Florida splits dealer security from construction financial-responsibility rules. Motor vehicle dealers post annual surety (or a letter of credit) with FLHSMV under chapter 320. Most DBPR/CILB contractor applicants follow the credit-report path: they generally submit a credit report showing a FICO-derived score of 660 or higher and no unsatisfied liens or judgments; applicants with a score below 660 must complete a board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course. That path is not a California-style statewide contractor license bond. Separately, a business that names a Financially Responsible Officer must post $100,000 security payable to the Construction Industry Licensing Board. Job-level bid, performance, and payment bonds stay outside this Resource Center.
Florida · Surety Bond Resource Center
Florida surety bonds
Florida license bonds come from agencies such as FLHSMV and DBPR’s Construction Industry Licensing Board—security for licensing, not business insurance. Use this page to open the dealer or FRO guide that matches your notice.
Florida at a glance
- Motor vehicle dealer security
- $25,000
- Financially Responsible Officer
- $100,000
- Most contractor applicants — Credit report path
- Credit report path
- Who requires it
- FLHSMV & DBPR/CILB
Surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit under Fla. Stat. § 320.27.
Required when a business designates an FRO under CILB rules / DBPR CILB 8.
Applicants generally submit a credit report showing a FICO-derived score of 660 or higher and no unsatisfied liens or judgments. Applicants with a score below 660 must complete a board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course—not a statewide license bond.
Dealer security files with FLHSMV; FRO security files with CILB/DBPR.
How it works in this state
How Florida bonding is organized
Florida 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 BondAuto dealerFlorida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV)$25,000File Form HSMV 86020 with FLHSMV, or an irrevocable letter of creditNew bond, letter of credit, or continuation at each license period
- Financially Responsible Officer BondLicense & permitFlorida Construction Industry Licensing Board (DBPR)$100,000File the CILB 8 bond with the Construction Industry Licensing Board, or a letter of creditMaintain while serving as FRO; replace or amend when the officer or entity changes
Who sets the requirement?
Florida licensing agencies
Each agency below sets its own bond requirement. Open the related guide for amounts and filing steps.
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
Licenses motor vehicle dealers and receives dealer surety or letter-of-credit filings.
Open related guide →DBPR — Construction Industry Licensing Board
Licenses construction contractors and receives Financially Responsible Officer applications and bonds.
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
Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) for dealer security, or the Construction Industry Licensing Board for an FRO bond.
- 2
Bond title or form
HSMV 86020 for motor vehicle dealers, or the FRO bond section of DBPR CILB 8 for financially responsible officers.
- 3
Required amount
Statutory or rule amount for that requirement—if another source shows a different figure, follow the statute or board rule.
- 4
License / business identifiers
Exact legal name and license or application identifiers the agency expects on the bond.
- 5
Term / continuation
Dealer bonds align to the license period; FRO security must remain in force while the designation applies.
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 Florida require a statewide contractor license bond for every CILB applicant?
No. Applicants generally submit a credit report showing a FICO-derived score of 660 or higher and no unsatisfied liens or judgments. Applicants with a score below 660 must complete a board-approved 14-hour financial responsibility course. The $100,000 bond shows up when a business names a Financially Responsible Officer—not as a universal contractor license bond.
Start your Florida bond application
Florida 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 2026-08-06. Official sources are retained with this guide and checked before publication.
Agents Ready to Help
Need help matching a Florida agency notice to the correct bond form? Our surety team can review the requirement with you.
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