Summit County, OH Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Road opening fee
- $30, nonrefundable
- Minimum bond
- $100 (utilities: $5,000/year surety)
- Moving permit fee
- $50
- Drive culvert permit fee
- $25
- Permit term
- capped at one year
Summary
Private work that opens, moves across, or drains into a Summit County road right of way needs a permit from the County Engineer first. Section 903.01 sets a thirty-dollar road opening fee plus a bond of at least one hundred dollars, and Section 903.05 makes the permit holder pay every cost of the improvement.
(a) For a road opening permit, a nonrefundable fee of thirty dollars ($30.00) is hereby established as payable to the County Engineer upon issuance of such permit. (b) Road opening permits shall be issued upon authorization by the County Engineer upon the posting of a bond in the minimum amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) or as specified by the County Engineer. A certified check or a commercial performance bond will be acceptable. In lieu of the foregoing requirement, a public utility may post a road opening surety bond annually in the face amount of five thousand dollars ($5,000).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 903 of the Summit County Codified Ordinances, Permits For Road Opening, Moving and Drive Culverts, governs private work that touches the county road right of way. 01(a) sets a nonrefundable thirty-dollar fee for a road opening permit, payable to the County Engineer upon issuance. 01(b) conditions issuance on the County Engineer's authorization and on posting a bond of at least one hundred dollars, or a higher amount the Engineer specifies; a certified check or commercial performance bond satisfies the requirement, and a public utility may instead post an annual road opening surety bond of five thousand dollars.
03 sets a twenty-five-dollar fee for a drive culvert permit, also subject to Executive approval. 04 caps every permit issued under the chapter at one year from issuance unless the County Executive extends it. " In practice, a property owner who wants a driveway culvert, a utility tap or any other private cut into the county right of way has to get the County Engineer's permit and bond before starting the work.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 903 does not include its own penalty section; the code cross-references Ohio R.C. Chapter 5547 on highway use and obstruction for unauthorized work in the right of way, and Section 903.05 leaves the permittee responsible for all costs, so an unauthorized opening can mean the County Engineer requiring restoration at the property owner's expense and forfeiture of the posted bond.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install a driveway culvert in Summit County?
How much does a Summit County road opening permit cost?
How long does a Summit County road-related permit last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Summit County
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