Delaware Surety BondsThe Four That Matter — and the Ones That Do Not Exist
Delaware requires fewer surety bonds than almost any state, but the ones it does require are specific and strictly enforced. The four you are most likely to meet are the $25,000 motor vehicle dealer bond (21 Del. C. § 6302, filed with the Delaware DMV), the non-resident contractor bond equal to 6% of any contract of $20,000 or more (30 Del. C. § 375, Delaware Division of Revenue), the federal $75,000 BMC-84 freight broker bond, and court-set probate bonds ordered by the Register of Wills. The surety carriers and producers behind every one are regulated by the Delaware Department of Insurance. Premiums typically run 1–3% of the bond amount for solid credit. Just as important: Delaware does not require notary bonds or vehicle bonded titles at all.
Get Your Delaware Bond
Auto dealer, non-resident contractor, freight, probate, and municipal bonds
What Delaware Requires — and What It Does Not
Delaware's business-friendly statutes mean several bonds that are mandatory elsewhere simply do not exist here. Knowing which side of the line your obligation falls on saves you from buying a bond the state will not accept. Here is the honest split, each item tied to the operative statute.
Bonds Delaware Requires
- Motor vehicle dealer — $25,000 (21 Del. C. § 6302, DMV Form MV29). New, used, wholesale.
- Non-resident contractor — 6% of any contract ≥ $20,000 (30 Del. C. § 375, Division of Revenue).
- Freight broker — $75,000 BMC-84 (federal FMCSA, applies to any DE-registered brokerage).
- Probate / fiduciary — court-set, only when a will demands it or Chancery orders it (12 Del. C. §§ 1522–1525).
- Wilmington contractor — $10,000 to $200,000 by license class (municipal, separate from the state).
Bonds Delaware Does Not Require
- Notary bond — none. 29 Del. C. Ch. 43 has no bonding provision. E&O insurance is optional, not required.
- Vehicle bonded title — none. Delaware has no bonded-title program; the DMV uses duplicate titles (21 Del. C. § 2309) or JP Court replevin instead.
- Statewide general contractor license bond — none. Delaware has no statewide GC licensing board; resident contractors need a Division of Revenue business license, not a surety bond.
- Default probate bond — waived. Under 12 Del. C. § 1522 most personal representatives never post one unless the will or the court requires it.
If a broker is quoting you a Delaware notary bond or bonded title, they are selling a product the state does not accept. See the detailed breakdown below.
Official Delaware Requirements
"A nonresident contractor shall furnish a surety bond in an amount equal to 6% of the contract or subcontract price for any single contract of $20,000 or more, filed with the Division of Revenue before beginning work in this State."Delaware Division of Revenue (paraphrase of statutory requirement) • 30 Del. C. § 375
The Bond That Trips Up Out-of-State Contractors
Delaware's most misunderstood bond is not a construction-quality guarantee — it is a tax-security bond. Any contractor based outside Delaware who takes a job of $20,000 or more must post a bond equal to 6% of the contract price with the Division of Revenue before the first day of work. It exists to secure the state's gross receipts and withholding taxes, which is why it scales with the job instead of being a flat license amount. Miss the filing and you have committed a misdemeanor, not just a paperwork slip.
How the 6% rule actually works
Delaware Non-Resident Contractor Bond
30 Del. C. § 375 — Delaware Division of Revenue non-resident contractor bond
Premium, not penal sum: you pay a percentage of the 6% figure, not the whole thing. On the $15,000 bond above, expect roughly $150–$750/year depending on credit. Request a non-resident contractor quote with your contract value.
Wilmington adds a separate municipal bond
The 6% state bond does not replace city requirements. Wilmington licenses contractors by class (Class A/B/C/U, Master HVACR, plumbers) and requires bonds from $10,000 to $200,000 depending on the class. A non-resident contractor working inside city limits can owe both the state Division of Revenue bond and the Wilmington municipal bond on the same project. Other Delaware municipalities may impose their own permit bonds — always confirm with the local building department before bidding. Full class-by-class detail is on our Delaware contractor bond page.
The $25,000 Auto Dealer Bond
Delaware's highest-volume fixed-amount license bond is the motor vehicle dealer bond — a flat $25,000 under 21 Del. C. § 6302, filed with the DMV on Form MV29. It covers new, used, and wholesale dealers, and protects buyers and the state against title fraud, odometer rollback, and unpaid fees or taxes.
- IdentoGO fingerprinting is part of the license application, alongside the bond.
- A permanent 24×36-inch sign and an established place of business are required — no home-based or virtual lots.
- Same-day turnaround is typical for reasonable credit; premium is 1–3% of $25,000.
What a $25,000 Delaware Dealer Bond Costs
Based on a $25,000 bond amount
- Excellent (720+)Rate: 1%$250
- Good (680–719)Rate: 1.5%$375
- Fair (640–679)Rate: 2.5%$625
- Below 640Rate: 4–10%$1,000–$2,500
Illustrative annual premium on the $25,000 bond (21 Del. C. §6302). Final rate depends on the surety's review of credit and business history.
Probate Bonds: Off by Default in Delaware
Delaware handles estates through the Register of Wills in each of the three counties — New Castle, Kent, and Sussex — each of whom also serves as a Clerk of the Court of Chancery. Unlike states that bond every executor, Delaware starts from the opposite default: no bond unless something specific changes that.
The default: no bond
Under 12 Del. C. § 1522, most personal representatives never post a bond. A will can waive it, and in the ordinary case none is set.
When it flips on
A bond is required when the will demands one, or the Court of Chancery orders it under § 1524 — often at the request of a creditor owed $2,000+ or a concerned heir.
How the amount is set
The Register fixes the amount under § 1523; Chancery can modify it as the estate clarifies. Every bond names the State of Delaware as obligee (§ 1525).
Nonresident executor? You must file an irrevocable power of attorney under 12 Del. C. § 1506 designating the Register for service of process — but nonresident status alone does not create a bond requirement. The two obligations are separate. Full detail, including how the amount is calculated when a bond is ordered, is on our Delaware probate bond page.
Freight Broker Bond: Federal, Not State
A Delaware-registered freight brokerage or forwarder posts the $75,000 BMC-84 bond — but that requirement comes from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), not Delaware. Because so many companies incorporate in Delaware for its corporate law, this is one of the most common bonds we write for Delaware entities even though it has no Delaware statute behind it.
The $75,000 amount is uniform nationwide and secures shippers and motor carriers against a broker's non-payment. The surety must appear on the U.S. Treasury Circular 570 list. There is no Delaware-specific reduction or add-on.
Delaware Freight Broker Bond (BMC-84)Two Bonds Sold for Delaware That the State Does Not Recognize
These are the two most common bonds we get asked for that Delaware simply does not require. Buying them wastes money and, in the title case, can leave you holding an instrument the DMV will reject. Here is what to do instead.
Delaware Notary Bond
Does not exist. 29 Del. C. Chapter 43 — both the Office and Duties subchapter and the Revised Uniform Law on Notarial Acts — contains no bonding requirement. Delaware notaries are commissioned by the Secretary of State and pay a commission fee, not a bond premium. What actually helps is E&O insurance: it is optional, but it protects your own assets from a malpractice claim and is often required by title companies before they assign closings.
The real Delaware notary processDelaware Vehicle Bonded Title
Does not exist. Delaware has no bonded-title program. When a title is missing, the DMV issues a duplicate title (21 Del. C. § 2309); when a seller will not cooperate, the fix is a JP Court replevin action. The DMV requires an actual certificate of title or manufacturer's certificate of origin to title a vehicle — a bonded title from another state is not on its accepted list.
DMV title options that actually workWhat Delaware Bonds Actually Cost
You never pay the full bond amount — you pay a premium, a small percentage of it, once a year. Delaware's fixed-amount bonds price like license bonds anywhere: mostly credit-driven. The two things that change the math here are the contract-scaled non-resident bond and the fact that court and notary obligations often cost little or nothing.
Fixed license bonds
The $25,000 auto dealer bond runs about $250–$750/yr on solid credit.
Non-resident contractor
Premium is a percentage of the 6% bond figure — so it scales with your contract value.
Probate / court bonds
When Chancery orders one, fiduciary bonds are typically well under 1% of the penal sum.
Notary bond
Nothing — Delaware requires no notary bond. Optional E&O is a separate product.
Delaware Bond Reference Table
The Delaware bonds we write most, with the operative statute or authority and the obligee that receives each. Amounts shown as court- or agency-set are correctly so under the governing law.
Delaware Surety Bond Catalog
What each bond costs the state to protect, who requires it, and where it is filed
| Bond | Amount | Authority / Statute | Filed With |
|---|---|---|---|
| Motor Vehicle Dealer | $25,000 | 21 Del. C. §6302 | Delaware DMV (Form MV29) |
| Non-Resident Contractor | 6% of contract (≥$20K) | 30 Del. C. §375 | Division of Revenue |
| Wilmington Contractor | $10,000 – $200,000 | City of Wilmington (by class) | City of Wilmington |
| Freight Broker (BMC-84) | $75,000 | FMCSA · 49 USC §13906 | FMCSA (federal) |
| Probate / Fiduciary | Court-set | 12 Del. C. §§1522–1525 | Register of Wills / Chancery |
| Notary | Not required | 29 Del. C. Ch. 43 (no bond) | Secretary of State (commission only) |
| Vehicle Bonded Title | Not offered | 21 Del. C. §2309 (duplicate instead) | DMV (no bonded-title program) |
Amounts verified against Delaware Code and issuing-agency requirements. Court-set and municipal figures vary by case or license class.
Sources: Delaware Code (Titles 12, 21, 29, 30); Delaware DMV; Delaware Division of Revenue; City of Wilmington; FMCSA.
How to Get Your Delaware Bond
Tell Us the Bond and the Numbers Behind It
For the auto dealer bond, that is your license details. For the non-resident contractor bond, it is your contract value (we apply the 6%). For probate, it is the amount the Register or Chancery ordered. Notary applicants need nothing from us — Delaware requires no bond.
We Place It With a Delaware-Authorized Surety
Placement goes only to carriers authorized by the Delaware Department of Insurance — and, for the federal freight broker bond, listed on U.S. Treasury Circular 570. Most license bonds are approved the same day.
File on the Correct Form Before You Start
Auto dealer bonds issue on DMV Form MV29; the non-resident contractor bond files with the Division of Revenue before construction begins; probate bonds file with the Register of Wills. We deliver the exact form the obligee expects.
Not sure whether Delaware even requires your bond?
Tell us the license, contract, or court order behind it and we will tell you straight — including when the answer is “you don't need one.”
Delaware Surety Bond Questions
The 6% non-resident rule, the $25K dealer bond, probate defaults, and the bonds Delaware skips
Which surety bonds does Delaware actually require?
Why does Delaware charge non-resident contractors a 6% bond?
Does Delaware require a notary bond?
Can I get a bonded title for a vehicle in Delaware?
How much does a Delaware surety bond cost?
Does a Delaware personal representative always have to post a probate bond?
What bond do auto dealers need in Delaware?
Who regulates the surety companies behind Delaware bonds?
Official Delaware Resources
Primary state and federal sources for the bonds on this page
Non-resident contractor 6% bond filing (30 Del. C. §375), gross receipts and withholding tax security
Motor vehicle dealer $25,000 bond (21 Del. C. §6302), Form MV29, duplicate title process (§2309)
Regulator of the surety carriers and producers authorized to write bonds in Delaware
Probate and fiduciary bonds (12 Del. C. §§1522–1525), when a bond is ordered and how the amount is set
Federal $75,000 BMC-84 freight broker bond requirement (49 USC §13906)
Federal listing of Treasury-certified sureties authorized for federal and federally connected bonds
Methodology: Bond amounts, statute citations, and agency assignments on this page were checked against the Delaware Code (Titles 12, 21, 29, and 30) and the issuing agencies' official pages. Items shown as “court-set,” “not required,” or “by class” are correctly so under the governing statute. BuySuretyBonds.com is operated by Mainline Holdings LLC; our producers are licensed to transact surety and we place Delaware bonds only through carriers authorized by the Delaware Department of Insurance.
All content is researched from official state and federal sources (.gov) and verified before publication. BuySuretyBonds.com works with Treasury-certified, A-minimum rated surety carriers serving all 50 states.
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Other Delaware Bonds
Additional surety bonds available in Delaware
Nearby States
Surety bonds in neighboring states
Get Your Delaware Surety Bond
From the $25,000 auto dealer bond to the 6% non-resident contractor bond — we write only the bonds Delaware actually requires, on the exact form your obligee expects.