Washington Public Construction Bonds

Washington requires surety security when public works contracts; projects of $150,000 or less can use retainage instead of a bond at contractor option if the public entity agrees; bond covers contract performance, workers, subcontractors, materials and certain taxes; for $150,000 or less, 10% retainage may substitute. Washington separately requires a contractor registration bond of $30,000 for general contractors or $15,000 for specialty contractors; bond cancellation suspends registration.

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.

Washington Surety Bonds Requirements

Requirement	Details
Public construction security	Public works contracts; projects of $150,000 or less can use retainage instead of a bond at contractor option if the public entity agrees; bond covers contract performance, workers, subcontractors, materials and certain taxes; for $150,000 or less, 10% retainage may substitute. ¹

What Should You Watch for With Surety Bonds in Washington?

Check the Washington Contract Trigger
Washington law triggers public-work security when public works contracts; projects of $150,000 or less can use retainage instead of a bond at contractor option if the public entity agrees. Bond covers contract performance, workers, subcontractors, materials and certain taxes; for $150,000 or less, 10% retainage may substitute Ask the contracting agency to confirm whether your project falls under this rule and to state the bond penal sum in the bid documents. ¹
Washington Has Another Bond Rule for This Work
Washington separately requires a contractor registration bond of $30,000 for general contractors or $15,000 for specialty contractors; bond cancellation suspends registration. Before binding the surety, match the required obligee, bond form, and covered obligation to this separate rule. ²
Match the Solicitation’s Bond Form
The RCW 39.08.010 governs this statutory obligation, while the project solicitation identifies the obligee, filing deadline, and any bid-security details. Get the final form approved before the bid date and confirm that the named surety is authorized for Washington work. ^1,²

Which Surety Bonds Providers Have Washington 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 Washington. 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 Washington?

Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner

The Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner administers Washington insurance laws, oversees insurers and insurance producers within its authority, and provides regulatory and consumer resources. You can use the department's complaint process to raise an insurance issue and its licensing resources to check insurance professionals. ^3,^4,⁵

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Washington

Reported tax rate. 2% of premium ^6,⁷

The NAIC's state chart lists a 2% of premium charge for surplus-lines coverage for Washington (the chart's state entries were reviewed in October 2025). Your broker may collect the applicable amount with the premium. Surplus-lines insurers are not licensed in the state and generally are outside state guaranty-association protection; ask your broker to explain the insurer's financial protections and any diligent-search requirement that applies to your placement.

What Should You Ask Before Buying Surety Bonds in Washington?

Which Washington statute or procurement rule triggers this bond for our project, and what is the exact penal sum?
Will the obligee accept another form of security, and who must approve that substitution in Washington?
What notice, filing, and claim deadlines should our subcontractors and suppliers track under this bond?

Surety Bonds in Washington: Frequently Asked Questions

When does a Washington public construction project require a surety bond?

Public works contracts; projects of $150,000 or less can use retainage instead of a bond at contractor option if the public entity agrees. Bond covers contract performance, workers, subcontractors, materials and certain taxes; for $150,000 or less, 10% retainage may substitute ¹

Does Washington have another bond requirement beyond the public construction bond?

Yes. Washington separately requires a contractor registration bond of $30,000 for general contractors or $15,000 for specialty contractors; bond cancellation suspends registration. ²

Sources for Surety Bonds in Washington

1
RCW 39.08.010. RCW 39.08.010; RCW 39.08.010. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2
RCW 18.27.040. RCW 18.27.040; Contractor registration bond amounts, conditions and suspension. Accessed 2026-09-29.
3
Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner; Official regulator website; insurance oversight and consumer/professional resources. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
Insurance Department Directory. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner entry; official contact and website listing. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
Licensing Center. National Insurance Producer Registry; State producer licensing and lookup resources. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
Surplus Lines Insurance Premium Taxes. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; WA row; state surplus-lines premium-tax rate reviewed October 2025. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Guaranty Associations & Funds. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Coverage of claims from insolvencies of insurers licensed in a state; surplus-lines insurers are nonadmitted. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
9
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
10
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
11
About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
About Risklytics. Risklytics; What we do; Who we insure; Licensing; Agency licenses table dated 2026-09-10. Accessed 2026-09-16.
14
Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
15
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Washington Public Construction Bonds

What Is Surety Bonds?

Washington Surety Bonds Requirements

What Should You Watch for With Surety Bonds in Washington?

Check the Washington Contract Trigger

Washington Has Another Bond Rule for This Work

Match the Solicitation’s Bond Form