Work Zone Compliance Guide for Permit Coordinators

What This Role Owns

• Identifying the correct permit and agency for the right-of-way.
• Submitting a complete application and tracking it to approval.
• Reading permit conditions and making sure each is reflected in the plan.
• Keeping the approved permit and conditions available for the field.

Identify the Right Permit

The permit depends on who owns the road. State highways generally require a Caltrans encroachment permit; county roads a county permit; and city streets a city permit. Confirm the correct one before applying.

• Confirm the road owner (state, county, or city).
• Confirm which permit that agency requires for the work.
• Verify current application requirements on the agency's official source.

Meet Every Condition

A permit is more than an approval — its conditions shape how, when, and where the work happens. Meeting the plan but ignoring a condition can still cause problems.

• Read every permit condition, including hours, notices, and restoration.
• Confirm each condition is reflected in the traffic control plan.
• Keep the approved permit and conditions available on site.

Common Pitfalls for This Role

• Applying to the wrong agency for the right-of-way.
• Treating the permit as approved before it actually is.
• Overlooking a permit condition that then surfaces in the field.
• Relying on fees or timeframes quoted elsewhere instead of the official source.