Surety Bond Encyclopedia

Contractor License ($3,000) Bond - St. Johns County, FL in Florida

Brief Summary

This $3,000 bond is a local filing, separate from your state license. A county contractor bond in Florida answers to one thing only: compliance with the Florida Building Code. It is a small bond, it is honored statewide once filed, and a surety bond lets you meet the requirement without handing the county cash.

St. Johns County contractors may be asked to post a $3,000 contractor license bond with the county. Florida Statute 489.131(3)(e) allows a county to require one bond per contractor, capped at $5,000, conditioned only on compliance with the Florida Building Code and payable to the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund. Confirm the current form and filing steps with St. Johns County Contractor Licensing before the bond is issued.

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How to Apply for a Contractor License ($3,000) Bond:

Confirm with St. Johns County Contractor Licensing that the $3,000 bond applies to your license type and trade.
Check whether you qualify for the third party insured warranty exemption under 489.131(3)(e).
Use the contractor or company name exactly as it appears on your license and Sunbiz record.
Complete the bond application and review the quoted premium.
Pay the premium and receive the executed $3,000 bond.
File the bond with the county along with your registration documents and insurance certificates.

Detailed Information About the Florida Contractor License ($3,000) Bond:

What the bond actually covers

Many contractors assume a local license bond protects customers against bad workmanship or unpaid bills. Under Florida law it is narrower than that. Section 489.131(3)(e) of the Florida Statutes lets a county or municipality require one bond for each contractor, in an amount not to exceed $5,000, conditioned only upon compliance with the Florida Building Code. The St. Johns County bond listed here is $3,000, which sits inside that cap.

The statute adds several rules contractors rarely hear about. The bond must be equally available to all contractors regardless of how long they have been licensed. It is payable to the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund and filed in each county or municipality where a building permit is requested. Bond reciprocity is granted statewide, and the bond counts toward any financial responsibility requirement imposed by another statute or rule.

The warranty exemption

A contractor who provides a third party insured warranty policy in connection with a new building or structure is excused from the bond for that building, under the same subsection. If you build new homes and supply that kind of warranty, ask the county whether it applies before you buy the bond.

Registering with St. Johns County

The county states that all state contractors must register to operate in St. Johns County. Its Contractor Licensing office asks state certified contractors for a copy of the state license, proof of an active corporation from the Florida Division of Corporations, a liability insurance certificate and a workers' compensation certificate or exemption naming St. Johns County as certificate holder, and a signed State License Contact Information form. The name on the license must match the corporate documents and insurance certificates. When the state license or insurance renews, copies must go to the county to avoid interruption in permitting or inspections. Confirm with Contractor Licensing whether the $3,000 bond is required for your trade and how it should be filed.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Florida Contractor License ($3,000) Bond:

Bond amount of $3,000, within the $5,000 statutory cap.
Condition limited to compliance with the Florida Building Code.
Name on the bond matching the license, corporate documents and insurance certificates.
Liability and workers' compensation certificates naming St. Johns County as certificate holder, filed separately from the bond.
Credit review of the owner or qualifier. Premium is set by the surety based on that review.

Florida Contractor License ($3,000) Bond FAQs:

Does this bond protect my customers if a job goes wrong?

Not in the broad sense. Florida Statute 489.131(3)(e) limits a local contractor bond to compliance with the Florida Building Code. It is not a general performance or payment bond.

Do I need a separate bond for every county I work in?

The statute says the bond is filed in each county or municipality where a building permit is requested, and that bond reciprocity is granted statewide. Ask St. Johns County how it handles a bond already on file elsewhere.

Is anyone exempt?

A contractor who provides a third party insured warranty policy for a new building or structure is excused from the bond for that building under 489.131(3)(e).

What else does the county need from a state certified contractor?

A copy of the state license, Sunbiz proof of an active corporation, liability and workers' compensation certificates naming St. Johns County as certificate holder, and a signed State License Contact Information form.