Washington public official bonds.
From $100.
Washington requires many elected and appointed officers to file an official bond under RCW 42.08, conditioned on faithfully performing the duties of office and accounting for any public money they handle. The penal sum is set by the office or local policy; premiums are 0.35% of the bond amount, with a $100 minimum, shown at the application.
Trusted by industry leaders
How much does a Washington public official bond cost?
0.35% of the bond amount, from $100. Enter your amount in the calculator for the exact price.
Three steps. One sitting.
Enter the amount your office requires, consent to a soft pull, and file before you take office. Here is the whole thing:
Apply once, online
Your details, the penal sum the office requires, and the effective date — plus a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.
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.
File and take office
Pay online and receive the executed bond, ready to file with the clerk or appointing authority before you enter upon your duties. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the official bond actually guarantees
Washington's RCW 42.08 governs official bonds. All official bonds required by law are joint and several, payable to the State of Washington, in the penal sum and with the conditions the law requires. They are conditioned on the officer faithfully performing the duties of office and properly handling any public funds that come into the officer’s possession.
Many offices have their own bonding statute that names the amount or method — for example, county officers under RCW 36.16.050 must furnish a bond before entering upon their duties, conditioned on faithful performance, accounting for public money, and delivering records to a successor. The required penal sum is set by that statute or by local policy, not by a single statewide number.
It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a valid claim, you repay the surety. For many local-government positions, the public body pays the premium (RCW 48.28.040). Confirm the amount your office requires, enter it, and we issue the bond from $100, with a quick soft credit check that never affects your score.
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
File and take office. Pay online and receive the executed bond, ready to file with the clerk or appointing authority before you enter upon your duties. Wet-ink originals mailed on request.
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, issued instantly.
These are the actual underwriting fields, including 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 Washington bonds.
The same bond in nearby states.
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
Bonded before you take office.
From $100, short application, bond issued when you pay. Free until issued.