Debt collection licensing by state
State debt collection agency licensing, including surety bond requirements and registration rules. Below are the published government fees, surety bond and net-worth requirements, processing timelines, and renewal cadence across 52 states.
Last updated October 24, 2026.
Government fees
$25 to $1,000
Processing timeline
10 to 27 weeks
| State | Gov fees | Surety bond | Net-worth floor | Timeline | Renewal | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $250 | $5,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Alaska | $500 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Arizona | $350 to $500 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Arkansas | $250 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| California | $275 to $562 | $25,000 | n/a | 12 to 25 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Colorado | $175 | $15,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Connecticut | $400 to $800 | $25,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Delaware | $500 | $25,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| District of Columbia | $300 to $500 | $25,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Florida | $200 | $50,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Georgia | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Hawaii | $250 | $25,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Idaho | $250 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Illinois | $300 to $600 | $25,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Indiana | $250 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Iowa | $100 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Kansas | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Kentucky | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Louisiana | $250 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Maine | $200 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Maryland | $200 to $300 | $5,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Massachusetts | $350 to $600 | $25,000 | n/a | 12 to 24 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Michigan | $300 to $350 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Minnesota | $300 | $20,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Mississippi | $250 | Not required | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Missouri | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Montana | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Nebraska | $100 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Nevada | $200 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| New Hampshire | $200 | Not required | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| New Jersey | $300 to $400 | $25,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| New Mexico | $150 to $250 | $5,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| New York | $500 to $1,000 | $25,000 | n/a | 13 to 27 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| North Carolina | $400 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| North Dakota | $200 | $5,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Ohio | $500 | Not required | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Oklahoma | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Oregon | $300 to $400 | $25,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Pennsylvania | $250 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Puerto Rico | $250 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Rhode Island | $200 | $5,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| South Carolina | $200 | Not required | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| South Dakota | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Tennessee | $300 to $400 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| Texas | $25 to $100 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Utah | $200 | Not required | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Vermont | $200 | Not required | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Virginia | n/a | Not required | n/a | n/a | n/a | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Washington | $275 | $20,000 | n/a | 11 to 23 weeks | 12 mo | Higher cost relative to other states |
| West Virginia | $250 | $10,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Moderate cost relative to other states |
| Wisconsin | $200 | $5,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
| Wyoming | $150 | $5,000 | n/a | 10 to 21 weeks | 12 mo | Lower cost relative to other states |
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How we built this index
Government fees, surety bond amounts, net-worth floors, processing timelines, and renewal cadence come straight from each state regulator's published requirements, the same dataset that powers our state law reference pages. Each row links to the regulator source.
Engagement-cost ranges, where shown, are aggregated from our own completed licensing engagements. We only publish a numeric range for a state and license type once we have enough completed records to do so without exposing any single client. Below that threshold we describe relative cost as a band (lower, moderate, or higher than other states) drawn only from the public regulator figures.
The index recomputes on a recurring schedule. The freshness date below reflects the last recompute.
Every figure here is an indicative aggregate, not a quote. What you actually pay and how long you wait depends on your business profile, the states you operate in, and the license type, and requires our review of your specifics.
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