Kentucky pawnbroker bonds.
$100 flat.
Kentucky requires every licensed pawnbroker to file a $1,000 bond with the city or county that granted the license, under KRS 226.020. Our carrier's rate book sets the premium for this bond at $100 flat — no quote round-trip, and license bonds like this issue instantly.
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How much does a Kentucky pawnbroker bond cost?
$100 at the $1,000 amount, the same for every applicant.
Three steps. One sitting.
License bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here's the entire process:
Apply online
Business details and an effective date. That is the application. No credit check.
Pay & e-sign
License bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase.
File with your city or county
Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with the city or county that grants your pawnbroker license. Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the bond actually guarantees
Kentucky licenses pawnbrokers at the city or county level, and KRS 226.020 conditions that license on a $1,000 surety bond running to the licensing city or county. The bond is a compliance guarantee: it stands behind your obligation to observe KRS 226.030 to 226.050 and the local ordinances governing how you run the pawn business.
It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier standing behind you, and the city or county that licenses you (the obligee), with your pledgors as the protected parties. If a pawnbroker violates the statute — mishandling pledged goods or a customer's money — the harmed party can recover against the bond.
The bond must stay active for the life of your license — it's filed annually with your license. Let it lapse and the city or county can pull the license, so we track it and notify you 60 and 30 days out. It is not insurance for you: if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety.
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 $1,000 bond amount. You then repay the surety: a surety bond is a guarantee of your performance, not insurance for you.
Renewal and term
The premium covers a one-year term from the effective date you choose; a longer term is the same price per year, chosen at checkout.
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 your city or county. Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with the city or county that grants your pawnbroker license. Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What sets the price
The premium is fixed at $100 at the $1,000 amount for every applicant: the carrier’s rate book prices this bond by the form, not by your credit or your business profile.
No credit check.
One application, issued instantly.
These are the actual issuing fields. No credit check.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other Kentucky bonds.
The same bond in nearby states.
Been told you need a different amount?
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
Finish your pawnbroker license checklist today.
$100 flat, no credit check, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.