Who requires it
Texas Secretary of State
Financial services · Texas
Texas Credit Services Organization Bond
Credit services organizations registering with the Texas Secretary of State may need Chapter 393 surety. When a CSO takes consumer consideration before finishing the agreed services, statute calls for a $10,000 surety bond or surety account for each location.
Common bond amount
$10,000 per location
Statutory amount under § 393.403 when bond/account security applies; confirm whether your fee practices trigger § 393.302.
How you file
File Form 2802 with the Secretary of State, or a surety-account notice on Form 2803
Renewal
Coordinate with annual CSO registration renewal
Who requires it
Chapter 393 requires CSOs to register with the Secretary of State before doing business in Texas. Registration includes proof of security—or a statement explaining why security is not required. Separately, § 393.302 allows charging or receiving valuable consideration before services are fully performed only if the organization has a surety bond or surety account for each location under Subchapter E. Match your fee practices to the statute and SOS FAQs.
How much is required
Finance Code § 393.403 sets the surety bond or account at $10,000. SOS FAQs apply that figure per location when security is required. The amount is statutory—not a registrant choice to lower premium.
How to get and file it
For a surety bond, use a Texas-authorized surety and file a copy with the Secretary of State on the current SOS form series (SOS materials point to Form 2802 for bonds and Form 2803 for surety account notices). Align the named business and locations with the CSO registration. CSO registration lasts one year and may renew, with fees and security paperwork described in SOS FAQs. Keep security live for each required location while you operate. Update filings when locations change.
Cost note
$10,000 is the statutory security amount, not the premium. A surety account may be an alternative under Chapter 393—confirm which path your registration needs. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Security amount
- $10,000 per location when bond/account is required
- Alternative
- Surety account may be used instead of a bond as provided in Chapter 393
- Filing
- File with the Texas Secretary of State using current Form 2800-series instructions
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Do all CSOs need a bond?
Registration needs proof of security or an explanation why security is not required. The $10,000 bond/account rule in § 393.302 tracks collecting consideration before services are finished. Compare your business model to the statute and SOS FAQs.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Texas application
Texas will be preselected. Choose your bond type in the application—we confirm the correct product against your agency form before anything is issued.
Last verified 2026-08-05. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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