Does Ohio require a state contractor license bond?

No. OCILB licenses electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, and refrigeration contractors but requires liability insurance, not a surety bond. Contractor license and permit bonds in Ohio are set by each city and county.

Which Ohio cities require a contractor bond?

Many do, at very different amounts — Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Parma, Canton, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Lorain, Elyria, Kettering, Middletown, and Dublin each set their own. Find yours in the directory below.

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

A right-of-way, street-opening, or excavation permit bond from the city, county, or ODOT that owns the road. The amount is set per obligee and usually comes with a maintenance or warranty period.

Are Ohio public-works bonds different?

Yes. ORC 153.54 requires a bid guaranty and a combined performance-and-payment contract bond on public improvements; ODOT contracts require 100-percent performance and payment bonds. These are underwritten, so they start with a conversation.

How fast can I get an Ohio license or permit bond?

License and permit bonds issue online, usually in one sitting. Bid, performance, and payment bonds are underwritten and start with a quote request.

Who is Wexford Bonds?

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

Ohio Surety Bonds

Contractor License & Permit Bonds in Ohio

Find the exact license, permit, right-of-way, or public-works bond your Ohio 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 Ohio

Ohio does not require a state contractor license bond

Ohio licenses five specialty trades at the state level through the Construction Industry Licensing Board (OCILB) — electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, and refrigeration — but the OCILB credential requires liability insurance, not a surety bond. Like Indiana, Ohio contractor license and permit bonds are municipal: the bond you post is set by the city or county you work in.

Right-of-way and registration bonds are set city by city

Amounts vary widely across Ohio — from $250,000 for a Cleveland right-of-way contractor down to $1,000 for a Youngstown sewer builder. There is no statewide default, so the bond depends entirely on the obligee. Right-of-way and street-cut permit bonds recur across cities and usually carry a one-to-three-year maintenance or warranty period.

One county dropped its bond

Summit County eliminated its contractor registration bond in March 2024, moving to a permit-and-insurance model. The City of Akron, though inside Summit County, keeps its own right-of-way bond independent of the county — a reminder to check the obligee, not the geography.

Public works are bonded by statute

On Ohio public improvements, ORC 153.54 requires a bid guaranty (a bond for the full bid amount, or a ten-percent check) and, on award, a single contract bond that both guarantees performance and pays subcontractors and suppliers (Ohio’s Little Miller Act). ODOT highway contracts require separate performance and payment bonds at 100 percent of the contract (ORC 5525.16), and ODOT right-of-way permits require financial responsibility of at least $500,000, satisfiable by bond or insurance (OAC 5501:2-1-05).

Ohio bonds we write

Contractor License & Permit Bonds

Statewide

ODOT Right-of-Way Permit Financial Responsibility Bond — Ohio Department of Transportation (Director of Transportation) · $500,000
Ohio Private Water Systems Contractor Registration Bond — State of Ohio (Ohio Department of Health) · Varies

County

Butler County (Ohio) Sewer & Plumbing Contractor Bond — Butler County Water & Sewer Department, Butler County, Ohio · Portal
Clermont County (Ohio) Plumbing Contractor Bond — Clermont County, Ohio (Board of Health) · Portal
Clermont County (Ohio) Sewer Tapper’s Bond — Clermont County Water Resources Department, Clermont County, Ohio · $10,000
Cuyahoga County Plumbing Contractor Bond — Cuyahoga County Board of Health · $25,000
Cuyahoga County Sewer Contractor License Bond — Cuyahoga County Department of Public Works (Sanitary Engineering Division), Ohio · Varies
Fairfield County (Ohio) Contractor Registration Bond — Fairfield County Building Department, Fairfield County, Ohio · $10,000
Franklin County (Ohio) Engineer Right-of-Way Permit Bond — Franklin County Engineer, Franklin County, Ohio · Portal
Geauga County (Ohio) Highway Right-of-Way Permit Bond — Geauga County Engineer, Geauga County, Ohio · Varies
Hamilton County (Ohio) Engineer Sidewalk / Right-of-Way Contractor Bond — Hamilton County Engineer, Hamilton County, Ohio · $10,000
Mahoning County (Ohio) Right-of-Way / Boring Permit Bond — Mahoning County Engineer, Mahoning County, Ohio · $50,000
Medina County (Ohio) Sewer / Water Connection Contractor Bond — Medina County Sanitary Engineering Department, Medina County, Ohio · Portal
Stark County (Ohio) Engineer Right-of-Way / Road-Open Permit Bond — Stark County Engineer, Stark County, Ohio · Portal
Summit County (Ohio) Engineer Right-of-Way Permit Bond — Summit County Engineer, Summit County, Ohio · Portal
Union County (Ohio) Road Right-of-Way Work Bond — Board of County Commissioners, Union County, Ohio (Union County Engineer) · Varies

City

Akron Right-of-Way Surety / Maintenance Bond — City of Akron · Varies
Barberton (Ohio) Specialty Contractor Registration Bond — City of Barberton, Summit County, Ohio (Building Inspection Division) · Portal
Blue Ash (Ohio) Excavation / Soil Erosion Bond — City of Blue Ash, Hamilton County, Ohio (Public Works / Community Development) · Portal
Blue Ash (Ohio) Work in Right-of-Way Permit Bond — City of Blue Ash, Hamilton County, Ohio (Public Works Department) · Portal
Bowling Green (Ohio) Excavation / Right-of-Way Bond — City of Bowling Green, Wood County, Ohio (Public Works / Engineering) · $5,000
Canton General Construction Contractor Bond — City of Canton · $50,000
Canton Trade Contractor Bond — City of Canton · $10,000
Cincinnati Licensed Street Contractor Bond — City of Cincinnati, Ohio (Department of Transportation & Engineering) · $10,000
Cleveland Demolition Contractor Bond — City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Demolition Bureau) · $25,000
Cleveland Electrical Contractor Bond — City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Dept. of Building & Housing) · $25,000
Cleveland General / Building Contractor Registration Bond — City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Dept. of Building & Housing) · $25,000
Cleveland Heights Contractor Registration Bond — City of Cleveland Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio · Portal
Cleveland Plumbing Contractor Bond — City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Dept. of Building & Housing) · $25,000
Cleveland Right-of-Way Contractor Bond — City of Cleveland · $250,000
Columbus (Franklin County, Ohio) Contractor License / Registration Bond — City of Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio · $25,000
Columbus (Ohio) Stormwater Control Practice Construction Bond — City of Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio (Division of Sewerage and Drainage) · Portal
Cuyahoga Falls (Ohio) Right-of-Way / Excavation Bond — City of Cuyahoga Falls, Summit County, Ohio (Public Service / Engineering) · Portal
Dayton Electrical Registration Bond — City of Dayton, Ohio (Division of Building Inspection) · $10,000
Dayton Mechanical (HVAC) Registration Bond — City of Dayton, Ohio (Division of Building Inspection) · $10,000
Dayton Pipe-Laying Registration Bond — City of Dayton, Ohio (Division of Building Inspection) · $10,000
Dayton Plumbing Registration Bond — City of Dayton, Ohio (Division of Building Inspection) · $10,000
Dublin Sign Contractor Registration Bond — City of Dublin · $10,000
Elyria Contractor Registration Bond — City of Elyria · $25,000
Findlay (Ohio) Contractor Registration Bond — City of Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio (Building/Engineering Department) · Portal
Garfield Heights Contractor License Bond — City of Garfield Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Building Department) · Portal
Greater Cincinnati Water Works Certified Contractor / Tapper Bond — City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio (GCWW Branch Service Section) · $1,000
Greater Cincinnati Water Works Contractor Bond — City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio (Director of Water Works) · $10,000
Grove City (Ohio) Contractor Registration Bond — City of Grove City, Franklin County, Ohio · Portal
Hamilton (Butler County, Ohio) Concrete Contractor License Bond — City of Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio · $10,000
Kettering Right-of-Way Excavation Bond — City of Kettering, Ohio (Engineering Department) · $5,000
Lorain Contractor Registration Bond — City of Lorain · $25,000
Marysville (Ohio) Contractor License Bond — City of Marysville, Union County, Ohio · $5,000
Massillon (Ohio) Contractor Registration Bond — City of Massillon, Stark County, Ohio (Building Department) · Portal
Massillon (Ohio) Street-Opening / Right-of-Way Permit Bond — City of Massillon, Stark County, Ohio · Portal
Massillon (Ohio) Trade Contractor Bond — City of Massillon, Stark County, Ohio (Building Department) · $10,000
Mentor (Ohio) Contractor Registration Bond — City of Mentor, Lake County, Ohio · Portal
Middletown Right-of-Way Construction Bond — City of Middletown, Ohio (Engineering & Environmental Services / City Engineer) · Varies
Middletown ROW Provider Security / Performance Bond — City of Middletown, Ohio (Engineering Division / City Engineer) · $20,000
Middletown Underground Utility / Plumber ROW Bond — City of Middletown, Ohio (Division of Building Inspection) · $10,000
North Royalton Contractor Registration Bond — City of North Royalton, Cuyahoga County, Ohio · $25,000
Norwood (Ohio) Contractor / Right-of-Way Bond — City of Norwood, Hamilton County, Ohio (Building Department) · Portal
Oregon (Ohio) Sidewalk & Driveway Contractor Bond — City of Oregon, Lucas County, Ohio · Portal
Painesville Contractor Registration Bond — City of Painesville, Lake County, Ohio · $25,000
Parma Concrete Supplier Surety Bond — City of Parma · $200,000
Parma General Contractor Surety Bond — City of Parma · $25,000
Parma Heights Contractor Maintenance Bond — City of Parma Heights, Cuyahoga County, Ohio (Building Department) · Portal
Parma Landscaper Surety Bond — City of Parma · $3,000
Perrysburg (Ohio) Sidewalk Contractor Bond — City of Perrysburg, Wood County, Ohio · Portal
Sandusky (Ohio) Contractor License Bond — City of Sandusky, Erie County, Ohio (Community Development Department) · Portal
South Euclid Contractor Registration Bond — City of South Euclid, Cuyahoga County, Ohio · $20,000
Springfield (Clark County, Ohio) Contractor Registration Bond — City of Springfield, Clark County, Ohio · $10,000
Springfield (Clark County, Ohio) Plumbing Contractor Registration Bond — City of Springfield, Clark County, Ohio · Portal
Steubenville (Ohio) Master Plumber Bond — City of Steubenville, Jefferson County, Ohio · Portal
Stow Right-of-Way (ROW) Bond — City of Stow, Summit County, Ohio · Varies
Strongsville General Trades Contractor Bond — City of Strongsville, Cuyahoga County, Ohio · $10,000
Sylvania (Ohio) Sidewalk & Driveway Contractor Bond — City of Sylvania, Lucas County, Ohio · Portal
Toledo Plumbing Contractor Bond — City of Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio (Division of Building Inspection / Water Regulations) · Portal
Toledo Sidewalk Contractor Bond — City of Toledo · $3,000
Warren (Ohio) Contractor Registration Bond — City of Warren, Trumbull County, Ohio (Engineering, Planning & Building) · Portal
Westerville (Ohio) Right-of-Way Work Permit Bond — City of Westerville, Franklin & Delaware Counties, Ohio · Portal
Worthington (Ohio) Right-of-Way Work Permit Bond — City of Worthington, Franklin County, Ohio (Dept. of Service & Engineering) · Portal
Youngstown Contractor Registration Bond — City of Youngstown · $10,000
Youngstown Sewer Builder Bond — City of Youngstown · $1,000

Bid Bonds

Statewide

Ohio Public Works Bid Guaranty Bond — State of Ohio, or the political subdivision, district, institution, or agency soliciting the public improvement bid · Varies

Performance & Payment Bonds

Statewide

ODOT Highway Construction Performance & Payment Bond — State of Ohio / Ohio Department of Transportation (Director of Transportation) · Varies
Ohio Public Works Performance & Payment Bond — State of Ohio, or the political subdivision, district, institution, or agency awarding the public improvement contract · Varies

Underwritten bonds in Ohio

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

Ohio surety bond FAQ

Does Ohio require a state contractor license bond?: No. OCILB licenses electrical, HVAC, plumbing, hydronics, and refrigeration contractors but requires liability insurance, not a surety bond. Contractor license and permit bonds in Ohio are set by each city and county.
Which Ohio cities require a contractor bond?: Many do, at very different amounts — Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Parma, Canton, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown, Lorain, Elyria, Kettering, Middletown, and Dublin each set their own. Find yours in the directory below.
What bond do I need to cut a street in Ohio?: A right-of-way, street-opening, or excavation permit bond from the city, county, or ODOT that owns the road. The amount is set per obligee and usually comes with a maintenance or warranty period.
Are Ohio public-works bonds different?: Yes. ORC 153.54 requires a bid guaranty and a combined performance-and-payment contract bond on public improvements; ODOT contracts require 100-percent performance and payment bonds. These are underwritten, so they start with a conversation.
How fast can I get an Ohio license or permit bond?: License and permit bonds issue online, usually in one sitting. Bid, performance, and payment bonds are underwritten and start with a quote request.
Who is Wexford Bonds?: Wexford Bonds is the surety bond brand of Wexford Insurance, LLC, licensed in 48 states. We write Ohio contractor, right-of-way, 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 7, 2026 · Reviewed by Nate Jones, CPCU · Contact a producer

Get bonded in Ohio

Find your bond above, or get a license, permit, or bid bond online right now.

Get Your Bond Online