NC public official bonds.
Flat 3%. Soft pull.
North Carolina requires many elected and appointed officials — treasurers, tax collectors, finance officers, registers of deeds and others — to file a faithful-performance bond before taking office, under Chapter 58, Article 72 and Chapter 128. The governing body sets the amount; we issue it at a flat 3% with a soft credit pull only.
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Three steps to sworn in.
The official bond is one of the documents you file before taking office. Here is the whole process:
Apply online
Your details, the office, the obligee (the entity requiring the bond), the bond amount, and your term dates — plus a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.
Reviewed & approved
Most clear quickly; if underwriting needs anything, you hear from an underwriter within 48 hours. The soft credit pull never affects your score.
File and take office
Receive the executed bond ready to file — official bonds are generally recorded and filed with the Secretary of State or your governing body before you are sworn in.
The whole pricing page.
Bond amount × 3% = your premium, one-time, $275 minimum. Enter the figure the governing body set and the premium updates.
What it is and who needs it.
What the official bond actually guarantees
North Carolina’s Official Bonds law (Chapter 58, Article 72), together with provisions in Chapter 128, requires many public officers to give a bond for the faithful performance of the duties of the office. It runs for the term of office and is a condition of taking office for the positions it covers.
The bond protects the public and the governing body — if the officer mishandles public funds or fails to perform the duties of the office, a harmed party can recover against the bond. It is a three-party arrangement: the officer (the principal), the surety, and the unit of government or the State (the obligee).
One honest note on who pays: for many offices, North Carolina lets the county or unit of government pay the premium on the official’s bond — G.S. 58-72-30 authorizes the commissioners to do so. Check with your clerk or finance officer; if your unit pays, you may not owe anything. Where the official pays, we issue it at a flat 3% with a soft credit pull only.
You need this bond if you are
Five minutes. The whole thing.
These are the actual underwriting fields, including the obligee and office details and a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Submit once and your bond is typically issued within 1–2 business days.
Start the application →Common questions.
If yours isn't here, the bond team can usually answer within the hour.
How much is the North Carolina public official bond? +
Do I pay, or does the county pay? +
What does the bond guarantee? +
Is there a credit check? +
When does it expire? +
Other New York bonds.
Official bond, before you are sworn in.
Five-minute application, flat 3%, $275 minimum, soft pull only. Enter the amount your office requires and file in 1–2 business days.