Lance Surety Bond Associates, Inc.

Boat dealers will be required to be licensed and to also post a surety bond in the amount of $50,000 from a corporate surety company. The bond will be conditioned on the terms of the license and the licensee’s responsibility to be in compliance with applicable law. The licensee will also need to indemnify the lien holders on the boat for losses incurred as specified in the bill’s provisions.

SB 2913/AB 4298: License Bond – Mobility Dealers

Mobility dealers would be subjected to existing licensing and bond requirements for motor vehicle dealers. Anyone who sells more than five mobility vehicles in a year is considered a Mobility dealer. These vehicles are specially equipped to transport a person with a disability and include mechanical devices such as a wheel chair or ramps. Under current law a 10K bond must be posed by motor vehicle dealers if they sold less than 200 vehicles in a calendar year. A 25K will be required if the dealer sells more than 200 vehicles in a calendar year.

SB 703/ HB 6212: License Bond – Used Automobile Dealers.

This bill will reduce the bond requirement for used automobile dealers from $50,000 to $20,000.

SB 175: Motor Vehicles

This will provide for an appeal process towards the new law’s repurchasing requirements for marine product dealers that cease to do business. An appeal bond must be posted to compensate the prevailing party for compliance with the Louisiana Used Motor Vehicle Commission’s decision.

HB 1376: License Bond – Motor Vehicle Dealers

Motor Vehicle Dealers must post a surety bond in the amount of $25,000 in favor of the State according to HB 1376. The existing law had already required a license for this type of business. This bond must be obtained in order to instill the payment of fines, penalties, costs and fees that the Secretary of State assessed. This bond will secure the payment of damages owed to persons obtaining a judgment against the dealer for violations of the law. This became effective on July 1, 2009.

On a national and global scale, more and more vehicles are being purchased and driven than ever before. With the ever increasing amount of vehicle owners on the road, both the value of new and used cars, and the risks associated with car buying have increased alongside. It goes without saying that as more vehicles are being sold at higher prices than ever before, opportunities have arisen and been exploited by dishonest motor vehicle dealers around the country that have sought to take advantage of customers.

Whether it be a used-car dealer masking a vehicle defect from a customer, or a new vehicle dealer taking advantage of car buyers via overly excessive prices, threats certainly exist for today

Similar to last year, the Surety and Fidelity Association of American (SFAA) noticed a trend of amended state bills that change specific requirements pertaining to motor vehicle bonds (type of commercial bond also referred to as “auto dealer bonds”). These new bills are either requiring an increase in the motor vehicle bond amount, or an extension of its application to include additional vehicle types as well. The five states with recent enactments by state legislature are Colorado, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia.

In Colorado, Senate Bill 144 (SB 144) requires that all motor vehicle repair shops operating in the state must obtain a surety bond twice the amount of the retail value of a vehicle whenever they choose to seek title for any abandoned vehicle.

Idaho has two new requirements pertaining to motor vehicle regulation. House Bill 365 mandates that all dealers of motor-driven cycles comply with the $20,000 surety bond requirement, which currently is in existence for vehicle dealers operating in the state. Additionally, Idaho House Bill 440 requires all dealers of truck campers to obtain a $10,000 license bond.

The enactment of Pennsylvania Senate Bill 1019 (SB 1019), makes it a requirement for all state recreational vehicle dealers to obtain a license bond in the amount of $30,000, in order to act as a security against any possible claims. Specifically, this license bond will protect against claims brought up by an agency of the commonwealth for money past due, such as fees, licenses, unpaid taxes, payment of criminal penalties, civil fines/penalty, etc.

Tennessee