Right of Way or Easements Permit Bond - Pinellas County, FL in Florida

Brief Summary

If your project touches county right-of-way or a county easement, Pinellas County wants proof the work will be finished and fixed to its standards before it signs off. This completion bond is that proof. You pay a premium instead of posting cash, and the bond is written to your specific utilization permit and completion date.

Pinellas County requires a right-of-way utilization permit for private work in county right-of-way, such as driveways, sidewalks and sewer or water connections. Where the county calls for security, the owner or developer posts a Completion Bond for Work Within the Right-of-Way or Easements, naming the County of Pinellas as obligee. The bond guarantees the permitted improvements are completed and any deficiencies corrected by the stated completion date.

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How to Apply for a Right of Way or Easements Permit Bond:

• Apply for the right-of-way utilization permit through the Pinellas County Access Portal.
• Get the permit number and the required bond amount from Development Review Services.
• Have the permit number, site name, list of improvements and completion date ready.
• Complete the bond application in the owner or developer's exact legal name.
• Pay the premium and receive the executed bond with the surety's power of attorney attached.
• Submit the bond to Pinellas County with the permit file.

Detailed Information About the Florida Right of Way or Easements Permit Bond:

It is a completion bond, written to one permit

People often treat this as a general license bond that covers any job in the county. It is not. The county form, titled Completion Bond for Work Within the Right-of-Way or Easements, names a specific right-of-way utilization permit number, site name, list of improvements and completion date. A new job needs its own bond.

The principal is the owner or developer. The obligee is the County of Pinellas, or its successor in interest if the area is later annexed by a city. The penal sum is written into the form in words and figures. The form itself does not set the amount, so get it from the county reviewer for your permit.

Who needs the permit

Pinellas County requires a utilization permit for private projects in county right-of-way, meaning land reserved for public use. The county lists new or replacement driveways, sidewalks, sewer or water connections and temporary access as examples. Applications go through the Pinellas County Access Portal under Development Review Services, with the application form and a survey and plan of the proposed work.

What happens if the work is not done

The county notifies the principal in writing of items to complete or correct. If the principal does not fix them, the surety must complete or correct the work after 30 days' written notice from the county, including engineering and legal costs. The county may also finish the work itself through public bids, and the principal and surety are jointly and severally liable for the cost and any resulting damages. Changes to the plans or extensions of time do not release the surety. The bond becomes void once the work is completed by the stated date.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Florida Right of Way or Easements Permit Bond:

• County of Pinellas named as obligee on the county Completion Bond form.
• Owner or developer as principal, with full name, address and phone number.
• Bond amount stated in words and figures, as set for the permit.
• Surety signs through an attorney-in-fact, with authorization attached.
• Work completed per the approved permit, plans and county regulations by the stated date.

Florida Right of Way or Easements Permit Bond FAQs:

Official and Additional Resources for the Florida Right of Way or Easements Permit Bond: