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Cook County contractor bonds.
$100 flat.

Every contractor performing work in unincorporated Cook County must register with the Department of Building and Zoning, and registration is conditioned on a $20,000 surety bond. Ours is $100 flat — the price you see is the checkout price. The bond issues the moment you pay — a soft credit pull at most, never a hard inquiry.

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Required for every contractor working in unincorporated Cook County by the Department of Building and Zoning
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Fixed price, fixed amount — $20,000 bond, $100, no quote process
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Registered per trade — renews annually by December 31
A-ratedA.M. Best carriersInstantunderwriting process1–3 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.

A county contractor registration bond is about the simplest filing in surety. Here's the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Business details and an effective date. That's the application — no financials, no credit section.

MINUTES, USUALLY

Pay & e-sign

Registration bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.

SAME DAY

File with Building and Zoning

Your executed bond and power of attorney arrive by email in original form, ready to file with the Cook County Department of Building and Zoning alongside your contractor registration application. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning requires every contractor performing work in unincorporated Cook County — the townships and areas outside any incorporated city or village — to register, and registration is conditioned on a $20,000 surety bond filed with the Department. The County charges a $150 initial fee per trade and a $75 annual renewal fee per trade directly, separate from the bond premium.

It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and Cook County (the obligee), with property owners and the County as the protected parties. If a bonded contractor's work causes damage the registration requirement is meant to guard against, a harmed party can recover against the bond up to the $20,000 penal sum.

It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. Registration renews annually by December 31, so line your bond term up with that date to avoid a gap that would keep you off the County's registered-contractors list.

Cook County — Department of Building and ZoningCook County's contractor bonding requirement is administered by the Department of Building and Zoning for work in unincorporated Cook County. We could not independently verify a citable County Code section number for the bond requirement itself from a fetchable source, so confirm the current bond amount and any trade-specific distinctions directly with the Department before you apply.

You need this bond if you're

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Registering as a contractor in unincorporated Cook County for the first time
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Renewing your annual Cook County trade registration before December 31
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Adding a second trade registration that needs its own bond on file
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Reinstating a lapsed registration that needs a fresh bond filing to pull permits again

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — no credit section, because this application doesn't collect credit information.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Cook County contractor license bond?The premium is $100 flat — set by our carrier's rate book for this bond, the same for every contractor. The $20,000 bond amount is set by the County, so there is no quote process.
Do I pay the $20,000?No. You pay $100. The $20,000 is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made against the bond — not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.
How fast will I have the bond?Registration bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase — many contractors finish the application and have the bond in the same sitting. At most, 1–2 business days.
Is there a credit check?The application collects no credit information, so most applicants approve instantly. If a check ever runs on this bond, it's a soft pull that won't affect your score.
Does this bond cover demolition work too?No — Cook County treats demolition as its own registration line with its own bond, separate from the general contractor registration bond. If you're pulling a demolition permit, you need the County's demolition bond instead.
Related bonds

Other Illinois bonds.

Cook County Demolition Bond, 3 Stories or Less ($20,000)
The $20,000 demolition bond Cook County's Department of Building and Zoning requires before issuing a demolition permit for a structure of three stories or less. $100 flat.
View bond →
Moline, IL Contractor License ($5,000)
The $5,000 contractor registration bond the City of Moline's Building Division requires before it will issue a permit. $100 flat.
View bond →
Oakbrook Terrace, IL Contractor License ($10,000)
The $10,000 contractor registration bond the City of Oakbrook Terrace requires before it will release a permit. $100 flat.
View bond →
Springfield, IL Contractor License ($5,000)
The $5,000 contractor registration bond the City of Springfield requires with every contractor license application or renewal. $125 flat.
View bond →

Get your Cook County contractor registration moving today.

$100 flat, soft pull only, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.

Start application
Your price$100
Apply now →