SC private detective bonds.
$100 flat.

South Carolina requires a private investigation agency to file a $10,000 bond with SLED, in favor of the State, to get its license. Ours is $100 flat — set by our carrier’s rate book for this bond — and license bonds like this issue instantly.

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Required for your SC private investigation agency license — filed with SLED

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Fixed price, fixed amount — $10,000 bond, $100, no quote process

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Multi-year terms available — set it up once, forget it for up to 3 years

A-ratedA.M. Best carriersInstantunderwriting process1–3 yrterms available

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How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

License bonds are the simplest thing in surety. Here’s the entire process:

NOW · ONLINE

Apply online

Business details and an effective date. That’s the application — no financials, no credit section, no follow-up scavenger hunt.

MINUTES, USUALLY

Pay & e-sign

License bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.

SAME DAY

File with SLED

Your executed bond and power of attorney arrive by email, ready to file with your SLED license application or renewal. Wet-ink original mailed on request.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the bond actually guarantees

South Carolina licenses private investigation agencies through the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) under S.C. Code Title 40, Chapter 18. An applicant for a private investigation agency license must post a $10,000 bond with SLED, in a form approved by the Attorney General and in favor of the State.

The bond is a guarantee that the licensee performs the duties of the office according to South Carolina law. It protects the State and other individuals from financial loss if the investigator fails to follow the law or the terms of the bond; a harmed party can recover against it, and if the surety pays, you repay the surety.

The bond must be written by a surety licensed in South Carolina, and the surety can cancel only on 30 days’ notice to SLED. License terms typically run annually — we track yours and notify you 60 and 30 days out so your agency license never lapses over a missed renewal.

S.C. Code 40-18-70 (SLED)Under S.C. Code 40-18-70, an applicant for a South Carolina private investigation agency license must file a $10,000 bond with SLED, in a form approved by the Attorney General and in favor of the State, issued by a surety licensed to transact surety insurance in South Carolina. The surety may cancel on 30 days’ notice to SLED. The related contract security agency provision appears at S.C. Code 40-18-50(B). Confirm the current amount on your application.

You need this bond if you’re

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Applying for a SC private investigation agency license — filed with SLED

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Renewing your agency license and your current bond is expiring or non-renewing

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Opening an investigation firm that needs the SLED bond to operate

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Reinstating a license after the surety canceled or the bond lapsed

One application, issued instantly.

These are the actual issuing fields — no credit section, because this bond’s application doesn’t collect one.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the South Carolina private detective bond?The premium is $100 — set by our carrier’s rate book for this specific bond, the same for every agency. The $10,000 bond amount is set by statute, so there is no quote process.

Do I pay the $10,000?No. You pay $100. The $10,000 is the surety’s maximum liability if a valid claim is made against the bond — not a deposit, and nobody holds your money.

How fast will I have the bond?License bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase — many agencies finish the application and have the bond in the same sitting. At most, 1–2 business days.

Is there a credit check?The application collects no credit information at all — small fixed-amount license bonds like this one don’t need it. Most applications approve instantly; if a check ever runs, it’s a soft pull that won’t affect your score.

Who holds the bond, and can the surety cancel it?It is filed with SLED in favor of the State. The surety can cancel only by giving SLED 30 days’ written notice, and is relieved of liability for breaches only after that effective date — so your filing stays continuous while it is in force.

Related bonds

Other South Carolina bonds.

Finish your SLED checklist today.

$100 flat, no credit review, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.

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Your price$100

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