Encroachment Contractor Bond - Porterville, CA in California

Brief Summary

If your crew is cutting into a Porterville street, sidewalk, curb or alley, the city wants a surety bond on file before it signs off on the encroachment permit. The bond lets you start the job without tying up cash as a deposit, and it is usually issued quickly once the city tells you the amount and form it expects.

The City of Porterville requires contractors who work in the public right of way to post an encroachment contractor bond in favor of the city. The bond promises that the contractor will follow the permit conditions and put the street, sidewalk or other public property back in proper shape when the work is done. Confirm the current bond amount, form and filing steps with the city before the bond is issued.

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How to Apply for a Encroachment Contractor Bond:

• Call the Porterville Engineering Division and ask for the current encroachment permit bond amount and form.
• Have your legal business name exactly as it appears on your contractor license.
• Provide owner name and contact details for the bond application.
• Complete the bond application and review the quote.
• Pay the premium and receive the signed bond.
• Submit the bond to the city with your encroachment permit application.

Detailed Information About the California Encroachment Contractor Bond:

What the bond covers

An encroachment permit lets a contractor dig, build or place equipment inside the city's right of way. Typical jobs include driveway approaches, curb and gutter work, sidewalk repair, and water, sewer or utility connections under a city street. The bond names the City of Porterville as obligee. If the contractor leaves a trench unpatched, damages city property or ignores permit conditions, the city can make a claim against the bond to cover the repair. The contractor then has to repay the surety.

Who posts it

The contractor doing the work posts the bond, not the property owner. Plumbers, concrete contractors, utility crews and general contractors who regularly work in Porterville streets usually keep one on file so each new permit moves faster.

City streets versus state and county roads

The city bond only covers work on city right of way. The city's own business guidance points out that a site on or near a State right of way may need a separate encroachment permit. State highways go through Caltrans, and county roads outside city limits go through Tulare County.

Before you buy

Porterville handles right of way permits through its Public Works Engineering Division. Ask the division for the current bond amount and whether the city uses its own bond form, since the bond must match it exactly. Have the business name on the bond match your contractor license and city business license.

Eligibility and Requirements for a California Encroachment Contractor Bond:

• City of Porterville named as obligee.
• Bond amount and form as set by the city at the time you apply.
• Business name on the bond matching your contractor and business licenses.
• A surety company admitted to write bonds in California.
• Owner credit review, which mainly affects the premium rate.

California Encroachment Contractor Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the California Encroachment Contractor Bond: