Saint Paul Building Contractor Bond

What it is & who requires it

Building contractors doing residential work in St. Paul — and read the licensing section before assuming the city bond is owed, because the ordinance subordinates itself to the state in its own first sentence. It requires a license as prescribed under the state contractor licensing statute, or, in the case of state licensing exemptions, under this chapter. The exceptions section says the same thing again from the other side: no license is required of a person who is required by state or local law to attain standards of competency or experience and who is currently licensed or certified under that other law when acting within its scope. So the population that actually buys this bond is the contractor the state does not license — the same narrow class Minneapolis reaches with its residential specialty license, at a different figure. The definition of the covered business is broad where it applies, running from new construction and excavation through repair, remodeling, painting, redecorating and alteration, and naming driveways, swimming pools, porches, garages, central heating and air conditioning, central vacuum systems, storm windows, awnings and fire or burglar alarms, on residence buildings of not more than four dwelling units. Complaints about state-licensed contractors are forwarded on rather than handled locally.

Obligee: City of Saint Paul (Department of Safety and Inspections). Citation: Saint Paul Legislative Code § 326.07(b) (Licensing requirements — Bond: every application for a license shall be accompanied by a bond, approved as to form by the city attorney, executed by a bonding or surety company authorized to do business in the State of Minnesota, in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars, conditioned on continued compliance during the term of the license and to assure that on default the advance payments made, less the reasonable value of services actually rendered or the reasonable costs of completion, will be refunded to the purchaser, owner or lessee; both the owner and the city have a cause of action against the bond); § 326.01 (License required — as prescribed under Minnesota Statutes section 326.83 or, in the case of state licensing exemptions, under this chapter); § 326.02 (Definitions); § 326.03 (Activities not authorized); § 326.04 (Exceptions); § 326.05 (Applicability); § 326.06 (Fees, by reference to § 310.18); § 326.08 (Prohibited acts); § 326.10 (Refusal, suspension or revocation); § 326.11 (Violation and penalties); Title XXIX, ch. 326 (Building Contractors); Code 1956 § 27.02 et seq.; C.F. No. 95-1338, §§ 1–2, 3-6-96; C.F. No. 07-149, § 83, 3-28-07; Minn. Stat. § 326B.835 (local license prohibited for state residential licensees); Minn. Stat. § 326B.802, subd. 15 (special skill; the ordinance’s citation to § 326.83 is the pre-2007 numbering).

Bond amount

The required bond amount is $2,500.

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 Quote

Term & renewal

Term: Held with the building contractor’s license and conditioned on continued compliance with the chapter and all laws of the city during the term of the license, and on refunding advance payments on default.

Renewal: Annual, with the license; a renewal applied for after the expiration date carries a late fee of ten percent of the annual license fee in addition to everything else.

Filing

Filed with the license application, approved as to form by the city attorney, and executed by a bonding or surety company authorized in Minnesota. The figure renders because the ordinance states a flat sum and offers no cash or deposit alternative. The condition is a consumer condition and the recovery runs two ways: on default in the performance of any contract the advance payments made, less the reasonable value of services actually rendered to the date of default or the reasonable cost of completion, are refunded to the purchaser, owner or lessee, and both the owner and the city have a cause of action against the bond for damages from noncompliance with city law. Insurance and tax account numbers are required in the same section. The license does not authorize work reserved to another license under state or local law, and the city expressly reserves its power to regulate quality and character of work through permits and inspections regardless of the license. Note the stale statutory citation on the face of the ordinance — it names the pre-2007 chapter 326 numbering for a scheme now codified at chapter 326B — which does not affect what is owed but does affect anyone trying to trace the authority.

Source

Verified against the obligee source (last checked 2026-09-07).

Related Minnesota bonds

• Anoka Arborist and Tree Care Bond
• Bemidji Tree Service Firm Bond
• Bloomington Driveway Approach Bond
• Brooklyn Park Excavation Permit Bond
• Circle Pines Contractor License Bond
• Duluth Local Improvement Permit Bond

Frequently asked questions

Who requires the Saint Paul Building Contractor Bond?

It’s required by City of Saint Paul (Department of Safety and Inspections) (Saint Paul Legislative Code § 326.07(b) (Licensing requirements — Bond: every application for a license shall be accompanied by a bond, approved as to form by the city attorney, executed by a bonding or surety company authorized to do business in the State of Minnesota, in the amount of two thousand five hundred dollars, conditioned on continued compliance during the term of the license and to assure that on default the advance payments made, less the reasonable value of services actually rendered or the reasonable costs of completion, will be refunded to the purchaser, owner or lessee; both the owner and the city have a cause of action against the bond); § 326.01 (License required — as prescribed under Minnesota Statutes section 326.83 or, in the case of state licensing exemptions, under this chapter); § 326.02 (Definitions); § 326.03 (Activities not authorized); § 326.04 (Exceptions); § 326.05 (Applicability); § 326.06 (Fees, by reference to § 310.18); § 326.08 (Prohibited acts); § 326.10 (Refusal, suspension or revocation); § 326.11 (Violation and penalties); Title XXIX, ch. 326 (Building Contractors); Code 1956 § 27.02 et seq.; C.F. No. 95-1338, §§ 1–2, 3-6-96; C.F. No. 07-149, § 83, 3-28-07; Minn. Stat. § 326B.835 (local license prohibited for state residential licensees); Minn. Stat. § 326B.802, subd. 15 (special skill; the ordinance’s citation to § 326.83 is the pre-2007 numbering)). Building contractors doing residential work in St. Paul — and read the licensing section before assuming the city bond is owed, because the ordinance subordinates itself to the state in its own first sentence. It requires a license as prescribed under the state contractor licensing statute, or, in the case of state licensing exemptions, under this chapter. The exceptions section says the same thing again from the other side: no license is required of a person who is required by state or local law to attain standards of competency or experience and who is currently licensed or certified under that other law when acting within its scope. So the population that actually buys this bond is the contractor the state does not license — the same narrow class Minneapolis reaches with its residential specialty license, at a different figure. The definition of the covered business is broad where it applies, running from new construction and excavation through repair, remodeling, painting, redecorating and alteration, and naming driveways, swimming pools, porches, garages, central heating and air conditioning, central vacuum systems, storm windows, awnings and fire or burglar alarms, on residence buildings of not more than four dwelling units. Complaints about state-licensed contractors are forwarded on rather than handled locally.

How much is the Saint Paul Building Contractor Bond?

The bond amount is $2,500.

How do I get the Saint Paul Building Contractor 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 building contractor’s license and conditioned on continued compliance with the chapter and all laws of the city during the term of the license, and on refunding advance payments on default. Renewal: Annual, with the license; a renewal applied for after the expiration date carries a late fee of ten percent of the annual license fee in addition to everything else.

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 2026-09-07); the source link is on this page.