SC adviser discretion bonds.
$525 flat.

A South Carolina investment adviser with discretionary authority over client funds but no custody must keep a minimum net worth of $35,000 — or post a $35,000 surety bond in its place. The requirement comes from the South Carolina Uniform Securities Act of 2005 (S.C. Code Ann. § 35-1-411) and Regulation 13-406, administered by the Attorney General's Securities Division. Ours is $525 flat, the price you see is the checkout price, and the bond issues the moment you pay. Any credit screen is a soft pull only — it never affects your score.

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Required of advisers with discretion but no custody under S.C. Reg. 13-406

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Fixed price, fixed amount — $35,000 bond, $525 flat, no quote process

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Multi-year terms available — set it up once for up to 3 years

A-ratedA.M. Best carriersInstantissuance at checkout$525 flatsame price at checkout

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How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

Adviser bonds are among the simplest filings in surety. Here is the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Firm details, an effective date, and a term. That is the entire application — no financial statements, and any credit screen is a soft pull that never shows as a hard inquiry.

INSTANTLY

Pay & e-sign

This bond is checkout-priced at $525 flat, so it issues the moment you pay — your executed bond and power of attorney generate on the spot.

SAME DAY

File with the Securities Division

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with your investment adviser registration at the Attorney General's Securities Division. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

South Carolina registers investment advisers under the Uniform Securities Act of 2005, with the Attorney General as the Administrator and the Securities Division doing the day-to-day work. Section 35-1-411 authorizes financial and bonding requirements by rule, and Regulation 13-406 supplies the figures.

An adviser who has discretionary authority over client funds or securities but does not have custody must maintain a minimum net worth of $35,000 at all times. An adviser who cannot show that net worth posts a $35,000 surety bond instead, from a bonding company qualified to do business in South Carolina. Take custody and the tier moves to $50,000.

It is not insurance for you — the bond stands behind your compliance with the Act, giving a harmed client a source of recovery, and if the surety pays a claim you repay the surety. Registration renews annually through IARD, so the bond has to stay continuously on file; we track the term and send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out.

S.C. Code Ann. § 35-1-411 · S.C. Reg. 13-406Section 35-1-411 of the South Carolina Uniform Securities Act of 2005 authorizes the Administrator — the Attorney General — to impose financial and bonding requirements on registered investment advisers by rule. Regulation 13-406 sets them: an adviser with discretionary authority over client funds or securities but without custody must maintain a minimum net worth of thirty-five thousand dollars at all times, and an adviser with custody must maintain fifty thousand dollars. An adviser who does not meet the applicable net worth posts a surety bond in the same amount, from a bonding company qualified to do business in this State.

You need this bond if you're

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Registering as a South Carolina investment adviser with discretionary authority but no custody

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Below the $35,000 net-worth minimum and posting the bond in its place

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Renewing your adviser registration — the bond must stay on file through the renewal cycle

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Adding discretionary accounts that pull you into the bonding requirement for the first time

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — firm details, an effective date, and a term. That is the entire application.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the South Carolina $35,000 investment adviser bond?The premium is $525 flat — set by our carrier's rate book for this bond, the same for every adviser. The $35,000 bond amount is fixed by S.C. Reg. 13-406, so there is no quote process, and the price you see is the checkout price.

Do I pay the $35,000?No. You pay $525. The $35,000 is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made against the bond — not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

How do I know whether I need $35,000 or $50,000?Custody is the dividing line. Discretionary authority over client funds without custody sits at $35,000; custody of client funds or securities sits at $50,000. If you hold or can access client assets, you are in the $50,000 tier — we write that bond too.

Is there a credit check?If a credit screen runs on this bond, it is a soft pull only — never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score. The price stays $525 flat either way.

What if my net worth is above $35,000?Then the bond is optional — Regulation 13-406 lets you satisfy the requirement with net worth instead. Advisers who would rather not tie up capital, or who cannot document the net worth on demand, post the bond.

Related bonds

Other South Carolina bonds.

Finish your adviser registration today.

$525 flat, issued the moment you pay, soft pull only. Free until issued.

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Your price$525

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