West Des Moines Sign Erector Bond
What it is & who requires it
Anyone engaging in the act of erecting, maintaining, servicing, installing or removing signs in West Des Moines, regardless of the size or weight of the sign. Two exceptions sit in the same section and are worth checking first: no license is needed for a nonelectrical sign erected by an owner on their own property where the owner is exempt from the insurance or certificate of liability requirement, or for installing a temporary ground sign of six square feet or less. Everything else is inside the license, and the bond comes with the application rather than after it. Note the term: this license runs two years rather than the usual one, with fees prorated semiannually at renewal, so the bond period is longer than a contractor moving between Iowa cities will expect. Liability insurance is a separate requirement in the same section, with the City named as an additional insured either on a single policy or as a rider to a blanket policy, and at least thirty days written notice to the City before any cancellation or change.
Obligee: City of West Des Moines (City Council). Citation: West Des Moines Municipal Code § 9-18-6 (License fee, bond and insurance), Title 9 (Zoning) ch. 18 (Signs); § 9-18-6(A) erector license and fee by council resolution; § 9-18-6(B) license exceptions; § 9-18-6(D) insurance.
Bond amount
Set by the obligee — the exact amount is confirmed automatically when you start your bond in our portal, or call 317-942-0549.
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: Executed and filed with the license application; the erector license runs two years from the date of issuance, which is longer than most Iowa trade licenses.
Renewal: Every two years, with fees prorated on a semiannual basis at renewal.
Filing
Executed and filed with the erector license application, duly executed by sureties. No figure renders because the ordinance delegates the amount to a City Council resolution rather than stating it — the same treatment this directory gives any delegated sum. Be careful with a listing that shows a West Des Moines sign erector figure: the city does have a sign erector bond, and it does not publish an amount; the figure that circulates against that label belongs to the city’s house mover bond in a different title.
Source
This bond requirement is corroborated by multiple public sources; City of West Des Moines (City Council) sets the exact amount, which we confirm when you start your bond.
Related Iowa bonds
Frequently asked questions
- Who requires the West Des Moines Sign Erector Bond?
- It’s required by City of West Des Moines (City Council) (West Des Moines Municipal Code § 9-18-6 (License fee, bond and insurance), Title 9 (Zoning) ch. 18 (Signs); § 9-18-6(A) erector license and fee by council resolution; § 9-18-6(B) license exceptions; § 9-18-6(D) insurance). Anyone engaging in the act of erecting, maintaining, servicing, installing or removing signs in West Des Moines, regardless of the size or weight of the sign. Two exceptions sit in the same section and are worth checking first: no license is needed for a nonelectrical sign erected by an owner on their own property where the owner is exempt from the insurance or certificate of liability requirement, or for installing a temporary ground sign of six square feet or less. Everything else is inside the license, and the bond comes with the application rather than after it. Note the term: this license runs two years rather than the usual one, with fees prorated semiannually at renewal, so the bond period is longer than a contractor moving between Iowa cities will expect. Liability insurance is a separate requirement in the same section, with the City named as an additional insured either on a single policy or as a rider to a blanket policy, and at least thirty days written notice to the City before any cancellation or change.
- How much is the West Des Moines Sign Erector Bond?
- Set by the obligee — the exact amount is confirmed automatically when you start your bond in our portal, or call 317-942-0549.
- How do I get the West Des Moines Sign Erector 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?
- Executed and filed with the license application; the erector license runs two years from the date of issuance, which is longer than most Iowa trade licenses. Renewal: Every two years, with fees prorated on a semiannual basis at renewal.
- 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?
- This bond requirement is corroborated by multiple public sources. The obligee sets the exact amount, which we confirm automatically when you start your bond in the portal or with a producer.
