Georgia surety bonds · Licensed agency

Georgia surety bonds, priced up front.

Contract, license, court and city bonds for every size of business, from a one-truck contractor to a $50 million general contractor. See your price in 60 seconds and get bonded through A-rated carriers.

Find my bond
  • A-rated carriers
  • Soft credit check to quote
  • A division of The East Agency

Bonds written through A-rated carriers, including

  • Travelers
  • CNA Surety
  • Liberty Mutual
  • Nationwide
  • Bond Exchange

Contract bonds

Win the bid. Bond the job.

Your bid bond goes in with your bid. When you win, the same file becomes your performance and payment bonds. One application, one agent, and no starting over.

  • Flat 3% performance and payment bondsOne rate on standard jobs, so you can price the bond into your bid before you submit it.
  • Built for Georgia public workBonds formatted the way state, county and city owners ask for them.
Georgia performance & payment bonds →

Also: Bid bonds · Maintenance bonds · How contract bonds work

Bonds, bid to award
Bid bondSubmitted with the bid
Filed
Contract awardedFacade restoration · $500,000
Won
Performance bond100% of contract
3% flat
Payment bond100% of contract
Included
Premium on $500,000$15,000
BidAwardedBonded

Growing and established contractors

Capacity for the big jobs.

For larger contractors, surety is a relationship. We take your financials to the carriers, present them the right way, and push for the single job and aggregate limits your backlog needs.

  • CPA financials and work-in-progress reviewedWe help you get your numbers in the shape underwriters want to see.
  • More than one carrier in your cornerTravelers, CNA Surety, Liberty Mutual and more, so you are never stuck with one answer.
Talk to a bond agent →
Bonding program · example
Single job limit$1M
Aggregate program$3M
Carriers competing1

Example only. Real limits depend on your financials, experience and the carrier.

License & permit bonds

Open your doors on time.

Most license and permit bonds are approved on the spot. Find the bond your board, county or city asks for, pay online, and have it the same day.

  • Every Georgia license bond in one placeState boards, counties and cities, including the local bonds most sites never list.
  • Most approve with any creditSmall license bonds are priced on the bond amount, not a long application.
Find my license bond →

Popular: Used car dealer · Public adjuster · Private detective · Pawnbroker · Title bond

Find a Georgia bond
  • Cartersville Utility Deposit BondCity of Cartersville · gas, water, electric
    From $100
  • Bartow County Erosion Control BondBartow County · land disturbance
    Quote
  • Georgia Public Adjuster BondInsurance Commissioner · $5,000
    From $100
Issued instantlyBond PDF emailed

Court & probate bonds

Court bonds, without the runaround.

When a Georgia probate court names you administrator, guardian or conservator, it usually sets a bond first. We explain what the judge is asking for in plain English and get it filed.

  • Built for families, not just attorneysMost people only need a court bond once. We walk you through every step.
  • Attorneys welcomeSend us the order and we turn the bond around fast.
See court bonds →

Popular: Estate administrator · Conservator & guardian · Appeal bond

Administrator bond · Bartow County Probate
  1. Court sets the bond amountUsually based on the estate's value
  2. Apply online in minutesA few questions about you and the estate
  3. Bond issued and signedE-signed, with the surety's power of attorney
  4. Filed with the probate courtYou get letters of administration

How it works

From quote to bonded in three steps.

  1. 01

    See your price

    Answer one question and see the premium. Quoting never pulls your credit.

    About 60 seconds
  2. 02

    Apply and e-sign

    One short application, signed online. Many bonds are approved on the spot. Larger contract bonds get a quick underwriting review.

    About 5 minutes
  3. 03

    Get your bond

    We issue the bond and send it to you, or file it with the agency that requires it.

    Same day to 2 business days

Performance & payment bond cost

What will my performance bond cost?

On our standard program, performance and payment bonds are a flat 3% of the contract amount, and that one premium covers both bonds. Move the slider to your contract size.

  • Up to $3M on your credit aloneNo audited financials needed on standard jobs.
  • Bigger than $3M?We build a bonding program around your financials. Rates on larger programs are set by the carrier.

When Georgia requires performance and payment bonds, and what they cost →

FLAT 3% · 60-SEC QUOTE
$25K$1M$2M$3M
Your premium3% of contract · one-time
$15,000= 3% × $500,000
Lock it in and start my application →

Opens our secure bond application in a new tab, already searched for contract bonds. Pick the performance and payment application and upload your contract. We complete the bond form for you. The application page shows the name of our parent agency, The East Agency.

  • Soft credit check
  • A-rated carriers
  • Licensed Georgia agent

Get bonded. Get to work.

Tell our bond assistant what you need. It takes about three minutes, and a licensed agent follows up, not a robot.

  • No credit pull to ask
  • Contract, license and court bonds
  • Licensed Georgia agency

Rather do it yourself? Search every bond and apply online →

Headwater bond deskBrannon reviews every request

Bond directory

Browse Georgia surety bonds.

Contract

License & permit

Court & probate

Auto

City & county

Don't see your bond? We write almost every bond Georgia requires. Ask us.

Bond guide

Straight answers before you get bonded.

See every guide →
Georgia law · 2025 change

Georgia public works bonds after HB 137

The local threshold rose to $250,000. The state threshold did not. Here is what that means when you bid.

Read the guide → Pricing

How much does a surety bond cost in Georgia?

Bond amount vs. premium, what common Georgia bonds cost, and what moves your rate.

Read the guide → Contract bonds

Bid, performance and payment bonds: how they work

Which bond shows up when, from bid day to the end of the warranty.

Read the guide →
Brannon East, founder of The East Agency and Headwater Surety

Who's behind Headwater

A real agent, right here in Cartersville.

Headwater Surety is the bond division of The East Agency, the independent insurance agency I started in Cartersville in 2015. I built Headwater so Georgia contractors and business owners could see a bond price before they ever pick up the phone.

Our bond platform does the heavy lifting: you can quote, apply, e-sign and pay online, day or night, with no phone tag. When a bond needs a closer look, or you just want to talk it through, start a chat and a licensed agent from our office picks it up.

Brannon EastFounder · Licensed in 11 states

Visit The East Agency →

Questions

Straight answers about surety bonds.

How much does a surety bond cost in Georgia?

It depends on the bond. Many small license and permit bonds start around $100 a year. Performance and payment bonds on our standard program are a flat 3% of the contract amount. See what common Georgia bonds cost →

What's the difference between a surety bond and insurance?

Insurance protects you. A surety bond protects the person or agency that required it, like a project owner, a state board or a court. If the surety pays a valid claim, you pay the surety back.

Will getting a quote hurt my credit?

No. Quotes use a soft credit check, which does not affect your credit score.

Can I get a surety bond with bad credit?

Often, yes. Many license and permit bonds are approved with any credit, and some contract bonds can be written with a higher rate or collateral.

How fast can I get my bond?

Many license and permit bonds are issued the same day you apply. Contract bonds usually take one to two business days after a complete application.