Madison contractor bonds.
$100 flat.
The City of Madison requires a $5,000 bond from sewer drain cleaners, sewer inspectors, and snow-removal contractors as a condition of their City license. Ours is $100 flat — the price our carrier's rate book sets for this bond, and the price you see is the checkout price. The bond issues the moment you pay — no credit check.
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How much does a Madison contractor bond cost?
$100 at the $5,000 amount, the same for every applicant.
Three steps. One sitting.
Municipal license bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here's the entire process:
Apply online
Business details and an effective date. That is the application. No credit check. Most applications approve instantly.
Pay & e-sign
Small fixed-amount municipal bonds like this issue right after purchase.
File with the City of Madison
Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with the City of Madison licensing office (City Clerk / Engineering, depending on the trade). Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the bond actually guarantees
The City of Madison licenses several trades that work on or around its infrastructure — sewer drain cleaners, sewer inspectors, and snow-removal contractors — and conditions those licenses on a $5,000 bond. The bond is a public-protection guarantee that you'll follow City code and not damage public sewers, streets, or property.
It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and the City of Madison (the obligee). If your work damages City sewers or public property, or you violate the licensing rules, the City can recover against the bond.
It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays the City, you repay the surety. Licensees who follow City code treat the bond as a licensing formality.
You need this bond if you're
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 $5,000 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; a longer term is the same price per year, chosen at checkout.
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 with the City of Madison. Your executed bond arrives by email, ready to file with the City of Madison licensing office (City Clerk / Engineering, depending on the trade). Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What sets the price
The premium is fixed at $100 at the $5,000 amount for every applicant: the carrier’s rate book prices this bond by the form, not by your credit or your business profile.
No credit check.
One application, issued instantly.
These are the actual issuing fields. No credit check.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other Wisconsin bonds.
Been told you need a different amount?
Price and requirements checked on the carrier’s application, . Page updated .
Finish your Madison license checklist today.
$100 flat, no credit check, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.