Massachusetts · Surety Bond Resource Center

Massachusetts surety bonds

Massachusetts concentrates the published statewide license bonds in this hub at city and town dealer licensing desks and the Division of Banks, with credit services organizations under Attorney General jurisdiction. Class 2 used motor vehicle dealers post a $25,000 surety or certificate of deposit / irrevocable letter of credit under G.L. c. 140 § 58(c) with the municipal licensing authority—one instrument per trade name and city or town—and the surety must give the municipality thirty days’ cancellation notice. Mortgage brokers keep a flat $75,000 continuous NMLS electronic surety; mortgage lenders size $100,000, $250,000, or $500,000 by closed Massachusetts residential loan volume, and dual licensees need both bonds. Money transmitters under M.G.L. c. 169B § 9 (MTMA effective October 1, 2025) post the greater of $100,000 or 100% of average daily Massachusetts liability for the prior three months, capped at $500,000. Debt collectors file a $25,000 bond to the state treasurer under G.L. c. 93 §§ 24–26 and 209 CMR 18.03, subject to any additional amount the Commissioner requires. Credit services organizations that charge before finishing services keep a $10,000 surety and a trust account under G.L. c. 93 § 68B. Massachusetts does not require a notary surety or a statewide general-contractor license surety—home improvement contractors contribute to the Guaranty Fund rather than posting an individual statewide license bond.

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Massachusetts at a glance

Class 2 used motor vehicle dealer: $25,000
Mortgage broker: $75,000
Mortgage lender: $100,000–$500,000
Money transmitter: $100,000–$500,000
Debt collector: $25,000
Credit services organization: $10,000

How it works in this state

How Massachusetts bonding is organized

How Massachusetts organizes these bonds

Used-vehicle dealer bonding is local: Class 2 applicants file the $25,000 § 58(c) instrument with the city or town that issues the dealer license, not with a single statewide dealer board, and each trade name in each municipality needs its own bond. Mortgage brokers, mortgage lenders, money transmitters, and debt collectors file with the Division of Banks—mortgage and money-transmission security through continuous NMLS electronic sureties sized by a flat broker amount, lender volume tiers, or average daily Massachusetts liability, and debt collectors on the $25,000 treasurer-payable bond under Chapter 93 and 209 CMR 18. Credit services organizations that take money before completing services answer to the Attorney General under § 68B with both a $10,000 surety and a trust account.

What this hub does not treat as statewide license bonds

Massachusetts does not require a notary public surety bond. There is no statewide general-contractor license surety; home improvement contractors participate in the Guaranty Fund contribution structure rather than posting an individual statewide license bond of the type published here. Blasting operations bonding is a niche Department of Public Safety instrument outside this commercial-core set. The Division of Insurance public-adjuster licensing checklist does not show a bond requirement. Class 1 new motor vehicle dealers are not covered by the Class 2 bond subsection in G.L. c. 140 § 58(c). Local permits, project contract bonds, and other municipal trades remain outside these pages.

Massachusetts 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.

BondAgencyCommon amountHow you file

Who sets the requirement?

Massachusetts licensing agencies

Each agency below sets its own bond requirement. Open the related guide for amounts and filing steps.

Massachusetts cities and towns — Class 2 used motor vehicle dealers

Municipal licensing authorities issue Class 2 used-dealer licenses and receive the $25,000 surety or CD/ILC under G.L. c. 140 § 58(c).

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Massachusetts Division of Banks — Mortgage brokers and lenders

Licenses mortgage brokers and lenders through NMLS and requires continuous electronic sureties under 209 CMR 42.00 and Bulletin 5.2-101.

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Massachusetts Division of Banks — Money transmission

Licenses money transmitters under M.G.L. c. 169B and receives § 9 security sized by the statutory floor, liability formula, and $500,000 cap.

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Massachusetts Division of Banks — Debt collectors

Licenses debt collectors under G.L. c. 93 §§ 24–26 and 209 CMR 18 and receives the $25,000 bond payable to the state treasurer.

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Massachusetts Attorney General — Credit services organizations

Enforces G.L. c. 93 § 68B surety and trust-account rules for credit services organizations that charge before services are complete.

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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
Match the licensed name and location
Class 2 dealer bonds must use the same trade name and city or town as the municipal license—each name and municipality needs its own instrument. Division of Banks NMLS filings must match the legal and DBA names on the license application.
2
Confirm activity-based amounts
Mortgage lender amounts follow closed Massachusetts residential loan volume ($100,000 / $250,000 / $500,000). Money-transmitter amounts use the greater of $100,000 or 100% of average daily Massachusetts liability for the prior three months, capped at $500,000. Dual mortgage broker and lender licenses require both bonds.
3
File with the right agency
Dealer sureties go to the municipal licensing authority with thirty-day cancellation notice. Mortgage and money-transmission instruments file as continuous NMLS electronic sureties with the Division of Banks. Debt-collector bonds run to the state treasurer. Credit services organizations follow Attorney General § 68B surety and trust-account rules when charging in advance.

Learn more about surety bonds

Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.

Frequently asked questions

Do Massachusetts notaries need a surety bond?

No. Massachusetts does not require a notary public surety bond. Commissioning and related Secretary of the Commonwealth steps do not include a statewide notary license surety of the type published in this Resource Center.

Is there a statewide general contractor license bond in Massachusetts?

No. Massachusetts does not issue a statewide general-contractor license with an individual surety. Home improvement contractors use the Guaranty Fund contribution structure rather than posting a statewide license bond. Cities and towns may still set local registration rules, and public projects can require separate payment or performance bonds.

Do Class 1 new car dealers post the Class 2 used-dealer bond?

No. The $25,000 surety or CD/ILC requirement in G.L. c. 140 § 58(c) applies to Class 2 used motor vehicle dealers. Class 1 new dealers are not under that Class 2 bond subsection.

Do public adjusters need a Massachusetts surety bond?

The Division of Insurance public-adjuster licensing checklist does not show a bond requirement. This hub does not publish a public-adjuster surety guide for Massachusetts on that basis.

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Massachusetts will be preselected in the application. Choose the bond type on the next step—we verify the current agency form before anything is issued.

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Last verified 2026-08-11. Official sources are retained with this guide and checked before publication.

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