AG 1020: Surety Bonds
What is a Surety Bond?
A surety bond is a guarantee that the permitted work will be completed according to our standards. If you do not finish the work or it doesn’t meet our requirements, the bond provides funds so we can complete or fix the project.
We require this bond before we can issue your permit.
I want to learn more about:
How the Process Works
Obtaining and submitting your bond involves several steps. Follow this guide to ensure your bond is processed quickly.
1. Estimate the Cost
You can start this process when your Street Improvement permit (SIP) or Utility Major permit (UMP) plans are 90% complete. At this stage, the scope of your work should not change much.
- Ask your Engineer of Record to fill out the Bond Cost Estimate spreadsheet. You can find this on our Permitting Checklists, Forms, and Templates web page, or ask your Street Use Project Manager to provide this document.
- Upload the completed spreadsheet to the Seattle Services Portal under your permit number.
- Send an email to your SIP or UMP Project Manager that the Bond Cost Estimate has been uploaded for review.
2. Get the Bond Form
- Your SIP or UMP Project Manager will review your cost estimate.
- Once approved, they will email you a copy of the official bond form in Microsoft Word format.
- Important! You must:
- use this specific City form. We do not accept other forms.
- complete the execution information on the bond form, but do not make any other edits to the content.
3. Complete the Form
Work with your insurance company (the surety) to fill out the form. You must type the information or write it by hand.
- Do not use correction fluid (white-out) or correction tape. If you make a mistake, you must start over on a clean form.
- Do not use photocopied insertions.
4. Submit for Review
Before you mail the original document, we need to check it for errors.
- Email a PDF copy of the signed bond to SDOTPERMITS@seattle.gov and copy (cc) your SIP or UMP Project Manager on the email for their awareness.
- Our Applicant Services team will review your PDF bond copy and verify that it meets all requirements and will route to our Seattle City Attorney’s Office for review.
- If we find errors, we will let you know how to fix them.
- You do not need to upload the document to the Seattle Services Portal.
5. Mail the Original
Once the Seattle City Attorney’s Office approves the digital copy, you may either mail the physical, original bond to us or drop it off.
Mail to:
Seattle Department Transportation, Street Use Division
PO Box 34996
Suite 2300
Seattle, WA 98124-4996
Drop off:
SDOT Information Desk – 4th Floor
Seattle Municipal Tower
700 5th Ave
Seattle, WA 98104
Information Desk Hours
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 10:30 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.
After we receive and approve the original bond and all other permit requirements have been met, you can move forward to the permit issuance step.
Bond Requirements
Please follow these rules carefully to avoid delays.
General Information
Your Name (Principal): Use your legal name or your business's legal entity name. This must match the name in the signature block exactly.
Insurance Company (Surety): Include the legal name of the surety, the state where they are organized, and a statement that they are authorized to do business in Washington.
- We only accept sureties listed in the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Listing of Approved Sureties or those with an A.M. Best rating of "A-: VII" or better.
Bond Amount: You must write the dollar amount in words (e.g., "ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS AND ZERO CENTS") and numbers (e.g., "$158,200.00"). These two amounts must match exactly.
Signature Rules
The bond is a legal document. The person signing it must have the legal authority to bind the company.
If the permittee is a:
- Corporation: The bond must be signed by the President or a Vice President.
- Joint venture: The bond must be signed by the entity authorized to sign on behalf of the joint venture.
- Limited Liability Company (LLC): The bond must be signed by the manager of the entity. If there’s no manager designated, a member must sign.
- Partnership: The Managing General Partner must sign.
- Sole Proprietorship: The owner must sign.
If someone other than the authorized representative signs the bond, you must provide written proof that they have the authority to bind the Principal.
This proof should identify and quote the specific provision in one of the following documents:
- corporate articles of incorporation
- Bylaws
- Board resolution
- partnership agreement
- certificate of formation
- power of attorney
- another document that delegates signature authority.
You’ll also need confirmation, acceptable to the Seattle City Attorney’s Office, that this delegation was valid on the date the bond was signed.
Common Errors to Avoid
We frequently reject bonds for the following reasons. Please check your document against this list before sending it.
- Name Mismatches: The name of the Principal (you) and the Surety (insurance company) must be identical in the body of the bond and within, the signature block. Additionally, the Principal's business name must be identical to the name as it appears on the Washington Secretary of State website.
- Inconsistent Dates: The date on the Power of Attorney form must be the same as (or earlier than) the date the surety signs the bond.
- Missing Notary Info:
- Ensure the notary stamp is visible on both the Principal's and Surety's acknowledgment sections.
- Ensure the notary’s name, commission number, and commission expiration date are identical in the Acknowledgement form and state records.
- Missing Titles: The person signing for you (the Principal) must write their job title within the signature section.
- Incorrect Titles: The person signing for the Principal does not have the title requested in the bond instructions (see above signature rules)
- Bad Numbers: The bond number on the cover page must match the bond number that appears at the top of each page of the bond and if applicable on the Power-of Attorney form.
- Spelling Errors: Check that the written dollar amount is spelled correctly and matches the numerical bond amount.
Need Help?
If you have questions about the bond process or the form, please e-mail our Applicant Services Team at SDOTPERMITS@seattle.gov.