Fargo Sidewalk Builder Bond
What it is & who requires it
Contractors who construct, reconstruct or repair sidewalks and driveways in Fargo. The license is granted by the board of city commissioners and issued by the city auditor, and the bond is a condition of issue. Fargo also requires a licensee to carry a name stamp and to submit the work to city inspection on request. If you intend to bid on the city’s own sidewalk contract there is a second requirement worth knowing: the code says a bidder must both hold this sidewalk builder’s license and hold a North Dakota general contractor’s license, so the municipal credential does not replace the state one.
Obligee: City of Fargo (City Auditor). Citation: Fargo Municipal Code § 18-0204 (Bond of licensee), 1965 Rev. Ord. 18-0204; § 18-0202 (License necessary to construct, reconstruct, and repair sidewalks and driveways); § 18-0203 (Contractor’s license—Fee—Expiration date); § 18-0209 (Qualifications of contractor).
Bond amount
The required bond amount is $25,000.
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: One year — the license expires one year from its date, and the bond runs with it.
Renewal: Annual, with the sidewalk builder’s license.
Filing
Filed with the City of Fargo before the license is granted, approved by both the city auditor and the city attorney. What it secures is unusually specific about who benefits: the bond is conditioned, among other things, that the licensee will save harmless both the City of Fargo AND the owner of the property adjacent to the street or avenue where the sidewalk is constructed, from damages caused by any negligence or faulty work by the licensee or any employee — and that the material used and the work done will meet the city’s requirements. Note that Fargo runs several separate contractor bonds out of different chapters; the sidewalk builder’s bond is not the excavator’s license bond, and a contractor who does both files both. Authority: Fargo Municipal Code § 18-0204.
Source
Verified against the obligee source (last checked 2026-08-31).
Related North Dakota bonds
Frequently asked questions
- Who requires the Fargo Sidewalk Builder Bond?
- It’s required by City of Fargo (City Auditor) (Fargo Municipal Code § 18-0204 (Bond of licensee), 1965 Rev. Ord. 18-0204; § 18-0202 (License necessary to construct, reconstruct, and repair sidewalks and driveways); § 18-0203 (Contractor’s license—Fee—Expiration date); § 18-0209 (Qualifications of contractor)). Contractors who construct, reconstruct or repair sidewalks and driveways in Fargo. The license is granted by the board of city commissioners and issued by the city auditor, and the bond is a condition of issue. Fargo also requires a licensee to carry a name stamp and to submit the work to city inspection on request. If you intend to bid on the city’s own sidewalk contract there is a second requirement worth knowing: the code says a bidder must both hold this sidewalk builder’s license and hold a North Dakota general contractor’s license, so the municipal credential does not replace the state one.
- How much is the Fargo Sidewalk Builder Bond?
- The bond amount is $25,000.
- How do I get the Fargo Sidewalk Builder 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?
- One year — the license expires one year from its date, and the bond runs with it. Renewal: Annual, with the sidewalk builder’s license.
- 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 2026-08-31); the source link is on this page.
