Surety Bond Encyclopedia

Excavation Permit Bond - South Williamsport, PA in Pennsylvania

Brief Summary

If you are cutting into a South Williamsport street, sidewalk or curb, the Borough wants a surety standing behind the repair before the permit is released. This bond is that guarantee. It is written to the Borough of South Williamsport in the amount the Borough sets, so the Borough is protected if a trench settles or a patch is never finished, and you are not tying up cash to cover it.

The Borough of South Williamsport in Lycoming County requires an excavation permit bond from contractors and others who dig in or open Borough streets and rights-of-way. The bond names the Borough as obligee and guarantees that the work follows the permit conditions and that the street surface is properly restored. Confirm the current bond amount, form and filing steps with the Borough office before the bond is issued.

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How to Apply for a Excavation Permit Bond:

  • Confirm with the Borough of South Williamsport the bond amount required for the planned excavation.
  • Ask whether the Borough supplies its own bond form or accepts a standard surety form.
  • Name the Borough of South Williamsport as obligee and the permit holder as principal.
  • Have the surety execute the bond and attach its power of attorney.
  • File the bond with the excavation permit application at the Borough office.
  • Keep the bond in force for any period the Borough requires after restoration.

Detailed Information About the Pennsylvania Excavation Permit Bond:

This is a Borough street bond, not a building permit bond

South Williamsport lists Codes Inspections Inc, at (570) 547-0488, for building permits. An excavation in a Borough street is a different matter. The street belongs to the Borough, and the excavation permit bond runs to the Borough of South Williamsport. Do not assume the building permit paperwork covers it.

Why the Borough can require it

Pennsylvania's Borough Code gives every borough the power to regulate its streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, culverts and drains. Title 8 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Section 1202(12), authorizes a borough "to regulate the streets, sewers, public squares, common grounds, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, culverts and drains" and their construction. Excavation permits and the security behind them are how boroughs put that power to work when someone opens a public street.

What the bond guarantees

The principal on the bond is whoever holds the excavation permit, usually the contractor doing the digging. The bond promises the Borough that the opening will be made and backfilled according to the permit terms and that the pavement, curb or sidewalk will be restored to the Borough's standard. If the permit holder walks away or leaves a failed patch, the Borough can make a claim and the surety pays up to the bond amount, then looks to the principal for repayment.

Before the bond is written

Call the South Williamsport Borough office and ask for three things: the bond amount the Borough requires for your opening, whether the Borough uses its own bond form, and how long the bond must stay in force after restoration. Having those answers before ordering the bond avoids a second trip to the Borough.

Eligibility and Requirements for a Pennsylvania Excavation Permit Bond:

  • Bond runs to the Borough of South Williamsport, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.
  • Guarantees compliance with the excavation permit and proper restoration of the street surface.
  • Posted by the permit holder, usually the excavating contractor.
  • Separate from the building permit process the Borough lists with Codes Inspections Inc.
  • Borough authority to regulate streets comes from 8 Pa.C.S. 1202(12).

Pennsylvania Excavation Permit Bond FAQs:

Who has to post the South Williamsport excavation permit bond?

The party taking out the excavation permit, which is usually the contractor doing the digging. The bond is written with that party as principal and the Borough of South Williamsport as obligee.

How much is the bond?

The Borough sets the amount. Ask the South Williamsport Borough office for the current figure for your opening before the bond is issued so the bond matches what the Borough will accept.

Does my building permit from Codes Inspections Inc cover street work?

Do not assume it does. The Borough lists Codes Inspections Inc for building permits. Opening a Borough street calls for the excavation permit and this bond, which runs to the Borough. Confirm the permit steps with the Borough office.

What happens if the patch fails after the job?

The Borough can make a claim on the bond if the restoration does not meet its standard. The surety pays up to the bond amount and then seeks repayment from the contractor, so fixing a failed patch promptly is cheaper than a claim.

Official and Additional Resources for the Pennsylvania Excavation Permit Bond:

All Pennsylvania Excavation bonds · All South Williamsport, PA bonds · All Pennsylvania surety bonds