Does Michigan require a state contractor license bond?

No. LARA’s residential-builder and trade licenses are examination-based and carry no surety bond. Michigan contractor bonds are set by cities, counties, and county road commissions.

What is a Michigan county road commission bond?

A right-of-way, driveway, or utility permit bond posted to a county road commission. Oakland, Kent, and Kalamazoo county road commissions accept surety; MCL 224.19b caps a county-road utility bond at $20,000, or $40,000 in counties over 250,000, and a cash bond cannot be required.

What bond do I need to cut a street in Michigan?

A right-of-way or excavation permit bond from the city, county, or road commission that owns the road — where surety is accepted. Some cities require cash instead (see below).

Are Michigan public-works bonds different?

Yes. On contracts over $50,000, MCL 129.201–129.203 require performance and payment bonds at no less than 25 percent of the contract, and MCL 129.207 sets a 30-day first-furnishing notice and a 90-day last-furnishing suit window for second-tier claimants. These are underwritten.

Who is Wexford Bonds?

Wexford Bonds is the surety bond brand of Wexford Insurance, LLC, licensed in 48 states. We write Michigan right-of-way, road-commission, and public-works bonds.

Michigan Surety Bonds

Contractor License & Permit Bonds in Michigan

Find the exact license, permit, right-of-way, or public-works bond your Michigan obligee requires — by city, county, and the state. License and permit bonds issue online.

Get Your Bond Online Call 317-942-0549

How contractor bonding works in Michigan

Michigan’s state licenses are exam-based — there is no state contractor bond

LARA licenses residential builders, maintenance-and-alteration contractors, and the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical trades, but every one of those credentials is examination-based — none carries a surety bond. A Michigan contractor bond is therefore always local: a city, county, or road-commission requirement, never a state credential.

County road commissions are distinctive permit obligees

Unlike most states, Michigan counties run separate road commissions that issue right-of-way, driveway, and utility permits. The Road Commission for Oakland County, the Kent County Road Commission, and the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County each accept a surety bond as permit security. Statewide, MCL 224.19b caps a county-road utility right-of-way bond at $20,000 — or $40,000 in counties over 250,000 population — expressly allows a surety bond or letter of credit, bars requiring a cash bond, and lets a single bond cover all of a provider’s permits in that commission’s right-of-way.

Public works carry a 25-percent floor and a claimant-notice clock

On a Michigan public-works contract exceeding $50,000, MCL 129.201–129.203 require a performance bond and a payment bond, each not less than 25 percent of the contract amount. The practical deadline runs under MCL 129.207: a second-tier claimant must give written notice within 30 days of first furnishing labor or materials, and may sue only after 90 days from last furnishing.

Several Michigan cities require cash, not a bond

Not every Michigan permit is bondable, and we will tell you when it is not. Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and the City of Wyoming (Kent County, not the state of Wyoming) mandate a cash deposit or letter of credit for street and excavation work rather than a surety bond. Where a city requires cash, a surety bond will not satisfy it — so we point you to the right instrument instead of selling one that cannot be filed.

Michigan bonds we write

Contractor License & Permit Bonds

Statewide

MDOT Blanket (Annual) Right-of-Way Permit Bond — Michigan Department of Transportation · Portal
MDOT Right-of-Way Construction Permit Performance Bond — Michigan Department of Transportation · $50,000
Michigan County Road Right-of-Way Utility Bond — Michigan county road commissions (statutory provider bond) · Varies

County

Genesee County Road Commission Right-of-Way Permit Bond — Genesee County Road Commission, Genesee County, Michigan · Portal
Kent County Road Commission Commercial Driveway Bond — Board of Kent County Road Commissioners, Kent County, Michigan · Varies
Road Commission for Oakland County Permit Bond (Form 75) — Road Commission for Oakland County, Oakland County, Michigan · Varies
Road Commission of Kalamazoo County Right-of-Way Permit Bond — Road Commission of Kalamazoo County, Kalamazoo County, Michigan · Varies
Washtenaw County Road Commission Public Utility Right-of-Way Bond — Washtenaw County Road Commission, Washtenaw County, Michigan · Portal
Wayne County Right-of-Way Construction Permit Bond — Wayne County, Michigan (Department of Public Services) · Varies

City

Bay City Street Opening / Right-of-Way Permit Bond — City of Bay City, Bay County · Portal
Burton Excavation / Fill / Grading Certificate Bond — City of Burton, Genesee County (City Engineer) · Portal
Dearborn Heights Blanket Right-of-Way Bond — City of Dearborn Heights, Wayne County, Michigan · Portal
Dearborn Heights Single-Job Right-of-Way Bond — City of Dearborn Heights, Wayne County, Michigan · Portal
Detroit Hauler of Extraordinary Loads Bond — City of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan (Department of Public Works) · $1,500
Detroit Right-of-Way / Sidewalk Uniform Surety Bond — City of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan (Department of Public Works) · Varies
Detroit Sign Erector Surety Bond — City of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan (Office of the Chief Financial Officer) · $5,000
Detroit Wrecking Contractor License Surety Bond — City of Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan (BSEED; Board of Wrecking Contractors Examiners) · $50,000
East Grand Rapids Sidewalk / Right-of-Way Contractor Bond — City of East Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan · Portal
Flint Bonded Sidewalk Builder License Bond — City of Flint, Genesee County, Michigan · Portal
Flint Building Contractor Bond — City of Flint, Genesee County, Michigan · Portal
Grand Rapids Driveway Approach Surety — City of Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan (Public Service Director) · Varies
Grand Rapids Sidewalk Builder’s License Bond — City of Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan (City Engineer) · $10,000
Jackson Street Opening Performance & Guarantee Bond — City of Jackson (Engineering Division) · Portal
Kalamazoo Sidewalk Contractor Bond — City of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo County, Michigan (Department of Public Services) · $5,000
Kentwood Right-of-Way Permit Bond — City of Kentwood, Kent County, Michigan (Engineering Department) · Varies
Lansing Demolition and Building Moving License Bond — City of Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan (City Clerk / Building Safety) · $10,000
Lincoln Park Excavation / Right-of-Way Certificate Bond — City of Lincoln Park, Wayne County (City Engineer) · Portal
Livonia Street Opening / Excavation Permit Bond — City of Livonia, Wayne County, Michigan · Portal
Marquette Right-of-Way / Excavation Bond — City of Marquette, Marquette County (Engineering Division) · Portal
Midland Right-of-Way / Street-Cut Permit Bond — City of Midland (Engineering Department) · Portal
Mount Clemens Street / Sidewalk Permit Bond — City of Mount Clemens, Macomb County (Department of Public Works) · Portal
Muskegon Right-of-Way Surety Bond — City of Muskegon (Engineering Department) · $25,000
Novi Right-of-Way / Easement Permit Bond — City of Novi, Oakland County, Michigan (Department of Public Services) · Varies
Port Huron Street Opening / Excavation Permit Bond — City of Port Huron, St. Clair County · Varies
Rochester Hills Contractor License Bond — City of Rochester Hills, Oakland County, Michigan (Department of Public Services / Engineering) · Portal
Rochester Hills Street Opening / Right-of-Way Performance Bond — City of Rochester Hills, Oakland County, Michigan · Varies
Romulus Street Obstruction / Excavation Permit Bond — City of Romulus, Wayne County (City Engineer) · $10,000
Roseville Sidewalk / Driveway Contractor Bond — City of Roseville, Macomb County, Michigan · Portal
Southfield Contractor Registration Bond — City of Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan (Building Department) · Portal
St. Clair Shores Curb Cutter Bond — City of St. Clair Shores, Macomb County, Michigan · $1,000
St. Clair Shores Drainlayer Bond — City of St. Clair Shores, Macomb County, Michigan · Portal
St. Clair Shores Sidewalk / Driveway Contractor Bond — City of St. Clair Shores, Macomb County, Michigan · Varies
St. Clair Shores Street Cut / Excavation Permit Bond — City of St. Clair Shores, Macomb County, Michigan · Varies
Sterling Heights Building Mover Bond — City of Sterling Heights, Macomb County, Michigan · Varies
Taylor Drainlayer / Sewer-Tap Contractor Bond — City of Taylor, Wayne County · Portal
Walker Right-of-Way Contractor Registration Bond — City of Walker, Kent County, Michigan (Department of Public Works) · Portal
Warren Sidewalk Cement Contractor Bond — City of Warren, Macomb County, Michigan · $1,500
Warren Street Opening / Excavation Permit Bond — City of Warren, Macomb County, Michigan (Department of Public Service) · Varies
Westland Driveway Culvert / Approach Permit Surety — City of Westland, Wayne County (Department of Public Service) · Portal

Township

Clinton Township Contractor / Right-of-Way Bond — Charter Township of Clinton, Macomb County (Building Department / Engineering) · Portal

Performance & Payment Bonds

Statewide

Michigan Public Works Payment Bond (Little Miller Act) — The governmental unit awarding the contract (Michigan) · Varies
Michigan Public Works Performance Bond (Little Miller Act) — The governmental unit awarding the contract (Michigan) · Varies

City

Grand Rapids Demolition Surety — City of Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan (Building Official) · Varies
Lansing Sidewalk Contractor Performance Bond — City of Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan (City Engineer) · Varies
Southfield Demolition Completion Bond — City of Southfield, Oakland County, Michigan (Department of Building & Safety Engineering) · Varies

Township

Shelby Township Subdivision Improvement Bond — Charter Township of Shelby, Macomb County · Portal

Underwritten bonds in Michigan

Bid, performance, and payment bonds are individually underwritten — request a quote rather than the instant portal:

Michigan surety bond FAQ

Does Michigan require a state contractor license bond?: No. LARA’s residential-builder and trade licenses are examination-based and carry no surety bond. Michigan contractor bonds are set by cities, counties, and county road commissions.
What is a Michigan county road commission bond?: A right-of-way, driveway, or utility permit bond posted to a county road commission. Oakland, Kent, and Kalamazoo county road commissions accept surety; MCL 224.19b caps a county-road utility bond at $20,000, or $40,000 in counties over 250,000, and a cash bond cannot be required.
What bond do I need to cut a street in Michigan?: A right-of-way or excavation permit bond from the city, county, or road commission that owns the road — where surety is accepted. Some cities require cash instead (see below).
Are Michigan public-works bonds different?: Yes. On contracts over $50,000, MCL 129.201–129.203 require performance and payment bonds at no less than 25 percent of the contract, and MCL 129.207 sets a 30-day first-furnishing notice and a 90-day last-furnishing suit window for second-tier claimants. These are underwritten.
Do some Michigan cities require cash instead of a bond?: Yes. Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, and the City of Wyoming (Kent County), among others, require a cash deposit or letter of credit for street and excavation work — a surety bond will not satisfy those, and we will say so rather than sell one.
Who is Wexford Bonds?: Wexford Bonds is the surety bond brand of Wexford Insurance, LLC, licensed in 48 states. We write Michigan right-of-way, road-commission, and public-works bonds.

Nate Jones, CPCU · Founder, Wexford Bonds

Nate Jones is a CPCU-designated surety bond producer and the founder of Wexford Insurance, LLC and Wexford Bonds. He places bonds through a panel of 10 sureties across 48 U.S. states. Call 317-942-0549 or email info@wexfordbonds.com.

Last updated June 8, 2026 · Reviewed by Nate Jones, CPCU · Contact a producer

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