, or have the original mailed. We format bonds for the specific city, county, or state agency that will review your filing.

Colorado Bond Categories

Construction & Public Works

Motor Vehicle & Transport

Court, Financial & Professional

Serving Every Colorado Municipality

We know the exact bond requirements in each jurisdiction

Denver
Colorado Springs
Aurora
Fort Collins
Lakewood
Thornton
Arvada
Pueblo
Boulder
Grand Junction
Greeley
Loveland

Colorado Surety Bond Questions

Covering municipal rules, state requirements, and Colorado-specific bond programs

Why doesn't Colorado require a statewide contractor license bond?
Colorado has no statewide contractor licensing board. Unlike California (which requires a $25,000 CSLB bond for every contractor) or Florida (which licenses contractors through DBPR), Colorado delegates contractor licensing entirely to municipalities. Each city and county sets its own bond amounts and requirements. This means a contractor working in Denver faces a $50,000 right-of-way bond, while one in Colorado Springs may need only $5,000. If you work across multiple jurisdictions, you may need separate bonds for each.
Does Colorado require a notary bond?
No. Under CRS 24-21-531, Colorado does not require notaries public to carry a surety bond. Colorado is one of the few states that eliminated this requirement. The state instead relies on the notary commission process and potential civil or criminal liability for misconduct. Some notaries still choose to carry errors and omissions insurance voluntarily, but a surety bond is not mandated.
What happened to Colorado's cannabis surety bond?
Colorado was the first state to legalize recreational cannabis (Amendment 64, 2012) and initially required a $5,000 surety bond for cannabis businesses. The state abolished this requirement in 2016 through HB 16-1041, finding it created an unnecessary barrier to entry without meaningful consumer protection. However, some municipalities may still require their own local cannabis bonds -- check your city or county regulations. Other states that legalized later, such as California, still require cannabis bonds.
What is the Colorado Bond Assistance Program?
The Colorado Statewide Bond Assistance Program, administered through the Statewide Equity Office under the Department of Human Resources, helps small and disadvantaged businesses qualify for bonding on state contracts. The program guarantees $50,000 to $150,000 toward payment and performance bonds, covering contractors who might not otherwise qualify. Eligible businesses include those owned by minorities, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities. The program aims to increase diversity in state contracting.
When does Colorado require public works performance and payment bonds?
Under CRS 24-105-201, bid bonds of at least 5% of the bid are required on competitively bid state projects. For contracts exceeding $150,000, CRS 24-105-202 requires both a performance bond and a payment bond, each at 50% of the contract price. Note that Colorado sets each bond at 50% of the contract amount -- many other states require 100%. This lower threshold can reduce bonding costs for contractors working on Colorado public projects.
How does the Colorado collection agency bond amount work?
Under CRS 5-16-119, Colorado collection agencies must post a base bond of $12,000. If monthly collections exceed $15,000, the bond amount increases by $2,000 for every $10,000 in monthly volume above the $15,000 threshold, up to a maximum bond amount of $20,000. This sliding scale means newer agencies with lower volume pay less, while high-volume agencies cap at $20,000.
How much does a Colorado money transmitter bond cost?
Colorado money transmitter bonds range from $250,000 to $2,000,000 under CRS 11-110-105, with the exact amount determined by the Division of Banking based on transaction volume and risk. Premium rates for well-established companies with strong financials typically run 1-5% of the bond amount. A $1,000,000 bond might cost $10,000-$50,000 per year depending on the applicant's financial strength, experience, and net worth.
Can I get a Colorado surety bond with bad credit?
Yes. Smaller bonds like auto salesperson bonds ($15,000), collection agency bonds ($12,000), and municipal contractor bonds under $10,000 are often available regardless of credit. For larger bonds, rates will be higher -- expect 5-10% of the bond amount versus 1-3% for applicants with strong credit. We work with sureties that specialize in applicants who have been declined elsewhere.
How do I get a Colorado surety bond?
Request a quote with the form on this page. A licensed agent submits your application to a Treasury-listed surety carrier; once the carrier issues your bond, file it as the requiring agency directs.
What happens after I apply?
We submit complete applications to the carrier promptly; most quotes come back within one business day. The carrier decides approval and the final premium, and you pay only when your bond is issued.

Official Colorado Resources

Government sources for Colorado bond requirements and statutes

Colorado Bond Assistance Program FAQ

State program guaranteeing $50K-$150K on performance and payment bonds for disadvantaged businesses

Colorado DMV -- Title Bond Form DR 2922 (PDF)

Official title bond form for vehicles without a clear title -- bond amount is 2x appraised value

CRS Title 24 -- Government: Procurement Code

Colorado statutes covering bid bonds (24-105-201) and performance/payment bonds (24-105-202)

DORA Division of Real Estate -- Mortgage Loan Originators

Bond requirements for MLOs: $25K individual, $100K company (<20 MLOs), $200K company (20+ MLOs)

U.S. Treasury Surety Bond List

Federal listing of Treasury-listed surety companies authorized to write bonds for U.S. government contracts

Eric Drummond, Licensed Surety Producer
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Eric Drummond, Licensed Surety Producer
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All content is researched from official state and federal sources (.gov). BuySuretyBonds.com works with Treasury-listed surety carriers.

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Other Colorado Bonds

Additional surety bonds available in Colorado

Colorado Contractor License Bond

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Colorado Auto Dealer Bond

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Colorado Performance Bond

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Executors, administrators & guardians

Colorado Freight Broker Bond

FMCSA broker authority

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