California Seller of Travel Surety Bond

The California Seller of Travel Surety Bond is required by the California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General for any entity wishing to obtain a license in this business.

“Seller of travel” means a person who sells, provides, furnishes, contracts for, arranges, or advertises that he or she can or may arrange, or has arranged, wholesale or retail, either of the following:

• Air or sea transportation either separately or in conjunction with other travel services.
• Land or water vessel transportation, other than sea carriage, either separately or in conjunction with other travel services if the total charge to the passenger exceeds three hundred dollars.

The bond amount varies and must be “adequate”, meaning it cannot be less than the amount that would be required to be held in trust if you chose to maintain a Trust Account. You must make appropriate upward adjustments to your estimates and Surety Bond as circumstances change. The State’s Attorney General’s Office may require documentation of your sales volume to prove your Surety Bond amount is adequate.

What are the requirements in order to be a Seller of Travel in California?

In order to operate as a Seller of Travel in California, you must first register with the state. The registration application will require the following:

• Business information (including fictitious name and location)
• Owner information
• Financial security in the form of either:
  • A California Seller of Travel Surety Bond issued by a surety company licensed in California
    • Note: Surety1 represents over a dozen “A” rated surety markets licensed in California!
  • A Trust Account
  • A Consumer Protection Deposit Plan
  • Credit Card Transactions – Seller of Travel Affidavit
• A $100 registration fee per location

More information regarding this registration process can be found on the CA Dept. of Justice website.

What is the purpose of a California Seller of Travel Surety Bond?

The California Seller of Travel Surety Bond acts as a form of financial security in the event that a client files a claim against the seller of travel. Unlike insurance, if a claim is made against the seller of travel, the surety company will pay out the claim if settled, and the bond principal (the seller of travel) must repay the surety for any losses incurred.

The Obligee, in this case the California Seller of Travel Program run by the CA Dept. of Justice, will request a particular bond amount based on expected revenue of the applicant. The cost to obtain the bond, the “premium” will only be a small percentage of this bond amount.

How can I get a California Seller of Travel Surety Bond?

In order to obtain this bond, simply fill out our free online application! One of our licensed agents will contact you within one business day with a quote for the price to obtain your bond (the “premium”). If you choose to move forward after receiving your quote, we will have you sign any necessary paperwork and remit the premium payment, at which time we will ship your bond to you via USPS Priority Mail (with overnight shipping options also available).

Why choose Surety1?

At Surety1, our agents work with over a dozen “A” rated surety markets to ensure we are finding you the lowest price for your bond. We’ve been issuing surety bonds since 2003 and our quality, reliable service has led us to an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau! Licensed in all 50 states.