Contractor License ($25,000) Bond - City of Vermilion, OH in Ohio

Brief Summary

Before you buy a $25,000 contractor bond for Vermilion, know that the city repealed its contractor bond section in 2022. What Vermilion checks today is your registration, your $500,000 liability certificate and your workers compensation proof. If a city office or a project owner still asks you for this bond in writing, we can write it the same day once you have the form they want signed.

The City of Vermilion once required a bond from registered contractors under Codified Ordinance 1444.08. That section was repealed by Ordinance 2022-49, passed July 18, 2022, and the Building Department's 2026 contractor packet states that no bond is required. Contractors still must register with the Building Department every year, post a liability certificate of at least $500,000 naming the City of Vermilion as certificate holder, and register with the income tax department before starting work.

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How to Apply for a Contractor License ($25,000) Bond:

• Complete the City of Vermilion contractor registration application from the current year's contractor packet.
• Provide a certificate of liability insurance of at least $500,000 listing the City of Vermilion as certificate holder.
• Provide a current registration from another community, or pass the city exam with a score of at least 70 percent ($25 exam fee).
• Provide a workers compensation certificate or a signed letter explaining why you do not carry it.
• Complete the Regional Income Tax Agency form for the city income tax department.
• Specialty trades: attach a copy of your current, valid Ohio state license.
• Pay the registration fee of $150 for general contractors or $100 for subcontractors and specialty trades.
• File with the Building Department at 5511 Liberty Avenue, Vermilion, Ohio 44089 before starting any work.

Detailed Information About the Ohio Contractor License ($25,000) Bond:

What changed in 2022

Vermilion regulates contractors under Chapter 1444 of its Codified Ordinances, titled Contract Registration Board of Examiners. Section 1444.08, Bond required, was repealed by Ordinance 2022-49, passed July 18, 2022. The same ordinance amended Section 1444.085, the public liability insurance section, which now carries the city's financial protection requirement. The Building Department's 2026 contractor registration packet says it directly: no bond required.

What Vermilion requires instead

Under Section 1444.02, no one may act as a contractor inside city limits without a certificate of registration. A contractor who starts work before registering pays a $500 registration fee, and the packet notes that a project using an unregistered contractor will not receive its final certificate of occupancy until the problem is fixed.

Section 1444.085 bars any registered contractor or subcontractor from starting work until a certificate showing general public liability coverage is posted with the Building Inspector. The packet sets that certificate at a minimum of $500,000 with the City of Vermilion listed as certificate holder.

Fees, exam and renewal

The 2026 packet lists a $150 registration fee for general contractors and $100 for subcontractors and specialty trades. Renewals filed between November 15, 2025 and January 15, 2026 pay a discounted $125 or $75. If you cannot show a current registration from another community, you take the city exam for a $25 fee and must score at least 70 percent. Electric, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, refrigeration and fire protection contractors must also provide a copy of a current, valid Ohio state license.

Every Vermilion registration expires December 31 of each year, and you must register again before starting work in the new year.

When this bond still comes up

If a city office, a project owner or a contract asks you for a $25,000 bond naming the City of Vermilion, get the exact form and obligee wording from whoever is requesting it, and confirm the filing steps with the Building Department at 440-204-2410 before the bond is issued.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Ohio Contractor License ($25,000) Bond:

• A certificate of registration under Codified Ordinance 1444.02 before acting as a contractor inside city limits.
• General public liability coverage posted with the Building Inspector under Section 1444.085 before work begins.
• A $500 registration fee for contractors caught working before they register.
• Annual renewal, since every registration expires December 31.
• A state license for electric, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, refrigeration and fire protection work.

Ohio Contractor License ($25,000) Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Ohio Contractor License ($25,000) Bond: