Texas outdoor advertisers bonds.
From $100.

Before TxDOT licenses you to erect or maintain off-premise outdoor advertising signs along regulated Texas highways, the Transportation Commission requires a surety bond under Transportation Code Chapter 391 (the Highway Beautification Act). The amount scales with how many counties you advertise in; pricing is 0.5% of the bond amount, with a $100 minimum.

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Required to license off-premise outdoor advertising signs under Tex. Transp. Code ch. 391

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Amount is $2,500 per county, capped at $10,000 — four or more counties hit the cap

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From $100 — enter your required amount and your exact price appears at application

From $1000.5% of bond amount, $100 minNo SSNin the applicationInstantapproval for most

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How it works

Three steps. One sitting.

No underwriting queue for the standard outdoor advertisers bond — enter your amount, pay, and file with TxDOT. Here is the whole thing:

TODAY · ONLINE

Apply online

Your business details, the bond amount your county footprint requires, and the effective date — that is the entire application.

INSTANTLY

Issued on the spot

The application collects no credit information, and most applicants approve instantly — the executed bond is generated as soon as you pay. Larger amounts may get a quick review.

SAME DAY

File with TxDOT

Submit the executed bond with your outdoor advertising license application to TxDOT’s Right of Way Division. Wet-ink originals mailed whenever the agency insists.

About this bond

What it is and who needs it.

What the outdoor advertisers bond covers

Texas regulates off-premise outdoor advertising signs — billboards advertising something not located where the sign stands — along Interstate, federal-aid primary, and rural highways under the Highway Beautification Act, Transportation Code Chapter 391. TxDOT’s Right of Way Division administers the licensing on behalf of the Texas Transportation Commission.

A person must hold a license before erecting or maintaining a regulated off-premise sign, and a surety bond is a condition of that license. The bond runs to the Commission and secures the licensee’s compliance with Chapter 391 — chiefly that signs are erected and maintained lawfully and that unlawful signs are removed.

The amount is $2,500 for each county in which you maintain signs, capped at $10,000 — so advertisers in four or more counties post the maximum. If the Commission has to remove an unlawful sign and recover the cost, it can claim against the bond; if the surety pays, you repay the surety.

Tex. Transp. Code ch. 391 (Highway Beautification Act)Under Transportation Code Chapter 391, a person must be licensed by TxDOT (for the Texas Transportation Commission) before erecting or maintaining an off-premise outdoor advertising sign along a regulated highway, and must file a surety bond as a condition of the license. Section 391.064 sets the bond at $2,500 for each county in which the person erects or maintains a commercial sign, and provides that a person may not be required to provide more than $10,000 in surety bonds. Confirm your required amount on your TxDOT license application.

You need this bond if you are

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Licensing off-premise signs — billboards along regulated Texas highways

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An outdoor advertising company expanding into additional counties (each adds $2,500)

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Renewing a TxDOT advertising license that requires a continuing bond

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A new operator TxDOT wants bonded before issuing the license

One application, issued on the spot.

Submit the application with your required bond amount — your exact price is shown before you pay, and the executed bond is generated instantly, ready to file with TxDOT.

Start the application →

FAQ

Common questions.

How much is the Texas outdoor advertisers bond?Pricing is 0.5% of the bond amount, with a $100 minimum. The amount is $2,500 per county in which you maintain signs, capped at $10,000. Enter your amount at the application and your exact price appears there.

How is the bond amount calculated?Multiply $2,500 by the number of counties you advertise in, up to a $10,000 maximum. One county is $2,500; four or more counties hit the $10,000 cap. TxDOT lists the required amount on your license application.

Is there a credit check?The application collects no credit information, and most applications approve instantly. If a check does run on a larger bond amount, it is a soft pull that never affects your credit score.

What does the bond guarantee?That you erect and maintain off-premise signs lawfully under Chapter 391, and remove unlawful ones. If the Commission removes an unlawful sign and seeks the cost, it can claim against the bond — and if the surety pays, you repay the surety.

Does this cover on-premise signs?No. The bond is for off-premise (third-party) outdoor advertising along regulated highways. A sign advertising the business located at that same site is on-premise and is generally outside the Chapter 391 licensing-and-bond requirement.

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.

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Other Texas bonds.

Outdoor advertisers bond, issued today.

From $100. Enter your county footprint amount and file with TxDOT the same day.

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