Richmond, VA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)

Richmond City Code § 24-59 requires consent from the Director of Public Works, the Director's designee, or City Council before anyone puts an encroachment or non-public use into a street, sidewalk, or public way. Section 24-62 spells out the standard conditions: a written application for a work-in-streets-and-alleys permit and an administrative encroachment approval (or, for uses that need particular Council consent, a written request to the Department of Public Works with the Section 24-63 fee); an agreement to indemnify and defend the City; and, unless waived for good cause, a liability insurance contract of at least $1,000,000.00 combined single limit (or $300,000.00 for a homeowner's or renter's policy) naming the City as an additional insured, plus a bond, letter of credit, or other financial guaranty covering removal and restoration.

Section 24-63 sets the fee schedule: $75.00 for a work-in-street application, $50.00 per block for the first 30 days of a sidewalk closure (then $25.00 per week), $50.00 for a residential driveway, $150.00 for a commercial driveway, and $40.00 per week for a dumpster, among other listed fees. Under Section 24-62(a)(8), authorization is never a franchise or irrevocable right: the Director can revoke a permit for noncompliance, abandonment, or a superseding public need, and Council can revoke any grant of authorization for any reason.