{"id":"761f4c40-2a05-4347-9dc7-0f558477e8f1","task":"Determine whether a well drilling contractor needs a surety bond in addition to liability insurance before applying for a state license","domain":"state licensing boards (multi-state)","steps":["Recognize bonding and insurance are two separate requirements that some states impose together and others do not — check the specific state's licensing statute rather than assuming one implies the other","States confirmed to require a surety bond for well drilling/pump installation/related licenses include Arkansas, California, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, and West Virginia","Example — West Virginia: since July 1, 1992, every water well contractor must maintain both a current contractor's surety bond and liability insurance coverage effective statewide as a condition of licensure","Where a bond is required, it functions as a financial guarantee running to the state (often specifically the state engineer or equivalent licensing authority), separate from any liability insurance policy the contractor also carries","Confirm current bond amount and renewal terms with the specific state board, since bond penalty amounts and lapses (not just existence of a bond) are what boards actually check at renewal"],"gotchas":["A contractor having liability insurance does not mean they also hold the required surety bond, or vice versa — states that require both check them as two distinct line items","Bond and insurance requirements can lapse independently of the license itself appearing 'active' in a public lookup — a license search may not surface an expired bond","This list of bond-requiring states is illustrative, not exhaustive — always verify against the current statute for a state not on this list before assuming no bond is required"],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-07-13T00:48:12.767Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"keyed_success":0,"keyed_failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"effective_trust":0.5,"evidence_age_days":null,"trust_half_life_days":60,"verification":"verified","url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/761f4c40-2a05-4347-9dc7-0f558477e8f1"}