What a maintenance bond is
A maintenance bond, also called a warranty bond, guarantees your finished work is free of defects in materials and workmanship for a set period, often one or two years. Sometimes it's built into the performance bond; sometimes the owner wants it separately.
In Montana
Montana's public works bonding statute (Mont. Code Ann. § 18-2-201) mandates performance and payment bonds on state and municipal construction contracts but says nothing about a separate maintenance or warranty bond. No other Montana statute requires one; owners may demand it by contract at their own discretion, typically for one year of post-completion defect coverage.
- § 18-2-201 requires a bond guaranteeing faithful contract performance and payment to all laborers, subcontractors, and material suppliers — no post-completion warranty obligation is added.
- § 18-2-203 sets the statutory bond amount at 100% of contract price for state projects; municipalities may set their own amount by ordinance with a floor of 25% of contract price — again, neither section references maintenance bonds.
- Montana DOT Standard Specifications PDF documents were unavailable for direct review; DOT contract forms may impose warranty provisions separately.
You need this bond if you're
- A contractor finishing public works with a warranty period
- A site contractor handing improvements over to a city or county
- Paving, concrete, roofing and landscaping contractors
- A developer whose subdivision bond is being released
What the surety looks at
Your business, credit and the finished project. Often handled together with the performance bond.