Surety Bond Encyclopedia

Auctioneer license ($5,000) Bond - Cecil County, MD in Maryland

Brief Summary

Cecil County will not issue an auctioneer license until a $5,000 bond is on file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court. We issue that bond through a corporate surety licensed in Maryland, which is exactly what the county code calls for, so you can take the executed bond to the Clerk, pay the license fee and start booking sales.

Under Chapter 148 of the Cecil County Code, no one may do business as an auctioneer in Cecil County without a license from the Clerk of the Circuit Court, and the Clerk may not issue that license until the auctioneer files a $5,000 bond executed by a corporate surety licensed to do business in Maryland. The bond runs for the use and benefit of anyone who deals with the auctioneer and guarantees the proper accounting, payment and delivery of money or property entrusted to the auctioneer.

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How to Apply for a Auctioneer license ($5,000) Bond:

Work out which yearly license fee applies: $25 for Cecil County residents, $50 for other Maryland residents, $100 for residents of other states.
Have your legal name exactly as it will appear on the Cecil County auctioneer license.
Provide the owner's name, home address and Social Security number for the surety's credit review.
Pay the premium and receive the executed $5,000 bond from a corporate surety licensed in Maryland.
File the bond with the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Cecil County.
Take the oath as to residence, pay the license fee and receive the license.

Detailed Information About the Maryland Auctioneer license ($5,000) Bond:

The license comes from the Clerk of the Circuit Court

Cecil County does not license auctioneers through a permits office. Section 148-3 of the Cecil County Code makes it the duty of the Clerk of the Circuit Court to issue auctioneer licenses, and section 148-5 says no license will be issued unless the applicant has filed a $5,000 bond with the Clerk. The bond comes first and the license follows.

The license fee depends on where you live

Section 148-2 sets a yearly license fee based on residence: $25 for Cecil County residents, $50 for Maryland residents who live outside the county, and $100 for residents of other states. Applicants take an oath as to residence before the license is issued, and no license issues until the fee is paid. The bond amount does not change with residence. It is $5,000 for every applicant.

What the bond guarantees

The bond runs for the use and benefit of any person, firm or corporation dealing with the licensee as an auctioneer. It is conditioned on the auctioneer's proper accounting, payment and delivery of any money or property entrusted to the auctioneer's care while acting as an auctioneer. A consignor who is never paid for goods that sold, or a buyer who paid and never received the item, is exactly who the bond is there for. The surety pays valid claims up to $5,000 and then recovers that amount from the auctioneer.

Enforcement

Conducting business as an auctioneer in Cecil County without the license is a misdemeanor under section 148-6, with a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50 on conviction. Section 148-7 gives the Sheriff of Cecil County authority to investigate complaints and enforce the chapter. The fine is small. The real cost is a sale that cannot legally go forward.

Renewal timing

The Clerk's business license office runs its license year from May 1 through April 30, and its licenses expire April 30 no matter when during the year they were bought. Renewal notices typically go out in late March. Keep the bond in force for the full license year and confirm the current renewal steps with the Clerk before the bond is issued.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Maryland Auctioneer license ($5,000) Bond:

Bond amount of $5,000 under section 148-5 of the Cecil County Code.
Executed by a corporate surety licensed to do business in Maryland.
Bond conditioned on the proper accounting, payment and delivery of money or property entrusted to the auctioneer.
Bond on file with the Clerk of the Circuit Court before the license is issued.
Oath as to residence and payment of the yearly license fee under section 148-2.

Maryland Auctioneer license ($5,000) Bond FAQs:

Where do I get a Cecil County auctioneer license?

From the Clerk of the Circuit Court for Cecil County. Section 148-3 of the county code assigns the Clerk the duty of issuing auctioneer licenses, and section 148-5 requires the bond to be filed with the Clerk before the license is issued.

Does the bond amount change if I live outside Cecil County or outside Maryland?

No. Residence changes the yearly license fee under section 148-2, which is $25, $50 or $100 depending on where you live. The bond is $5,000 for every applicant.

Who does the bond protect?

Any person, firm or corporation dealing with you as an auctioneer. It guarantees that money and property entrusted to you while acting as an auctioneer are properly accounted for, paid over and delivered.

Can I use a personal surety or cash instead?

Section 148-5 requires the bond to be executed by a corporate surety licensed to do business in Maryland. Confirm with the Clerk before relying on any other form of security.

How is the premium set?

The surety underwrites the owner. Personal credit carries the most weight, along with auction experience and any prior claims. With the amount fixed at $5,000, most of the quote comes down to credit. Applying online shows the actual price.

What happens if I hold an auction without a license?

It is a misdemeanor under section 148-6, with a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50 on conviction, and the Sheriff of Cecil County has authority to investigate complaints under section 148-7.