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License bond

Kentucky Contractor License Bond

Kentucky has no statewide general contractor license or license bond. The state licenses trades such as electrical contractors under KRS chapter 227A, which requires proof of insurance, while cities and counties set their own contractor license and bond rules; Louisville Metro, for example, uses a License and/or Permit Bond payable to its Office of Construction Review.

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Bond at a glance
Kentucky Contractor License BondLicense bond
Set by cities and counties
General contractorsNo statewide license; set locally
Electrical contractorsState license under KRS 227A.060; proof of insurance required
Local exampleLouisville Metro License and/or Permit Bond, obligee Louisville Metro Office of Construction Review
Required byCities and counties, such as Louisville Metro's Office of Construction Review
How it works

Three steps to your bond.

  1. 01Apply onceTell us about your business and what the bond is for. One application covers most contractor bonds.
  2. 02The surety reviews itPropeller Bonds, our surety partner, reviews your application and sets the terms. We show you the terms before you commit.
  3. 03Sign and fileSign the bond and file it with whoever requires it: the project owner, agency or court. We help with the filing.
About this bond

What a contractor license bond is

Some states, and many cities and counties, make contractors post a bond to get or renew a license. It protects customers, workers and the public if the contractor breaks the licensing laws, for example by abandoning a job or not paying workers. The contractor repays the surety for any claim it pays.

In Kentucky

Kentucky has no statewide general contractor license or license bond. The state licenses trades such as electrical contractors under KRS chapter 227A, which requires proof of insurance, while cities and counties set their own contractor license and bond rules; Louisville Metro, for example, uses a License and/or Permit Bond payable to its Office of Construction Review.

  • The Louisville Metro bond guarantees the licensee or permittee will comply with the laws, ordinances and rules that apply to the license or permit; the amount is filled in per license or permit.

You need this bond if you're

  • A contractor applying for a new license
  • A contractor renewing or reactivating a license
  • A business changing its entity type or qualifier
  • A contractor starting work in a city or county that requires its own bond

What the surety looks at

Basic business and owner details. Most license bonds need a credit check but no financial statements.

FAQs

Common questions.

Does Kentucky require a contractor license bond?

See the facts above for what the state requires. Even where the state doesn't, a city or county can. Check with the licensing office where you'll work.

Is a license bond the same as insurance?

No. The bond protects your customers and the public, not you. If the surety pays a claim, you repay it. Liability insurance is what protects your business.

What happens if the bond lapses?

The licensing agency is notified and can suspend your license until a new bond is on file. Renew before the expiry date.

What does it cost?

You pay a premium, not the bond amount. The surety sets the premium after it reviews your application, usually as a percentage of the bond amount. We show you the terms before you commit.

How do I get one through BLDAssure?

Apply once with us. We collect the details the surety needs, Propeller Bonds (our surety partner) reviews the application and issues the bond, and we help you file it with whoever requires it.

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Permit bond

Kentucky Permit Bond

Some cities and counties require a bond before they issue a building or work permit.

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Permit bond

Kentucky Right-of-Way Bond

Work in a public street, sidewalk or highway usually needs an encroachment or right-of-way permit, and many agencies require a bond with it.

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Contract bond

Kentucky Bid Bond

A bid bond is a guarantee you submit with your bid.

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By state

Contractor license bonds in other states.

Alabama contractor license bondAlaska contractor license bondArizona contractor license bondArkansas contractor license bondCalifornia contractor license bondColorado contractor license bondConnecticut contractor license bondDelaware contractor license bondDistrict of Columbia contractor license bondFlorida contractor license bondGeorgia contractor license bondHawaii contractor license bondIdaho contractor license bondIllinois contractor license bondIndiana contractor license bondIowa contractor license bondKansas contractor license bondLouisiana contractor license bondMaine contractor license bondMaryland contractor license bondMassachusetts contractor license bondMichigan contractor license bondMinnesota contractor license bondMississippi contractor license bondMissouri contractor license bondMontana contractor license bondNebraska contractor license bondNevada contractor license bondNew Hampshire contractor license bondNew Jersey contractor license bondNew Mexico contractor license bondNew York contractor license bondNorth Carolina contractor license bondNorth Dakota contractor license bondOhio contractor license bondOklahoma contractor license bondOregon contractor license bondPennsylvania contractor license bondRhode Island contractor license bondSouth Carolina contractor license bondSouth Dakota contractor license bondTennessee contractor license bondTexas contractor license bondUtah contractor license bondVermont contractor license bondVirginia contractor license bondWashington contractor license bondWest Virginia contractor license bondWisconsin contractor license bondWyoming contractor license bond

Sources

  1. Louisville Metro Office of Construction Review, License and/or Permit Bond form
  2. 815 KAR 35:060, electrical contractor licensing

General information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm the current requirement with the agency or owner that asks for the bond. Facts checked Oct 23, 2026.

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