New Hampshire Auto Dealer Bonds
Auto dealer bonds protect consumers and the state. The bond amount and license type required depend on your state's DMV.
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At a glance
New Hampshire Auto Dealer Bond Key Facts
Governed by RSA 261:98.
The basics
What Is an Auto Dealer Bond in New Hampshire?
Yes — New Hampshire requires an auto dealer bond. To get or keep a New Hampshire dealer license, you must file and maintain a $25,000 surety bond with the Division of Motor Vehicles (RSA 261:98). The amount is the same $25,000 for every bonded license type — retail vehicle dealer, auto wholesale dealer, automotive recycling dealer, repair dealer, and utility dealer — and you file one bond for each town or city where you have a place of business.
Good to know - Required for New Hampshire retail vehicle dealers, auto wholesale dealers, and automotive recycling dealers under RSA 261:98; the NH DMV also requires the same $25,000 bond on repair dealer and utility dealer applications. A dealer with a place of business in more than one town or city files a separate $25,000 bond for each community.
A surety bond is a promise, backed by a surety company, that you will follow New Hampshire’s dealer laws. It protects your customers, not you: a person who buys a vehicle from you can claim against the bond if you pay for vehicles with bad checks, fail to deliver a clear title, sell a stolen vehicle, or knowingly hide the vehicle’s true mileage.
The surety company never pays more than $25,000 in total, no matter how many claims are made or how long the bond stays in force. If the surety pays a claim, you must repay the surety.
The bond must stay in effect the whole time you hold your dealer license. If it is cancelled or rescinded, you must surrender the license. New Hampshire also lets the DMV accept equivalent collateral instead — a certificate of deposit or an irrevocable letter of credit with the same $25,000 face value.
Qualification
What You Need to Qualify for a New Hampshire Auto Dealer Bond
Approval depends on your dealer license type, required coverage amount, and underwriting factors such as credit.
- You are applying for, or renewing, a New Hampshire dealer license — retail vehicle dealer, auto wholesale dealer, automotive recycling dealer, repair dealer, or utility dealer — with the NH Division of Motor Vehicles.
- You will post a $25,000 surety bond in the exact business name and physical address registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State — one bond for each town or city where you have a place of business.
- Your bond is written by a surety company authorized to transact business in New Hampshire by the NH Insurance Department.
- You have an established place of business that meets New Hampshire’s rules — a permanent physical structure of at least 750 square feet primarily dedicated to the business, a permanent heating system, a business sign with letters at least 10 inches tall visible from the public way, and regular business hours of 35 hours per week (retail dealers).
- You have town or city approval for the location, and each owner can pass a criminal background check (New Hampshire, plus your home state if you live out of state).
- You (or your staff) complete the NH DMV dealer/title class before your application is approved.
- You can keep the bond in effect at all times — if the bond is cancelled or rescinded, the dealer license must be surrendered.
Step by step
How to Get an Auto Dealer Bond in New Hampshire: Step by Step
Choose your New Hampshire dealer license type
New Hampshire licenses retail vehicle dealers, auto wholesale dealers, automotive recycling dealers, repair dealers, and utility dealers. All of these post the same $25,000 surety bond, so pick the license that matches what your business actually does.
Set up a qualifying place of business
Register your business with the New Hampshire Secretary of State and get approval from your town or city for the location. A retail location must be a permanent physical structure of at least 750 square feet primarily dedicated to the business, with a permanent heating system, a business sign in letters at least 10 inches tall visible from the public way, and regular business hours of 35 hours per week.
Complete the NH dealer and title class
New Hampshire requires you to successfully complete a dealer/title class on state laws and rules before your application is approved. The DMV offers the class online, with separate tracks for retail vehicle dealers and auto wholesale dealers.
Online Dealer and Title ClassBuy your $25,000 New Hampshire dealer bond
Buy your bond and we handle the paperwork. We issue your $25,000 surety bond through a surety authorized to do business in New Hampshire, with the raised seal and original signatures the DMV requires, in the exact business name and physical address registered with the Secretary of State — there is no bond form for you to download, complete, or sign.
Complete the dealer license application
Fill out the dealer license application for your license type and gather your supporting documents: your criminal background check (New Hampshire, plus your home state if you live out of state), your service agreement with an approved NH inspection station if you do not have your own, and your local approval.
Instructions for Completing a Dealer License Application (RDMV 735)Mail your application, bond, and fee to the Dealer Desk
Mail your signed application, the original sealed surety bond, your supporting documents, and the $125 dealer license fee to the Division of Motor Vehicles, Dealer Desk, 23 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03305. The DMV reviews the packet, and plates are issued after approval.
Renew by March 31 of even years and keep your bond active
New Hampshire dealer licenses renew by March 31 of every even-numbered year (2024, 2026, and so on), and fees are based on the two-year cycle. Your bond must stay in effect at all times — if it is cancelled or rescinded, you must surrender your dealer license.
Paperwork
New Hampshire Dealer Bond Forms & Documents
The DMV’s official instructions and checklist for the dealer license application — you complete and submit the application packet.
View formThe original bond with raised seal and signatures filed with your application — we issue and provide this for you; you do not fill it out yourself. New Hampshire does not publish a numbered bond form.
Required class on New Hampshire dealer and title laws; complete it before approval.
View formYou'll also need
Cost
How New Hampshire Auto Dealer Bond Pricing Works
You do not pay the full $25,000. That figure is the coverage — the most the surety will pay on claims in total. You pay a premium, which is a small percentage of the bond amount.
Your premium is set by underwriting, mostly your personal credit. Well-qualified applicants pay a low rate; higher-risk applicants pay more. The premium is separate from New Hampshire’s $125 license fee and plate fees. Remember that a dealer with locations in more than one town or city needs a separate $25,000 bond for each community.
Worked example
New Hampshire sets the dealer bond at $25,000. You do not pay $25,000 — you pay a premium, often a small percentage of the bond amount for well-qualified applicants. Your exact rate depends on underwriting, mainly your credit. Start a quote to see your price.
Filing
Filing Information
New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles — Dealer Desk
Filing notes
Your $25,000 surety bond is filed with your dealer license application at the NH DMV Dealer Desk, 23 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03305. The DMV requires an original bond with a raised seal and original signatures, in the exact business name and physical address registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State.
The bond must stay in effect at all times while you hold the license. If the bond is cancelled or rescinded, the dealer license must be surrendered. New Hampshire dealer licenses renew by March 31 of every even-numbered year (2024, 2026, and so on).
We issue your bond on the terms RSA 261:98 requires — written by a surety authorized in New Hampshire, in your registered business name and address — and provide the sealed original for filing with your application. There is no bond form for you to complete or sign.
If you have a place of business in more than one town or city, New Hampshire requires a separate $25,000 bond for each community where you operate.
FAQ
New Hampshire Auto Dealer Bond FAQ
Yes. Retail vehicle dealers, auto wholesale dealers, and automotive recycling dealers must obtain and keep in effect a $25,000 surety bond under RSA 261:98, and the NH DMV also requires the same bond on repair dealer and utility dealer applications. Without the bond on file, the DMV will not issue the dealer license.
$25,000 for every bonded license type. If you have a place of business in more than one town or city, you file a separate $25,000 bond for each community where you operate.
You pay a premium, not the full $25,000. The premium is a small percentage of the bond amount, based mainly on your credit. Start a quote to see your rate.
It protects people who buy a vehicle from you. Under RSA 261:98, a buyer can claim against the bond if the dealer pays for vehicles with bad checks, fails to deliver a valid title free of prior liens, sells a stolen vehicle, or knowingly hides the vehicle’s true mileage. The surety never pays more than $25,000 in total.
Yes. RSA 261:98 lets the DMV accept collateral in place of the bond — a certificate of deposit or an irrevocable letter of credit with a face value equal to the $25,000 bond. Most dealers choose the bond because it does not tie up their own money.
You lose your license. The NH DMV requires the bond to be maintained at all times during the license; if the bond is cancelled or rescinded, the dealer license must be surrendered. Keep coverage continuous and renew on time.
By March 31 of every even-numbered year (2024, 2026, and so on). Fees are based on the two-year cycle, and your bond must remain in effect for the entire license period.
The New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles Dealer Desk in Concord. You can reach them at (603) 227-4120 or DealerandInspection@dos.nh.gov, and applications are mailed to Division of Motor Vehicles, Dealer Desk, 23 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03305.
Sources
Last verified 2026-07-01. Requirements change - confirm current details with New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles — Dealer Desk before you file. This page is informational and not legal advice.
FAQ
New Hampshire Auto Dealer Bond Questions
The cost of a New Hampshire auto dealer bond is usually a small percentage of the state-required bond amount. Your exact premium depends on the bond amount, license type, business details, and underwriting factors such as credit.
Many auto dealer bonds can be issued the same day after you complete the application. Larger bond amounts or applications that need underwriting review may take longer.
Requirements vary by license type, but most New Hampshire auto dealers need to complete a short application and purchase the bond amount required by the state before their license can be issued or renewed.
Often, yes. Many states have separate bond requirements for wholesale, retail, broker, or other dealer license types. Choose the bond that matches your New Hampshire license instructions.
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AutoDealersBond.com is operated by Shield Liability Insurance Agency, a California and Texas licensed insurance agency (CA License #6018195, TX License #3446536). Shield Liability Insurance Agency is not an insurance carrier and does not underwrite bonds or insurance policies. Bond and coverage availability, pricing, and issuance are subject to carrier underwriting approval, eligibility, applicable state requirements, and policy or bond terms. Availability varies by state.
