Illinois designated agent bonds.
$1,500 flat.

Illinois manufactured-home dealers who act as a designated agent of the Secretary of State — collecting title and registration fees and taxes from buyers — must file a $150,000 bond with the Vehicle Services Department. Ours is $1,500 flat — the price you see is the checkout price. One soft credit pull; the bond is issued when you pay.

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Required to act as a designated agent processing title and registration work for manufactured homes

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Fixed amount, fixed price — $150,000 bond, $1,500, no quote theater

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Soft credit pull only — never affects your score, and the price stays $1,500 either way

A-ratedA.M. Best carriersInstantissued the moment you paySoft pullnever affects your score

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How it works

Three steps to designated.

Your designated-agent authority is waiting on this bond. Here's the entire process — no broker phone tag:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply once, online

Business details, owner information, effective date. That is the application — the only extra step is a one-time consent to a soft credit pull.

RIGHT AWAY

Approved

Most are approved as soon as you apply. The credit check is a soft pull that never affects your score. If it needs a second look, one to two business days at most.

WHEN YOU PAY

E-sign & file with the Secretary of State

Pay online and receive the executed bond (form RTDS-54) ready to file with the Vehicle Services Department. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the state insists.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the designated agent bond actually guarantees

Illinois lets certain dealers act as a designated agent of the Secretary of State — handling title and registration transactions for the manufactured homes they sell, and collecting the title fees, registration fees, and taxes due on each one directly from the buyer at the point of sale.

Because those funds belong to the state, the Secretary of State's Vehicle Services Department conditions designated-agent authority on a $150,000 surety bond. The bond guarantees that the dealer faithfully remits the fees and taxes it collects and properly processes the title and registration paperwork. If a dealer pockets or misapplies those funds, the state can recover against the bond.

Illinois generally requires this bond during a manufactured-home dealer's first ten years of operation, as long as the dealer hasn't been delinquent in transmitting fees or taxes. The bond runs on a calendar-year cycle — it expires December 31 — so it's renewed annually. It is not insurance for you: if the surety pays, you repay the surety.

Illinois Vehicle Code (625 ILCS 5) — Secretary of State designated agentIllinois manufactured-home dealers acting as designated agents of the Secretary of State file a $150,000 surety bond on form RTDS-54 with the Vehicle Services Department, guaranteeing the proper remittance of title and registration fees and taxes the dealer collects. The bond is generally required for the dealer's first ten years of operation absent a delinquency, and it expires December 31 each year. Confirm the current amount and whether the bond applies to you on your designated-agent application.

You need this bond if you're

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A manufactured-home dealer applying to act as a designated agent of the Secretary of State

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Renewing designated-agent authority as the December 31 expiration approaches

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In your first ten years of manufactured-home dealer operations in Illinois

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Re-establishing the bond after a lapse or a change in your designated-agent status

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual underwriting fields, including a one-time consent to a soft credit pull. Submit once and your bond is issued when you pay.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

Do I pay the $150,000?No. You pay $1,500 — the price our carrier sets for this exact bond. The $150,000 is the surety's maximum liability to the state; it's not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

Who requires this bond?The Illinois Secretary of State's Vehicle Services Department, as a condition of acting as a designated agent for manufactured-home title and registration work. The bond is filed on form RTDS-54.

What does the bond guarantee?That you faithfully remit the title and registration fees and taxes you collect from buyers, and properly process the paperwork. If you fail to and the state is shorted, it can recover against the bond — and if the surety pays, you repay the surety.

Is there a credit check?Yes — one soft credit pull, which never affects your score. It's the only extra step beyond the application, and it informs approval, not price. The price stays $1,500 either way.

When does it renew?The bond runs on a calendar-year cycle and expires December 31, so it renews annually. This bond runs to December 31 whatever day you buy, and renews from that date; we send renewal notices 60 and 30 days out so your designated-agent authority never lapses over a missed email.

Which A-rated carriers underwrite these bonds?Typically Arch Insurance Company (A.M. Best A+) or Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company (A.M. Best A). Which one writes your bond depends on the bond type and your state. The carrier's name and official signature are printed on the bond you receive.

How do I contact Light RFP about this bond?Email insurance@lightrfp.com. It reaches the bond team at Light RFP Risk Management Services LLC (NY DFS License # PC-1978982). Write to us about quotes, applications, bond forms or certificates. We will respond within 24 hours.

Related bonds

Other Illinois bonds.

The Secretary of State is waiting on one document.

$1,500 flat, short application, bond issued when you pay. Free until issued.

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Your price$1,500

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