Denver Excavation License Bond
What it is & who requires it
Anyone other than the city or a franchisee who performs excavations on public property in Denver — the excavator’s license is what makes street cutting lawful, and the bond is a condition of getting it. To qualify you must show one of three things: proof of being a licensed contractor, proof of being a registered engineer, or proof of competence to do excavation work in the public right-of-way under the manager’s rules. Five years of verifiable experience is required. One exemption is worth knowing: an applicant who already holds a Denver paving contractor license does not post this bond, because the paving bond covers it.
Obligee: City and County of Denver (Department of Transportation and Infrastructure; Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection). Citation: Denver Revised Municipal Code § 49-200(b) (Requirements for obtaining an excavation license); § 49-199 (Excavator’s license); § 49-195 (Warranteeing street cuts); Ord. No. 492-91 § 1, 7-1-91; Ord. No. 1003-25 § 28, 7-28-25.
Bond amount
The required bond amount is $50,000.
How to get it
This bond is individually underwritten, so it is not issued instantly. Request a quote and a licensed producer follows up to walk you through it.
Request a bond quote
Tell us about the bond and the project. A licensed producer follows up — these bonds are individually underwritten, so they are not issued instantly.
Term & renewal
Term: Held with the license and conditioned on compliance with every requirement, specification and instruction of the manager and every city ordinance pertaining to street cuts, including the payment of all fees, penalties or cost of repairs.
Renewal: Maintained for as long as you hold the license; renewed with it.
Filing
Filed with the City on Denver’s excavator bond form, alongside a certificate of insurance naming the city as an additional insured to the published right-of-way limits. The code names a bond by a reliable surety company approved by the manager and states the sum, with no cash deposit, escrow or letter of credit alternative, which is why the figure is published here. The street cut chapter also carries a separate warranty on the cut itself and a moratorium provision restricting cuts in recently resurfaced streets — check the moratorium before you plan work. All street patch repairs, including those in public alleys, must be marked with street cut pavement repair markers. Authority: D.R.M.C. § 49-200(b).
Source
Verified against the obligee source (last checked 2026-08-30).
Related Colorado bonds
Frequently asked questions
- Who requires the Denver Excavation License Bond?
- It’s required by City and County of Denver (Department of Transportation and Infrastructure; Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection) (Denver Revised Municipal Code § 49-200(b) (Requirements for obtaining an excavation license); § 49-199 (Excavator’s license); § 49-195 (Warranteeing street cuts); Ord. No. 492-91 § 1, 7-1-91; Ord. No. 1003-25 § 28, 7-28-25). Anyone other than the city or a franchisee who performs excavations on public property in Denver — the excavator’s license is what makes street cutting lawful, and the bond is a condition of getting it. To qualify you must show one of three things: proof of being a licensed contractor, proof of being a registered engineer, or proof of competence to do excavation work in the public right-of-way under the manager’s rules. Five years of verifiable experience is required. One exemption is worth knowing: an applicant who already holds a Denver paving contractor license does not post this bond, because the paving bond covers it.
- How much is the Denver Excavation License Bond?
- The bond amount is $50,000.
- How do I get the Denver Excavation License Bond?
- This bond is individually underwritten, so it is not issued instantly. Request a quote and a licensed producer follows up to walk you through it.
- What is the term?
- Held with the license and conditioned on compliance with every requirement, specification and instruction of the manager and every city ordinance pertaining to street cuts, including the payment of all fees, penalties or cost of repairs. Renewal: Maintained for as long as you hold the license; renewed with it.
- Is this bond insurance for me?
- No. It protects the obligee and the public — not you. If a valid claim is paid, you repay the surety.
- How is this requirement verified?
- We verify it against the obligee’s primary source (last checked 2026-08-30); the source link is on this page.
