Who requires it
New Jersey Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors
License & permit · New Jersey
New Jersey Electrical Contractor Bond
Anyone in the electrical-contracting business under New Jersey’s Electrical Contractors Licensing Act must post a $1,000 surety bond before doing electrical work in the state. N.J.S.A. 45:5A-19 names the State of New Jersey as the agency that requires the bond and ties it to faithful performance of that Act.
Common bond amount
$1,000
Statutory amount under N.J.S.A. 45:5A-19.
How you file
File with the electrical board; statute says 24 months, Board form may say 36
Renewal
Renew at each expiration for the ensuing Board-accepted term
Who requires it
Persons engaged in electrical contracting under N.J.S.A. 45:5A-1 et seq. need this bond before undertaking electrical work in New Jersey or any political subdivision. The Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors also expects the bond with electrical business-permit paperwork. Municipal or project bonds do not replace this statewide instrument.
How much is required
N.J.S.A. 45:5A-19 establishes the $1,000 amount. There is no Board-assigned range for this product. The same statute states a 24-month term renewed for the next 24 months; the Board’s current business-permit bond form governs filing language that cites 36 months—match the form and expiration the Board is using when you file.
How to get and file it
Buy the bond through a surety authorized in New Jersey and approved by the Department of Banking and Insurance. Use the Board’s bond form (or the language in the business-permit packet), have the electrical contractor sign, insert the bond number, attach the power of attorney, and enclose the executed bond with the permit or renewal filing the Board requires. File with the Board of Examiners of Electrical Contractors as part of licensing / business-permit steps. Keep the bond in force for the term the Board accepts and renew before expiration so the business permit and license stay current. The Board’s public materials describe electrical contractor licenses and business permits on a multi-year cycle—coordinate bond expiration with that schedule.
Cost note
$1,000 is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Required amount
- $1,000 surety bond in favor of the State of New Jersey
- Surety
- Company authorized to transact business in New Jersey and approved by the Department of Banking and Insurance
- Condition
- Faithful performance of the Electrical Contractors Licensing Act
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Is the electrical bond the same as the HVACR or plumber bond?
No. Electrical, Master HVACR, and master plumber bonds sit under different Title 45 chapters and boards. Holding one does not automatically satisfy another unless a specific rule says so (HVACR has a limited plumber-bond proof option).
Why do some materials say 24 months and others 36 months?
N.J.S.A. 45:5A-19 still textually says 24 months. The Board’s published business-permit bond language currently cites 36 months. Follow the Board form and expiration date in your filing package.
Related New Jersey bond guides
HVACR Contractor Bond
$3,000
A Master HVACR contractor licensed under New Jersey’s HVACR Contracting License Law must post a $3,000 surety bond before doing HVACR work in the state. N.J.S.A. 45:16A-23 sets that amount and bars municipalities from demanding a duplicate local bond for the same act.
Master Plumber Bond
$3,000
A licensed New Jersey master plumber must post a $3,000 surety bond before doing plumbing work in the state. N.J.S.A. 45:14C-26 sets that statewide amount and stops municipalities from requiring a matching local bond for the same licensing act.
HICB / HECB Compliance Bond
$10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000
Home improvement and home elevation contractor businesses registered with New Jersey’s Division of Consumer Affairs must keep additional security—often a compliance surety bond—under N.J.S.A. 56:8-142. Official materials use one three-tier schedule ($10,000 / $25,000 / $50,000) for both HICBs and HECBs based on contract size and prior-year volume, not two unrelated fixed amounts.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Apply for the Electrical Contractor Bond
The application can open with this bond already selected. You can still go back and change selections.
Last verified 2026-08-07. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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