IL drilling-hole plugging bonds.
Flat 3%. Enter your amount.

Before you drill coal, structure, or groundwater test holes in Illinois, the Department of Natural Resources requires a plugging bond so every hole gets properly sealed. A blanket bond covers all of your permits at once. We issue it at a flat 3% — one soft credit pull, never affecting your score.

Required by the DNR Office of Oil & Gas Resource Management under the Illinois Oil and Gas Act
A blanket bond covers all your test-hole permits instead of one bond per hole
Soft credit pull only — never affects your score, and the rate stays a flat 3% either way
Flat 3%of your bond amount$275minimum premiumSoft pullnever affects your score
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NYCEDC
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NYCEDC
BDG
Capital
McKinney
Terra
JLL
Triple Five
Georgetown
How it works

Apply to filed in a couple of days.

Energy plugging bonds run one quick soft-pull review. Here is the whole process — no broker phone tag:

TODAY · 5 MINUTES

Apply online

Your business details, the bond amount the DNR requires, and the effective date — plus a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.

WITHIN 48 HOURS

Reviewed & approved

Most clear quickly; if underwriting needs anything, you hear from an underwriter within 48 hours. The credit check is a soft pull that never affects your score.

1–2 BUSINESS DAYS

E-sign & file with the DNR

Pay online and receive the executed blanket bond, ready to file with the Office of Oil & Gas Resource Management. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the state insists.

The whole pricing page.

Bond amount × 3% = your premium, one-time, $275 minimum. Enter the figure the DNR requires and the premium updates.

$2,500 bond
$275
$25,000 blanket
$750
$50,000 bond
$1,500
About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the drilling-hole bond actually covers

The Illinois Oil and Gas Act (225 ILCS 725) reaches beyond oil and gas wells: it also governs geological, structure, coal, and other mineral test holes and monitoring wells. The Department of Natural Resources requires a plugging bond so that every hole is sealed and can't become a pathway for contamination once work is finished.

Under the Act, the test-hole bond is $2,500 for each permit, or a $25,000 blanket bond for all permits. The blanket bond is what most operators carry — one filing covers your whole program instead of a separate bond for every hole.

In lieu of a surety bond, the Act lets you post cash, a certificate of deposit, or an irrevocable letter of credit — but a surety bond is usually the cheapest, since you pay the 3% premium rather than tying up the full amount. If you don't plug a hole, the DNR can recover against the bond, and if the surety pays, you repay the surety.

225 ILCS 725/6 (Illinois Oil and Gas Act)Under the Illinois Oil and Gas Act (225 ILCS 725), test and monitoring holes — including geological, structure, coal, and groundwater holes — require a plugging bond of $2,500 per permit or a $25,000 blanket bond covering all permits, filed with the Department of Natural Resources. Cash, a certificate of deposit, or an irrevocable letter of credit may be posted in lieu of a surety bond. Confirm your required amount with the DNR.

You need this bond if you are

Drilling coal-exploration or structure holes that the DNR permits under the Oil and Gas Act
Installing groundwater monitoring wells that fall under the test-hole bonding rule
Running a multi-permit program and want one blanket bond instead of many
A geotechnical or environmental driller the DNR requires to bond before breaking ground

Five minutes, then a quick review.

These are the actual underwriting fields, including a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Submit once and your blanket bond is typically issued within 1–2 business days.

Start the application →
FAQs

Common questions.

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

How much is the Illinois drilling-hole bond? +
The premium is a flat 3% of the bond amount, with a $275 minimum. The amount itself is set by the Oil and Gas Act — $2,500 per test-hole permit, or a $25,000 blanket bond covering all of your permits. Enter the figure that applies and the quote updates.
What is the difference between a single and a blanket bond? +
A single bond ($2,500) covers one permit; the $25,000 blanket bond covers all of your test-hole permits at once. Operators with more than a handful of holes almost always file the blanket bond — one filing instead of many.
Is there a credit check? +
Yes — one soft credit pull, which never affects your score. It informs approval, not price: the rate is a flat 3% either way. Credit can affect whether we approve the bond, never what it costs.
Can I post cash or a letter of credit instead? +
The Act allows cash, a certificate of deposit, or an irrevocable letter of credit in lieu of a surety bond. A surety bond is usually cheapest, since you pay the 3% premium rather than locking up the full amount as collateral.
Where do I file it? +
With the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Oil & Gas Resource Management. We issue the executed bond ready to file with your drilling permits.
Related bonds

Other New York bonds.

Drilling-hole bond, in a couple of days.

Five-minute application, flat 3%, $275 minimum, soft pull only. Enter the amount the DNR required and file this week.

Your premium @ 3%$750
Apply now →