District of Columbia auto repossessor bonds.
$100 flat.
The District requires an individual automobile repossessor to file a $5,000 surety bond with the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) to get licensed. Ours is $100 flat — the price you see is the checkout price, set by our carrier's rate book for this bond. One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score.
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How much does a District of Columbia auto repossessor bond cost?
$100 at the $5,000 amount, the same for every applicant.
Three steps. One sitting.
Your repossessor license is waiting on this bond. Here's the entire process:
Apply online
Business details, owner information, and an effective date. A quick soft credit check may apply — never a hard inquiry.
Reviewed & approved
Small license bonds like this clear quickly. If a check runs, it's a soft pull that never affects your score, and the price stays $100.
File with DLCP
Your executed $5,000 bond arrives by email on the DLCP repossessor bond form, ready to file with your license application. Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the bond actually guarantees
The District licenses automobile repossessors and conditions the license on a surety bond. The bond is a public-protection guarantee — it stands behind your compliance with the District's repossession rules, so consumers and lienholders have a financial backstop if a repossession is mishandled.
It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier standing behind you, and the District together with anyone harmed (the protected parties). If a repossessor violates the licensing regulations and someone suffers a financial loss, they can recover against the $5,000 bond.
It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. Repossessors who follow the District’s rules treat the bond as a license formality, not a risk. The District also lets an applicant post cash in lieu of a surety bond; most people choose the bond rather than tie up $5,000 in cash.
You need this bond if you're
Claims, renewal, filing, and what sets the price.
If a claim is made
A claim comes from the party the bond protects, the obligee named on the form, when the duty the bond guarantees is not met.
The surety investigates and pays a valid claim, up to the $5,000 bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.
Renewal and term
The premium covers a one-year term from the effective date you choose; a longer term is the same price per year, chosen at checkout.
Renew before the expiry date to keep the bond in force: the license, permit or contract it backs expects continuous coverage.
How to file it
File with DLCP. Your executed $5,000 bond arrives by email on the DLCP repossessor bond form, ready to file with your license application. Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What sets the price
The premium is fixed at $100 at the $5,000 amount for every applicant: the carrier’s rate book prices this bond by the form, not by your credit or your business profile.
One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score.
Where a check runs, it decides approval; the rate is the same for everyone approved.
One application, issued instantly.
These are the actual underwriting fields, including a quick soft credit check that may apply. The price stays $100 either way.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other District of Columbia bonds.
Been told you need a different amount?
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
DLCP is waiting on one document.
$100 flat, short application, issued instantly. Free until issued.