Decorative Appliance Contractor ($10,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond - New Castle County, DE in Delaware

Brief Summary

Decorative appliance contractors in New Castle County post a $10,000 Statutory Compliance Bond, and it has to be a new bond for every license period. We write it on the county's current form in the exact business name on your license application, ready to file alongside your NFI certificate.

New Castle County, Delaware requires a $10,000 Statutory Compliance Bond for the Decorative Appliance Contractor license, which covers gas and solid fuel appliances. The bond names New Castle County as obligee. The current form covers January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027, and the license also requires a current National Fireplace Institute certificate for gas or solid fuel. The 2026 license fee totals $410.

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How to Apply for a Decorative Appliance Contractor ($10,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond:

• Get a copy of the license holder's current NFI certificate for gas, solid fuel or both.
• Use the business name and address exactly as they appear on your license application.
• Get the $10,000 bond on the 2026 Statutory Compliance Bond form with an effective date of January 1, 2026 or later.
• Have the sole proprietor or principal sign the back of the bond, with the surety agent's legible seal.
• Gather a State of Delaware business license and a certificate of liability insurance.
• Apply online and pay the $410 total fee, which is a $400 license fee plus a $10 ICC Digital Code Access Fee.

Detailed Information About the Delaware Decorative Appliance Contractor ($10,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond:

The certificate does not replace the bond

New Castle County Code Section 6.03.009 requires decorative appliance contractor applicants to prove certification through an approved program in gas burning hearth systems or solid fuel systems. The county's 2026 requirements ask for a copy of the license holder's current certificate for gas or solid fuel, or both, issued by the National Fireplace Institute (NFI). The certificate shows you are qualified. The $10,000 bond is a separate requirement, and the license needs both.

One bond amount for gas and solid fuel

The 2026 utility contractor requirements list a single $10,000 bond for the Decorative Appliance Contractor license and note that it includes gas and solid fuel work.

The bond is tied to one license period

The 2026 Statutory Compliance Bond form (Rev. 10/1/25) lists a license period of January 1, 2026 to January 1, 2027, must carry an effective date of 1/1/2026 or later, and states that the bond may not be continued in whole or in part past its expiration date. A bond written for an earlier period, including the 2025 to 2026 cycle, does not carry over. Each license period needs a new bond on the current county form.

What the bond covers

New Castle County Code Section 6.03.001(B)(2) requires every applicant to deliver a surety bond naming the County as beneficiary and the contractor's business entity as principal, issued by an A-rated surety authorized to do business in Delaware by the Delaware Insurance Department. The county's Statutory Compliance Bond form obligates the contractor to comply with the NCC Code and state and federal law, correct or pay for the correction of violations, pay county penalties, fees and charges within 15 days of issuance, and indemnify the County. The County has three years from the date a Certificate of Occupancy, Completion or Use is issued to give notice of a violation. If the contractor does not pay, the surety must pay the County's claim within 35 days of demand.

Other license requirements

The county also requires a State of Delaware business license and a certificate of liability insurance with a minimum of $250,000 per occurrence and a $500,000 aggregate limit. The 2026 license fee is $410, made up of a $400 license fee and a $10 ICC Digital Code Access Fee. Apply online through the Permit Endorsed Contractor License page.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Delaware Decorative Appliance Contractor ($10,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond:

• Bond amount of $10,000, covering gas and solid fuel work.
• New Castle County named as obligee on the county's Statutory Compliance Bond form.
• An A-rated surety authorized to do business in Delaware by the Delaware Insurance Department.
• A current National Fireplace Institute certificate for gas or solid fuel.
• Liability insurance of at least $250,000 per occurrence and $500,000 aggregate.
• A new bond for each license period. The 2026 form expires January 1, 2027.

Delaware Decorative Appliance Contractor ($10,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Delaware Decorative Appliance Contractor ($10,000) 2025 - 2026 Term Bond: