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LaPorte County, IN Parking Rules: Driveway Rules (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Permit fee: $25, payable to Building Commissioner
Issuing office: Building Department
No-permit penalty: Permit fee tripled
Linked requirement: Mailbox permit filed with driveway permit
Applies to: Unincorporated LaPorte County only

Summary

Cutting a new driveway onto a county road or building one to serve a residence in unincorporated LaPorte County requires a Building Department permit. Code § 37.81 sets the filing fee at $25, payable to the Building Commissioner at the time the driveway permit application is submitted, before any grading or paving begins.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of LaPorte County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

§ 37.81 DRIVEWAYS. A fee of $25 payable to the Building Commissioner shall be collected at the time of filing an application for a driveway permit.

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Full Breakdown

LaPorte County treats a driveway as regulated construction, not an informal cut into county right-of-way. 27(U) building permit fee schedule, confirming the driveway permit runs through the same Building Department process used for other construction work. 05 defines a DRIVEWAY as a private access road serving only one residential dwelling or commercial building, and separately defines a DRIVEWAY ROADCUT as an entrance into or across a county road, distinguishing the private drive itself from the point where it meets the public road. 26(C) triples the fee as a penalty for anyone who proceeds without one. 43(A)(7).

Violations & Fines

Section 151.26(C) triples the ordinary permit fee as the penalty for building or altering a driveway without first filing the § 37.81 application and paying the $25 fee, and that trebled fee does not excuse the property owner from any other penalty the code otherwise provides for unpermitted work in the unincorporated county.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a driveway permit cost in LaPorte County?

Code § 37.81 sets the fee at $25, payable to the Building Commissioner and collected when the driveway permit application is filed, matching the identical $25 driveway line item listed separately in the county's § 151.27 building permit fee schedule for new construction.

What happens if I build a driveway without a permit in the county?

Section 151.26(C) triples the ordinary permit fee as a penalty for proceeding without the required Building Department permit, and paying that tripled fee does not release the owner from any other penalty the county code otherwise provides for unpermitted construction work.

Is a mailbox permit part of a LaPorte County driveway permit?

Yes, for new construction. Section 151.43(E) requires anyone who obtains a building permit for new construction to also obtain a mailbox permit from the Building Commissioner as part of that same driveway permit, with the mailbox placed at least 90 feet from an intersecting road's centerline.

Sources & Official References

[1]LaPorte County Code of Ordinances § 37.81 (American Legal Publishing)

Other rules in LaPorte County

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All LaPorte County rules

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