The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services requires a Florida Agricultural Products Dealer Surety Bond for those wishing to obtain a license in this business. These requirements are set forth by sections 604.15 – 604.34 of the Florida Statutes and are in place to ensure business is conducted legally and ethically, as well as to protect the agricultural producers, in the case that the dealer fails to pay. See our “What is a Surety Bond” Video.
What are the requirements in order to get a Florida Agricultural Products Dealer License?
The Florida Statutes defines a dealer of agricultural products as any person, partnership, corporation or other business entity which deals with the business of purchasing, receiving, or soliciting agricultural products from the producer or the producer’s agent or representative for resale or processing for sale. This covers all agricultural products grown in Florida, except citrus (other than limes), tobacco and sugarcane.
Applying for a license is fairly easy. Just submit the required application form, pay the required fee (which is determined based on your bond amount), and file a Florida Agricultural Products Dealer Surety Bond.
What is the Surety bond amount?
The amount of the surety bond you are required to post is going to be twice the dollar value of agricultural products bought or handled in the month with the highest volume of products bought or handled.
For example, if in the last twelve months you had the highest volume of agricultural products bought or handled in June, you will double the monetary value of the total purchases made in June to get the bond amount. There is a minimum bond amount of $5,000 and a maximum of $100,000.
The licensing fee required upon application will depend on the bond amount:
If the bond amount is between $5,000 – $9,000 the fee is $170
If the bond amount is between $10,000 – $14,999 the fee is $230
If the bond amount is between $15,000 – $100,000 the fee is $300
You can find more about the license and bond requirements on the FL DACS website.
Where can I get a Florida Agricultural Products Dealer Surety Bond?
At Surety1.com we make it easy and fast to obtain this surety bond. Our simple 3 step process is:
- Complete the easy to navigate and secure online application. 1
- Review the free, no obligation quote from one of Surety1’s professional surety bond agents, usually within one business day.
- Sign some paperwork and pay the bond premium
once these steps have been completed, your Florida Agricultural Products Dealer Surety Bond will be shipped to you via USPS Priority Mail (overnight shipping options also available).
Surety1.com is a service of AssuredPartners one of the largest and fastest growing insurance agencies in the nation. Representing over a dozen surety bond companies, Surety1.com is the premier online provider of surety bonds nationwide since 2003 and maintains an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau.
How to Get Your Florida Agricultural Products Dealer Surety Bond
- Complete an online application. It’s free and no-obligation.
- One of our surety experts will contact you with a firm quote and an agreement to sign.
- Provide payment and your signed agreement, and then you will receive your Surety Bond!
If you have any questions, please call us at 877-654-2327.
Surety1 was founded in 2003 and helps thousands of clients find the best prices on their surety bonds. We take pride in our work so that we can give you great service. Learn more about Surety1.