Oregon Surety BondsOne Board Sets Most of the Rules: the CCB
In Oregon the surety bond you need is set almost entirely by one agency: the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB), which requires every licensed contractor to file a bond ranging from $15,000 to $80,000 depending on the license endorsement. Beyond construction, the most commonly required Oregon bonds are the $50,000 motor vehicle dealer bond filed with DMV, federal $75,000 freight broker (BMC-84) bonds, probate and guardianship bonds set by the county circuit court, and DMV possessory-lien bonds. The carriers that write these bonds are supervised by the Division of Financial Regulation in the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. Most license bonds cost 1-3% of the bond amount per year for applicants with solid credit, and many approve the same day.
Oregon quirk worth knowing: the CCB bond is a consumer-protection compliance bond, not a performance bond — it pays CCB final orders, and it is unrelated to whether Oregon requires a notary bond (it does not). Both points are explained below.
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CCB contractor, DMV dealer, freight, court, and lien bonds
Official Oregon Requirements
"Proof of a surety bond and insurance must be submitted with the initial application and maintained at all times through the duration of the license."Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) • ORS Chapter 701; CCB Endorsement Chart (11/2024)
Oregon CCB Contractor Bond, by Endorsement
Unlike states that set one flat contractor bond, Oregon scales the CCB bond to the license endorsement you choose — residential vs. commercial, general vs. specialty, and (on the commercial side) Level 1 vs. Level 2. The endorsement also fixes the liability-insurance limit you must carry alongside the bond. Pick the row that matches the work you intend to do; the Oregon contractor license bond page walks through each endorsement in detail.
CCB Surety Bond & Insurance by License Endorsement
Amounts current per the CCB Endorsement Chart dated November 2024 (post-HB 2922)
| Endorsement | CCB Bond | Liability Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| Residential General Contractor (RGC) | $25,000 | $500,000 per occurrence |
| Residential Specialty Contractor (RSC) | $20,000 | $300,000 per occurrence |
| Residential Limited Contractor (RLC) | $15,000 | $100,000 per occurrence |
| Residential Developer (RD) | $25,000 | $500,000 per occurrence |
| Restricted residential (HSC, RLSC, HISC, HEPSC, RRC) | $15,000 | $100,000 per occurrence |
| Commercial General Contractor Level 1 (CGC1) | $80,000 | $2,000,000 aggregate |
| Commercial General Contractor Level 2 (CGC2) | $25,000 | $1,000,000 aggregate |
| Commercial Specialty Contractor Level 1 (CSC1) | $55,000 | $1,000,000 aggregate |
| Commercial Specialty Contractor Level 2 (CSC2) | $25,000 | $500,000 per occurrence |
| Commercial Developer (CD) | $25,000 | $500,000 per occurrence |
Contractors holding BOTH a residential and a commercial endorsement must file TWO bonds (one per endorsement) and one liability policy written at the higher required limit.
Source: Oregon Construction Contractors Board, CCB License Endorsements chart (11/2024), oregon.gov/ccb
The $25,000 Residential General bond is the default for full-service home builders and remodelers.
A Commercial General Level 1 endorsement carries the top $80,000 bond and a $2M aggregate insurance floor.
Handyman-scale and restricted endorsements sit at the $15,000 floor — the least expensive CCB bond to buy.
What the CCB Bond Actually Guarantees
Contractors coming from other states routinely misread the CCB bond as a performance guarantee. It is not. Understanding what it does — and does not — cover keeps you from over-buying or mis-selling it.
The bond backs any final order the CCB issues against you. It does not promise a project will be finished, and it is not a bid, performance, or payment bond for a specific job.
An owner, employee, subcontractor, or material supplier files a complaint; the CCB processes it, and if you do not pay the resulting order, the claimant can collect against your bond.
A $25,000 residential bond does not limit the dollar value of jobs you can take — it is the amount available to satisfy adjudicated CCB claims, and you remain personally liable beyond it.
Bond vs. performance bond, side by side
Public works in Oregon separately require performance and payment bonds from the awarded contractor. If you are bidding a public project rather than licensing your business, see our performance bond guide and court bond hub.
The 2024 Bump: HB 2922 Added $5,000 Across the Board
If you are renewing an older CCB license, the numbers moved. House Bill 2922 raised every CCB minimum bond amount by $5,000, effective January 1, 2024. The most-issued endorsement shows the shift clearly.
Residential General Contractor CCB Bond
Bond Requirement Increase
Previous Requirement
$20,000
New Requirement
$25,000
Older directories and even some renewal reminders still quote pre-2024 figures ($20K residential general, $75K commercial general Level 1). Confirm your current requirement against the CCB endorsement chart or ask us — we file at the correct post-HB 2922 amount so DMV or the CCB does not reject the bond.
Oregon Bonds Beyond the CCB
Grouped by the authority that requires each one — DMV, the county circuit court, and federal FMCSA.
Motor Vehicle Dealer
DMV / ODOT- $50,000 dealer bond on DMV Form 522B, ORS 822.005-.090. Continuous, renewed with the certificate.
- Covers odometer fraud, title-transfer failures, and unpaid fees for retail, wholesale, and dismantler operations.
Vehicle Title / Lien
DMV, ORS Ch. 87- $20,000 possessory-lien bond (or letter of credit) for non-dealer lien foreclosures, filed with DMV and re-certified yearly.
- Oregon routes missing-title cases through DMV, not a classic value-multiplied bonded title — we confirm your path first.
Probate & Guardianship
County Circuit Court- Amount set by the judge, generally sized to the estate value the fiduciary controls — no fixed statewide figure.
- Covers personal representatives, guardians, and conservators appointed in Oregon circuit court.
Freight Broker
Federal FMCSA- $75,000 BMC-84 bond under 49 USC 13906. A federal requirement, identical whether you broker from Portland or anywhere else.
- Protects motor carriers and shippers against broker non-payment.
Highway Use Tax
ODOT Commerce & Compliance- Motor carriers that owe Oregon's weight-mile tax may be required to post a bond with ODOT's Commerce and Compliance Division to secure the tax account.
- Amounts are account-specific; contact us with your ODOT account details for a placement.
Other License Bonds
DCBS & state boards- Private security providers and investigators (DPSST), and various DCBS-licensed financial and lending activities, post their own surety bonds.
- If your Oregon license or permit names a bond, we can write it — tell us the agency and form.
Oregon Notaries Do Not Need a Surety Bond
This trips up applicants who see a “notary bond” product advertised. Oregon is one of the few states that requires no surety bond and no errors-and-omissions insurance to become a notary public. The Oregon Secretary of State commissions notaries after they pass the state exam and — for all applicants since January 1, 2025 — complete an approved notary training course.
Some employers, title companies, or signing services still ask their notaries to carry a voluntary bond or E&O policy for their own protection. If that describes you, we can write one — but do not let a marketer tell you the state requires it. It does not.
What an Oregon Bond Actually Costs
You pay a premium — a percentage of the bond amount — not the full penal sum. On license and permit bonds, applicants with strong personal credit typically pay 1-3% per year. The chart shows what that means for the most common CCB bond, the $25,000 residential general.
- Notary bonds cost nothing here — Oregon does not require them.
- Larger commercial CCB bonds ($55K-$80K) and the $50K dealer bond scale on the same credit tiers.
- A prior CCB claim or weak credit moves you into the 5-10% band; we place those with specialty carriers.
Related reading: bond cost calculator · contractor bond cost by state · freight broker bond cost by state.
Annual Premium: $25,000 Oregon CCB Residential General Bond
Based on a $25,000 bond amount
- Excellent (720+)Rate: 1%~$250/yr
- Good (680-719)Rate: 1.5%~$375/yr
- Fair (640-679)Rate: 2-3%~$500-$750/yr
- Below 640Rate: 3-5%~$750-$1,250/yr
- Prior claim / rebuildingRate: 5-10%~$1,250-$2,500/yr
Illustrative premiums on a $25,000 bond. Actual rate depends on personal credit, business financials, and CCB claim history. Request a quote for a firm number.
Renewing a CCB license or opening a lot this week?
Tell us your endorsement or DMV form and we file the correct post-HB 2922 bond amount — usually same day.
Oregon Surety Bond Questions
CCB endorsements, the HB 2922 increase, dealer and lien bonds, notary rules, and cost
Which Oregon surety bond do I actually need?
How much is the Oregon CCB contractor bond and why did it go up?
Is the CCB bond a performance bond that guarantees my work?
Do Oregon contractors need two bonds if they hold both endorsements?
How much does an Oregon surety bond cost per year?
Does Oregon require a notary bond?
What is the Oregon auto dealer bond and who files it?
What bond replaces a missing Oregon vehicle title?
Who regulates the surety companies that write Oregon bonds?
Official Oregon Sources
Primary .gov pages for Oregon bond requirements and filings
Bond and insurance requirement, endorsement selection, and CCB license application process
Exact bond and liability-insurance amounts for every residential and commercial endorsement
Dealer certificate framework and vehicle title/lien procedures administered by DMV
Oregon notary qualifications and the training-course requirement; confirms no bond is required
State regulator that licenses and supervises the surety carriers writing Oregon bonds
Commerce and Compliance Division bond program securing motor-carrier weight-mile tax accounts
Federal listing of Treasury-certified sureties for federal and public-works bonds
Methodology: CCB bond amounts on this page are taken from the Oregon Construction Contractors Board endorsement chart dated November 2024, which reflects the $5,000 HB 2922 increase effective January 1, 2024. The $50,000 dealer bond and $20,000 possessory-lien figures are from Oregon DMV/ODOT sources; the notary rule is from the Oregon Secretary of State. Court bonds are shown as court-determined because Oregon circuit courts set those amounts case by case. See our editorial standards for the verification process.
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 Oregon Bonds
Additional surety bonds available in Oregon
Get Your Oregon Surety Bond Today
CCB contractor bonds by endorsement, the $50,000 DMV dealer bond, freight, court, and lien bonds — filed on the exact Oregon form, most approved the same day.