- Home
- Government
- Departments
- Engineering
- Permits & Fees
Permits & Fees
The Engineering Department is directly responsible for issuing permits and/or collecting fees for the activities listed below. Assistance is also provided by the department to citizens that are involved in securing permits from and/or paying fees to other departments and/or state and federal agencies, particularly those associated with water and sewer, transportation and traffic, or land development.
SmartGov
Driveway, Infrastructure, Erosion Control, ROW Use Permits, and Floodplain Development Permits require the applications through the City's online permitting Portal. The SmartGov portal may be accessed here: City of Burlington NC Public Portal (smartgovcommunity.com)
Help Files for Engineering Permits and other SmartGov help files can be accessed here:
SmartGov Account Notification Help
Driveways
Whenever a modification to an existing driveway or the construction of a new driveway connection to a public street is proposed it may be necessary to obtain a permit. The North Carolina Department of Transportation District Office should be contacted for all driveway connections to NCDOT State roads. The District office is located at 824 South Main Street in Graham. Telephone No. 336-570-6833.
The City of Burlington Engineering Department issues permits for modifications to existing driveways or for new driveway connections to City streets according to the land use of the property being accessed and the nature of the construction (street type) of the abutting street. (See Table below)
Permits may be obtained at the Engineering Department offices, Municipal Building 425 S. Lexington Ave, Burlington, NC 27215. Telephone: (336) 222-5050 A fee in the amount of $30.00 for residential driveway permits and $50.00 for commercial driveway permits is due and payable at the time the permit is requested.
Land Use | Street Type | Permit Required |
Single Family / Duplex Residential | Ribbon Pavement with side Ditches | Yes |
Curb & Gutter with storm drainage | Yes | |
All Others | Ribbon Pavement with side Ditches | Yes |
Curb & Gutter with storm drainage | Yes |
Land Disturbing Activities
All land disturbing activities within Burlington’s jurisdiction that involve an area of one acre or more must meet all of the provisions of the Erosion and Sedimentation Control Ordinance. As a part of the application process for a land disturbing activity permit a fee must be paid according to the information presented below:
Disturbed Area | Required Fee |
Less than 1 acre | No fee or permit required |
1 to 2 acres | $225 |
Greater than 2 acres | $225 plus $100.00 per acre for each acre more than 2 acres, rounded up to the nearest whole acre |
Permits may be obtained at the Engineering Department office following the approval of an erosion and sedimentation control plan. The Engineering Department office is located in the Municipal Building at 425 S. Lexington Ave, Burlington, NC 27215.
Telephone: (336) 222-5050
Plan Submission Fees
Infrastructure Plans shall pay the Infrastructure Plan Review and Inspection Fee prior to plan approval based on final design. This fee is based on the fees adopted by City Council and published in the current fee schedule. The current fees and details can be found under plan Specifications and Details.
Right-of-Way Excavation Permit
All work and excavation within the City of Burlington’s Public Right-of-Way shall require an Excavation Permit as per City policy. This includes all taps to existing utilities, abandonment of taps, and any improvements required as a condition of development. For guidance please refer to the City’s Public Rights-of-Way Management Ordinance, Pavement Cut Policy, Pavement Degradation Calculations, Bond and Insurance Requirements, and Notice to Contractors.
The ROW Use Agreement may be found here: ROW Use Agreement
Reproductions of Drawings and Maps
The following information provides a summary of fees that are charged for the cost of reproducing drawings and maps that are available to the public. All requests for these reproductions should be directed to the Engineering Department, Municipal Building, 425 South Lexington Avenue, Burlington, N.C., 27215, Telephone: (336) 222-5050.
Reproduction Charges
Hard Copies
General Costs | $0.30 per sq. ft. |
Tax Maps / Plats | $1.00 per sheet |
Topographic Maps (1962) | $2.00 per sheet |
Aerial Photographs (1990) | $3.00 per sheet |
Aerial Photographs (1995) | $5.00 per sheet |
Topographic Maps (1996) Hard Copy | $10.00 per sheet |
Topographic Maps (1995) (1) Diskette | $25.00 per sheet |
Topographic Maps (1995) Compact Disk | All 78 Sheets for $600.00 |