Commercial General Contractor ($20,000) Bond - City of Harlem, GA in Georgia

Brief Summary

Harlem will not issue a building permit to a general contractor whose city registration is out of date, and the registration is not complete without an original surety bond payable to the City of Harlem. For commercial work that bond is $20,000. You pay a premium for the bond instead of tying up $20,000 in cash, and the executed original goes straight into your registration packet.

The City of Harlem, Georgia requires general contractors to register with the city every year before permits are issued. General contractors doing commercial work post a $20,000 surety bond made payable to the City of Harlem, while residential general contractors post $15,000. The registration also calls for a Georgia state contractor license, a business license, insurance certificates and a $50 annual fee.

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How to Apply for a Commercial General Contractor ($20,000) Bond:

• Confirm your work in Harlem is commercial, which calls for the $20,000 bond rather than the $15,000 residential bond.
• Have your Georgia general contractor license and a current business license ready to copy.
• Gather certificates for workers' compensation and liability insurance showing expiration dates.
• Apply for the bond and pay the premium.
• Receive the original executed bond made payable to the City of Harlem.
• Complete the Application for Contractor Registration and email the packet to buildingpermits@harlemga.org with the subject Permit/Contractor Application.
• Pay the $50 annual fee and renew the registration each year.

Detailed Information About the Georgia Commercial General Contractor ($20,000) Bond:

Commercial or residential decides the amount

Harlem sets two bond amounts for general contractors. Commercial work carries a $20,000 bond. Residential work carries $15,000. Pick the tier that matches the work you will be permitting in Harlem. Contractors who take on commercial projects in the city should carry the $20,000 bond, because the $15,000 residential bond does not meet the commercial requirement.

Annual registration comes first

The City of Harlem requires general contractors, subcontractors and several specialty trades to register with the city on an annual basis, and a building permit will not be issued until that information is up to date. General contractors use the city's Application for Contractor Registration. The state license must be a Georgia license for general contractors. Plumbers, electricians and mechanical contractors may use a license from their own state, but general contractors may not.

What goes in the packet

The registration form asks for a copy of your Georgia license, a copy of your occupational or business license with its expiration date, proof of workers' compensation and liability insurance with expiration dates, a GSWCC Land Disturbance Card if it applies to your work, and the original surety bond made payable to the City of Harlem. The business license may come from any issuing authority. The annual fee shown on the form is $50. The early payment discount printed on the form carries an old date, so confirm the current fee schedule with the city.

City bid work is separate

This registration bond is not a performance bond. Public projects the city puts out to bid set their own security. For example, the city's Harlem City Park Renovations Phase I bid called for bid security of at least 5% of the bid, plus performance and payment bonds each equal to 100% of the contract amount.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Georgia Commercial General Contractor ($20,000) Bond:

• Bond amount of $20,000 for commercial general contractors.
• City of Harlem named as obligee, with the original bond submitted.
• A Georgia state general contractor license. Out of state licenses are not accepted for general contractors.
• An occupational or business license from any issuing authority.
• Proof of workers' compensation and liability insurance.
• A GSWCC Land Disturbance Card where applicable.

Georgia Commercial General Contractor ($20,000) Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Georgia Commercial General Contractor ($20,000) Bond: