License and Guarantee ($50,000) Bond - Highlands County, FL in Florida

Brief Summary

Highlands County lists its License and Guarantee bond at $10,000 and at $50,000. If the county has told you $50,000, this is the bond, and you pay an annual premium instead of setting aside $50,000 in cash. Confirm the amount first, because a bond in the wrong amount gets sent back.

Highlands County, Florida lists a License and Guarantee surety bond at $10,000 and at $50,000, with Highlands County as obligee. This page covers the $50,000 bond. Local contractor licensing is handled by the county's Construction Licensing, Enforcement and Appeals Board under Section 12.03.600 of the Highlands County Code of Ordinances. Confirm the required amount, bond form and filing steps with the Highlands County Building Department before the bond is issued.

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How to Apply for a License and Guarantee ($50,000) Bond:

• Confirm with the Highlands County Building Department that $50,000 is the amount assigned to your license.
• Ask whether the county uses its own License and Guarantee bond form.
• Have the licensee name and business name exactly as they appear on the county license application.
• Owner name, home address and Social Security number for the surety's credit review.
• Business financial information if the surety requests it at this bond size.
• Pay the premium, receive the signed bond with power of attorney, and file the original with the Highlands County Building Department.

Detailed Information About the Florida License and Guarantee ($50,000) Bond:

Two amounts, one bond name

Highlands County lists the License and Guarantee bond at both $10,000 and $50,000. The county's public pages do not explain what puts a contractor in one amount or the other, so ask the Building Department which figure applies to your license before you buy. This page is the $50,000 version.

Who licenses contractors locally

The Highlands County Construction Licensing, Enforcement and Appeals Board has the power to license county qualified contractors and specialty contractors, under Section 12.03.600 of the Highlands County Code of Ordinances. The board also enforces state and local construction laws, hears appeals of building official decisions, and can suspend, revoke, fine or reprimand locally licensed contractors.

Check that your trade is still locally licensed

The Highlands County Building Department notes that local governments may now only license specialty contractor types that substantially match state categories, and it names fencing and vinyl gutters, siding, soffit and fascia as local licenses that may continue. Workers employed under a licensed contractor do not need a separate specialty license unless they work directly for the public. If your local license was eliminated, the county points you to a state certified license for that scope of work.

What the bond guarantees

A license and guarantee bond backs the contractor's promise to follow the county's licensing and building rules and to stand behind the work. If the contractor fails to do so, a claim can be made against the bond up to $50,000. The surety pays valid claims and then recovers the money from the contractor. At this amount, expect the surety to look more closely at credit and business financials than it would for the $10,000 bond.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Florida License and Guarantee ($50,000) Bond:

• Bond amount of $50,000.
• Highlands County named as obligee.
• A surety company authorized to write bonds in Florida.
• A trade that Highlands County still licenses locally, or a state license registered with the county.
• Names on the bond matching the county license records exactly.

Florida License and Guarantee ($50,000) Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Florida License and Guarantee ($50,000) Bond: