Texas — Third Party Debt Collector Bond
Texas requires a $10,000 surety bond before a covered third-party debt collector or credit bureau engages in debt collection. Obtain the bond in the collecting entity's name and file it with the Secretary of State. Current Form 2901 instructions require electronic submission through SOSPortal and say not to mail it.
Also known as Texas Third Party Debt Collector Bonds
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- Recorded state
- Texas
- Bond type
- Collection Agency Bond
- Category
- Financial services
What this bond does
The bond secures the principal's obligations, duties and responsibilities under Chapter 392 of the Texas Finance Code, including later amendments. Its protection extends beyond the agency's accounting for client collections.
- Who needs it
- Third-party debt collectors and credit bureaus collecting consumer debts covered by Chapter 392. The chapter defines consumer debt as an obligation primarily for personal, family or household purposes. Match that role rather than treating this as a general bond for every lender or commercial invoice collector.
- Who it protects
- The principal and surety are jointly and severally liable to Texas for the benefit of people damaged by a Chapter 392 violation, and in favor of those damaged people directly. An injured person may bring an action against the collector or bureau and the surety. The $10,000 limit is aggregate and does not reset with each year or payment period.
Your bond option
This is the option on record for this bond.
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The bond amount describes the limit of the bond obligation, not the price. A listed amount does not establish what the requesting party requires. The premium is what you pay and must be confirmed for the actual option. An E&O limit, where listed, is separate errors and omissions insurance.
Sources
- Texas Secretary of State Form 2901, April 2026 (opens in a new tab)Checked October 27, 2026
- Texas Finance Code Chapter 392 — definitions and surety-bond subchapter (opens in a new tab)Checked October 27, 2026
Have these ready
- Identify the legal collector or credit bureau, its address and the consumer-debt activity covered by Chapter 392.
- Have the requested effective date and the information needed for the surety's $10,000 bond.
- Arrange authorized signatures for both the principal and surety on the filing document.
- Use the April 2026 Form 2901 instructions for electronic SOSPortal submission; keep a copy of the filed material.
Questions about this bond
Is this only a client-funds accounting bond?
No. The form backs the principal's duties under Chapter 392, and the statute gives people damaged by a violation a claim against the collector or credit bureau and its surety. Protection is subject to the $10,000 aggregate limit.
Can I mail Form 2901 after buying the bond?
The current April 2026 instructions say Do not Mail. Submit the bond copy and executed Form 2901 electronically through SOSPortal. Follow that current filing instruction rather than an older mailing address.
Does the limit renew every year?
Form 2901 expressly makes the surety's limit noncumulative, regardless of the years the bond continues or the number of payment periods. Cancellation also has a separate 60-day notice procedure.