Illinois designated agent bonds.
$200 flat.
Also known as the Illinois auto dealer bond or car dealer bond.
A designated agent is a dealer or service authorized by the Illinois Secretary of State to process title and registration transactions on the State's behalf — and that authorization is conditioned on a $20,000 bond. Ours is $200 flat — the price you see is the checkout price. A quick soft credit check may apply, never a hard inquiry; the bond is issued when you pay.
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How much does an Illinois designated agent bond cost?
$200 at the $20,000 amount, the same for every applicant.
Three steps to authorized.
Your designated agent authorization is waiting on this bond. Here's the entire process — no broker phone tag:
Apply once, online
Business details, owner information, effective date. That is the application — the only extra step is a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.
Approved
Most are approved as soon as you apply. One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score. If it needs a second look, one to two business days at most.
E-sign & file with the Secretary of State
Pay online and receive the executed bond ready to file with your designated agent application. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the state insists.
What it is and who needs it.
What the bond actually guarantees
Illinois lets the Secretary of State appoint designated agents — typically dealers, remitters, or service bureaus — to process certificate of title and vehicle registration transactions and to collect and remit the related taxes and fees on the State's behalf. Because an agent handles State paperwork and State money, the authorization is conditioned on a $20,000 surety bond.
It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the State of Illinois (the obligee). If a designated agent fails to remit collected taxes and fees, or otherwise mishandles the title and registration work it was authorized to perform, the State can recover against the bond.
It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. Note this is the designated agent bond, which is distinct from the larger motor vehicle dealer license bond a dealer files to sell vehicles; confirm which one your situation requires.
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 $20,000 bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.
Renewal and term
The bond runs to December 31 whatever day you buy; the premium covers the period to that date.
Renewal falls on the statutory date, December 31, in the year your term ends.
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
E-sign & file with the Secretary of State. Pay online and receive the executed bond ready to file with your designated agent application. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the state insists.
What sets the price
The premium is fixed at $200 at the $20,000 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 one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Submit once and your bond is issued when you pay.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other Illinois motor vehicle dealer bonds.
Not sure this is the one your license calls for? These are the other motor vehicle dealer bonds we write in Illinois. Each has its own statute and bond amount.
Other Illinois bonds.
Been told you need a different amount?
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
The Secretary of State is waiting on one document.
$200 flat, short application, bond issued when you pay. Free until issued.