Class C Building Contractor ($25,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond - New Castle County, DE in Delaware

Brief Summary

Class C is the entry license in New Castle County, good for projects valued up to $50,000, and it carries the smallest building bond at $25,000. The catch is the cap. Take one job above $50,000 and you need a higher class and a bigger bond, so size the license to the work you actually expect before the bond is issued.

New Castle County, Delaware requires a $25,000 Statutory Compliance Bond for a Class C Building Contractor license, which covers projects valued up to $50,000. The bond names New Castle County as obligee and must be written on the county's 2026 form, covering January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027. The license fee is $400 plus a $10 ICC Digital Code Access Fee.

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How to Apply for a Class C Building Contractor ($25,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond:

• Confirm every project you plan to permit is valued at $50,000 or less.
• Obtain a 2026 State of Delaware business license from the Division of Revenue.
• Get a certificate of liability insurance naming NCC Department of Land Use as certificate holder.
• Apply for the $25,000 bond and review the quoted premium.
• Have the bond issued on the county's 2026 Statutory Compliance Bond form, signed by you and the surety agent, with a legible seal.
• Start the online application on the county's Permit Endorsed Contractor License page.
• Pay the $400 license fee and $10 ICC Digital Code Access Fee once the county notifies you.

Detailed Information About the Delaware Class C Building Contractor ($25,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond:

Class C stops at $50,000

New Castle County sets the bond by license class, and the class is set by project valuation. Per the county's 2026 Building Contractor Requirements:

• Class U: unlimited project valuation, $200,000 bond
• Class A: up to $200,000, $150,000 bond
• Class B: up to $100,000, $50,000 bond
• Class C: up to $50,000, $25,000 bond

Class C has no added endorsements. New home builders need at least Class A, and HUD approved manufactured or modular home installers need at least Class B, each with membership in a county approved warranty company.

The term has moved to 2026

This listing carries the 2025 to 2026 term name. The county's current bond form is the 2026 Statutory Compliance Bond, covering the license period January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027. The effective date must be January 1, 2026 or later and the bond expires January 1, 2027.

What the bond promises

The contractor agrees to follow the New Castle County Code and applicable state and federal law, correct code violations within the time the Department of Land Use sets, pay county penalties, fees and charges within 15 days, and hold the county harmless for work done by the contractor, its employees or subcontractors. A notice of violation can generally be issued up to three years after the certificate of occupancy or completion. If the county makes a demand, the surety must pay within 35 days, then recovers that amount from the contractor.

Form rules that cause rejections

The county accepts only its official form and will not accept modified bond forms. The sole proprietor or principal and the surety agent both sign, the seal must be legible, and the contractor name must match the license application.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Delaware Class C Building Contractor ($25,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond:

• New Castle County named as obligee on the county's 2026 form, unmodified.
• Bond amount of $25,000 for Class C.
• Contractor name on the bond matching the license application exactly.
• Bond effective January 1, 2026 or later, expiring January 1, 2027.
• Liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence and $500,000 aggregate.
• A business entity must be filed with the Delaware Division of Corporations and hold a federal EIN.

Delaware Class C Building Contractor ($25,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Delaware Class C Building Contractor ($25,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond: