Who requires it
Illinois Secretary of State — Vehicle Services (Dealers & Remitters)
License & permit · Illinois
Illinois Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
Illinois new and used motor vehicle dealers that act as designated agents of the Secretary of State must post a fifty-thousand-dollar surety bond or certificate of deposit for each licensed location. The instrument is filed on SOS Form RTDS47 and supports dealer licensing under 625 ILCS 5/5-101 and 5-102. Section 5-107 can exempt dealers that have been continuously licensed since 1983, or that faithfully complied with the bond requirement for sixty consecutive months after January 1, 2018, until the Secretary of State finds a title/registration fee or tax delinquency.
Common bond amount
$50,000
Fixed per location; surety bond or certificate of deposit. § 5-107 exemption may apply (licensed since 1983, or 60 months of faithful bond compliance after 1-1-18).
How you file
File SOS Form RTDS47, or a qualifying certificate of deposit
Renewal
Keep continuous per location; replace before cancellation; confirm § 5-107 before dropping
Who requires it
Applicants and licensees for Illinois motor vehicle dealer credentials that require designated-agent authority with the Secretary of State Vehicle Services Department. The $50,000 amount applies per location. Confirm any § 5-107 exemption with SOS before dropping coverage—continuous licensure since 1983 or sixty months of faithful bond compliance after P.A. 100-450 is not assumed from calendar years alone.
How much is required
Sections 5-101 and 5-102 of the Illinois Vehicle Code fix a fifty-thousand-dollar designated agent surety bond or certificate of deposit for each place of business. The amount does not scale with inventory or sales volume. A § 5-107 exemption can remove the filing obligation when its conditions are met; it does not create a different required amount.
How to get and file it
Have an authorized surety complete SOS Form RTDS47 (Designated Agent Surety Bond) in the exact legal name and location shown on the dealer application, or arrange a qualifying certificate of deposit as SOS instructions allow. Submit the original with the dealer licensing package and keep a copy for your records. Keep the bond or CD in force for every licensed location that still requires designated-agent security. Replace the instrument before cancellation or expiration, and file a new bond when a location is added. If you believe § 5-107 applies, obtain confirmation from the Secretary of State before allowing coverage to lapse.
Cost note
Fifty thousand dollars is the required bond amount per location, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Required amount
- $50,000 surety bond or certificate of deposit per location
- Form
- Secretary of State Form RTDS47 designated agent surety bond
- Authority
- 625 ILCS 5/5-101 and 5-102 dealer / designated agent licensing
- Exemption path
- 625 ILCS 5/5-107 — continuous license since 1983, or 60 months of faithful bond compliance after P.A. 100-450
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Is the bond required for every dealership location?
Yes. The designated agent security is a fifty-thousand-dollar bond or certificate of deposit for each licensed location unless a statutory exemption applies. Adding a location generally means posting another instrument.
Can a long-licensed dealer drop the bond?
Section 5-107 exempts dealers continuously licensed since 1983, and licensees that faithfully complied with the bond requirement for sixty consecutive months after January 1, 2018, until the Secretary of State finds a fee or tax delinquency. Confirm status with SOS before cancelling.
Related Illinois bond guides
Plumbing Contractor Bond
$20,000
Plumbing contractors registering with the Illinois Department of Public Health must file a twenty-thousand-dollar surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit under 225 ILCS 320/13.1 and 77 Ill. Adm. Code 894.20. IDPH publishes separate application packets for corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and sole proprietors, but the statutory amount is the same twenty-thousand-dollar bond for each entity type.
Roofing Contractor Bond
$10,000 limited; $25,000 unlimited
Illinois roofing contractors licensed under the Roofing Industry Licensing Act must file a surety bond that stays in force while licensed, sized to their license class: ten thousand dollars for a limited license and twenty-five thousand dollars for an unlimited license. Those amounts appear in 225 ILCS 335/3 and 68 Ill. Adm. Code 1460.30; section 3.2 addresses staying in force and sixty-day cancellation. Applications are processed through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Illinois application
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Last verified 2026-08-11. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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