District of Columbia postsecondary school bonds.
From $100.
A licensed DC postsecondary institution posts a surety bond with the Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) to protect student tuition. HELC sets the amount from your enrollment and net tuition, so it varies by school. The premium is 1% of the bond amount, $100 minimum.
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How much does a District of Columbia postsecondary school bond cost?
1% of the bond amount, from $100. Enter your amount in the calculator for the exact price.
Three steps. One sitting.
No long underwriting queue for the standard school bond — enter your amount, pay, and file with HELC. Here is the whole thing:
Apply online
Your institution’s details, the bond amount HELC required, and the effective date — that is the application.
Issued
No credit check up to $25,000. Above $25,000, a soft pull may add a short review.
File with HELC
Submit the executed bond with your HELC license application or renewal. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the postsecondary bond actually covers
The District licenses degree-granting and non-degree postsecondary schools through the Higher Education Licensure Commission (HELC) under D.C. Code Title 38, Chapter 13 (the Education Licensure Commission Act). A licensed school posts a surety bond as a student-protection guarantee.
The bond stands behind the tuition students have paid — if a school closes or fails to deliver the instruction it sold, students can recover against the bond. HELC sets the amount on a tiered schedule driven by enrollment and annual net tuition, using whichever is higher; non-degree schools commonly land between $5,000 and $20,000, while larger degree-granting institutions can be required to post substantially more.
It is a three-party arrangement: the school (the principal), the surety carrier, and the District (the obligee), with students as the protected parties. It is not insurance for the school — if the surety pays a claim, the school repays the surety. Enter the figure on your HELC notice and complete the application to see your exact price, starting from $100.
You need this bond if you are
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 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.
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 HELC. Submit the executed bond with your HELC license application or renewal. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.
What sets the price
The premium is 1% of the bond amount, $100 minimum: the amount the obligee sets moves the price, not your business profile.
No credit check up to $25,000. Above that, the carrier may run a soft pull, which never affects your score.
Where a check runs, it decides approval; the rate is the same for everyone approved.
One application, issued on the spot.
Submit the application with the bond amount HELC set — the executed bond is generated, ready to file.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other District of Columbia bonds.
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
Postsecondary bond, issued today.
Priced from $100. Enter the amount HELC set and file the same day.