Who requires it
Iowa Division of Banking — Debt management
License & permit · Iowa
Iowa Debt Management Bond
Iowa debt-management businesses must be licensed under chapter 533A and file a $25,000 surety for each office with the superintendent of banking. Section 533A.2 requires lawful operation and accurate accounting of money collected for debtors. Claims on each office cannot exceed $25,000. This is not a collection-agency license bond—Iowa does not operate a parallel statewide collector surety program.
Common bond amount
$25,000 per office
Fixed $25,000 for each office under Iowa Code § 533A.2(4).
How you file
File with the superintendent of banking
Renewal
Keep coverage in place for each licensed office
Who requires it
Persons engaging in the business of debt management in Iowa who must hold a chapter 533A license from the Division of Banking. Ordinary third-party debt collectors that only notify the Attorney General are outside this license-and-bond path.
How much is required
Section 533A.2(4) fixes twenty-five thousand dollars as the required amount for each office. Multi-office operators file a separate $25,000 bond for every office covered by the license application.
How to get and file it
Complete the Division of Banking debt-management license application path, have an authorized surety issue a $25,000 bond for each office, and file it with the superintendent for approval before starting debt-management work. Do not operate until a sufficient bond is on file. The surety may cancel after thirty days’ notice to the superintendent and is then relieved of liability for later breaches. Replace coverage before any cancellation effective date.
Cost note
Twenty-five thousand dollars per office 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 for each office
- Authority
- Iowa Code § 533A.2(4)
- Who it protects
- People using the debt-management service
- Claim limit
- Claims on each office cannot exceed $25,000
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Is this the Iowa collection agency bond?
No. Debt-management licensing under chapter 533A is separate from debt-collector notification to the Attorney General. Iowa does not publish a statewide collection-agency license surety in this hub.
Do I need more than $25,000 if I have two offices?
Yes. Section 533A.2 requires a $25,000 bond for each office, so two offices means two $25,000 filings (or equivalent coverage structured to meet that per-office requirement).
Related Iowa bond guides
Credit Services Organization Bond
$10,000
Iowa credit services organizations that must post security under chapter 538A file either a surety bond or a surety-account notice with the Secretary of State. Iowa Code § 538A.4 sets the amount at not less than $10,000 and requires coverage until the surety cancels with at least thirty days’ written notice to both the organization and the Secretary of State. People harmed by chapter 538A violations can claim on the bond.
Mortgage Lender Bond
$25,000 / $100,000 / $150,000
Iowa mortgage bankers, mortgage brokers, and closing agents must maintain chapter 535B sureties with the Division of Banking. Iowa Code § 535B.9 starts mortgage broker and banker applicants at $100,000 until the superintendent’s volume schedule applies, and it sets closing agents at $25,000. 187 IAC 18.2 implements the operative banker/broker amounts: $100,000 when prior-year residential mortgage volume is $100,000,000 or less, and $150,000 when volume exceeds $100,000,000. Filings run electronically through NMLS.
Money Transmitter Bond
$100,000–$500,000
Iowa money transmitter applicants and licensees must keep a surety bond acceptable to the superintendent under Iowa Code § 533C.802. The amount is the greater of $100,000 or 100% of the licensee’s average daily money-transmission liability in Iowa for the most recently completed three-month period, capped at $500,000. If you post $500,000, you do not have to calculate average daily liability. Filings typically run through NMLS with the Division of Banking.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Iowa 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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