Surety bonds in Houston, issued fast since 1984.
From our Houston office, serving Houston statewide.
City of Houston sidewalk, sign, and wrecker bonds — plus every Texas state bond Houston businesses file: auto dealer, freight broker, notary, bonded title, contractor, court, and fidelity. Same-day issuance from a real Houston agent.
- 40+years combined experience
- Same-daymost bond approvals
- TX #5595Texas License
Houston bonds done by Houston agents.
Same-day Public Works filing
Our office is 20 miles from the Houston Permitting Center at 1002 Washington Avenue. We courier originals and email executed bonds the day you apply — no shipping delay from a national broker in another state.
City of Houston ordinance fluency
We read Houston Code Chapter 40 (right-of-way contractor bonds), Chapter 15 (city contract performance bonds over $25,000), and Chapter 8 (sign contractor licensing) so you don't have to. We know which Public Works form gets accepted on the first submission.
Statewide reach from Houston
Every Texas state bond Houston businesses need — auto dealer, freight broker BMC-84, notary, bonded title, mortgage broker, public adjuster, TABC — written by the same agent who writes your Houston city bonds. One office, one application.
The bonds the City of Houston actually issues.
These bonds are required by City of Houston ordinance — not by a Texas state agency. You file them with Houston Public Works, Houston Permitting Center, or the city department that regulates the activity.
Sidewalk / Driveway / Curb / Gutter Contractor
$2,000Required by Houston Public Works for any concrete work in the public right-of-way. Annual term. Flat-rate premium around $100. Filed under Code Ch. 40.
View bond →Sign Contractor
$25,000Required by the City of Houston Sign Administration to install, alter, or remove permanent signs in the city. Annual term. Filed under Houston Code Ch. 8 Sign Code.
View bond →Wrecker / Tow Truck Operator
$5,000Required by Houston ARA (Administration & Regulatory Affairs) for licensed wrecker operators working consent and non-consent tows inside city limits. Annual term.
View bond →Issued by Texas state agencies — we write them for Houston clients daily.
These bonds are statewide. The amount, term, and obligee are identical for a Houston dealer and a Dallas dealer. Filing happens at a state agency (TxDMV, TX SoS, TDI, TDSML), not the City of Houston.
| Bond | Amount | Term / Agency |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Auto Dealer | $50K | 2yr (TxDMV) |
| Freight Broker (BMC-84) | $75K | Annual (FMCSA) |
| Texas Notary | $10K | 4yr (TX SoS) |
| Bonded Title (Cert. of Title) | 1.5× value | 3yr (TxDMV) |
| Texas Mortgage Broker | $25K–$50K | Annual (TX DSML) |
| Public Adjuster | $10K | Annual (TDI) |
| TABC Alcohol | Varies | Annual (TABC) |
| Medicare / DMEPOS | $50K | Annual (CMS) |
| Texas Contractor License | Varies | Per trade / TDLR |
| Performance & Payment | 100% of contract | Gov Code Ch. 2253 |
A current Texas auto-dealer bond is $50K for a 2-year term issued by TxDMV — doubled from the old $25K under HB 3533. We see plenty of national pages still quoting the outdated number.
Three steps, same day.
- 01
Quote
Call (281) 484-8320 or start online. Tell us the bond, the amount, and the obligee. No credit pull for most license bonds.
- 02
Underwrite same day
Same-day approval on flat-rated bonds. Credit-tier bonds (auto dealer, freight broker) typically clear in hours. Larger contract bonds run through prequalification.
- 03
File at the Houston Permitting Center or state agency
Bond emailed on the obligee-approved form. We courier originals to 1002 Washington Ave (Public Works) or file directly with TxDMV, TX SoS, or TDI as needed.
Questions Houston applicants ask us every week.
Where do I file my Houston sidewalk contractor bond?
At the Houston Permitting Center, 1002 Washington Avenue, Houston, TX 77002. Public Works processes the $2,000 sidewalk/driveway/curb/gutter contractor bond as part of the right-of-way license application. We courier originals or email the executed bond on the City-approved form the same day you apply.
Does the City of Houston require a general contractor license bond?
Houston does not issue a single citywide general contractor license. Houston regulates by trade and by activity. Sidewalk/driveway/curb/gutter work requires a $2,000 right-of-way contractor bond under Chapter 40 of the Code of Ordinances. Sign installation requires a $25,000 Sign Contractor bond. Towing operators need a $5,000 wrecker bond. Plumbing, electrical, and HVAC are licensed at the state level by TDLR — Houston enforces but does not separately bond those trades.
I bought a used vehicle in Houston with no title. What bond do I need?
A Texas bonded title (certificate of title surety bond). The bond amount is 1.5× the appraised value of the vehicle, the term is three years, and the issuing agency is TxDMV. Houston residents file at the Harris County Tax Office. We write Texas bonded titles in about ten minutes — bring a current vehicle appraisal and Form VTR-130-SOF.
How fast can I get a Houston bond?
Most Houston city bonds — sidewalk, wrecker, sign contractor — issue the same day you call. Texas state bonds (auto dealer, notary, bonded title) issue the same day for clean credit and 24–48 hours for credit-challenged applicants. Performance and payment bonds on Houston city contracts require prequalification before they can issue on demand.
Are you a Houston-local agency or a national broker?
We are a Houston-local insurance agency. Our office is in southeast Harris County at 360 FM1959, about 20 miles from the Houston Permitting Center. Surety Bond Houston is the surety-bond brand of Moon Insurance Managers, Inc. (Texas License #5595) — a Houston agency with more than 40 years of combined experience writing Texas bonds. We are not a national broker reselling another carrier's product.
What Houston bond changed most recently?
The Texas auto dealer bond, which most Houston dealers carry, doubled from $25,000 to $50,000 on September 1, 2021 under HB 3533. Many national sites still publish the old $25,000 number. If a competitor is quoting $25K, the page is outdated — the correct current amount is $50K for a 2-year term issued by TxDMV.
Houston permitting agencies.
Houston Permitting Center
Public Works · Sidewalk, ROW, building permits
1002 Washington AvenueHouston, TX 77002 houstonpermittingcenter.org →
Harris County Tax Office
Bonded title filings · TxDMV submissions
1001 Preston StreetHouston, TX 77002 hctax.net →
From Houston, statewide.
We also write bonds for businesses in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Plano, Corpus Christi, and Lubbock — and Texas businesses statewide.
Get your Houston bond today.
40+ years writing Texas bonds. Real Houston office. TX License #5595.