Death Valley testing bonds.
$5,000 fixed. $275 flat.

The National Park Service permits the auto industry to run hot-weather vehicle testing in Death Valley, and can condition that special-use permit on a $5,000 bond. This is the fixed version: $275, our minimum, with no credit check.

For hot-weather vehicle testing in Death Valley under an NPS special-use permit
Fixed amount, fixed price — $5,000 bond, $275, no quote process
No credit check on this bond — small fixed-amount permit bonds don’t need one
A-ratedA.M. Best carriersFastoften same purchase1–3 yrterms available
Trusted by industry leaders
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

Fixed-amount permit bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here’s the whole process:

NOW · 5 MINUTES

Apply online

Your company and permit details and an effective date. That’s the application — no credit check section, no follow-up scavenger hunt.

MINUTES, USUALLY

Pay & e-sign

Fixed-amount bonds like this are among the thousands that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.

SAME DAY

File with the park

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with Death Valley’s permit office alongside your special-use permit. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

The whole pricing page.

$5,000 bond × 3% = $150, which is below our $275 minimum, so the price is $275 per term. Fixed amount, fixed price, multi-year if you want it.

1-year term
$275
2-year term
$550
3-year term
$825
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the permit bond actually guarantees

Death Valley’s extreme summer heat makes it a long-standing proving ground for the automobile industry, which runs hot-weather durability and performance testing there. The National Park Service permits that activity through a special-use permit, with conditions on routes, timing, cleanup, and conduct.

NPS can condition the permit on a performance bond — commonly $5,000 — guaranteeing that the permittee follows the permit terms and leaves the park as it found it: no resource damage, proper cleanup, and compliance with the special conditions. This is that bond.

It is a three-party guarantee — you (the principal), the surety, and the United States as obligee. If the permittee breaches the permit and the park is harmed, NPS can recover against the bond; if the surety pays, you repay the surety. This page is the fixed $5,000 version the park commonly requests.

NPS special-use permit authority (36 CFR Parts 5 & 71)The National Park Service authorizes commercial and special activities in units like Death Valley National Park through special-use permits under its general regulations (e.g., 36 CFR Part 5 on commercial operations and Part 71 on recreation fees/permits) and the park’s superintendent’s compendium. NPS may condition a vehicle-testing permit on a performance bond — commonly $5,000 — securing compliance and resource protection. Confirm the required amount and permit conditions with the park.

You need this bond if you are

An automaker or supplier running hot-weather vehicle testing in Death Valley
A testing or engineering firm holding the NPS umbrella permit for a test program
A trip leader’s sponsoring company the park has conditioned on a permit bond
Renewing a seasonal testing permit that requires a bond on file

Five minutes. The whole thing.

These are the actual issuing fields — no credit check section, because this fixed-amount permit bond doesn’t have one.

Start the application →
FAQs

Common questions.

If yours isn't here, the bond team can usually answer within the hour.

How much is the Death Valley vehicle testing bond? +
The premium is $275 — our minimum. Three percent of $5,000 is $150, which is below the minimum, so every applicant pays $275 for this fixed bond, the same for every term.
Do I pay the $5,000? +
No. You pay $275. The $5,000 is the surety’s maximum liability if the park makes a valid claim under the permit — it is not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.
Is this the same as the permit fee or the insurance certificate? +
No. The NPS permit application fee and the $1,000,000 liability insurance certificate are separate requirements you handle with the park. This bond is the surety bond that secures your compliance with the permit terms.
Is there a credit check? +
Not on this bond — the application has no credit section at all. Small fixed-amount permit bonds like this one don’t need one.
What if the park asks for a different amount? +
This page is the fixed $5,000 bond the park commonly requests. If your permit specifies a different amount, send it to us and we’ll issue the bond at that figure — still a flat 3%, $275 minimum.
Related bonds

Other New York bonds.

Clear the testing permit bond today.

$275 flat, five-minute application, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.

Your premium @ 3%$275
Apply now →