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The California Credit Services Organization Surety Bond is required by the California Secretary of State for the registration of any Credit Service Organization in the state. Credit services is also referred to as Credit repair services. Surety1 can provide you a no-obligation quote for this bond, simply submit a free online application!

What is a Credit Services Organization?

Credit Services Organizations (also known as credit repair services) do not provide credit. CSOs offer to obtain loans or extensions of credit for consumers who have experienced credit problems and attempt to correct or improve a consumers’ credit records. In California, registered CSOs can sell, provide, or perform (or promise) any of the following services:

• To improve a buyer’s credit record, history, or rating.
• To obtain a loan or other extension of credit for a buyer.
• To provide advice or assistance to a buyer with regard to either of the above.

Legal information and requirements can be found in the California Civil Code.

How do I register my Credit Services Organization?

In order to register as a CSO, the following must be filed with the California Department of Justice:

• A registration application
• A $100 application filing fee

In addition, the following must be filed with the Secretary of State:

• A $100,000 California Credit Services Organization Surety Bond
  • Note: this bond ensures that the CSO pays all sums due to any individual or group of individuals and pays all damages occasioned to any person by unlawful acts or omissions of the organization, or of its agents or employees while acting within the scope of their employment.

Maintaining Registration

To maintain registration, the CSO must comply with the provisions of Title 1.6E (commencing with Section 1789.10), Part 4 of Division 3 of the Civil Code of the State of California. This includes the following:

• Provide the buyer an information statement, before the contract for services is signed
• Maintain for 2 years a copy of the statement signed by the buyer and the acknowledgment of receipt of that statement
• Not provide any service to a buyer except pursuant to a written contract that complies with Civil Code Section 1789.16
• Complete the agreed services within six months after the date the buyer signs the contract for services
• Maintain an agent for service of process in this state
• A copy of the bond must be filed with the Secretary of State

Please note any certificate of registration will expire on the last day of the year, so it is important to renew your registration annually!

What are the requirements for the California Credit Services Organization Surety Bond?

According to Section 1789.19 of the California Civil Code, the requirements of this bond are as follows:

• The bond shall be in favor of the State of California for the benefit of any person who is damaged by any violation of this title.
• The bond shall also be in favor of any individual damaged by those practices.
• Any person claiming against the bond for a violation of this title may maintain an action at law against the credit services organization and against the surety.
• The surety shall be liable only for actual damages and not the punitive damages permitted under Section 1789.21.
• The aggregate liability of the surety to all persons damaged by a credit services organization’s violation of this title shall in no event exceed the amount of the bond.
• The bond shall be maintained for two years following the date on which the credit services organization ceases to conduct business in this state.
  • This means these bonds will always be issued for two year terms

Where can I get a California Credit Services Organization Surety Bond?

The experts at Surety1 have made it easy for you. To obtain a California Credit Services Organization Surety Bond, all you need to do is take a few minutes to fill out our free online application! Within one business day one of our licensed agents will contact you with a no-obligation quote for the price to obtain your bond (the “premium”). Please note the premium will only be small percentage of the $100,000 bond amount. Once any necessary paperwork is signed and the premium payment is processed, your surety bond will be shipped to you via USPS Priority Mail (overnight shipping options also available). If you operate your credit repair business in more than 1 state, each state will require you to be bonded.

What happens at renewal? 

First, please note the bond renewal will be separate from the registration renewal. You will renew your registration with the CA Dept. of Justice every year, and you will renew your bond with the Secretary of State every other year.

To renew your bond with the Secretary of State: approximately 2 months prior to your bond’s expiration date, we will send you an invoice for the renewal premium (which is generally the same as your original premium, depending on credit). Once we process your payment, we will send you a Continuation Certificate or Renewal Bond that you will then submit to the Secretary of State to complete your credit repair bond renewal.

The Surety1 Way

The surety bonding experts at Surety1 are here to help you get bonded quickly and reliably. We work with over a dozen “A” rated surety markets to ensure we find you the lowest rate for your bond. Surety1 is licensed in all 50 states and maintains an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau!  Surety1 is now a service of AssuredPartners, one of the nation’s largest independent insurance agencies.