AR collection agency bonds.
From $100. Enter your amount.

Arkansas licenses collection agencies through the State Board of Collection Agencies — part of the Department of Labor and Licensing — and A.C.A. § 17-24-306 requires every licensee to post a surety bond payable to the board. The amount is tiered to your staff: $10,000 with up to five collectors, $20,000 with six to twelve, $25,000 with thirteen or more. The premium is 0.5% of the bond amount, $100 minimum, the bond issues the moment you pay, and any credit screen is a soft pull only — it never affects your score.

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Required for an Arkansas collection agency license under A.C.A. § 17-24-306

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Amount tiered by collector count — $10,000, $20,000, or $25,000

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0.5% of the bond amount, $100 minimum — exact price at the application

0.5% rate$100 minimumInstantissuance at checkoutSoft pullnever a hard inquiry

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How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

The collection agency bond is one of the simplest financial filings in surety. Here is the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Business details, the bond amount your tier requires, an effective date, and a term. That is the entire application — any credit screen is a soft pull that never shows as a hard inquiry.

INSTANTLY

Pay & e-sign

This bond is checkout-priced at 0.5% of the bond amount ($100 minimum), so it issues the moment you pay — your executed bond and power of attorney generate on the spot.

SAME DAY

File with the board

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to submit with your license application to the State Board of Collection Agencies. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

Arkansas requires collection agencies to hold a license from the State Board of Collection Agencies — since 2019 a part of the Department of Labor and Licensing — and the licensing statute makes a surety bond a condition of that license. The board sets the amount by the number of collectors the agency employs: $10,000 for up to five, $20,000 for six to twelve, and $25,000 for thirteen or more.

It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the board (the obligee — the bond is made payable to it). The bond stands behind your handling of the money you collect for clients and your compliance with Arkansas collection law; a client or debtor harmed by a violation can be compensated from the bond, and the surety's aggregate liability is capped at the bond amount.

It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. The bond has to stay on file for as long as you hold the license; we track the term and send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out, and if your headcount moves you into a higher tier, we issue the larger amount.

A.C.A. § 17-24-306Section 17-24-306 of the Arkansas Code requires each collection agency licensee to secure a surety bond of not less than $10,000 nor more than $50,000 for each location, with the security approved by and payable to the State Board of Collection Agencies. The board tiers the required amount by collector count — $10,000 for up to five collectors, $20,000 for six to twelve, and $25,000 for thirteen or more — and the surety's aggregate liability for all breaches is capped at the bond amount.

You need this bond if you're

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Applying for an Arkansas collection agency license — the bond files with your application to the board

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Collecting from Arkansas debtors — out-of-state agencies that contact debtors in Arkansas need the license too

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Renewing your license — the bond must stay continuously on file

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Adding collectors — crossing six or thirteen collectors moves you into a higher bond tier

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — business details, your bond amount, an effective date, and a term. That is the entire application.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Arkansas collection agency bond?The premium is 0.5% of the bond amount, $100 minimum. A $10,000 bond is $100 (the minimum), a $20,000 bond is $100, and a $25,000 bond is $125 — your exact price appears at the application, before you pay.

Which bond amount do I need?It depends on how many collectors you employ: $10,000 with up to five collectors, $20,000 with six to twelve, and $25,000 with thirteen or more. The State Board of Collection Agencies confirms your tier when it processes your license application.

Is there a credit check?If a credit screen runs on this bond, it is a soft pull only — never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score. The rate stays 0.5% of the bond amount either way.

Do I pay the full bond amount?No. You pay the premium — 0.5% of the bond amount, $100 minimum. The bond amount is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made, not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

Who requires the bond, and where do I file it?The Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies, part of the Department of Labor and Licensing. The bond is made payable to the board and files with your collection agency license application through the state licensing portal.

Related bonds

Other Arkansas bonds.

Finish your collection agency license today.

0.5% of the bond amount, $100 minimum, issued the moment you pay. Free until issued.

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