Connecticut Public Works Surety Bonds

Connecticut generally requires a payment bond for covered state or municipal public-building and public-work contracts exceeding $100,000, subject to matching general-bid, sub-bid and consultant exceptions. A contracting officer may separately require performance security, with statutory lower limits on when that extra requirement may be imposed.

What Is Surety Bonds?

A surety bond guarantees that your business meets a specific obligation to a customer, contracting party or government agency. If a contract, license or permit requires one, get its exact form and amount; a bond is not insurance for your own losses. Read the national Surety bonds guide.

Connecticut Surety Bonds Requirements

RequirementDetails
Covered public-work payment bondA public building or public work contract for the State or a municipality exceeding $100,000 generally requires a bond equal to the contract amount for people supplying labor or materials. 1
Additional performance securityA contracting officer may require performance security beyond the statutory payment bond, but may not require it for a general bid with labor and material cost below $25,000 or a sub-bid below $50,000. 1

What Should You Watch for With Surety Bonds in Connecticut?

  • Apply the threshold to the right bid level

    Section 49-41’s contract threshold is above $100,000, and its specific exceptions separately exempt general bids and sub-bids below $100,000 in estimated labor and material costs, as well as consultant bids. Check both the prime contract and the particular subcontract bid before treating the bond as mandatory. 1

  • A payment bond is not the same as performance security

    The section requires a full-contract-amount payment bond for specified labor and material claimants. Performance security is additional authority held by the contracting officer; the statutory subsection (b) places floors on when it can be demanded. Obtain both exact provisions from the procurement package. 1

  • The awarded contractor must be named as principal

    Connecticut requires any bond furnished under § 49-41 to name the person awarded the contract as principal. Before execution, verify that the awardee—not a parent, affiliate or trade name alone—is correctly named and that the surety is acceptable to the awarding officer. 1

  • State highway bids have their own bid-security step

    For state highway construction, § 13a-95 requires a bid bond in the sum set by the commissioner; if awarded, the bidder must execute the written agreement and bond required under § 49-41. A highway bidder should arrange bid and contract bonding separately and use the commissioner’s specifications. 2,1

Which Surety Bonds Providers Have Connecticut License Records?

These providers publish a national listing for Surety bonds; the license records below name the licensed entities and roles. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Connecticut. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

  • TechInsurance

    Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28

    Specialty Program Group LLC

    TechInsurance’s current licensing page names Specialty Program Group LLC / SPG Insurance Solutions and lists state license numbers, but labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses” rather than identifying a license for the named agency. RI is omitted because this disclosure does not establish agency authority there; this is a search limitation, not an assertion that the company is unlicensed. The remaining state entries are company-reported and are not an insurance product availability map. 14

    TechInsurance arranges surety bonds for small businesses.

Who Regulates Insurance in Connecticut?

Connecticut Insurance Department

The Connecticut Insurance Department licenses insurance producers and companies, oversees insurers and regulated insurance activity, and investigates insurance complaints. Its complaint and license-search services let you raise an issue or check an insurance professional or company. 3,4,5

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Connecticut

Reported tax rate. 4% of gross premium when Connecticut is the home state 6,7,8

When Connecticut is the insured’s home state, surplus-lines tax is 4% of gross premium; certain state and local government insureds are exempt, and broker or policy fees are not part of the premium-tax base. Connecticut’s required notice says these policies are outside the state guaranty association. Most placements require three declinations or an export-list qualification; an exempt commercial purchaser may qualify for the federal § 8205 search exception after disclosure and a written request.

What Should You Ask Before Buying Surety Bonds in Connecticut?

  1. Is the project a public building or work of the State or a municipality, and does its contract or relevant general/sub-bid exceed the applicable threshold?
  2. Does the procurement require a statutory payment bond, additional performance security, or both?
  3. Is the awarded legal person correctly shown as bond principal, with a surety the awarding officer accepts?
  4. What indemnity, personal guarantee and collateral terms are in the surety agreement?

Surety Bonds in Connecticut: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Connecticut require a payment bond for every public contract?

No. The general rule in § 49-41 applies to covered state or municipal public-building and public-work contracts exceeding $100,000, with defined bid and consultant exceptions. The contract documents may require additional security within statutory limits. 1

Can an officer require a Connecticut performance bond on a small sub-bid?

The statute bars requiring performance security for a sub-bid when estimated labor and material costs are below $50,000, and sets a separate $25,000 floor for a general bid. 1

Who is named as principal on a Connecticut public-works bond?

The person awarded the contract must be the principal. The bond is furnished to the State or municipality for the benefit of labor and material suppliers; the contracting officer approves the surety. The statute bars requiring the contractor to use a named surety, agent, broker or producer. 1

Surety Bonds Guides for Other States

Other coverage in ConnecticutEvery coverage guide for Connecticut, plus the regulator and surplus-lines details.

Updated .

This guide is informational and does not determine whether a policy is available or meets your needs. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with a supporting source.

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