If you're applying for a contractors license in Ohio, you may need to purchase a surety bond at the state or local level. Learn about the various bond requirements and bonding process in this guide.
Bond Overview
Purpose: To hold contractors financially liable for upholding all contracts and regulations
Who Needs It: General and specialty contractors in several Ohio cities
Regulating Body: Local building and health departments and government agencies
Required Amounts: $500–$100,000, based on the license type
Premium Rates: Typically $100–$250 per year
What Is an Ohio Contractor License Bond?
An Ohio contractor license bond is a financial guarantee that a contractor will comply with state and local licensing obligations when working on a job. This type of surety bond creates a legally-binding contract between three parties:
A contractor (principal of the bond)
A surety provider
An Ohio licensing entity (obligee of the bond)
All Ohio contractor bonds have unique terms, but they generally enforce contractor compliance laws that regulate construction work.
How Much Do Ohio Contractor License Bonds Cost?
Most Ohio contractor license bonds are available for instant online purchase for $100–$200 per year. However, the required bond amount and pricing vary depending on local ordinances, so find your bond below to get an exact rate.
Bond Type
Cost
$25,000Columbus Contractor Bond
$250
$25,000City of Cleveland Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Painesville Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Canton Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$50,000City of Canton Contractor BondGeneral Construction Contractor
Starts at $500
$15,000City of Grove City Contractor Registration Bond
$150
$10,000Private Water Systems Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$20,000Private Water Systems Contractor Bond
Starts at $200
$5,000County of Madison Plumbing Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000City of Olmsted Falls Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Village of Ashville Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Aurora Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$15,000City of Avon Lake Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$15,000City of Bedford Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Bedford Heights Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Bexley Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Village of Bratenahl Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000City of Brecksville Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Broadview Heights Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$40,000City of Brook Park Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000Village of Brooklyn Heights Contractor Bond
$125
$25,000City of Brunswick Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$30,000Village of Chagrin Falls Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$15,000City of Chillicothe Contractor Compliance Bond
$150
$10,000City of Cincinnati Street Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Cleveland Demolition Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Cleveland Electrical Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Cleveland HVAC and Refrigeration Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$500City of Cleveland Sidewalk Contractor Bond
$175
$10,000City of Cleveland Heights Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Cleveland Heights Snowplow and Landscaping Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Columbus Stormwater Control Practice Construction Bond
Subject To Underwriting
$20,000Village of Cuyahoga Heights Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Dayton Electrical Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Dayton Mechanical (HVAC) Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Dayton Pipe Laying Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Dayton Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Delaware Demolition or Excavation Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Delaware Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of East Cleveland Contractor Bond
$250
$15,000City of Eastlake Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Elyria Contractor Bond
$125
$5,000City of Findlay Sewer Tapper Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Findlay Sidewalk Contractor Bond
$100
$20,000City of Garfield Heights Contractor Bond
$200
$10,000City of Girard Contractor Bond
$100
$5,000City of Grandview Heights Contractor Registration Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Greater Cincinnati Water Works Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Village of Hartville Contractor Registration Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000Village of Highland Hills Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Independence Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Kirtland Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Village of LaGrange Contractor Bond
$100
$15,000City of Lancaster Contractor Bond
$150
$5,000City of Lima Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000City of Lorain Contractor Bond
$125
$20,000City of Lyndhurst Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Macedonia Contractor BondSubcontractor
$100
$25,000City of Macedonia Contractor BondGeneral Contractor
$125
$25,000City of Maple Heights Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Marietta Water Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$20,000City of Marietta Water Contractor Bond
$100
$2,000City of Marion Excavation Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Marysville Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Massillon Demolition Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Massillon Electrical Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Massillon Heating Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Massillon Home Improvement Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Massillon Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$1,000City of Maumee Contractor Bond
$100
$7,500City of Maumee Contractor BondSewer and Sidewalk Contractors
$100
$10,000-$70,000City of Mentor Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Mentor-on-the-Lake Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Middleburg Heights Contractor Bond
$125
$10,000City of Middletown Plumbing and/or Underground Utilities Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$20,000Village of Moreland Hills Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Village of Newburgh Heights Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Niles Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Village of North Randall Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of North Ridgeville Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of North Royalton Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Village of Northfield Contractor BondFor Residential Work
Starts at $100
$25,000Village of Northfield Contractor BondFor Commercial Work
Starts at $100
$1,000City of Norwood Right of Way Contractor Bond
Subject To Underwriting
$10,000Village of Oakwood Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Township of Olmsted Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000City of Olmsted Falls Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$2,000City of Oregon Sidewalk and Driveway Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Parma Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$3,000City of Perrysburg Sidewalk Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$3,000City of Piqua Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Portsmouth Contractor Bond
$125
$5,000Village of Reminderville Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Reynoldsburg Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Rossford Contractor BondElectrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Paving
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Rossford Contractor BondSewer
Starts at $100
$6,000City of Sandusky Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Seven Hills Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$15,000City of Sheffield Lake Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Solon Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Village of South Bloomfield Contractor Bond
$100
$20,000City of South Euclid Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$2,500City of South Euclid Snow Removal Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Village of South Russell Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Springfield Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$2,000City of St. Marys Plumbing or Electrical Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Streetsboro Contractor License and Permit Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Strongsville Electrical Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Strongsville Fire Alarm/Fire Suppression Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Strongsville General Trades Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Strongsville HVAC Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Strongsville Plumbing Contractor Bond
$100
$5,000City of Sylvania Sidewalk and Driveway Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$3,000City of Toledo Sidewalk Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Twinsburg Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of University Heights Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Upper Arlington Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$2,000Village of Urbancrest Contractor BondCurb Cut Permit
$100
$20,000Village of Urbancrest Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000City of Vermillion Contractor Bond
Starts at $125
$10,000Village of Walton Hills Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Warren Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Warrensville Heights Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Waterville Contractor Bond
$100
$5,000City of Wellington Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000City of Westlake Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Whitehall Contractor Bond
$250
$10,000City of Wickliffe Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Willoughby Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$15,000City of Willowick Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Youngstown Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Allen County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Clermont County Plumbing Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000Cuyahoga County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Cuyahoga County Sewer Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Dayton & Montgomery County Plumbing Bond
Starts at $100
$20,000Erie County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Fairfield County Contractor Registration Bond
$100
$10,000Fayette County Contractor Bond
$100
$5,000Franklin County Plumbing Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Hamilton County Plumbing Installation and Repair Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Hamilton County Sidewalk Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Hancock Public Health Plumbing Alteration Contractor Bond
$100
$20,000Hocking County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Huron County Sewage System Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Jefferson County Plumbing Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Lake County Sewer Building Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Lorain County Sewer Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Mahoning County Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Marion County Plumbing Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000Medina County Sanitary Engineering Contractor Bond
Starts at $125
$20,000Perry County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$15,000Pickaway County Contractor or Subcontractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Portage County Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Sidney-Shelby County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Stark County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Trumbull County Electrical Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Trumbull County Mechanical Contractor Bond
$100
$10,000Union County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Warren County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Wayne County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Southwest Licking Community Water & Sewer District Contractor Bond
$100
$40,000Multiple Sewage Treatment Systems Installer Bond
$200
$15,000Sewage Treatment Systems Service Provider BondDual Registration as Installer and Service Provider
Starts at $100
$25,000Sewage Treatment Systems Service Provider BondHauler or Service Provider
Starts at $100
$25,000City of Broadview Heights License and Permit Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000-$24,999Single or Small Flow Sewage Treatment Systems Installer BondHousehold Sewage Treatment System
Subject To Underwriting
$25,000Single or Small Flow Sewage Treatment Systems Installer BondSmall-Flow On-Site Sewage Treatment System
Starts at $125
$5,000City of Bowling Green Asphalt and Concrete Excavation Bond
$100
$5,000City of Shaker Heights Plumbing and Sewer Bond
$100
$20,000City of Willoughby Hills License and Permit Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000Oil & Gas Well BondIndividual Bond (One Well)
Subject To Underwriting
$15,000Oil & Gas Well BondBlanket Bond (2+ Wells)
Subject To Underwriting
$5,000City of Cleveland Sewer Builder Bond (Individual)
Starts at $175
$5,000Montgomery County Plumbing Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Mansfield Plumber Bond
$100
$25,000City of Vermilion Contractor Licensing Bond
Starts at $125
$25,000City of Cleveland Sewer Builder Bond (Company)
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Gahanna Home Improvement Bond
$100
$5,000City of Kettering Excavation Contractor Bond
$100
$25,000City of Lorain Sewer Builder Bond
$125
$25,000City of Pepper Pike Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Troy Maintenance Bond
$100
$10,000Clark County Combined Health District Plumber & Sewer Tapper Bond
$100
$15,000County of Butler Sewer and Plumbing BondSewage Treatment System Service Providers, Septic Tank Cleaners/Scavengers, and Plumbing Contractors
Starts at $100
$25,000County of Butler Sewer and Plumbing BondSewage Treatment System Installers
Starts at $125
$20,000Fairfield County Plumbing Contractor Bond
Starts at $100
$1,000-$100,000Franklin County Performance and Completion Bond
Subject To Underwriting
$25,000Sewage Treatment Systems Septage Hauler Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000Springfield Township License and Permit Bond
$100
$5,000Stark County Drain Layers Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000City of Akron Construction and Removal Bond
$100
$25,000City of Cleveland Master Plumber Bond
Starts at $100
$5,000City of Gahanna Water Sewer Installer Bond
Starts at $100
$10,000County of Clermont Sewer Tapper Bond
Starts at $100
$1,000-$25,000Warren City Health District License & Permit Bond
Ohio Revised Code 4740 requires local building and health departments to regulate commercial and residential contractors, which includes enforcing license and bond requirements. Local governments may also require bonding for various contractor specialties such as HVAC, plumbing, electrical, sewer, sidewalk and more.
There are also statewide bond requirements for:
First-time private water systems contractor applicants
Contractors involved with plugging and restoration of oil and gas wells
Other Construction Bonds in Ohio
You may also need a payment bond, performance bond or another type of contract bond for a public construction project in Ohio. These protect project owners if contractors default on their contracts in any way.
How to Get a Ohio Contractor Bond
With SuretyBonds.com, you can get most Ohio contractor license bonds instantly online. Simply find the bond you need and enter your information. You’ll receive your official bond confirmation via email in minutes.
However, some Ohio contractor bonds require a quick application review to determine pricing. If so, apply online to receive a free quote within one business day. We’ll provide an invoice and quote so you can checkout online anytime.
How Fast Can I Get My Bond?
SuretyBonds.com offers the fastest and easiest way to get Ohio construction bonds. You can purchase most Ohio contractor license bonds online 24/7 with instant digital delivery. If your obligee requires the original bond form with wet signatures, we offer an overnight shipping option.
How Do Ohio Contract Bonds Work?
Ohio contractor bonds protect consumers who could be harmed by defective construction or other license noncompliance as well as any unpaid employees, subcontractors or suppliers.
If you break the bond terms, the surety company will pay valid claims to harmed parties up to the full bond amount, which you must then reimburse in full.
How to Get a Contractor License in Ohio
Ohio contractor licensing requirements vary depending on your location and the type of construction work you do. The first step in becoming a licensed contractor is determining which license you need for each city and county you work in. For example, you might need a general contractor license for one city or county and a home improvement contractor license for others.
You'll then need to submit the appropriate contractor license application forms and materials. Some of the most common requirements include:
A certificate of liability insurance
A state or federal license for your trade classification
