Can the form be e-signed?

Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted. Ensure the transaction meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements to support legal validity.

Is notarization always required?

Not always. Notarization depends on contract terms and jurisdiction; some states or agencies require a notary or RON for amendments. Verify the obligee's requirements and state rules before relying solely on an e-signature.

What if a mistake is discovered after signing?

Correct material errors by preparing a signed amendment or corrective instrument executed with the same formality as the original change. Document the reason for correction and obtain surety and obligee consents if needed.

Who must sign the form?

Typically the principal and an authorized surety representative must sign; an obligee signature may also be required. Use corporate resolutions or power-of-attorney to show signatory authority when corporate parties sign.

How should I file the executed change?

File according to contract or agency instructions: submit to the contract administrator, procurement office, or court clerk, and retain a stamped receipt or electronic filing confirmation as proof of recordation.

How long should I keep the document?

Retain executed changes for the life of the bond plus additional years per standards: at least 3 years for tax records (IRC §6501(a)), 6 years for HIPAA-related records (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer where state law requires.

Electronic Signature
Templates
Legal
Legal Change of Bond Form

Legal Change of Bond Form

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LEGAL CHANGE OF BOND FORM

This Legal Change of Bond Form is made and entered into on the date: , by and between Principal Name: whose address is (the Principal), and Surety Name: whose address is (the Surety). The Obligee under the original bond is: with address .

RECITALS

WHEREAS, Principal executed or caused to be executed a bond bearing Bond Number: dated (the Original Bond), for the benefit of the Obligee and guaranteeing certain obligations described therein.

WHEREAS, Principal and Surety desire to effect a change to the Original Bond as set forth in this instrument, and the parties desire to set forth the terms, conditions and certifications attendant to such change.

WHEREAS, the Obligee's written consent to the change may be required by the Original Bond or by applicable law; the parties acknowledge and agree that Obligee acceptance is a condition to certain changes as specified herein.

NOW, THEREFORE

In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth in this Change of Bond Form, Principal and Surety hereby agree as follows:

1. CHANGE SPECIFICATION

The Original Bond is hereby amended as follows (check applicable boxes and complete required fields):

Substitution of Surety (replace existing surety with new surety).
Increase in penal sum of the bond.
Decrease in penal sum of the bond.
Cancellation or termination of the Original Bond to the extent permitted by contract or law.
Other change (specify below).

If Other, describe:

2. NEW BOND INFORMATION

If substitution or modification results in a new bond, complete the following:

New Surety Name New Surety Address New Bond Number New Bond Penal Sum New Bond Effective Date

3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

Principal represents and warrants that Principal has full authority to request the change described herein and that all statements made in this form are true, complete and accurate. Principal further agrees to comply with all obligations of the Original Bond unless expressly released in writing by the Obligee.

Surety represents and warrants that it is duly authorized to issue the New Bond, that the New Bond (if issued) will be in a form acceptable to the Obligee and consistent with the terms of the Original Bond to the extent required, and that it has the corporate capacity and authority to undertake the obligations set forth herein.

4. OBLIGATIONS, INDEMNITY AND LIABILITY

Unless expressly released by the Obligee in writing, the Principal remains primarily liable for all obligations under the Original Bond. To the extent permitted by law, Principal shall indemnify and hold Surety harmless from and against all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities which arise from the requested change, including reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in connection with enforcement of this Change of Bond Form.

5. CONDITIONS TO EFFECTIVENESS

This Change of Bond Form shall become effective only upon (a) execution by Principal and Surety; and (b) issuance of the New Bond by Surety where required; and (c) receipt of any required written consent of the Obligee, if the Original Bond or applicable law requires Obligee consent.

6. NOTICES

All notices, requests, demands and other communications required or permitted under this Change of Bond Form shall be in writing and delivered to the addresses set forth below (or to such other address as a party may designate in writing):

Notices to Principal Notices to Surety Notices to Obligee (if applicable)

7. CERTIFICATIONS AND ATTACHMENTS

Surety certifies that a true and correct copy of the power of attorney authorizing the individual executing the New Bond is attached hereto and that any attachments that form part of the New Bond are accurate and complete as of their execution date. Attachments shall be incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

List attachments (power of attorney, new bond form, consents, etc.)

8. MISCELLANEOUS

Governing Law: This Change of Bond Form shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state indicated below. Any disputes arising from this Change of Bond Form shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts located in that state.

Governing law state

Entire Agreement: This instrument, together with attachments referenced herein, constitutes the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, relating to the Original Bond and the change described herein.

Severability: If any provision of this Change of Bond Form is determined to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, such provision shall be severed and the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Amendments and Waiver: No amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Change of Bond Form shall be effective unless in writing and signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought.

Counterparts: This Change of Bond Form may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

9. OBLIGEE ACKNOWLEDGMENT (IF REQUIRED)

The parties acknowledge that the Obligee's acceptance may be required for certain changes. Obligee acceptance, when required, shall be documented in a separate written instrument or by execution of a counterpart endorsement to the bond.

Obligee acceptance comments

Principal:

By:

Date:

Surety:

By:

Date:

What the Legal Change of Bond Form Is

The Legal Change of Bond Form documents an authorized modification to an existing surety or performance bond, such as changing the principal, surety, obligee, bond amount, or coverage period. It creates a written record that parties and third parties can rely on to determine current bond obligations, and it typically references the original bond number and filing details. Depending on the obligor, obligee, and jurisdiction, the form may require signatures by the principal and the surety, a notarization or remote online notarization, and filing with a court or public agency to be effective.

Why a Clear Change-of-Bond Record Matters

A formal change-of-bond prevents confusion about who is liable and what coverage applies, reduces the risk of claim denial, and creates an auditable trail for procurement, contract compliance, and dispute resolution.

Who typically completes this form

Several parties are commonly involved when a bond change is needed; each has distinct responsibilities.

Contractors and subcontractors who need to substitute or update bond information for a project.
Surety companies and their authorized representatives that must consent to changes and sign release or continuation language.
Obligees and public agencies that require a documented record to accept modified coverage or continue contract performance.

Accurate completion by the correct parties avoids delays in contract performance and reduces the likelihood of administrative rejection.

Core elements to include on a professional form

A professionally prepared Legal Change of Bond Form groups identification, scope of change, authority, and execution details so reviewers can confirm the modification quickly and enforce obligations without ambiguity.

Bond Identifiers

Original bond number, issuance date, original obligee and principal, and the issuing surety company to precisely link the change to the correct instrument.

Scope of Change

Concise description of what is changing — e.g., new principal, new surety, increased or decreased penal sum, termination date extension, or change of obligee — with any attached exhibits.

Effective Date

Clear effective date for the modification, stated in MM/DD/YYYY format, and whether the change is retroactive or prospective relative to the original bond.

Authority and Consent

Statement that the surety and principal authorize the change, including a clause confirming surety consent and reference to any corporate authorizations or power-of-attorney.

Signatures and Notary

Signature blocks for principal, surety authorized signatory, and obligee where required; a notary or remote online notary section if jurisdiction or contract demands authentication.

Filing and Routing

Instructions for where to file or record the amended bond (court clerk, procurement office, project file), plus space for filing date and clerk stamp or electronic receipt.

Security, compliance, and authentication basics

Encryption: TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Data at Rest: AES-256 encrypted storage

Audit Trail: Timestamps, IP, and action log

HIPAA: BAA available where required

21 CFR Part 11: Support for compliant workflows

ESIGN / UETA: Federal and state e-signature compliance

Step-by-step: completing and executing the form

Follow this sequence to complete, authenticate, and file a change to an existing bond.

01

Gather documents: Collect original bond, contract, and any corporate authorization.
02

Complete form: Fill fields accurately and attach exhibits if needed.
03

Sign and notarize: Obtain required signatures and notarization or RON as applicable.
04

File or deliver: Submit to the clerk, obligee, or contract file and retain confirmation.

Digital workflow overview for e-submission

A typical eSubmission workflow reduces processing time while preserving evidentiary details required for legal effect.

Upload document: Sender uploads the completed form as PDF or DOCX.
Place fields: Add signature, date, and notary or RON fields.
Send for signatures: Email or generate signing link for required signers.
Receive executed copy: Signed file and audit trail are stored and distributed.

Recommended workflow settings for electronic completion

Configure these settings to preserve chain-of-custody, evidence, and compliance when handling a change-of-bond electronically.

Field	Configuration
Authentication	Email + SMS code or stronger KBA for high-risk changes
Signature Order	Require surety consent before obligee acceptance
Notary Field	Include RON-enabled notary block if remote notarization used
Record Retention	Retain executed PDF plus audit trail for required period

Platform and file requirements for eSubmission

Use a platform that supports PDF and DOCX uploads, audit trails, and integrations to your records systems.

File formats: PDF and DOCX supported
Integrations: Connectors for NetSuite, Salesforce, Box
Authentication: Email, SMS, or KBA options

Ensure the chosen system logs timestamps, signer attribution, and retention metadata; these records support enforceability and simplify future audits or disputes.

Common mistakes that cause rejections or disputes

Using a trade name or abbreviation instead of the principal's exact legal name, causing misidentification of the obligor.
Failing to obtain explicit surety consent, which can render the amendment void and expose the principal to liability.
Leaving the original bond reference incomplete or incorrect so the amendment cannot be matched to the underlying instrument.
Submitting unsigned or improperly notarized amendments where the obligee or jurisdiction requires notarization or a RON session.

Consequences of an incorrect or incomplete form

Claim Denial: Possible loss of coverage

Contract Default: Risk of breach or termination

Financial Liability: Exposure to claims and damages

Administrative Fines: Agency sanctions or fees

Forfeiture: Bond forfeiture risk on noncompliance

Tax Withholding: Possible backup withholding triggers

Practical steps to reduce risk and speed approval

Apply these practices when preparing and submitting a change-of-bond to avoid administrative delay and legal exposure.

Confirm Legal Names

Verify the exact legal names of principal and surety using formation documents or the surety's underwriting records; mismatches are a frequent cause of rejection and can delay claims handling.

Obtain Surety Consent

Secure explicit written consent from the surety, signed by an authorized representative; include power-of-attorney references when appropriate to show signing authority.

Use an Audit Trail

When completing electronically, enable comprehensive audit logging, signer authentication, and retention of the execution certificate to support enforceability and evidentiary use.

Retain Filing Receipts

Keep copies of filing confirmations, clerk stamps, or electronic receipts and attach them to the contract file for project records and future audits.

Representative eSignature vendor comparison for change-of-bond workflows

Platform pricing and compliance features affect how you execute and store amended bonds electronically. signNow is listed first for parity in comparison.

	signNow	DocuSign	Adobe Sign	PandaDoc	HelloSign
Starting Price	$8/user/mo	$15/user/mo	$14/user/mo	$19/user/mo	$15/user/mo
Free Trial	7-day free trial	Varies	Varies	Varies	Varies
Bulk Send	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Audit Trail	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
HIPAA Compliant	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No
Envelope Cap	No cap	100 envelopes/user/year	Varies	Varies	Varies

FAQs and troubleshooting for common issues

Answers to frequent questions about validity, notarization, corrections, and filing to reduce uncertainty in processing an amended bond.

Need help? Contact support

Can the form be e-signed?
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally enforceable under the ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. §7001) and UETA where adopted. Ensure the transaction meets intent, consent, attribution, and retention requirements to support legal validity.
Is notarization always required?
Not always. Notarization depends on contract terms and jurisdiction; some states or agencies require a notary or RON for amendments. Verify the obligee's requirements and state rules before relying solely on an e-signature.
What if a mistake is discovered after signing?
Correct material errors by preparing a signed amendment or corrective instrument executed with the same formality as the original change. Document the reason for correction and obtain surety and obligee consents if needed.
Who must sign the form?
Typically the principal and an authorized surety representative must sign; an obligee signature may also be required. Use corporate resolutions or power-of-attorney to show signatory authority when corporate parties sign.
How should I file the executed change?
File according to contract or agency instructions: submit to the contract administrator, procurement office, or court clerk, and retain a stamped receipt or electronic filing confirmation as proof of recordation.
How long should I keep the document?
Retain executed changes for the life of the bond plus additional years per standards: at least 3 years for tax records (IRC §6501(a)), 6 years for HIPAA-related records (45 CFR §164.530(j)), and longer where state law requires.

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