Curb and Sidewalk ($20,000) Bond - City of New Haven, CT in Connecticut

Brief Summary

New Haven licenses sidewalk work and excavation separately, and the city states plainly that the same bond cannot be used for both licenses. Getting the right sidewalk bond on file, with an original verification letter, is what keeps a Sidewalk License application from being turned away at the Permit and License Center.

Contractors who construct, relay or repair sidewalks, curbs or combined curb and gutter on New Haven's public streets need a walk and curb contractor license from the Department of Public Works under Code Sec. 27-105. Sec. 27-106 requires a surety bond filed with the City of New Haven, and the city's application calls for it to stay in place a minimum of three years. The license fee is $350 and the license expires December 31.

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How to Apply for a Curb and Sidewalk ($20,000) Bond:

• Confirm with the Permit and License Center the bond amount it wants on file before the bond is issued.
• Legal business name and address exactly as they will appear on the Sidewalk License application.
• Owner name and home address for the surety's credit review.
• Original Bond Verification Letter from the surety.
• Certificate of Insurance naming the City of New Haven as additional insured.
• Copy of a State Contractors License if this is your first application, plus the $350 license fee.

Detailed Information About the Connecticut Curb and Sidewalk ($20,000) Bond:

Check the bond amount before it is issued

Sec. 27-106 of the New Haven Code sets the walk and curb contractor bond at $10,000, and the city's current Sidewalk License Application asks for a $10,000 sidewalk bond held a minimum of three years. This page is written for a $20,000 bond. Before the bond is issued, ask the Permit and License Center which penal sum it wants on file for your license so the paperwork matches.

One bond per license

The city's Excavation and Sidewalk Licensing Information sheet says that when applying for an Excavation License and a Sidewalk License, you cannot use the same bond for both. A contractor who digs in the right of way and also pours sidewalk needs two bonds.

Who needs the license

Sec. 27-105 says no person, firm or corporation shall, as contractor, construct, relay or repair sidewalks, curbs or combined curb and gutter on the public streets of the city unless licensed by the director of public works. A property owner or the owner's agent may make minor repairs to an existing walk in an area no more than 2 feet long and 2 feet wide, or to a curb no more than 2 feet long, without a license.

What the bond guarantees

The bond must come from a surety company authorized to do business in the city. It is conditioned on the contractor indemnifying and saving harmless the city and the director from suits and actions, faithfully performing the work, restoring any street the contractor excavates to as good a condition as before, following Department of Public Works rules and permit terms, and paying fines imposed for violations.

Fees, term and paperwork

The Sidewalk License fee is $350 and the license expires December 31 following issue under Sec. 27-107. It is not transferable. The application asks for a Bond Verification Letter, originals only, a Certificate of Insurance naming the City of New Haven as additional insured, and a copy of a State Contractors License for first time applicants. The city will not accept applications with missing documentation or without payment, and an expired document during the license period stops permits from being issued. Under Sec. 27-108 each job also needs a permit from the city engineer before work starts.

What the premium depends on

The city does not set the premium. The surety prices it from the owner's credit and the company's history. Because the city wants the bond in place for at least three years, ask how renewal premiums will be billed.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Connecticut Curb and Sidewalk ($20,000) Bond:

• A surety company authorized to do business in the city.
• A sidewalk bond separate from any excavation bond. The city does not accept one bond for both licenses.
• Bond in place a minimum of three years, with renewal documents supplied each year.
• License renewed each year before the December 31 expiration. Licenses are not transferable.
• A permit from the city engineer before each job, and notice to the Department of Public Works when the work is finished.

Connecticut Curb and Sidewalk ($20,000) Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Connecticut Curb and Sidewalk ($20,000) Bond: