Right of Way Bond - Mobile County, AL in Alabama

Brief Summary

Mobile County will not let a private contractor start utility or encroachment work in a county right of way until a surety bond is on file. The County sets the amount for each job, so the quickest path is to get the figure from the Engineering Office and have the bond issued in that exact amount, with Mobile County named as obligee.

Mobile County requires a surety bond from any private contractor before utility or right of way encroachment work begins in the county right of way. The only stated exception is the installation of a second residential driveway. There is no fixed bond amount. The department sets it case by case, and a general liability certificate naming Mobile County as additional insured is also required.

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How to Apply for a Right of Way Bond:

• Confirm the work is in the unincorporated county right of way and not inside a city.
• Submit the permit application, guidelines and checklists to the Mobile County Engineering Office through the Right of Way Portal.
• Get the bond amount the department sets for your job.
• Order the bond in that exact amount with Mobile County as obligee.
• Provide a general liability insurance certificate naming Mobile County as additionally insured.
• File the executed bond before any work begins.

Detailed Information About the Alabama Right of Way Bond:

Who has to post this bond

The bond applies to private contractors doing utility work or any other encroachment in a Mobile County right of way. This covers work on county roads in the unincorporated parts of the county. Work inside the City of Mobile or another city is permitted by that city, not the County, and its bond rules are separate.

The County lists one exception. Installing a second residential driveway does not call for the bond.

How the amount is set

Mobile County does not publish a flat bond figure. Its Public Works right of way page says the bond amount is determined by the department on a case by case basis. Expect the amount to reflect the work you are proposing, so get the number from the County before you order the bond, and make sure the bond is written for that amount with Mobile County as obligee.

What the bond guarantees

The bond backs your promise to do the work in the right of way the way the permit allows and to leave the road, shoulder and drainage in proper condition. If the contractor walks away from damage or fails to restore the area, the County can make a claim against the bond, and the surety then looks to the contractor to repay it.

The rest of the permit package

The bond is one piece. You also submit a permit application with the County's guidelines and checklists to the Mobile County Engineering Office for review, now handled through the County's Right of Way Portal. Any private entity working in the county right of way must also provide a general liability insurance certificate naming Mobile County as additionally insured. Confirm the current bond form and filing steps with the County before the bond is issued. Questions go to the permitting line at 251-574-4030.

What it costs

You pay a premium, not the full bond amount. The surety prices it from the bond amount the County sets and from the contractor's credit and financial history.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Alabama Right of Way Bond:

• Required of private contractors doing utility or right of way encroachment work.
• Bond amount set by the department case by case.
• Mobile County named as obligee.
• General liability certificate naming Mobile County as additionally insured.
• Contractor credit review by the surety to set the premium.

Alabama Right of Way Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Alabama Right of Way Bond: