Polk County, IA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- Before any new driveway, curb cut or curb removal
- Issuing agency
- Polk County Public Works Department
- Ordinance effective
- February 5, 2018
- Fee
- Set by Board of Supervisors resolution
- Curb removal method
- Ground, not sawed, per § 46.21.2
- Paving requirement
- Street to property line per SRAP-1 (§46.21.4)
- Violation class
- Misdemeanor or infraction (§46.14.3)
Summary
Before cutting a curb or creating any new driveway onto a county road in unincorporated Polk County, you need an entrance permit from the Public Works Department under Chapter 46, the Entrance and Driveway Ordinance, effective February 5, 2018. The permit application must show the proposed ingress or egress location, and the county sets fees by Board of Supervisors resolution before work can begin.
46.2 Permit Required
No person shall create a new ingress or egress for the establishment of a driveway onto private property from a county public roadway or make any curb cuts or remove any curbs without first obtaining an entrance permit from the Public Works Department.
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46.16 Fees Required
Before any permit is issued, the person who makes the application shall pay the fee as set by Resolution by the Board of Supervisors.
46.17 Compliance
The person receiving said permit must comply completely with the regulations and requirements of the permit when issued. Any deviation from the approved permit shall be a violation of the permit.
Full Breakdown
Chapter 46 covers every new ingress, egress, curb cut, or curb removal connecting private property to a county public roadway outside city limits. 2 bars anyone from creating a driveway opening or removing a curb without first securing an entrance permit from the Public Works Department. 15 must include a rough drawing of the proposed ingress or egress, showing its location relative to the public right-of-way and to the applicant's own lot lines. 17 makes the permit holder comply completely with its conditions: any deviation is itself a violation, and the county can terminate the permit and require the owner to remove the work and restore the prior access.
19 puts the burden on the owner to contact utility companies before digging. 4 requires the driveway to be paved from the street to the property line to the county's SRAP-1 standard. 5 requires a Public Works inspection of the formwork and grade before concrete is poured; skipping it can force the owner to prove pavement thickness with cores or other testing. 4.
Violations & Fines
Under Section 46.14, the County Engineer who finds a violation must notify the owner, who must immediately remedy it regardless of how notice was given. If the owner does not comply, the County Engineer pursues the citation and civil-penalty process in Chapter 2 of the county code. Section 46.14.2 lets Public Works withhold, condition or revoke a permit for departures from approved plans, and Section 46.14.3 makes any violation a misdemeanor or infraction, holding the owner, contractor or any assisting party responsible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit to add a driveway in unincorporated Polk County?
What does the entrance permit application need to show?
Can Polk County take back my entrance permit?
Does the driveway have to be paved?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Polk County
Compare Polk County to another location·View the Iowa sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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