Contractor License Bond - City of Augusta Richmond County, GA in Georgia

Brief Summary

Augusta sets three different contractor bond amounts, and ordering the wrong one is the most common holdup at the permit counter. Match the bond to your work, commercial, residential or specialty, and file it with your insurance certificate so permits are not held up.

Augusta-Richmond County requires every contractor or builder who contracts for permitted building work to deposit a bond with the License and Inspection Department. The amount is $20,000 for commercial contractors, $15,000 for residential contractors and $5,000 for specialty contractors, with Augusta Richmond County listed as certificate holder. Liability insurance, an occupation tax payment and the annual regulatory fee are also required.

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How to Apply for a Contractor License Bond:

• Decide whether your work is commercial, residential or specialty to pick the $20,000, $15,000 or $5,000 bond.
• Obtain or present your Business Tax Certificate, or a copy of a current Georgia business license from another jurisdiction.
• Get a certificate of liability insurance with at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence.
• Purchase the bond with Augusta Richmond County listed as certificate holder.
• Deposit the bond with the License and Inspection Department.
• Pay the occupation tax and the annual regulatory fee.

Detailed Information About the Georgia Contractor License Bond:

Pick the right tier

Augusta does not use a single contractor bond amount. The License and Inspection Department's Construction Trade Regulation page sets three:

• Commercial contractors: $20,000
• Residential contractors: $15,000
• Specialty contractors: $5,000, with Augusta Richmond County listed as the certificate holder

If your work crosses categories, ask the department which bond it will accept before you order one.

Who has to post it

The requirement applies to every contractor or builder who makes contracts for the erection, construction or repair of buildings that need a permit, including contractors who sublet part of the work. The bond is deposited with the License and Inspection Department and is conditioned on work being performed under the building code and on the contractor paying all fees and penalties properly imposed for code violations.

What goes with the bond

The bond is one of four items. You also need:

• A Business Tax Certificate under Title 2 of the Augusta-Richmond County Code. If you already hold a current, valid business tax certificate or business license from elsewhere in Georgia, present a copy instead of getting a new one in Augusta.
• A certificate of public liability and property damage insurance of not less than $50,000 for each person and $100,000 for each occurrence.
• Payment of the annual regulatory fee set in the Augusta-Richmond County Code.

A state trade or contractor license is a separate credential. The city page does not list it as a substitute for the local bond.

Confirm the current bond form and filing steps with the License and Inspection Department, 535 Telfair Street, Suite 300, before the bond is issued.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Georgia Contractor License Bond:

• Bond deposited with the Augusta License and Inspection Department.
• $20,000 commercial, $15,000 residential or $5,000 specialty.
• Conditioned on compliance with the building code and payment of fees and penalties for violations.
• Liability insurance of at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per occurrence.
• Business tax certificate or a valid Georgia business license from another jurisdiction.

Georgia Contractor License Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Georgia Contractor License Bond: