​Montoursville, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is reminding property owners that if planned property improvements include constructing or altering a driveway that connects to a state highway, a Highway Occupancy Permit (HOP) must first be obtained by PennDOT.

HOPs for driveways are required by Section 420 of Title 36, also known as the State Highway Law. Property owners without these permits should obtain one from PennDOT as the permit legitimizes the driveway and is evidence of the driveway’s compliance with the law.

Permit applications may be submitted online or by using paper applications. To apply online, visit the department’s webpage on permits by typing “PennDOT HOP” into the search bar. On the page applicants may access PennDOT’s Electronic Permitting System (ePermitting) or complete a paper application by downloading the form here or by typing “PennDOT HOP related forms” into your search bar.

Permit applications can be obtained from PennDOT county offices as well, with office location information found on the department website or by typing “PennDOT District 3 contact information” into your search bar. Completed applications should then be submitted to the county office for review, at which time PennDOT will review the driveway location for compliance with applicable laws, criteria, and regulations such as sight distance, drainage and the proposed driveway design features, in order to confirm the driveway meets required standards. This review helps property owners identify any concerns with the driveways that would need corrected to maintain safe and effective access to the adjacent state routes.

Property owners need to apply for a permit at least 30 days in advance of the date they plan to start work on their driveway. However, to avoid potentially costly issues, PennDOT strongly encourages property owners to obtain a driveway permit before obtaining a building permit, which may be required in some municipalities by ordinance. Potential conflicts can often be avoided by determining an acceptable driveway location prior to constructing on the property.

Once the driveway construction or alteration is completed, the property owner should notify the local PennDOT office so that a final inspection can be conducted to verify that the work that was done is consistent with the permit.

The application/inspection fee for a residential driveway permit is $25. A property owner who fails to obtain a permit prior to the construction of a new driveway or altering the design of an existing driveway can be subject to a minimum of $100 fine plus court costs. Additional costs would also result if the driveway is installed improperly and needs to be corrected by the property owner or PennDOT.

Although a driveway permit is not normally required for paving an existing and properly permitted driveway, property owners should contact PennDOT’s permits department before paving an existing permitted driveway to discuss any potential impacts to highway drainage. If highway drainage is not properly accommodated, driveway repairs may be required at the owner’s expense to ensure the driveway does not impact the adjacent roadway.

For questions regarding permits in Bradford, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties call 570-368-4276.