South Carolina mortgage broker bonds.
From $150.

Every South Carolina mortgage broker license carries a surety bond under S.C. Code Ann. § 40-58-40, executed to the Administrator of the Department of Consumer Affairs. The amount steps with your prior-year mortgage loan volume: $25,000, $40,000, or $55,000. The premium is 0.6% of the bond amount.

✓

Required for every South Carolina mortgage broker license under S.C. Code 40-58-40

✓

Amount tiered by prior-year loan volume — $25,000, $40,000, or $55,000

✓

0.6% of the bond amount — your exact price appears at the application

0.6% rate$150 at the $25,000 minimumInstantissuance at checkoutNo credit check up to $50,000above that, a soft pull at most, never a hard inquiry

Trusted by industry leaders

Price

How much does a South Carolina mortgage broker bond cost?

0.6% of the bond amount, from $150 at the $25,000 minimum. Enter your amount in the calculator for the exact price.

How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

No underwriting queue on the standard broker bond — pick your tier, pay, and file through NMLS. Here is the whole thing:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Company details, the bond amount your volume tier requires, an effective date, and a term. That is the application. No credit check up to $50,000.

INSTANTLY

Pay & e-sign

Your price is 0.6% of the bond amount, shown before you pay — and the bond issues the moment you pay. Your executed bond and power of attorney generate on the spot.

SAME DAY

File through NMLS

Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to upload to your NMLS record and file with the Department of Consumer Affairs. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

South Carolina licenses mortgage brokers under the Mortgage Broker Act, Title 40, Chapter 58 — and § 40-58-20 names the Administrator of the Department of Consumer Affairs as the regulator. Section 40-58-40 conditions the license on a surety bond from a company authorized to do business in this State, executed to the Administrator.

The amount is a volume tier: $25,000 where prior-year mortgage loan volume is under $50,000,000; $40,000 from $50,000,000 to $99,999,999; and $55,000 above $100,000,000 — with $25,000 as the floor in every case. Brokers file and maintain the bond through NMLS along with the rest of the license record.

It is not insurance for you — the bond runs to the State for the recovery of expenses, fines, and fees levied under the chapter, and to consumers who suffer losses or damages from your noncompliance. If the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. The bond must stay continuously on file for the life of the license, so we track the term and send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out.

S.C. Code Ann. § 40-58-40Section 40-58-40 of the South Carolina Mortgage Broker Act requires a mortgage broker licensee to file a surety bond, from a surety company authorized by the laws of this State, executed to the Administrator of the Department of Consumer Affairs. The bond runs for the use of the State for the recovery of expenses, fines, and fees levied under the chapter and for consumers who have losses or damages as a result of noncompliance. The amount is tiered by prior-year mortgage loan volume — $25,000 below $50,000,000, $40,000 from $50,000,000 to $99,999,999, and $55,000 above $100,000,000 — with a $25,000 minimum in all cases.

You need this bond if you're

✓

Applying for a South Carolina mortgage broker license through NMLS

✓

Renewing an existing broker license — the bond must stay continuously on file

✓

Crossing a volume threshold — $50M or $100M in prior-year originations moves you up a tier

✓

Reinstating a lapsed license that needs a fresh bond filing

After you buy

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 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.

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 through NMLS. Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to upload to your NMLS record and file with the Department of Consumer Affairs. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

What sets the price

The premium is 0.6% of the bond amount, $100 minimum: the amount the obligee sets moves the price, not your business profile.

No credit check up to $50,000. Above that, the carrier may run a soft pull, which 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 issuing fields — company details, the bond amount your tier requires, an effective date, and a term.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the South Carolina mortgage broker bond?The premium is 0.6% of the bond amount. The bond amount comes from your volume tier under S.C. Code 40-58-40 — $25,000, $40,000, or $55,000 — so your exact price appears at the application, before you pay.

Which volume tier am I in?Section 40-58-40 keys the tier to your prior-year mortgage loan volume: $25,000 in bond for volume under $50,000,000, $40,000 from $50,000,000 to $99,999,999, and $55,000 above $100,000,000. The statutory floor is $25,000 — most brokers sit there.

Do I pay the full bond amount?No. You pay the premium — 0.6% of the bond amount. The bond amount is the surety's maximum liability if a valid claim is made against the bond, not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

Is there a credit check?No credit check up to $50,000. Above that, the carrier may run a soft pull, which never affects your score. The rate stays 0.6% of the bond amount either way.

Who requires the bond, and where do I file it?The Administrator of the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs. The bond is executed to the Administrator and filed with your mortgage broker license record through NMLS.

Which A-rated carriers underwrite these bonds?Typically Arch Insurance Company (A.M. Best A+) or Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (A.M. Best A). Which one writes your bond depends on the bond type and your state. The carrier's name and official signature are printed on the bond you receive.

How do I contact Light RFP about this bond?Email insurance@lightrfp.com. It reaches the bond team at Light RFP Risk Management Services LLC (NY DFS License # PC-1978982). Write to us about quotes, applications, bond forms or certificates. We will respond within 24 hours.

Which license is yours

South Carolina mortgage license bonds.

We write 3 mortgage license bonds in South Carolina. Each license has its own bond, amount and price; pick the one your license calls for.

License bond	Required by	Bond amount	Price
Mortgage Broker Bond (NMLS) (this page)	S.C. Code Ann. § 40-58-40	$25,000 or more	From $150
Mortgage Lender / Servicer Bond (NMLS)	S.C. Code Ann. § 37-22-140(F)	$50,000 or more	From $300
Qualified Loan Originator Special Deposit Bond ($25,000)	S.C. Code Ann. § 40-58-50(E)(2)(b)	$25,000	$150

Related bonds

Other South Carolina bonds.

Nearby states

The same bond in nearby states.

Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, 8 October 2026. Page updated 15 October 2026.

File your broker bond today.

0.6% of the bond amount, issued the moment you pay, no credit check up to $50,000. Free until issued.

Start application