How Do I Apply for a ROW Construction, Heavy Crane or ROW Maintenance Permit?

Instructions for Applying for a ROW Construction, Heavy Crane, or ROW Maintenance Permit

Follow these steps to apply for a Right-of-Way (ROW) Construction, Heavy Crane, or Maintenance permit using the Seattle Services Portal. This process helps ensure that your application for construction, use of cranes, or performing maintenance work impacts to the public meets Street Use's requirements for uses of the right-of-way with minimal impacts to the traveling public and existing infrastructure. For our example, we have selected a ROW Construction Permit. The application process for Heavy Crane and ROW Maintenance is the same. The information requested varies slightly, but the steps are the same.

Not sure what kind of SDOT permit you need? Refer to the SDOT web site for more information.

What You'll Need to Start Your Application

Before you start, gather these documents. What you will need varies by the type of permit you are applying for. Most are available on the Street Use Permitting Checklists, Forms, and Templates page. The initial documents frequently required are:

• Letter of Authorization: A signed document that gives permission from the property owner to another party (like the Applicant) to manage the permit or pay the fees (like the Financially Responsible Party).
• ROW Impact Plan: A ROW Impact Plan (ROWIP) shows all temporary construction-related uses in the right-of-way. We use the ROWIP to understand how the right-of-way will function during construction and identify safety, mobility, access, and construction conflict issues that need to be addressed.
• Site Plan (for many ROW Construction permits): A site plan is a plan view drawing or an illustration of a site as if looking straight down from above. A site plan shows the project site, proposed installations, and existing conditions in relation to each other. We use the site plan to understand the proposed location, what is being constructed and how the proposed installations may affect use of the ROW.
• SDCI Site Plan (for New/Replace Concrete Driveway permits): A site plan is an accurate drawing or map of a property that shows its size and shape; and the size, shape and location of man-made and natural features (such as buildings, structures, driveways, and trees) on the property. Site plans show both what currently exists on the site and what physical changes you wish to make to the site.
• Certificate of Insurance (for Heavy Crane permits)
• Any additional documents specific to your project. A reviewer will notify you if additional materials are needed.

What You Need to Know About Construction Pauses That May Affect Your Project

Your project may be required to pause and restore the site if it meets both the location and date conditions listed below.

FIFA World Cup Construction Pause (Summer 2026)

Your project will be paused if:

• It is located in a construction pause zone (shown with colored lines on the SDOT Construction Moratorium Map) AND
• Work in the right-of-way occurs between June 8 and July 13, 2026

For more information or to request an exception, see:

 Keeping Seattle Moving: Your Guide to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Construction Pause.

Lunar New Year Construction Pause

Your project will be paused if:

• It is in the Chinatown-International District moratorium zone AND
• Work in the right-of-way occurs 3 weeks before through 3 weeks after Lunar New Year

For more information or to request an exception, see:

Applicant Guide 1010: Holiday Construction Pause (Construction Moratorium).

Holiday Construction Pause

Your project will be paused if:

• It is in the Downtown Retail Core (including Pioneer Square) moratorium zone AND
• Work in the right-of-way occurs between Thanksgiving Day and January 1

For more information or to request an exception, see:

Applicant Guide 1010: Holiday Construction Pause (Construction Moratorium).

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Log in or Register

1. Go to the Seattle Services Portal.
2. Log in:
   • If you already have an account, log in with your credentials.
   • If you don’t have an account, register for a new account before proceeding.

Step 2: Start Your Application

1. Click on the Home tab in the portal.
2. Under Create New, click Permits – Street Use.
3. Expand the ROW Construction section by clicking on it.
4. Click ROW Construction Permit (or Heavy Crane or ROW Maintenance).

Step 3: Provide Your Project Location

1. On the Location Information page, enter your project address. For best results, only enter the Street No. and Street Name when searching.
   • Street No. (required) - Enter the house or building number.
   • Street Name (required) - Enter the name of the road. For a numbered street, such as 700 5th Ave, only enter "5".
2. Click Search. If prompted, select the correct address or parcel number and click Select.
3. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 4: Provide Contact Information

On the Contacts page, provide contact details for:

• Applicant - You, the person filling out this application.

• Owner - The person or organization owning the property, business or asset.

  Tip: For construction use permits, the owner is typically the contractor working on behalf of the property owner.

• Financially Responsible Party - The person or organization in charge of paying any permit fees.
• Onsite Contact - The person available if we need to speak with somebody onsite.
• Optionally, add additional contacts like an Authorized Agent in the Additional Contacts section.

1. To add a contact:

   • Click Myself to auto-populate the contact information from your Seattle Services Portal user account. 
   • Click Someone Else to find an existing contact.  If the person or organization isn’t found, select the “Person or organization not listed? Add them here.” link.

   Note: If the Applicant or Financially Responsible Party is different from the Owner, a Letter of Authorization will be required later.

2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 5: Provide Your Project Details

1. On the Project Information page, fill in:
   • Project Name - Optionally, enter a short title for the project. This name appears on your invoice if you are billed.
   • Project and Location Description (required) - Describe the work to be carried out. Be detailed and specific about the scope and location of the work.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 6: Provide Related Information

1. On the Related Information page, optionally use this section to tell us about what else is related to your application, such as an SDCI permit, other SDOT permit, or enforcement action. The available fields will vary based on the type of permit you are applying for:
   • Optionally, enter a Project Name.
   • Optionally, enter a Customer Reference. There are two fields you may use for your reference. Both fields appear on your invoice if you are billed.
   • Optionally, enter Estimated Project Duration and Street and Utility Improvement Plan Number or Street and Utility Improvement Exception Reason.
   • Optionally, update the 24-Hour Contact and Restoration Party information.
2. In the Permit Priority section, note if your project supports affordable housing, SDOT projects, or other transportation initiatives.
3. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 7: Provide Project Use Information

1. On the Use Information page, review the banner for any attention message indicating date(s) when all use of the right-of-way must be paused. 
2. Scroll down and click Add a Row.
3. A pop-up window prompts you to provide your project information. Fill in the fields. Required fields are marked with a red asterisk. Click on a blue circle with a question mark for help.
   • Use Type (required) - Select a Use from the dropdown.
   • Space (required) - Defaults to "A." The Space is an informational designation for an area in the right of way. You may leave the default value. Note: If you add another use row for the same Use Type, then optionally update Space to "B," and so on.
   • Rate Start Day (required) - Defaults to "1." You may leave the default value.
   • Use Start Date (required) - Select the start date for your Use.
   • Duration (Calendar Days) (required) - Enter the number of elapsed calendar days for your Use.
   • Exp Date - Automatically calculates based on Use Start Date and Duration. It may not appear until the review step if you tab out of the field.
   • Total Days in ROW (required) - Enter the total number of actual days that you will occupy the right of way. This value must be greater than zero and less than or equal to Duration.
   • Side of Street (required) - Select the side of the street where work will be performed. For road closures, pick "Both Sides." If the work will be on more than one street frontage, you will be able to create another use row later in the process.
   • Work Days (required) - Defaults to "Every Day." Select from dropdown if not every day. Options are:
     • "Weekdays Only" (Monday through Friday)
     • "Weekends Only" (full weekend)
     • "Every Day" (seven days a week)
     • "Partial Week" (not all weekdays or not all weekend or a combination that is not included in the above options)
   • Use Area (required) - Enter the right-of-way area for the use, in square feet.
   • Sidewalk Impact (required) - Concrete sidewalk or asphalt pathway. Defaults to "None." If your work will block the sidewalk, select a value from the dropdown.
   • Bike Lane Impact (required) - 24/7 dedicated bike lane. Defaults to "None." If your work will block the bike lane, select a value from the dropdown.
   • Travel Lane(s) Impact (required) - General purpose travel lanes. Defaults to "None." If your work will block the travel lane(s), select a value from the dropdown.
   • Transit Lane Impact (required) - 24 hour dedicated bus or other transit lanes. Defaults to "None." If your work will block the transit lane, select a value from the dropdown.
   • Parking Lane Impact (required) - Paid or unpaid parking lanes or spaces. Defaults to "None." If your work will block the parking lane, select a value from the dropdown.
   • Other ROW Impact (required) - Alley, gravel shoulder, planting strip, and the like. Defaults to "No." If your work will block other right-of-way, select "Yes."
   • Do you need to request a Construction Pause Exception for this Use (conditionally required)
     • If you will continue your work during the pause, select "Yes." 
       Note: We may deny your request.
     • If you will stop all work during the pause, select "No."
   • Working Hours (start time/end time) (conditionally required)
     • If you selected "Yes" to request an exception, enter your actual working hours.
       For example: "8:00 AM - 5:00 PM." 
     • If you selected "No," enter "N/A."
4. Click Submit.
5. The pop-up form closes, and you are returned to the Use Details section. The project information you just added is visible.
6. Repeat steps to add additional project information.
7. Once all the project information is added, click Continue to proceed.

Step 8: Provide Curb Cut Information

1. If your application includes a Use for New/Replace Concrete Driveway, a Curb Cut Information page displays. Fill in all the fields.
2. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 9: Provide Construction Pause Request Information

1. If you requested a construction pause exception, a Construction Pause Exception page displays.
2. Fill in the fields. All fields are required.
   • Please explain why your work needs to take place during the Construction Pause - Enter the reason why your dates cannot be adjusted or your work paused.
   • Is this work already in progress or new work
     • Select "Continuation" if your work is already in progress and continuing into the pause. 
     • Select "New Work" if your work will start during the pause.
3. Click Continue to proceed.

Step 10: Attach Required Documents

On the Attachments page, a link to the list of required documents is available. Document requirements vary based on the uses on your application. Some documents are required at application, and some are required later during the review process.

1. To upload a document, click Select under the Upload Documents section.
2. Select your document:
   1. Click Select in the File Upload popup.
   2. Select your document and click Open.
   3. Click Done in the File Upload popup.
3. Select your document type:
   1. In the Document Type dropdown, select the document type that matches the required document you uploaded, otherwise the system does not know you have provided the requested document. For example, select "Right of Way Impact Plan" as your document type when uploading the matching document.
   2. Optionally, enter the Description of the document.
4. Click Save and wait for the upload to complete. Note: It may take a few minutes for your document to fully upload.
5. Repeat steps for each additional document required. When prompted, select the document type that matches the document you are uploading.
6. Click Continue to proceed.
   • If you see a red Attention message, that means you either have not selected the correct Document Type and/or have missed a required document.
   • If a document is missing, go back to step 1 in this section and upload the missing document.
   • If you selected the wrong document type on a document that you have already saved, upload the document again and pick the document type that matches the Condition in the Attention message. You may also add a description explaining that you are uploading the document a second time with the correct document type.

Step 11: Review and Submit

1. On the Review page:
   • Verify that all information is correct.
   • Make edits as needed by clicking Edit in the relevant sections.
2. Scroll to the bottom. Agree to the certification statement by checking the box.
3. Click Continue to submit.

Step 12: Confirmation Displays

A message displays confirming that your application is submitted for review. 

• Your record number format depends on the permit type:
  • Construction: SUCONST0000000
  • Crane: SUCRANE0000000
  • Maintenance: SUMAINT0000000
• Keep a record of your Record Number. 

An e-mail is sent to the four required contacts on the application notifying them of the application submission.

Congratulations! Your application has been submitted for review. The Street Use team will contact you if additional information is required. For questions or updates, email [e-mail] and include your Record Number in the subject line.

You can log into the Seattle Services Portal at any time to track the status of your application.

Need Help?

Visit the Seattle Services Portal Help Center, email [e-mail], or call [phone].