Cook County right-of-way bonds.
$500 flat.
The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) Permits Division requires a $50,000 surety bond for pipeline, cable, fiber optic, wireless, and other private-utility construction/maintenance permits in the county highway right of way. Ours is $500 flat — the price you see is the checkout price.
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Three steps. One sitting.
A right-of-way bond is about the simplest filing DoTH requires. Here's the entire process:
Apply online
Business details and an effective date. That's the application — no financials, no credit section.
Pay & e-sign
Right-of-way bonds like this are among the thousands of bond types that issue right after purchase. At most, 1–2 business days.
File with DoTH Permits
Your executed bond and power of attorney arrive by email, ready to file with the Cook County DoTH Permits Division alongside your construction/maintenance permit application. Wet-ink original mailed on request.
What it is and who needs it.
What the bond actually guarantees
The Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways (DoTH) Permits Division issues construction/maintenance permits for any work performed within the Cook County highway right of way — including pipeline, cable, fiber optic, and wireless antennae installation. For that category of private-utility work, DoTH requires a $50,000 surety bond, higher than the $20,000 bond it requires for standard residential, commercial, or government permits.
It's a three-party arrangement: you (the principal), the surety carrier, and Cook County (the obligee), with the county and the traveling public as the protected parties. The bond remains in full force until DoTH releases it in writing, and stands behind proper restoration of the right of way after your utility work is complete.
It is not insurance for you — if the surety pays a claim, you repay the surety. DoTH's fee schedule and bond specifications for right-of-way work are published in the county's Roads and Bridges chapter; confirm which bond tier applies to your specific permit before filing.
You need this bond if you're
One application, issued instantly.
These are the actual issuing fields — no credit section, because this application doesn't collect credit information.
Start the application →Common questions.
Other Illinois bonds.
File your Cook County right-of-way bond today.
$500 flat, soft pull only, bond often issued in the same sitting. Free until issued.