Who requires it
Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection
License & permit · District of Columbia
District of Columbia Home Improvement Contractor Bond
Home improvement contractors licensed by the District of Columbia must file a twenty-five-thousand-dollar surety bond—or an accepted cash or securities substitute—with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection. The bond covers the two-year Contractor and Construction Services license period.
Common bond amount
$25,000
Fixed $25,000 under 16 DCMR § 16-802 for the two-year home-improvement license.
How you file
File the DLCP Home Improvement Surety Bond, or post cash or securities
Renewal
Maintain for the two-year license period
Who requires it
Applicants for a DLCP Contractor and Construction Services (home improvement contractor) license under the District’s home-improvement regulations. This is separate from Board of Industrial Trades electrical, plumbing, and refrigeration contractor bonds.
How much is required
16 DCMR § 16-802 sets the amount at twenty-five thousand dollars. DLCP’s Surety Bond Details page and Home Improvement Surety Bond form use the same figure for the two-year license. Cash, a certified or cashier’s check to the D.C. Treasurer, or qualifying government securities may replace a surety bond.
How to get and file it
Have an authorized surety complete the DLCP Home Improvement Surety Bond for $25,000 in the licensed business name, or arrange the cash/securities deposit the regulation allows, then submit it with the home-improvement license application. Maintain the $25,000 security for the full two-year license. If recoveries reduce a cash or securities deposit below the required level, restore it within the time the Director’s notice requires.
Cost note
Twenty-five thousand dollars is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Required amount
- $25,000 surety bond or accepted cash/securities alternative
- Form
- DLCP Home Improvement Surety Bond (fillable PDF)
- License term
- Two-year Contractor and Construction Services period
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Does this bond cover electrical or plumbing contractor licenses?
No. Those credentials use Board of Industrial Trades company and designated-master bonds on different amounts and expiration dates. Order the home-improvement bond only for the DLCP home-improvement contractor license.
Can I post cash instead of a surety?
Yes. 16 DCMR § 16-802 allows cash, a certified or cashier’s check to the D.C. Treasurer, or certain marketable government securities in place of a surety bond, subject to the regulation’s deposit rules.
Related District of Columbia bond guides
Industrial Trades Contractor Bond
$1,000–$5,000
District electrical, plumbing/gasfitting, and refrigeration/air-conditioning contractors licensed through the Board of Industrial Trades must post surety bonds for the company and—except for elevator work—a designated master. Amounts and expiration dates follow the Board’s published trade schedule.
Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
$25,000
Every person licensed as a motor vehicle dealer in the District of Columbia must keep a surety bond of at least twenty-five thousand dollars. The Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) receives the official Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond for the two-year license period.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Apply for the Home Improvement Contractor Bond
The application can open with this bond already selected. You can still go back and change selections.
Last verified 2026-08-11. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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