Complete Guide to Hennepin County Road & Right-of-Way Permits (RTVision Portal)

If you are a contractor, utility provider, or a local property owner looking to build a new driveway, run a utility line, or move heavy equipment across county roads, you cannot just start digging. You must secure an official Hennepin County Road & Right-of-Way (ROW) Permit.

Hennepin County manages these applications online using a dedicated e-permitting software dashboard powered by RTVision (OneGov). This comprehensive guide covers the types of permits found on this dashboard, the registration rules, and how to apply properly to ensure your project stays legally compliant.

1. Breakdown of Permits on the Hennepin County Dashboard

When you log into the official e-permitting portal, you will see four distinct permit categories. Each serves a unique legal and logistical purpose:

A. Driveway / Entrance Permits

This category is essential for residential and commercial real estate developers who need to connect a property’s access point directly to a county-maintained highway or road.

• New Development / Commercial Driveway:
  Required for new business setups or subdivisions exiting onto county paths.
• Residential Single Driveway:
  Required for single-family homeowners looking to install a new driveway, shift an existing one, or build a farm access point.
• Temporary / Construction Driveway:
  Used purely for temporary access during heavy construction phases, which must be completely removed once the work concludes.

B. Utility / Obstruction Permits

If your business or utility company needs to install lines, place equipment, or temporarily block traffic on county infrastructure, you need an obstruction clearance.

• Small Cell:
  For telecommunication companies installing small cell units onto existing utility poles within the public right-of-way.
• Utility / Right-of-Way / Obstruction Permit:
  For excavation work, lane closures, traffic control setups, or standard pipe/cable maintenance.
• Signal Cabinet Wrapping:
  Specifically for municipal or aesthetic wrapping of official traffic control signal boxes.

C. Transportation / Moving Permits

Minnesota laws enforce strict weight, height, and length limitations on roadways. If your commercial trucks exceed standard load laws, you must apply here.

• Annual Permit:
  Valid for a full calendar year for regular oversized logistics under standard limits.
• Building Permit (Hauling):
  Required if you are physically hauling a physical building structure (like a house, garage, or shed) across county roads.
• Single Trip (OS / OSOW):
  Specialized short-term permits for Over-Size (OS) or Over-Size-Over-Weight (OSOW) loads that cannot exceed specific statutory thresholds.

2. Setting Up Your Account: The Insurance Rule

As seen on the Permit Registration block of the system dashboard, you cannot immediately click “Start New” and get approved. You must first register as either a New Moving User or a New Utility User.

The Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) Requirement:
To get your account approved by Hennepin County Public Works, your business must upload its most current Certificate of Liability Insurance. The county requires minimum coverage caps to protect public assets from structural damage, erosion, or lane closure delays caused by your crew.

3. Important Fee Framework & Penalties

Hennepin County enforces strict rules regarding how road work is completed and restored.

• Two-Year Repair Rule:
  The permit holder remains financially responsible for the maintenance and repair of any roadway failures (like soil erosion, asphalt potholes, or rutting) for two (2) full years after the project completion form is processed.
• Delay Penalties:
  If you excavate or dig into a county road surface, permanent restoration work must commence within 24 hours. Failure to comply or clear an obstruction on time triggers an automatic penalty of $100.00 per day until the infrastructure is restored to equal or better condition.

4. How to Access the Central E-Permitting System

To manage your filings, upload documents, or check your approval tracking status:

1. Visit the centralized cloud portal at Hennepin County Permits via RTVision.
2. If you are a first-time contractor, click “Sign Up” in the top right corner to configure your profile.
3. Upload your insurance data, select your specific permit type, and click “Start New” to submit your blueprints or traffic control road maps.

Conclusion

Understanding the nuances of the Hennepin County RTVision portal keeps your commercial operations running without legal interruptions. By verifying your insurance papers early, choosing the correct single-trip or driveway classification, and completing pavement restorations within the county’s strict 24-hour window, you can avoid steep delay penalties and protect your local project timelines.

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