Massachusetts Auto Dealer Bonds
Auto dealer bonds protect consumers and the state. The bond amount and license type required depend on your state's DMV.
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At a glance
Massachusetts Auto Dealer Bond Key Facts
Governed by Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90D, § 12.
The basics
What Is an Auto Dealer Bond in Massachusetts?
Yes — Massachusetts issues a bonded title. A bonded title in Massachusetts is a regular certificate of title the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) issues for an “undocumented” vehicle on the strength of a surety bond. A vehicle is “undocumented” when you do not have all the papers normally needed to transfer ownership and title it — for example, the seller never gave you a title. As a condition of titling the vehicle, the RMV may require you to file a surety bond equal to one and one-half times (1.5x) the vehicle's value.
Good to know - There is no minimum vehicle value. A surety bond may be required whenever the RMV is not satisfied as to who owns the vehicle or that there are no undisclosed liens or security interests.
The bond protects any prior owner, lienholder, or later buyer if someone else turns out to have a claim on the vehicle. You file it together with your title application — it does not replace the application.
Massachusetts sets the bond at 1.5 times your vehicle's value, using the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) clean trade-in value. The bond stays in effect for three years; after that, if no one has made a valid claim, the bond ends.
Titling an undocumented vehicle is at the RMV's discretion. The RMV decides whether to title the vehicle and whether a bond is required, based on the proof of ownership you can provide.
Qualification
What You Need to Qualify for a Massachusetts Auto Dealer Bond
Approval depends on your dealer license type, required coverage amount, and underwriting factors such as credit.
- You cannot provide all the documents normally required to transfer ownership and title the vehicle (for example, the title was never assigned to you).
- You can show how you got the vehicle — for example, a bill of sale, canceled checks, or a prior registration.
- You can provide a notarized affidavit describing the vehicle's history as you know it, including its model year, make, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
- The bond is issued by a company licensed to write surety bonds in Massachusetts.
Step by step
How to Get an Auto Dealer Bond in Massachusetts: Step by Step
Confirm you need a bonded title
Massachusetts uses a surety bond when a vehicle is “undocumented” — you do not have the documents normally required to transfer ownership and title it. If you can produce the normal proof of ownership instead, you do not need a bond.
Gather your proof and write a notarized affidavit
Put together any proof of how you got the vehicle — a bill of sale, canceled checks, or a prior registration — and write a notarized affidavit attesting to the vehicle's complete history as you know it, including its model year, make, and VIN.
Get the RMV’s approval and your bond amount
Submit your affidavit and proof of ownership to the RMV. If the RMV approves bonding, it sets your bond amount at one and one-half times (1.5x) the vehicle's value, using the NADA clean trade-in value. Enter your value in the calculator above to estimate your premium.
Buy your surety bond
Buy a surety bond equal to the amount the RMV set (1.5x the vehicle’s value) from a company licensed to write surety bonds in Massachusetts. Once issued, the bond stays in effect for three years.
Complete the Registration and Title Application (RTA)
Fill out the RMV’s Registration and Title Application (RTA), which is the combined title and registration form. The RMV may also ask for a VIN verification on the Proof of Visual Inspection form.
Registration and Title ApplicationFile your application and bond with the RMV
Submit the completed RTA, the executed surety bond, your notarized affidavit, and your proof of ownership. You can start online at Mass.gov/RMV and finish at an RMV Service Center, or mail your title application to the RMV Title Division, P.O. Box 55885, Boston, MA 02205-5885, with a check or money order payable to MassDOT.
Paperwork
Massachusetts Dealer Bond Forms & Documents
The RMV’s combined title and registration application (replaces the former RMV-1 and RMV-3).
View formThe surety bond itself, executed by a licensed surety company in the form the Registrar prescribes (Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90D, § 12). Massachusetts does not publish a numbered RMV bond form for this.
Used to verify the vehicle’s VIN. The RMV may require a VIN verification when a vehicle lacks standard documentation.
View formYou'll also need
Cost
How Massachusetts Auto Dealer Bond Pricing Works
You do not pay the full bond amount. In Massachusetts the surety bond must equal one and one-half times (1.5x) your vehicle's value, which the RMV sets from the NADA clean trade-in value. You pay a premium, which is a smaller percentage of that bond amount.
Your premium depends on the bond amount and underwriting. Use the calculator above for an estimate; your final premium may vary. The $75 certificate of title fee, any registration fee, and sales tax are state charges, separate from the surety bond premium.
Worked example
If your vehicle's NADA clean trade-in value is $8,000, the bond amount is 1.5x that, or $12,000. You pay only the premium on the $12,000 bond, not the full $12,000.
Filing
Filing Information
Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV)
We prepare the issued bond and send you a copy for your records. Filing requirements vary by state, license type, carrier, and bond form.
857-368-8000FAQ
Massachusetts Auto Dealer Bond FAQ
Yes. The RMV issues a certificate of title for an “undocumented” vehicle backed by a surety bond under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90D, § 12 when it is not satisfied as to who owns the vehicle or that there are no undisclosed liens.
The bond amount equals one and one-half times (1.5x) your vehicle's value, set from the NADA clean trade-in value. You pay a premium — a percentage of that amount — not the full bond amount. Use the calculator above to estimate it.
The RMV uses the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) clean trade-in value of the vehicle, then sets the bond at one and one-half times that value.
Three years. Under Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 90D, § 12, the bond and any deposit are returned at the end of three years, or earlier if the vehicle is no longer registered in the Commonwealth and the title is surrendered to the registrar.
A vehicle is undocumented when you do not have all the documents required to transfer ownership and apply for a certificate of title. The RMV can title an undocumented vehicle at its discretion and may require a surety bond.
Start online at Mass.gov/RMV and finish at an RMV Service Center, or mail your title application to the RMV Title Division, P.O. Box 55885, Boston, MA 02205-5885, with a check or money order payable to MassDOT. Call 857-368-8000 with questions.
The certificate of title fee is $75. A separate registration fee and 6.25% sales tax may also apply. These state fees are separate from the surety bond premium.
Sources
Last verified 2026-06-23. Requirements change - confirm current details with Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) before you file. This page is informational and not legal advice.
FAQ
Massachusetts Auto Dealer Bond Questions
The cost of a Massachusetts auto dealer bond is usually a small percentage of the state-required bond amount. Your exact premium depends on the bond amount, license type, business details, and underwriting factors such as credit.
Many auto dealer bonds can be issued the same day after you complete the application. Larger bond amounts or applications that need underwriting review may take longer.
Requirements vary by license type, but most Massachusetts auto dealers need to complete a short application and purchase the bond amount required by the state before their license can be issued or renewed.
Often, yes. Many states have separate bond requirements for wholesale, retail, broker, or other dealer license types. Choose the bond that matches your Massachusetts license instructions.
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AutoDealersBond.com is operated by Insurance Services by Shield, a California and Texas licensed insurance agency (CA License #6018195, TX License #3446536). Insurance Services by Shield is not an insurance carrier and does not underwrite bonds or insurance policies. Bond and coverage availability, pricing, and issuance are subject to carrier underwriting approval, eligibility, applicable state requirements, and policy or bond terms. Availability varies by state.
