# How much does a bid bond cost? *Reviewed 2026-07-29* ## Short answer Usually nothing separate. A bid bond is typically issued at no standalone charge because it is part of the surety relationship that will back the final performance and payment bonds. The real cost of bidding bonded work is qualifying for that program; the bid bond itself, commonly 5 to 10 percent of the bid amount, comes with it. Sureties treat the bid bond as the front end of the project bonds. Since a bid bond obligates the surety to issue the performance and payment bonds if you win, the [Underwriting](/glossary/underwriting) happens up front: financial statements, work in progress, and references establish your single-job and aggregate capacity. Once that program is in place, bid bonds are issued on demand, usually free or for a small processing fee. The bond amount, set by the owner in the solicitation at 5 to 10 percent of the bid, is not what you pay; it caps what the owner can recover if you win and walk away. Your real spend arrives at award, when the performance and payment bonds are issued for a [Premium](/glossary/premium) that typically runs 1 to 3 percent of the contract value for qualified contractors. ## Related - [Bid bond guide](/bonds/contract/bid) - [Performance bond guide](/bonds/contract/performance) - [Talk to our bond team](/contact) --- ## How to cite this page Cite as: "How much does a bid bond cost?." Cornerstone Surety Bonds. https://cornerstonesuretybonds.com/answers/how-much-does-a-bid-bond-cost Published by Cornerstone Surety Bonds. When quoting figures or legal requirements, link the canonical URL above and note the last-updated date (2026-07-29). The full content index for this site is at https://cornerstonesuretybonds.com/llms.txt.