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South Dakota Public Construction Bonds

South Dakota requires surety security when public construction contracts under state or local authority; surety at least equal to the contract price for faithful performance and prompt payment. For public highway work, a separate statute requires a performance bond of at least the contract price, subject to the exception in §31-12-15.

What Is Surety Bonds?

A surety bond guarantees that your business meets a specific obligation to a customer, contracting party or government agency. If a contract, license or permit requires one, get its exact form and amount; a bond is not insurance for your own losses. Read the national Surety bonds guide.

South Dakota Surety Bonds Requirements

Requirement	Details
Public construction security	Public construction contracts under state or local authority; surety at least equal to the contract price for faithful performance and prompt payment. ¹

What Should You Watch for With Surety Bonds in South Dakota?

Check the South Dakota Contract Trigger
South Dakota law triggers public-work security when public construction contracts under state or local authority. Surety at least equal to the contract price for faithful performance and prompt payment Ask the contracting agency to confirm whether your project falls under this rule and to state the bond penal sum in the bid documents. ¹
South Dakota Has Another Bond Rule for This Work
For public highway work, a separate statute requires a performance bond of at least the contract price, subject to the exception in §31-12-15. Before binding the surety, match the required obligee, bond form, and covered obligation to this separate rule. ²
Match the Solicitation’s Bond Form
The S.D. Codified Laws §5-21-1 governs this statutory obligation, while the project solicitation identifies the obligee, filing deadline, and any bid-security details. Get the final form approved before the bid date and confirm that the named surety is authorized for South Dakota work. ^1,²

Which Surety Bonds Providers Have South Dakota License Records?

These providers publish a national listing for Surety bonds; the state records document licenses for the entities and roles shown below. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in South Dakota. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

TechInsurance
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Specialty Program Group LLC
TechInsurance’s current licensing page names Specialty Program Group LLC / SPG Insurance Solutions and lists state license numbers, but labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses” rather than identifying a license for the named agency. RI is omitted because this disclosure does not establish agency authority there; this is a search limitation, not an assertion that the company is unlicensed. The remaining state entries are company-reported and are not an insurance product availability map. ¹³
TechInsurance arranges surety bonds for small businesses.

Who Regulates Insurance in South Dakota?

South Dakota Division of Insurance

The South Dakota Division of Insurance regulates insurance companies and producers and publishes tools to verify producer and company licenses. It accepts complaints about insurers, HMOs, producers, adjusters, and other licensed or registered insurance entities. ^3,^4,⁵

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in South Dakota

Reported tax rate. 2.5% of premium; commercial property adds 0.175% fire tax, inland marine 0.075%; no stamping fee ^6,⁷

South Dakota adds 2.5% surplus-lines tax; its current chart lists an additional fire tax of 0.175% for commercial property and 0.075% for commercial inland marine, none for commercial liability, and no stamping fee. The Division directs surplus-lines brokers to report and remit through SLIP+ within 30 days; ask your broker to confirm which policy-specific disclosures apply.

What Should You Ask Before Buying Surety Bonds in South Dakota?

Which South Dakota statute or procurement rule triggers this bond for our project, and what is the exact penal sum?
Will the obligee accept another form of security, and who must approve that substitution in South Dakota?
What notice, filing, and claim deadlines should our subcontractors and suppliers track under this bond?

Surety Bonds in South Dakota: Frequently Asked Questions

When does a South Dakota public construction project require a surety bond?

Public construction contracts under state or local authority. Surety at least equal to the contract price for faithful performance and prompt payment ¹

Does South Dakota have another bond requirement beyond the public construction bond?

Yes. For public highway work, a separate statute requires a performance bond of at least the contract price, subject to the exception in §31-12-15. ²

Sources

14 documents, numbered as cited. Open the sources

Sources for Surety Bonds in South Dakota

1
S.D. Codified Laws §5-21-1. S.D. Codified Laws; S.D. Codified Laws §5-21-1. Accessed 2026-09-29.
2
S.D. Codified Laws §31-23-1. S.D. Codified Laws; Highway performance-bond amount and exception. Accessed 2026-09-29.
3
south-dakota insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; Division home sets out public consumer, producer, complaint, licensure and company resources. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
South Dakota Division of Insurance. State insurance regulator; Public state portal links to verify producer or company licensure; lookup route is part of the official division page. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
Filing a Complaint and Your Rights. State insurance regulator; Complaint eligibility covers licensed/registered insurer, HMO, producer, adjuster, and other insurance entities. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
South Dakota Tax Rates for Surplus Lines Clearinghouse Coverage Codes. South Dakota Division of Insurance; PDF revised May 2025, p. 1: 2.5% base tax, coverage-specific fire percentages, stamping fee/assessment none; line tables distinguish liability, property, and inland marine. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Surplus Lines Forms and Information. South Dakota Division of Insurance; Single-state tax reporting and remittance through SLIP+ within 30 days; current page reviewed. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
9
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
10
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
11
About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
14
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

South Dakota Public Construction Bonds

What Is Surety Bonds?

South Dakota Surety Bonds Requirements

What Should You Watch for With Surety Bonds in South Dakota?

Check the South Dakota Contract Trigger

South Dakota Has Another Bond Rule for This Work

Match the Solicitation’s Bond Form