Tennessee public official bonds.
From $100.
Tennessee requires many elected and appointed officials to give a statutory bond for every year, conditioned on the faithful performance of their duties (TCA Title 8, Chapter 19). The amount depends on the office — the premium is 0.35% of the bond amount, $100 minimum, priced with a soft credit check that never affects your score.
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How much does a Tennessee public official bond cost?
0.35% of the bond amount, from $100. Enter your amount in the calculator for the exact price.
Apply to filed in a day or two.
Public official bonds are straightforward once we know the amount. Here's the whole process — no broker phone tag:
Apply online
Your details, the office and obligee, the bond amount, and the effective date — plus a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. That is the application.
Approved
Most are approved as soon as you apply. One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score. If it needs a second look, one to two business days at most.
E-sign & file with the clerk
Pay online and receive the executed bond, ready to file with your county clerk or the office that requires it before you take or continue your term. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the office insists.
What it is and who needs it.
What the public official bond actually covers
Tennessee's Bonds of Officers law (TCA Title 8, Chapter 19) requires many state and local officials to execute a bond for every year of office, conditioned on the faithful performance of their duties and the honest handling of public money. It protects the government and the public if an official misuses funds or fails to perform.
The required amount varies by office. As the Comptroller of the Treasury explains, for some officials a specific amount is fixed in the statute; for some it is based on the revenue handled; and for others the county or municipal governing body sets it. So unlike a fixed license bond, you enter the amount your particular office requires.
It is not insurance for the official. If the surety pays a claim, the official repays the surety. Officials who handle public funds honestly and keep good records treat the bond as a routine condition of taking office.
You need this bond if you are
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
E-sign & file with the clerk. Pay online and receive the executed bond, ready to file with your county clerk or the office that requires it before you take or continue your term. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the office insists.
What sets the price
The premium is 0.35% of the bond amount, $100 minimum: the amount the obligee sets moves the price, not your business profile.
One soft credit pull, never a hard inquiry, and it never affects your score.
Where a check runs, it decides approval; the rate is the same for everyone approved.
One application, then a quick review.
These are the actual underwriting fields, including the office, obligee, and a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Submit once and your bond is issued when you pay.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other Tennessee bonds.
The same bond in nearby states.
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
Take office without the bond holding you up.
Premiums from $100. Enter the amount your office requires and file in a day or two.