Executing a Bond

Learn how surety bonds and bond riders are executed in NMLS, including company and Control Person signature workflows.

Executing a bond in NMLS is the process of reviewing, signing, and delivering an electronic surety bond (ESB) or bond rider. Depending on state and license requirements, bonds may be signed directly by a company user or by a designated Control Person. All bonds must be marked ready before they can be delivered to the regulator, either as part of a new license application or for an existing license.

There are two primary workflows:

  • Company user signature: A company user, such as an Account Administrator, signs and delivers the bond. First-time submissions require the user to also mark the bond ready for the regulator.
  • Control Person signature: A company user designates a Control Person as the signatory. The Control Person signs the bond in their NMLS account, after which a company user must mark it ready for regulator delivery.

The following topics provide step-by-step instructions for each part of the bond execution process:

For authoritative requirements and exceptions, see the NMLS Policy Guide.