Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond: Requirements, Cost, and Online Application
Businesses subject to Ohio’s Telephone Solicitation Sales Act must generally obtain a $50,000 Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond before acting as a registered telephone solicitor in the state. The bond is required by the Ohio Attorney General under Ohio Revised Code § 4719.04 and protects persons injured by violations of Ohio’s telephone solicitation laws.
A1SuretyBonds.com can help applicants obtain the required bond and complete this important step in the Ohio telephone solicitor registration process.
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What Is an Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond?
An Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond is a financial guarantee required for telephone solicitors that are subject to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4719.
Under Ohio law, a person generally may not act as a telephone solicitor without first obtaining the required registration from the Ohio Attorney General and satisfying the state's surety bond requirement. Ohio Revised Code § 4719.04 requires a $50,000 surety bond issued by a surety company authorized to do business in Ohio , with a copy of the bond filed with the Attorney General.
The bond involves three parties:
- Principal: The telephone solicitor required to obtain the bond.
- Obligee: The State of Ohio, acting through the Ohio Attorney General.
- Surety: The authorized surety company that issues the bond and guarantees the principal's compliance with the bond obligation.
The bond provided for this requirement identifies the State of Ohio Attorney General as obligee and states that the principal has obtained or is seeking a certificate of registration or registration renewal to act as a telephone solicitor. It conditions the bond on compliance with Ohio Revised Code §§ 4719.01 through 4719.18 and rules adopted under those sections.
Unlike general business insurance, a surety bond primarily protects the parties for whose benefit the bond is required, rather than protecting the bonded business from its own losses.
Who Needs a Telephone Solicitor Bond in Ohio?
The bond requirement applies to persons who meet Ohio's statutory definition of a telephone solicitor and are not otherwise exempt from Chapter 4719.
Ohio law broadly defines a telephone solicitor as a person engaging in telephone solicitation, directly or through salespersons, either:
- From a location within Ohio; or
- From outside Ohio when soliciting persons located in Ohio.
The definition can include owners, operators, officers, directors, partners, and others involved in managing a business engaged in covered telephone solicitation activity.
Ohio Revised Code § 4719.02 separately provides that a covered person may not act as a telephone solicitor without first obtaining a certificate of registration or registration renewal from the Ohio Attorney General.
Not every business making telephone calls is necessarily subject to the registration and bond requirement. Ohio Revised Code § 4719.01 contains a number of statutory exemptions, including certain infrequent transactions and specified religious, political, charitable, and other activities.
Businesses should therefore determine whether their activities fall within the statutory definition before assuming a bond is required or that an exemption applies.
Ohio Telephone Solicitor Bond Amount
The required Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond amount is $50,000 .
| RegistrationRequired Bond AmountNotesAuthority | |||
| Ohio Telephone Solicitor | $50,000 | Required before engaging in covered telephone solicitation activities | Ohio Rev. Code § 4719.04(A) |
Ohio law establishes a fixed $50,000 bond amount. The statute does not establish different bond amounts based on sales volume, number of employees, business location, or telephone solicitation volume.
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Bond Amount vs. Bond Premium
The $50,000 bond amount is not what the applicant pays, it is the statutory penal amount of the bond.
The bond amount represents the maximum aggregate liability established by the bond and applicable statute. The bond premium is the price paid to the surety company to issue the bond, which is typically 1% of the bond amount for qualifying accounts.
Legal Authority and Licensing Agency
The principal statutory authority for the Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond is:
Ohio Revised Code § 4719.04 — Surety Bond Requirements
The broader regulatory framework is contained in:
Ohio Revised Code §§ 4719.01 through 4719.18 — Telephone Solicitation Sales Act
The Ohio Attorney General's Office administers telephone solicitor registration requirements through its Consumer Protection Section. The Attorney General explains that the Telephone Solicitation Sales Act applies to certain telemarketing businesses operating both within and outside Ohio and requires covered businesses to register and post a bond before soliciting Ohio consumers.
Filing Requirement
Ohio Revised Code § 4719.04 expressly requires that a copy of the bond be filed with the Attorney General .
The Attorney General maintains the bonds filed in connection with telephone solicitor registrations through its telemarketing registration and enforcement functions.
What Does the Ohio Telephone Solicitor Bond Cover?
The bond is intended to provide financial protection for persons injured by violations of Ohio's telephone solicitation laws.
Ohio Revised Code § 4719.04 requires the bond to be:
in favor of any person, and of the state for the benefit of any person
who is injured by a violation of Ohio Revised Code §§ 4719.01 through 4719.18 or a rule adopted under those sections.
The bond therefore supports compliance with requirements governing covered telephone solicitation activities.
Potential claims are determined by the statute, applicable rules, the bond form, and the facts of the alleged violation. The bond should not be described as blanket insurance against every consumer complaint or every liability a telephone solicitor might incur.
Under § 4719.04, a claimant may bring a civil action against the telephone solicitor and surety for qualifying violations. The statute also limits the surety's aggregate liability to the amount of the bond.
The supplied bond form similarly provides that the bond benefits persons injured by violations of Ohio Revised Code §§ 4719.01 through 4719.18 or rules adopted under those sections.
How Much Does an Ohio Telephone Solicitor Bond Cost?
The required bond amount is $50,000 , but applicants pay only the premium required by the issuing surety company.
Because no specific A1SuretyBonds.com premium or instant-issue program has been supplied for this bond, applicants should complete the online application to receive current pricing.
Factors that may affect the premium can include:
- Applicant credit and financial history
- Business ownership and experience
- Prior surety bond claims
- Underwriting requirements of the issuing surety
- Requested effective date
- Required bond duration
- Other risk information requested by the surety company
Submitting an application does not mean the applicant must deposit $50,000 with the state.
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How to Get an Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond
Obtaining the bond generally involves the following steps:
- Confirm that registration is required.
- Review Ohio Revised Code § 4719.01 and the Ohio Attorney General's guidance to determine whether the business qualifies as a telephone solicitor and whether an exemption applies.
- Complete the secure online bond application.
- Submit the information required by A1SuretyBonds.com.
- Receive pricing and approval information.
- Any underwriting requirements will depend on the surety program available for the applicant.
- Purchase the $50,000 bond.
- Receive the executed bond documents.
- File the bond as part of the Ohio registration process.
- Ohio law requires a copy of the bond to be filed with the Attorney General.
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Ohio Telephone Solicitor Registration and Filing Requirements
The bond is only one component of Ohio's telephone solicitor registration process.
Ohio Revised Code § 4719.02 requires covered telephone solicitors to obtain a certificate of registration or registration renewal from the Attorney General. The registration application requires detailed information concerning the applicant, business operations, locations, telephone numbers, management, salespersons, solicitation materials, and other information specified by law.
The Attorney General currently provides an online Telephone Solicitation Sales Act Application Upload Form for submitting application documents.
Attorney General instructions state that the office prefers supporting documentation to be submitted through the online process, although applicants may also submit completed application materials by mail.
The current mailing destination identified in the Attorney General's TSSA instructions is:
Ohio Attorney General's Office, Consumer Protection
Attn: TSSA Registration Unit
30 E. Broad St., 14th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Applicants should follow the Attorney General's current instructions at the time of filing because administrative submission procedures may change.
Filing and Renewal Requirements
An important distinction exists between the telephone solicitor registration period and the surety bond obligation .
Registration Renewal
Ohio telephone solicitor certificates expire one year after issuance . A registrant therefore must renew its registration annually if it continues operating as a covered telephone solicitor.
Ohio Administrative Code Rule 109:4-6-05 also establishes a one-year registration period and provides for renewal procedures.
Bond Duration
The bond obligation is broader.
Ohio Revised Code § 4719.04 requires the $50,000 bond to be maintained and remain in effect for at least two years after the telephone solicitor ceases engaging in telephone solicitations .
Accordingly, businesses should not assume that the bond obligation automatically ends simply because they stop soliciting customers or do not renew their registration.
Cancellation
A surety may cancel the bond by providing written notice to both the telephone solicitor and Ohio Attorney General at least 30 days before cancellation takes effect . Claims involving violations that occurred while the bond was active may continue to be asserted during the statutory two-year period following cancellation.
The supplied continuous bond form likewise provides for 30 days' written notice before termination and recognizes a two-year claim period following termination.
Ohio Telephone Solicitor Bond vs. General Telemarketer Bonds
Telephone solicitor and telemarketing bond requirements vary significantly from state to state.
Ohio specifically requires a $50,000 bond governed by Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4719 and administered through the Ohio Attorney General. Other states may impose different bond amounts, licensing agencies, definitions, exemptions, renewal requirements, and bond forms.
Businesses operating in multiple states should therefore evaluate their requirements separately in every jurisdiction where telephone solicitation activities occur.
For a broader overview, visit the A1SuretyBonds.com
Why Apply Through A1SuretyBonds.com?
A1SuretyBonds.com helps businesses satisfy state-specific license and registration bond requirements through a straightforward online application process.
Applicants can benefit from:
- A secure online bond application
- Assistance identifying the correct Ohio bond requirement
- Access to established surety bond markets
- Experience with license and permit surety bonds
- Help understanding bond amounts and filing requirements
- Practical assistance throughout the bonding process
Our goal is to help applicants obtain the correct bond documentation needed for their Ohio telephone solicitor registration without confusing the statutory bond amount with the actual premium charged for the bond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who needs an Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond?
Businesses or persons that meet Ohio's definition of a telephone solicitor and are subject to the Telephone Solicitation Sales Act generally must obtain the bond before engaging in covered solicitation activity. Ohio law includes exemptions, so businesses should review Ohio Revised Code § 4719.01 before determining that registration is required.
What is the required Ohio Telephone Solicitor Bond amount?
The required bond amount is $50,000 under Ohio Revised Code § 4719.04.
How much does a $50,000 Ohio Telephone Solicitor Bond cost?
The $50,000 figure is the statutory bond amount / penal sum of the bond, not the price paid for the bond. The premium starts at 1% and is dependant on the applicants personal credit. Applicants can submit an online application through A1SuretyBonds.com for current pricing.
Who requires the bond?
The bond is required under Ohio law and is filed with the Ohio Attorney General as part of the telephone solicitor regulatory framework.
How long is an Ohio telephone solicitor registration valid?
A certificate of registration or registration renewal expires one year after it is issued .
Does the surety bond end when my registration expires?
Not necessarily. Ohio law requires the bond to be maintained and remain effective for at least two years after the telephone solicitor stops engaging in telephone solicitations .
Can the surety company cancel the bond?
Yes. The surety may cancel the bond after providing the telephone solicitor and Attorney General with at least 30 days' written notice . Claims may still be made during the applicable statutory period for violations occurring while the bond was in force.
Can I apply for the bond online?
Yes. Applicants can submit a secure online bond application through A1SuretyBonds.com.
Apply for Your Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond Online
If your business is required to register as a telephone solicitor in Ohio, the $50,000 Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond is an important part of satisfying the state's registration requirements.
A1SuretyBonds.com can help you obtain the appropriate bond and move forward with your Ohio registration.
Apply Online for Your Ohio Telephone Solicitor Surety Bond