Who requires it
Utah Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division
License & permit · Utah
Utah Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond
Utah motor vehicle dealers must keep a surety bond on file with the Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division for as long as they stay in business. MVED publishes fixed amounts: $75,000 for new or used motor vehicle dealers and $10,000 for motorcycle or small-trailer dealers. Operating without a current bond on file violates Utah Code § 41-3-205.
Common bond amount
$75,000 / $10,000
New/used motor vehicle dealers $75,000; motorcycle or small trailer dealers $10,000; used dealers maintain per additional place of business per MVED guidance.
How you file
File Form TC-450 with the Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division
Renewal
Keep in force while in business; no operating gap without a current bond
Who requires it
Applicants and licensees for Utah MVED motor vehicle dealer licenses, including new and used motor vehicle dealers and motorcycle or small-trailer dealers. Body shops ($20,000) and crushers ($10,000) use the same TC-450 bond family but are separate license types from the dealer schedules emphasized here.
How much is required
MVED’s published bond schedule fixes $75,000 for new or used motor vehicle dealers and $10,000 for motorcycle or small trailer dealers. MVED Q&A materials also note that used motor vehicle dealers maintain the $75,000 amount for each additional place of business, and used motorcycle/off-highway/small-trailer dealers maintain $10,000 for each additional place of business. Amounts do not scale with unit sales on the MVED bond page.
How to get and file it
Have an authorized Utah surety (meeting MVED’s A.M. Best rating rule on Form TC-450) complete the bond in the exact licensed business name for the correct amount. File TC-450 with the Bonded Motor Vehicle Business Application and other MVED dealer packet items before the license issues, and keep coverage in force while licensed. Keep the surety bond in force for the entire time the dealer, body shop, or crusher remains in business. Do not let coverage lapse—MVED states it is illegal to operate without a current bond on file, and cash substitutes are not an operating workaround. Replace cancelled bonds before the effective cancellation date.
Cost note
Seventy-five thousand or ten thousand dollars is the required bond amount, not the premium you pay. See bond amount vs premium. Bond amount vs premium →
Requirement checklist
- Motor vehicle dealer
- $75,000 surety bond (new or used)
- Motorcycle / small trailer dealer
- $10,000 surety bond
- Related amounts
- Body shop $20,000; crusher $10,000 on the same form family
- Authority
- Utah Code Title 41, Chapter 3; MVED bond schedule; Form TC-450
Official sources
Related resources
Frequently asked questions
Can I post cash instead of a Utah dealer surety?
No for ongoing operations. MVED’s bond FAQ states you may not post a cash bond or keep operating until a new surety bond is on file after a lapse—Utah Code § 41-3-205 requires a current dealer bond on file.
Does one $75,000 bond cover every used-car lot I add?
MVED’s Q&A booklet states used motor vehicle dealers must also maintain a $75,000 bond for each additional place of business. Confirm multi-location coverage with MVED when you open another lot.
Related Utah bond guides
Contractors License Bond
$15,000–$50,000+
Utah contractor licensing through the Division of Professional Licensing does not automatically require every licensee to post a surety bond. When Utah Code § 58-55-306 and Rule R156-55a-602 require a license bond for financial-responsibility reasons, the minimum amount follows classification floors—$50,000 for general contractor classifications other than R100, $25,000 for R100, and $15,000 for other classifications—or higher amounts driven by debt or bankruptcy formulas.
Mortgage Loan Originator Bond
$12,500–$50,000
Utah Department of Financial Institutions mortgage loan originators licensed under Title 70D must be covered by a surety bond under Rule R343-5. Individual amounts run $12,500, $25,000, or $50,000 based on prior-calendar-year origination volume. A qualified employer may elect entity coverage so exclusive originators do not each post a separate bond.
Money Transmitter Bond
$50,000
Utah money transmitters licensed under the Money Transmitter Act must submit a surety bond satisfactory to the commissioner in a minimum amount of $50,000. Utah Code § 7-25-204 ties the bond to reimbursing the state for expenses in administrative or judicial proceedings related to payment-instrument activity. NMLS checklists call for a $50,000 electronic surety from an authorized Utah surety.
Surety basics (not repeated here)
Universal surety concepts explained once—linked here instead of repeated on every state or bond page.
Continue with a Utah application
Utah 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 2026-08-11. This guide is based on verified educational content and official sources.
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