South Carolina Public Official Bond A public official bond is a type of surety bond used to ensure that public officials meet the obligations of their position. Like other surety bonds, public official bonds provide an agreement between several parties. In this case, that agreement is between a public official, the public they oversee, and the surety bonding company funding the bond. South Carolina public officials have a broad range of responsibilities, some of which include managing public bank accounts, and collecting fees. If these officials are held responsible for unethical actions that cost the public money, or cause damages in any way, the expenses can be covered by the line of credit provided by the bond. Many SC public officials are actually required to obtain one of these bonds before being able to work in the state.