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Not in New York? Motor vehicle dealer bonds in other states

New York motor vehicle dealer bonds.
From $200.

Also known as the New York auto dealer bond or car dealer bond.

The DMV won't finish your dealer registration without this bond. Premiums are 1% of the bond amount: $200 on the $20,000 bond most dealers carry, $1,000 on the $100,000 bond. E-signed in 1–2 business days.

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Required by the NY DMV as part of dealer registration — new and renewing
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Priced at 1% of the bond amount — $200 or $1,000, set solely by your DMV-assigned bond amount
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A quick soft credit check may apply — never a hard inquiry, no impact on your score
A-ratedA.M. Best carriersInstantissued the moment you pay1–3 yrterms available
Trusted by industry leaders
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
Blumenfeld Development Group (BDG)
Capital Development Partners
McKinney Properties
Terra Capital
JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle)
Triple Five Group
The Georgetown Company
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC)
Blumenfeld Development Group (BDG)
Capital Development Partners
McKinney Properties
Terra Capital
JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle)
Triple Five Group
The Georgetown Company
How it works

Three steps between you and the lot.

Your facility application is waiting on this bond. Here's the entire process — no broker phone tag, no faxes:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply once, online

Business details, your dealer facility number, effective date. The application is the complete set of fields the carrier underwrites from.

WITHIN 48 HOURS

Reviewed & approved

Most dealer bonds clear quickly; if underwriting needs anything, you hear from an underwriter within 48 hours. Any credit check is a soft pull that never affects your score.

1–2 BUSINESS DAYS

E-sign & file with the DMV

Pay online and receive the executed bond ready to file with your dealer registration. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the DMV office insists.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the DMV is actually asking for

A dealer bond is a consumer-protection guarantee. If a dealer fails to deliver clear title, rolls back an odometer, keeps a deposit improperly, or otherwise violates dealer law, the harmed customer can recover against the bond.

It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier standing behind you, and the DMV / your customers (the obligee and beneficiaries). You pay a premium; the surety puts its name under yours.

It is not insurance for you. If the surety ever pays a claim on your behalf, you repay the surety — which is why dealers who run clean operations treat the bond as a registration formality, not a risk.

NY DMV requirementThe DMV sets your required bond amount based on your sales volume and facility type, and the bond must stay active for your registration to stay valid. Check your facility paperwork — or send it to us and we'll tell you.

You need this bond if you're

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Opening a used-car dealership — the bond is part of your original facility application
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A franchised new-car dealer registering or renewing with the DMV
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A wholesale dealer moving inventory between dealers
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Renewing your registration and your current bond is expiring or non-renewing
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Switching sureties because your current broker takes a week to return calls

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual underwriting fields. Submit, and your bond is typically issued within 1–2 business days.

Start the application →
FAQ

Common questions.

Which bond amount do I need — $20,000 or $100,000?The DMV assigns your bond amount based on your sales volume and facility type — it's stated in your facility paperwork. Most dealers carry the $20,000 bond; high-volume dealers carry $100,000. If you're not sure, send us your DMV paperwork and we'll confirm which one you need before you pay anything.
How much does it cost?Premiums are 1% of your DMV bond amount: a $20,000 bond is $200 and a $100,000 bond is $1,000, one-time per one-year term.
Do I pay the $20,000?No. You pay the premium (from $200). The bond amount is the surety's maximum liability to claimants — it's not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.
What can customers claim against the bond?Violations of dealer law that cause financial harm — failure to deliver clear title, odometer fraud, improperly kept deposits, and the like. A claim isn't automatically a loss: the surety investigates and works with you before paying anything, and a legitimate defense is the surety's defense too.
My credit took some hits. Can I still get bonded?Usually, yes. A quick soft credit check may run as part of underwriting — never a hard inquiry, no impact on your score — and your premium is fixed at 1% of the bond amount regardless of credit, so credit affects approval, not price. A documented history of clean operation regularly outweighs a number.
When does it renew?Terms run 1, 2, or 3 years — your choice at purchase. You'll get renewal notices 60 and 30 days before expiration, with autopay available, and the bond must stay active for your DMV registration to stay valid.
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 New York bonds.

NY Automobile Broker ($100,000)
The DMV broker bond. $1,000 flat.
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NY Performance & Payment
Required for NY public works over $100K. Flat 3%.
View bond →
NYC Home Improvement Contractor
The $20,000 DCWP license bond. $100 flat.
View bond →
NY Public Adjuster ($1,000)
Fixed $1,000 licensing bond. $100 flat.
View bond →

The DMV is waiting on one document.

Pricing from $200, e-signed bond in 1–2 business days. Free until your bond is issued.

Start application
Your premiumfrom $200
Apply now →