Why Public Official Bonds Are Required

A public official bond is a guarantee that the public official will perform their duties and responsibilities faithfully. The bond is issued to protect the interests of consumers and taxpayers. Usually required by the state, the bond is an instrument by which a surety agrees to pay up to a fixed sum of money in case the officer does not faithfully execute the duties of his or her office.

A public official bond protects against conduct or oversights by a public official that constitute a breach of the public official’s duties of office. The bond also guarantees the recovery of fines, fees, and expenses imposed by state regulators for non-compliance with state policies and rules. Some of the professions that usually require public official bond are court clerks, commissioners of deeds, federal, state and city officials, deputies, constable, judges, mayors, individual public officials, tax collectors, officers of the law, notaries public, township managers/directors, etc.

A public official bond is the best tool for public officials to prove that they can be trusted for their services.