Not in Oregon? Motor vehicle dealer bonds in other states
Oregon motor vehicle dealer bonds.
$400.
Also known as the Oregon auto dealer bond or car dealer bond.
Oregon DMV requires every motor vehicle dealer to file a $50,000 bond before it issues a dealer certificate, under ORS 822.030. Ours is $400 — the price you see is the checkout price, identical for every dealer. A quick soft credit check may apply — never a hard inquiry, no impact on your score — and the bond is issued when you pay.
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Three steps to licensed.
Your dealer certificate is waiting on this bond. Here's the entire process — no broker phone tag:
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.
Approved
Most are approved as soon as you apply. If a credit check runs, it is a soft pull that never affects your score. If it needs a second look, one to two business days at most.
E-sign & file with DMV
Pay online and receive the executed bond ready to file with your DMV dealer certificate application. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever DMV insists.
What it is and who needs it.
What the bond actually guarantees
Oregon DMV licenses motor vehicle dealers through its Business Licensing Unit, and conditions the certificate on a $50,000 surety bond under ORS 822.030. The bond is a consumer-and-public-protection guarantee: it stands behind your compliance with the Oregon Vehicle Code and protects buyers harmed by fraud or a violation of dealer law.
It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier standing behind you, and the State of Oregon together with harmed buyers (the protected parties). If a dealer commits fraud, makes a fraudulent representation, or violates the vehicle-code provisions ORS 822.030 names, the harmed party can recover against the bond.
It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. An irrevocable letter of credit for the same $50,000 is also accepted, but a bond costs only the yearly premium rather than tying up cash.
You need this bond if you're
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 →Common questions.
Other Oregon motor vehicle dealer bonds.
Not sure this is the one your license calls for? These are the other motor vehicle dealer bonds we write in Oregon. Each has its own statute and bond amount.
Other Oregon bonds.
DMV is waiting on one document.
$400, short application, bond issued when you pay. Free until issued.