Surety Bond Encyclopedia

Transient Vendor ($5,000) Bond - Macon, GA in Georgia

Brief Summary

Macon-Bibb County will not issue a Transient Merchant Permit until a $5,000 bond is attached to the application. You pay a one-time premium instead of tying up $5,000 in cash, and the bond can be issued quickly so it is ready when the fire, traffic and zoning sign-offs come back.

Macon-Bibb County requires every transient merchant business to file a $5,000 surety bond payable to Macon-Bibb County with its Transient Merchant Permit application. The amount is flat, with no tiers. The permit is handled by the Macon-Bibb Tax Commissioner's Office, costs $19.00 per day of operation, and must be posted on site once issued.

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How to Apply for a Transient Vendor ($5,000) Bond:

Confirm the activity is a transient merchant sale at a fixed location, not door-to-door selling, which requires a separate Commercial Solicitation permit and bond.
Get written authorization from the owner of the property where you will sell.
Complete the Fire Department location inspection and the Traffic Engineering inspection.
Obtain the Zoning Compliance form from the Planning and Zoning Commission.
Apply for the $5,000 bond naming Macon-Bibb County as obligee and pay the premium.
Get Georgia Department of Public Health approval if preparing food, or a Georgia Department of Agriculture inspection if selling packaged food.
Mail the application, bond and $19.00 per day fee to the Macon-Bibb Tax Commissioner's Office, PO Box 4503, Macon, GA 31206-4503.
Post the permit at the sales location once it is issued.

Detailed Information About the Georgia Transient Vendor ($5,000) Bond:

The obligee is Macon-Bibb County

Listings that call this a City of Macon bond are out of date. The current application is issued by the Macon-Bibb County Tax Commissioner's Office, and it requires "a good and sufficient bond in the penal amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000.00) payable to Macon-Bibb County." A bond naming the old City of Macon as obligee should be corrected before you file it. Macon-Bibb County has stated that its Tax Commissioner's Office took over processing of general business and privilege license applications on January 1, 2021.

One amount for everyone

The bond is a flat $5,000. The application does not scale it by sales volume, number of days, or type of goods. The form applies the requirement to all transient merchant businesses and lists no exemptions.

The bond is one of seven steps

The permit application lists the steps in order. Get written authorization from the property owner. Schedule a Fire Department inspection of the location. Have Traffic Engineering inspect the site. Obtain a Zoning Compliance form from the Planning and Zoning Commission. Attach the surety bond. If you will prepare food, get approval from the Georgia Department of Public Health. If you will sell packaged food, arrange an inspection with the Georgia Department of Agriculture.

The bond does not replace any of these approvals, and none of them replaces the bond.

Fee and filing

The permit fee is $19.00 per day, and the application asks how many days you will be in business. Completed applications with all attachments go to the Macon-Bibb Tax Commissioner's Office at PO Box 4503, Macon, GA 31206-4503. The permit must be posted at the sales location.

Not the same as the door-to-door permit

Selling door to door in Macon-Bibb County falls under a separate Commercial Solicitation permit, governed by Chapter 7, Division 20 of the county code. That permit has its own $5,000 bond payable to Macon-Bibb County, a $110.00 nonrefundable application fee, and a maximum term of 60 days. A transient merchant bond does not cover door-to-door selling, and the reverse is also true.

How the premium is set

The county sets the bond amount. The surety sets the premium based on the owner's personal credit, how long the business has operated, and any history of prior bond claims. The premium is paid once for the bond term and is not refunded by the county.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Georgia Transient Vendor ($5,000) Bond:

Bond amount of exactly $5,000, with no tiers.
Obligee named as Macon-Bibb County, not the City of Macon.
Business and owner names on the bond matching the permit application.
Bond effective and expiration dates that cover the days you will be selling.
Owner credit review by the surety, which shapes the premium.

Georgia Transient Vendor ($5,000) Bond FAQs:

Is the bond amount the same for every vendor?

Yes. The Macon-Bibb County application sets a single $5,000 bond for all transient merchant businesses. It does not change with sales volume, the number of days you operate, or what you sell.

Who is the obligee on the bond?

Macon-Bibb County. The application states the bond must be payable to Macon-Bibb County. Older forms and listings that name the City of Macon should not be used.

Where do I file the bond?

Attach it to the Transient Merchant Permit application and send the package to the Macon-Bibb Tax Commissioner's Office, PO Box 4503, Macon, GA 31206-4503, with the $19.00 per day permit fee.

Does this bond cover selling door to door?

No. Door-to-door selling requires a Commercial Solicitation permit under Chapter 7, Division 20 of the Macon-Bibb County code. That permit carries its own $5,000 bond, a $110.00 nonrefundable application fee, and lasts up to 60 days.

If I have the bond, can I start selling?

Not yet. The county also requires property owner authorization, fire and traffic inspections, a zoning compliance form, and health or agriculture approval for food sales. You can sell only after the permit is issued and posted on site.

How much does the bond cost?

The surety sets the premium after reviewing the owner's credit and business history. The county does not set or collect the premium, and the $19.00 per day permit fee is a separate charge paid to the county.