The permit for a new driveway is about where it meets the road, so it comes from whoever owns that road. In Ohio that is the township on township roads, the county engineer on county roads and ODOT on state routes. In Pennsylvania it is PennDOT on state roads, through a Highway Occupancy Permit, and your municipality on local roads. In West Virginia it is the Division of Highways. Ask that office what culvert pipe it wants under the mouth of the drive before anything is dug.
First, find out who owns the road
A driveway on private land is mostly your business until it reaches the road ditch. That strip along the road is public right-of-way, and the road owner decides what goes in it: the width of the mouth, the pipe in the ditch, the sight lines. So the first step is learning who owns the road out front. A state route number on the sign is a good clue. PennDOT keeps a map that shows which roads in Pennsylvania are state owned. In Ohio, your township office can tell you in one phone call whether a road is a township, county or state road.
Jeff builds gravel driveways, farm lanes and private roads, and sets the culverts under them, across northeastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania and the West Virginia panhandle. Get the permit question answered, then call for a free estimate.
Ohio township and county roads
Ohio Revised Code section 5571.16 lets a board of township trustees require a permit, by resolution, before anyone installs a driveway culvert or digs in a township road, and applications go to the township fiscal officer. Bristol Township in Trumbull County is a good example of how it works in practice. Its culvert policy sends township road applications to the fiscal officer for trustee approval, sends county road applications to the Trumbull County Engineer's office, and sends state route applications to ODOT. The same policy calls a normal driveway culvert 15 inches across and 30 feet long, and says a bigger pipe may be required after inspection. Your township may differ, so ask.
Ohio state routes: ODOT
On a state route, ODOT has told property owners that a permit must be obtained from ODOT before a driveway is installed along a state highway, and that drainage pipe and ditch work in the highway right-of-way need permits too. ODOT's advice is to start with the local ODOT garage. Do this early. A state route mouth may have rules about where it can sit and how wide it can be.
Pennsylvania: PennDOT and your municipality
In Pennsylvania, work in a PennDOT right-of-way needs a Highway Occupancy Permit before it starts, and that includes a new or changed driveway and any drainage work. Most homes fall in PennDOT's minimum use class, meaning fewer than 25 vehicles a day. The property owner applies, and everyone on the deed signs the application. PennDOT asks for the application at least 30 days before work, through its ePermitting System or the district office, with a letter from your municipality showing it reviewed the driveway location. On a township or borough road, ask the municipality, since many have driveway ordinances of their own.
West Virginia: the Division of Highways
In West Virginia, driveway permits for state roads come from the Division of Highways. WVDOH says the permits are free from any Division office, the paper form goes to the district or county permit office where the work will be done, and applications can also go through the WVDOT permit portal. Its advice is to check with the district office before building. Steep drives around Wheeling often meet the road at an angle, so the sight line question comes up early.
The culvert is where drives fail
Most driveway trouble at the road comes from the pipe. A culvert too small for the ditch backs water up and washes out the stone. One set too high leaves a pond on the uphill side. One set too shallow gets crushed by the first loaded truck. A good culvert sits on firm bedding, follows the line of the ditch so water keeps moving, and has enough cover over it to carry the traffic. The road office sets the size. We set it to grade and build the drive over it. See driveway culvert installation and replacement.
Order of work
Settle the permit, then the 811 notice, then the dig. A culvert goes in a road ditch, and road ditches are where buried phone, cable and gas lines often run, so the utility marks matter here. Our 811 guide for Ohio, PA and WV covers the timing. After that, the drive itself is built in layers on firm ground, as our guide on how to build a gravel driveway that lasts explains.
Permit in hand, or not sure who to ask? Call Jeff. He will walk the route, look at the ditch and give you a free estimate for the drive and the culvert.
Common Questions
Do I need a permit for a driveway culvert on a township road in Ohio?
Very often, yes. Ohio law lets township trustees require a permit before anyone installs a driveway culvert or digs in a township road, and applications go to the township fiscal officer. Call your township before you buy pipe. It will tell you whether the road is a township road and what size culvert it wants.
What is a PennDOT minimum use driveway permit?
It is the Highway Occupancy Permit class for driveways with fewer than 25 vehicles a day, which covers most homes on Pennsylvania state roads. The property owner applies, with everyone on the deed signing, at least 30 days before work, through PennDOT's ePermitting System or the district office, and includes a letter from the municipality.
Who issues driveway permits on state roads in West Virginia?
The West Virginia Division of Highways. It says driveway permits are free from any Division office, the paper form goes to the district or county permit office where the work will be done, and you can also apply through the WVDOT permit portal. Check with the district office before building.
What to Do Next
Get the road owner's answer, then call us. Jeff will walk the route and give you a free estimate at (330) 625-5754. See gravel driveway installation and repair, culvert installation or our gravel driveway cost guide.