In Ohio, there is no statewide licensing of contractors. However, contractors may be subject to local licensing laws that require them to furnish contractor license bonds to the specific licensing authority.
Ohio’s “Little Miller Act,” the state’s version of the federal Miller Act, requires contractors awarded state-funded projects to furnish both performance bonds and payment bonds, each for 100% of the contract value. There is no minimum threshold contract value for these bonds to be mandatory. The statute also requires contractors in competitive bidding situations to provide a bid bond.
The Little Miller Act doesn’t apply to private construction projects. But, private project owners can also require contractors to provide bid, performance, and payment bonds.
Other construction bonds that contractors operating in Ohio may need to purchase include:
- Maintenance bonds
- Contractor license bond
- Subdivision/site improvement bonds
- Supply bonds
- Solar decommissioning bonds
- Right of Way bonds
