Colorado does not issue a statewide general-contractor license bond. Cities and counties set many construction licensing and bonding rules, so local contractor or right-of-way bonds are outside this hub. Statewide electrical and plumbing credentials run through Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) trade boards; those programs were not verified as carrying a statewide license bond of the kind published here. The statewide instruments in this Resource Center come from discrete agencies: the Department of Revenue Auto Industry Division for motor vehicle and powersports dealer, wholesaler, salesperson, and buyer-agent bonds under Title 44 Article 20; the Colorado Department of Law administrator for collection-agency bonds under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act; the Division of Real Estate for mortgage loan originator bonds under § 12-10-717 and the Division’s published schedule; and the Division of Insurance for public adjuster bonds under § 10-2-417. Bid, performance, and payment bonds for individual jobs remain project instruments.
Colorado · Surety Bond Resource Center
Colorado surety bonds
Colorado’s statewide license bonds cluster in a few agencies. The Auto Industry Division requires dealer and wholesaler bonds—generally $50,000, or $5,000 for small utility-trailer-only sellers—with a separate $15,000 salesperson bond. Collection agencies licensed under the Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act post a volume-based bond between $12,000 and $20,000 with the administrator. Mortgage loan originators keep Division of Real Estate coverage at $25,000, $100,000, or $200,000 depending on individual versus company coverage. Public insurance adjusters maintain at least $20,000 with the Division of Insurance. Colorado does not run a statewide general-contractor license bond; electrical and plumbing are statewide trade licenses without a verified statewide license bond of the kind published here, and city or county contractor bonds stay local.
Colorado at a glance
- Motor vehicle / powersports dealer
- $50,000 / $5,000
- Collection agency
- $12,000–$20,000
- Mortgage loan originator
- $25K / $100K / $200K
- Public adjuster
- $20,000
§§ 44-20-112 / 44-20-412; $5,000 only for small utility trailers under 2,000 pounds.
C.R.S. § 5-16-124 volume formula; filed with the Attorney General.
Individual vs company group size on the Division of Real Estate schedule under § 12-10-717.
Minimum surety under C.R.S. § 10-2-417 for the license term.
How it works in this state
How Colorado bonding is organized
Colorado bond directory
Find your bond requirement
These guides cover license and permit bonds with verified educational content. Your agency notice or application checklist is always the final authority.
- Motor Vehicle Dealer / Salesperson BondLicense & permitColorado Department of Revenue — Auto Industry Division$5,000–$50,000 by license classFile with Auto Industry Division; surety bond or qualifying deposit; continuation allowedRenew annually with AID license; continuation certificate accepted
- Collection Agency BondLicense & permitColorado Department of Law — Collection agency administrator$12,000–$20,000 by remittance volumeFile with the Department of Law; surety bond or qualifying deposit; optional $2M blanketContinuous while licensed; July 1 license renewals
- Mortgage Loan Originator BondLicense & permitColorado Division of Real Estate — Mortgage Loan Originators$25,000 / $100,000 / $200,000File with the Division of Real Estate; individual or group coverage; stays in force while licensedKeep in force while licensed; update Division when coverage changes
- Public Adjuster BondLicense & permitColorado Division of Insurance$20,000File in the commissioner-prescribed format for the license termKeep in force while licensed; 30-day termination notice to commissioner
Who sets the requirement?
Colorado licensing agencies
Each agency below sets its own bond requirement. Open the related guide for amounts and filing steps.
Colorado Department of Revenue — Auto Industry Division
Licenses motor vehicle and powersports dealers, wholesalers, and salespersons and receives Title 44 Article 20 bonds or qualifying deposits.
Open related guide →Colorado Department of Law — Collection agency licensing
Administers Colorado Fair Debt Collection Practices Act licenses and receives § 5-16-124 bonds or qualifying deposits.
Open related guide →Division of Real Estate — Mortgage Loan Originators
Licenses MLOs and registered mortgage companies and requires coverage under § 12-10-717 and the Division’s published amount schedule.
Open related guide →Division of Insurance — Public adjusters
Licenses public insurance adjusters and requires the § 10-2-417 bond.
Open related guide →Before you apply
Confirm these details from the agency notice
Bring these five items when you request a bond. For the full checklist, see how to read a bond requirement.
- 1
Who requires it
Confirm whether you need Auto Industry Division dealer or salesperson coverage, a collection-agency bond with the Department of Law, Division of Real Estate MLO coverage, or a Division of Insurance public-adjuster bond.
- 2
Bond title or form
Use AID bond/continuation forms (including DR 2830 examples) for dealers, the administrator-acceptable collection bond or deposit, the Division-approved MLO bond form, or the commissioner-prescribed public-adjuster format.
- 3
Required amount
Match $50,000 / $5,000 dealer amounts or $15,000 salesperson; collection $12,000–$20,000 by volume; MLO $25,000 / $100,000 / $200,000; public adjuster at least $20,000.
- 4
License / business identifiers
Keep the name on the bond identical to the AID, Department of Law, NMLS/Division of Real Estate, or Division of Insurance filing, including any required DBA on the AID name line.
- 5
Term
AID dealer and salesperson bonds renew annually with the license, often by continuation certificate. Collection, MLO, and public-adjuster bonds must stay in force while the credential is active, with statutory cancellation-notice rules.
Learn more about surety bonds
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Frequently asked questions
Does Colorado require a statewide general contractor bond?
No statewide general-contractor license bond appears in the verified programs published here. Cities and counties may require their own contractor or right-of-way bonds. Statewide electrical and plumbing licenses are separate trade credentials and were not verified as carrying a statewide license bond of this Resource Center type.
Is every auto-related bond $50,000?
Most motor vehicle and powersports dealer and wholesaler licenses use $50,000. Dealers who sell only small utility trailers under 2,000 pounds use $5,000. Individual motor vehicle salespersons file a separate $15,000 bond.
Do debt buyers need the collection agency bond?
C.R.S. § 5-16-124 says a bond is not required of a debt buyer as long as the debt buyer does not also provide third-party debt collection. Confirm your activity with the administrator before skipping the bond.
Start your Colorado bond application
Colorado will be preselected in the application. Choose the bond type on the next step—we verify the current agency form before anything is issued.
Last verified 2026-08-10. Official sources are retained with this guide and checked before publication.
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