---
kind: "section"
citation: "31 U.S.C. § 9304"
title: "31"
title_heading: "Money and Finance"
number: "9304"
heading: "Surety corporations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/31/9304"
units:
  - "Subtitle VI — Miscellaneous"
  - "Chapter 93 — Sureties and Surety Bonds"
---

# §9304. Surety corporations

- (a) When a law of the United States Government requires or permits a [person](/usc/31/9301.md?p=1) to give a surety bond through a surety, the [person](/usc/31/9301.md?p=1) satisfies the law if the surety bond is provided for the [person](/usc/31/9301.md?p=1) by a corporation—
  - (1) incorporated under the laws of—
    - (A) the United States; or
    - (B) a State, the District of Columbia, or a territory or possession of the United States;
  - (2) that may under those laws guarantee—
    - (A) the fidelity of [persons](/usc/31/9301.md?p=1) holding positions of trust; and
    - (B) bonds and undertakings in judicial proceedings; and
  - (3) complying with sections [9305](/usc/31/9305.md) and [9306](/usc/31/9306.md) of this title.
- (b) Each surety bond shall be approved by the official of the Government required to approve or accept the bond. The official may not require that the surety bond be given through a guaranty corporation or through any particular guaranty corporation.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–258, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 1047.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 9304 | 6:6. |  |

Subsection (a) is substituted for 6:6(1st sentence) to eliminate unnecessary words and for clarity and consistency. Clause (3) is added for clarity.

In subsection (b), the words “Each surety bond” are substituted for “Such recognizance, stipulation, bond, or undertaking”, the words “official of the Government” are substituted for “head of department, court, judge, officer, board, or body executive, legislative, or judicial”, and the word “official” is substituted for “officer or person having the approval of any bond”, to eliminate unnecessary words and for clarity and consistency.