Who requires it
Colorado Division of Real Estate — Mortgage Loan Originators
License & permit · Colorado
Colorado Mortgage Loan Originator Surety Bond
Active Colorado mortgage loan originators must keep a bond with the Division of Real Estate in addition to required errors-and-omissions insurance. The Division’s published schedule uses $25,000 for an individual policy, $100,000 for a group covering fewer than twenty licensees, and $200,000 for a group covering twenty or more.
Common bond amount
$25,000 / $100,000 / $200,000
Individual $25,000; group under 20 licensees $100,000; group of 20 or more $200,000 per Division of Real Estate schedule implementing § 12-10-717.
How you file
File with the Division of Real Estate; individual or group coverage; stays in force while licensed
Renewal
Keep in force while licensed; update Division when coverage changes
Who requires it
Active mortgage loan originators licensed through the Division of Real Estate / NMLS under Colorado’s MLO program. Mortgage companies must also remain registered on NMLS and in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State under the Division’s company rules; this guide covers the amounts the Division publishes for MLO coverage, not project or loan-level collateral.
How much is required
C.R.S. § 12-10-717 requires each applicant to post a surety bond in an amount the Board of Mortgage Loan Originators sets by rule and to maintain that bond while licensed. The statute allows the bond to be held by the individual MLO or in the employing company’s name. The Division of Real Estate’s current licensing page states the operative minimums: individual $25,000; group with fewer than 20 licensees $100,000; group with 20 or more licensees $200,000. Keep proof of coverage current with the Division.
How to get and file it
Obtain a bond meeting the Division’s individual or group amount for your licensing structure, keep the name aligned with the NMLS / Division record, and file proof of coverage as the Division directs during application and while the license remains active. Do not confuse the bond schedule with the separate E&O limits on the same Division page. Coverage must stay in force while you are an active MLO. Section 12-10-717 requires the surety to notify the board within thirty days if a claim is paid or the bond is canceled. Update the Division whenever coverage changes and replace the bond before any lapse. Group amounts depend on the number of licensees on the policy—reassess when headcount crosses the twenty-licensee threshold.
Cost note
Those figures are the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Individual
- Minimum surety $25,000
- Group — fewer than 20 licensees
- Minimum surety $100,000
- Group — 20 or more licensees
- Minimum surety $200,000
- Continuity
- Proof of coverage must stay current with the Division
- Related E&O
- Separate E&O minimums appear on the same Division page and are not substitutes for surety
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Is the $25,000 amount always enough?
Only for individual coverage on the Division’s schedule. Companies covering multiple MLOs on one group bond use $100,000 or $200,000 depending on whether fewer than twenty, or twenty or more, licensees are covered.
Does errors-and-omissions insurance replace the surety bond?
No. The Division requires both E&O and a surety bond. The schedules are published together but serve different requirements.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Colorado application
Colorado will be preselected. Choose your bond type in the application—we confirm the correct product against your agency form before anything is issued.
Last verified 2026-08-10. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
Agents Ready to Help
Share your agency checklist or bond form and we will confirm the agency, amount, and filing steps before issuing.
Talk to the pro →