Pen-and-ink Nevada building site: a wood-framed house and lumber on one side, a crane and a finished stucco home on the other.

Nevada contractor bond

need a Nevada
bond? here’s
how it works.

What the Board looks at, who the bond protects and how to keep it active.

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the short answer

Every licensed Nevada contractor needs a bond or cash deposit before the Board issues the license, and it has to stay active to renew. The Board sets the amount, from $1,000 to $500,000, based on your license and your business.

how Nevada sets your bond.

The Board picks the amount when it approves your license. Tap what it looks at.

The range in Nevada law

$1,000 to $500,000

What the Board weighs

What it means

license type.

What your license lets you do. A broad class like C‑1 covers more work than a sub‑license like C‑1d.

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what the bond does.

It isn’t insurance for you. It’s a promise to the people you work with.

Who it protects: Customers hurt when a contractor doesn’t perform, workers owed for labor, suppliers owed for materials, and people hurt by unlawful work.
Who gets paid first: Worker claims for labor come first. Everyone else shares what’s left, and can still go after the contractor for the rest.
If a claim is paid: The bond company pays, then looks to you to pay it back. That’s the difference from insurance.
Bond or cash: Nevada accepts a cash deposit instead of a bond, in the amount the Board sets.
Keeping it active: Your bond has to stay in force for the Board to renew your license. A lapse puts the license at risk.

Sources: NRS 624.270, NRS 624.273, Nevada State Contractors Board. Last reviewed September 2026.

good to know.

Straight answers on Nevada contractor bonds.

How much is a Nevada contractor bond?

It depends. Nevada doesn’t publish a bond table. The State Contractors Board sets each contractor’s bond when it approves the license, weighing the license type, the job size limit, the finances you report and your experience. The amount falls within a range set in state law, and you keep the bond active to renew.

Can I use a cash deposit instead of a bond in Nevada?

Yes. Nevada lets you post a cash deposit with the State Contractors Board in place of a surety bond, in the same amount the Board sets for your license. Cash ties up money the business could use, so many contractors choose a bond and pay a premium for it instead.

What happens if someone claims against my bond?

If the claim is valid under state law, it’s paid from the bond. Worker claims for labor come first, and everyone else shares what’s left. When the bond company pays, it looks to you to pay it back, and you need a bond in full force to keep your license active.

Sources: Nevada State Contractors Board, NRS 624.270, NRS 624.273. Last reviewed September 2026.

Insurance words, in plain English: license and permit bond · performance and payment bond · bonding capacity