Part IX. Fees and Surety
24VAC30-151-700. General provisions for fees, surety, and other compensation.
Except as otherwise provided in this part, the applicant shall pay an application fee to cover the cost of permit processing, pay additive fees to offset the cost of plan review and inspection, and provide surety to guarantee the satisfactory performance of the work or use under permit. For locally administered VDOT projects, the permit fees are waived and in lieu of a surety, the locality may (i) provide a letter that commits to using the surety in place or (ii) have the contractor execute a dual obligation rider that adds VDOT as an obligee to the surety bond provided to the locality, with either of these options guaranteeing the work performed within state-maintained right-of-way under the terms of the land use permit for that purpose. A copy of the original surety and letter or rider shall be attached to the land use permit. Except as provided in 24VAC30-151-740, utilities within the right-of-way shall pay an annual accommodation fee as described in 24VAC30-151-730. In the event of extenuating circumstances, the Commissioner of Highways may waive all or a portion of any of the fees or surety.
Statutory Authority
§ 33.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 4, eff. November 23, 2011; Volume 42, Issue 5, eff. November 19, 2025.
24VAC30-151-710. Fees.
A. Single use permit. A nonrefundable application fee shall be charged to offset the cost of reviewing and processing the permit application and inspecting the project work, in accordance with the requirements in this subsection:
1. The application fee for a single permit is $100. Public rights-of-way use fees may be charged in lieu of permit fees in certain situations in accordance with law.
2. Additive costs shall be applied as indicated in this subdivision. The district administrator's designee will determine the total permit fees using the following schedule:
Activity | Fee |
Private Entrances | none |
Commercial Entrance | $150 for first entrance $50 for each additional entrance |
Street Connection | $150 for first connection $50 for each additional connection |
Temporary Logging Entrance | $10 for each entrance |
Temporary Construction Entrance | $10 for each entrance |
Turn Lane | $10 per 100 linear feet |
Crossover | $500 per crossover |
Traffic Signal | $1,000 per signal installation |
Reconstruction of Roadway | $10 per 100 linear feet |
Curb and Gutter | $10 per 100 linear feet |
Sidewalk | $10 per 100 linear feet |
Tree Trimming (for outdoor advertising) | in accordance with § 33.2-1221 of the Code of Virginia |
Tree Trimming (all other activities) | $10 per acre or 100 feet of frontage |
Landscaping | $10 per acre or 100 feet of frontage |
Storm Sewer | $10 per 100 linear feet |
Box Culvert or Bridge | $5 per linear foot of attachment |
Drop Inlet | $10 per inlet |
Paved Ditch | $10 per 100 linear feet |
Under Drain or Cross Drain | $10 per crossing |
Above-ground Structure (including poles, pedestals, fire hydrants, towers) | $10 per structure |
Pole Attachment | $10 per structure |
Span Guy | $10 per crossing |
Additive Guy and Anchor | $10 per guy and anchor |
Underground Utility - Parallel | $10 per 100 linear feet |
Overhead or Underground Crossing | $10 per crossing |
Excavation Charge (including Test Bores and Emergency Opening) | $10 per opening |
Two Month Commuter Lot Mobile Food Vending (available in Planning District 8 only) (weekdays and weekends) | $150 |
Single Weekend Commuter Lot Mobile Food Vending (available in Planning District 8 only) (per weekend) | $10 |
3. Permit term extensions for active permits shall incur a monetary charge of $50. Expired permits may be reinstated; however, fees for reinstatement of expired permits shall be $100. Notwithstanding 24VAC30-151-80, commuter lot mobile food vending permits may not be extended or reinstated.
4. If a permit is canceled prior to the beginning of the permitted activity, the application fee and the additive fee will be retained as compensation for costs incurred by VDOT during plan review.
5. The district administrator's designee, in accordance with 24VAC30-151-70, may establish an account to track plan review and inspection costs and may bill the permittee not more often than every 30 calendar days. If an account is established for these costs, the permittee shall be responsible for the nonrefundable application fee and the billed costs. When actual costs are billed, the district administrator's designee shall waive the additive fees in subdivision 2 of this subsection.
B. Districtwide permits. Districtwide permits, as defined in 24VAC30-151-30, are valid for a period of two years. The biennial fee for a districtwide permit for utilities and logging operations is $750 per district. The biennial fee for a districtwide permit for surveying is $200 per district. The central office permit manager may exercise discretion in combining requests for multijurisdictional districtwide permits and to authorize unlimited time extensions at the full cost of the permit fee for each two-year term.
C. No-fee permits. The following permits shall be issued at no cost to the applicant:
1. In-place permits as defined in 24VAC30-151-30 and 24VAC30-151-390.
2. Prior-rights permits as defined in 24VAC30-151-30 and 24VAC30-151-390.
3. As-built permits as defined in 24VAC30-151-30.
4. Crest stage gauges and water level recorders as defined in 24VAC30-151-500.
5. Filming as defined in 24VAC30-151-520.
6. Roadside memorials as defined in 24VAC30-151-550.
7. No loitering signs as defined in 24VAC30-151-570.
8. Litter pickup and volunteer mowing as defined in 24VAC30-151-620.
Statutory Authority
§ 33.2-210 of the Code of Virginia
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010; amended, Virginia Register Volume 31, Issue 7, eff. December 31, 2014; Volume 34, Issue 25, eff. September 5, 2018; Volume 38, Issue 12, eff. March 4, 2022; Volume 42, Issue 5, eff. November 19, 2025.
24VAC30-151-720. Surety.
A. Performance surety. The applicant shall provide surety to guarantee the satisfactory performance of the work or use for which a permit is requested. Surety shall be based on the estimated cost of work to be performed within the right-of-way or as otherwise stated in this chapter. Surety may be in the form of a check, cash, irrevocable letter of credit from a financial or banking institution, performance bond, or any other VDOT-approved method. An applicant for a districtwide permit for utilities shall provide a continuous surety in the amount of $10,000 per county. An applicant for a districtwide permit for logging entrances shall provide a continuous surety in the amount of $10,000 per district. There is no surety requirement for districtwide permits for surveying. Under no circumstances shall VDOT or any agency of the Commonwealth be named the escrow agent. No funds deposited with VDOT as surety shall be subject to the payment of interest. The surety will be refunded or released upon completion of the work and inspection by VDOT in accordance with the law. VDOT shall be named as an obligee on the bond or a payee for a check, cash, or revocable letter of credit. If a permit is canceled prior to the beginning of work, the surety shall be refunded or released.
Should the permittee fail to complete the work to the satisfaction of the district administrator's designee, then all or whatever portion of the surety that is required to complete work covered by the permit or to restore the right-of-way to its original condition shall be retained by VDOT.
B. Structure bond. Permittees installing, operating, and maintaining facilities within the highway right-of-way shall secure and maintain a continuous bond. Governmental customers may use a resolution in lieu of a continuous bond. The continuous surety shall be in an amount sufficient to restore the right-of-way in the event of damage or failure. The surety shall remain in full force as long as the facility covered by the permit remains within the right-of-way. A private or commercial entrance does not require a continuous surety. Any other installation may require a continuous surety as determined by the district administrator's designee.
Statutory Authority
§ 33.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 5, eff. November 19, 2025.
24VAC30-151-730. Accommodation fees.
The Commissioner of Highways or a designee shall determine the annual compensation for the use of the right-of-way by a utility, except as provided in 24VAC30-151-740. The rates shall be established on the value of the right-of-way being used to accommodate the utility facility. The rates for wireless facility installations shall be established on the following basis:
1. Small cell attachments to VDOT-owned towers and poles and placement of associated equipment shall be in accordance with § 56-484.31 of the Code of Virginia;
2. Wireless facility attachments and emplacements at VDOT-owned towers shall be negotiated in the same manner as resource sharing as set out in 24VAC30-151-740; and
3. A wireless support structure installed under a land use permit issued on or after July 1, 2018, shall have an annual use payment set in accordance with § 56-484.32 of the Code of Virginia.
Statutory Authority
§ 33.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010; amended, Virginia Register Volume 28, Issue 4, eff. November 23, 2011; Volume 35, Issue 4, eff. November 14, 2018; Volume 42, Issue 5, eff. November 19, 2025.
24VAC30-151-740. Exceptions and provisions to the payment of fees and compensation.
A. Pursuant to §§ 56-462 and 56-468.1 of the Code of Virginia, a certificated provider of telecommunication service shall collect and remit to VDOT a Public Right-of-Way Use Fee as full compensation for the use of the right-of-way by those utilities.
B. Pursuant to §§ 15.2-2108.1:1 and 56-468.1 of the Code of Virginia, a cable television operator subject to the public right-of-way use fee shall not be charged an annual use payment for the use of the right-of-way.
C. Pursuant to § 56-468.1 of the Code of Virginia, certified providers of telecommunications service shall not be charged permit application and additive fees or an annual payment under a resource sharing agreement for the use of the right-of-way.
D. Municipal or authority owned sewer and water facilities and renewable energy generation transmission facilities shall not be charged an accommodation fee pursuant to 24VAC30-151-730 for the use of public right-of-way.
E. At the discretion of the Commissioner of Highways, under the provisions of resource sharing as described in 24VAC30-151-30, compensation for the use of the limited access right-of-way may be negotiated and agreed upon through any of the following methods:
1. The mutually agreeable exchange of goods, facilities, or services only;
2. Monetary compensation only; or
3. A combination of both.
The Commissioner of Highways will ensure that the goods or services provided in any mutually agreeable exchange are equal to the monetary compensation amount established for the use and occupancy of the right-of-way.
F. VDOT may enter into wireless support structure agreements to permit the construction of wireless support structures or a wireless facility's occupancy of the right-of-way, consistent with applicable law.
Statutory Authority
§ 33.2-210 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010; amended, Virginia Register Volume 42, Issue 5, eff. November 19, 2025.
24VAC30-151-750. Reserved.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 26, Issue 12, eff. March 17, 2010.