SD grain buyer bonds.
From $100. Apply online today.

A licensed South Dakota grain buyer files a surety bond with the Public Utilities Commission under SDCL chapter 49-45. The amount is at least $50,000 and scales with your purchase volume. Pricing is set at 0.5% of the bond amount, with a $100 minimum. Your exact price appears at the application, and a quick soft credit check may apply — never a hard inquiry, no impact on your score.

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Required to be a licensed SD grain buyer under SDCL chapter 49-45, filed with the PUC

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Amount is a $50,000 minimum, scaled to your grain purchases over a multi-year period

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Priced 0.5% of the bond amount, $100 minimum — your exact price is set at the application

0.5% rate$100 minimumSoft pullnever a hard inquiryFastinstant underwriting for most

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How it works

Apply to issued in one sitting.

Enter your amount, consent to a soft pull, and we issue the bond. Here is the whole thing:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply online

Your business details, the bond amount the PUC requires, and the effective date — plus a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.

WITHIN 48 HOURS

Reviewed & approved

Larger agricultural bonds get a quick underwriting review; if anything is needed you hear from an underwriter within 48 hours. A soft credit check may run — it never affects your credit score.

SAME / NEXT DAY

File with the PUC

Pay online and receive the executed bond, ready to file with your grain buyer license at the Public Utilities Commission. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the grain buyer bond covers

South Dakota licenses grain buyers through the Public Utilities Commission’s Grain Warehouse Program under SDCL chapter 49-45. A grain buyer purchases grain from producers, and the state requires a surety bond standing behind timely payment for the grain bought.

The bond is a producer-protection guarantee: it runs to the PUC for the benefit of sellers, so that if a buyer fails to pay for grain it purchased, harmed producers can recover against the bond. If the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety — it is not insurance for you.

The amount is a minimum of $50,000, and is increased based on the dollar amount of your grain purchases — commonly tied to the average of your purchases over a multi-year period. The bond term aligns with the PUC’s licensing year. Enter the amount the PUC sets for you and your exact price — from $100 — appears at the application.

SDCL chapter 49-45 (Grain Buyers)South Dakota grain buyers are licensed by the Public Utilities Commission under SDCL chapter 49-45 and must file a surety bond for the benefit of grain sellers, guaranteeing timely payment for grain purchased. The bond is a minimum of $50,000, increased based on the dollar amount of the buyer’s grain purchases; confirm your required amount with the PUC Grain Warehouse Program.

You need this bond if you’re

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Applying for a SD grain buyer license through the Public Utilities Commission

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Renewing a grain buyer license as your purchase volume changes the required amount

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An elevator or processor buying grain directly from South Dakota producers

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Increasing your bond after higher purchase volumes raised the PUC-required amount

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual underwriting fields, including a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Enter the amount the PUC requires and submit.

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FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the South Dakota grain buyer bond?Pricing is set at 0.5% of the bond amount, with a $100 minimum. The amount itself is a $50,000 minimum set by the PUC and scaled to your grain purchases. Your price is calculated directly from that amount at the 0.5% rate, with a $100 floor, and your exact price appears at the application.

How is my bond amount determined?The Public Utilities Commission sets it — a $50,000 minimum, increased based on the dollar amount of your grain purchases, commonly tied to the average over a multi-year period. The PUC Grain Warehouse Program can confirm your exact figure.

Is there a credit check?A quick soft credit check may apply — it never affects your score, and it is never a hard inquiry. Your bond amount sets the price — 0.5% of the bond amount, $100 minimum — shown at the application before you commit.

What does the bond protect against?It protects grain sellers if a buyer fails to pay for grain it purchased. Producers can recover against the bond up to the bond amount — and if the surety pays, you repay the surety.

When does the bond renew?Grain bonds align with the PUC’s licensing year, which historically runs through June 30. We send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out, with autopay available, so your license stays continuous.

Related bonds

Other South Dakota bonds.

Grain buyer bond, issued fast.

Pricing from $100. Enter the amount the PUC requires and see your price before you commit.

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