Mobility Permit System - City of Houston

Home

Reports

View Permit Status

Investigation

Permit Map

Roadway Obstruction Permit Information

A Roadway Obstruction Permit is required for the closure of lanes on all streets within the City of Houston unless the applicant meets the General Permit requirements. The Roadway Obstructions Ordinance can be found here.

An application for roadway obstruction requires a minimum of 10 business days for review. Notification will be sent via email once the application is approved or denied. The permit can be paid for and printed online.

The status of an application may be checked at any time on this web site.

Dates and times requested may be subject to change based on traffic mobility.

If an excavation is required, a Street Cut Permit must be obtained before applying for a Roadway Obstruction Permit.

Proof of insurance is required to apply for a permit. However, the Traffic Engineer may issue a permit to a department of the City, waive the permit fee and not require evidence of insurance.

The permit holder shall ensure that there is no period of 15 consecutive days or more during which the work site is inactive.

A project schedule must be submitted if the time required to complete the work is more than 14 days.

A request to close a sidewalk or street within the Central Business District for more than 7 days must be approved by the Central City Mobility Task Force.

A traffic control plan may be required when obstructing more than one lane of traffic. A registered professional engineer must sign the plan before submitting it to the City of Houston. A single lane closure may not require a signed traffic control plan, but is required to follow Part IV of the Texas Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

An emergency lane or sidewalk closure, that creates a concern to the health, safety or welfare of the public, may commence without issuance of a permit provided the City is notified and a permit application is submitted within 24 hours. The notification shall include the nature of the emergency, a description of the obstruction, as well as the name and emergency telephone number of the applicant.

In certain areas of the City, coordination with other agencies must take place before final approval of a permit application. In such a case, additional review time may be required. The affected areas of coordination include:

Central Business District

Galleria Area

METRO Light Rail and Transit Corridors

Texas Medical Center

Greenway Plaza

If a permit is required for a work zone where another company has already been granted a permit, the applicant must coordinate work with that company before submitting an application.

Minimum Insurance Requirements:

$100,000.00 for property damage per occurrence

$250,000.00 per person and $500,000.00 per occurrence, for bodily injury or death

City of Houston must be named as co-insured on the policy

Fee Schedule:

Single lane closure on local street $61.03 per lane, per block, per week
Single lane closure of roadway on major thoroughfare or major collector street outside CBD $109.86per lane, per block, per week during off peak traffic hours

$134.26 per lane, per block, per week during peak traffic hours
Single lane closure of roadway on major thoroughfare or major collector street inside CBD $128.17 per lane, per block, per week during off peak traffic hours

$164.77 per lane, per block, per week during peak traffic hours or when lane usage is reduced to less than two lanes in the Central Business District
$30.51 Administration Fee added for permits greater than $50.

	Roadway Obstruction Permit Information
A Roadway Obstruction Permit is required for the closure of lanes on all streets within the City of Houston unless the applicant meets the General Permit requirements. The Roadway Obstructions Ordinance can be found here. An application for roadway obstruction requires a minimum of 10 business days for review. Notification will be sent via email once the application is approved or denied. The permit can be paid for and printed online. The status of an application may be checked at any time on this web site. Dates and times requested may be subject to change based on traffic mobility. If an excavation is required, a Street Cut Permit must be obtained before applying for a Roadway Obstruction Permit. Proof of insurance is required to apply for a permit. However, the Traffic Engineer may issue a permit to a department of the City, waive the permit fee and not require evidence of insurance. The permit holder shall ensure that there is no period of 15 consecutive days or more during which the work site is inactive. A project schedule must be submitted if the time required to complete the work is more than 14 days. A request to close a sidewalk or street within the Central Business District for more than 7 days must be approved by the Central City Mobility Task Force. A traffic control plan may be required when obstructing more than one lane of traffic. A registered professional engineer must sign the plan before submitting it to the City of Houston. A single lane closure may not require a signed traffic control plan, but is required to follow Part IV of the Texas Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. An emergency lane or sidewalk closure, that creates a concern to the health, safety or welfare of the public, may commence without issuance of a permit provided the City is notified and a permit application is submitted within 24 hours. The notification shall include the nature of the emergency, a description of the obstruction, as well as the name and emergency telephone number of the applicant. In certain areas of the City, coordination with other agencies must take place before final approval of a permit application. In such a case, additional review time may be required. The affected areas of coordination include: Central Business District Galleria Area METRO Light Rail and Transit Corridors Texas Medical Center Greenway Plaza If a permit is required for a work zone where another company has already been granted a permit, the applicant must coordinate work with that company before submitting an application. Minimum Insurance Requirements: $100,000.00 for property damage per occurrence $250,000.00 per person and $500,000.00 per occurrence, for bodily injury or death City of Houston must be named as co-insured on the policy