CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DIVISION OF INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT
PUBLIC WAY PERMITS DIVISION
2024
WORK LICENSE
APPLICATION
BRANDON JOHNSON
MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
PUBLIC WAY PERMITS DIVISION
Thomas Carney Jai Kalayil Bryan Gallardo
Acting Commissioner Deputy Commissioner Assistant Commissioner
Public Way Permit Office
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER BRYAN GALLARDO LETTER
II. IRREVOCABLE STANDBY LETTER OF CREDIT SAMPLE
III. CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
IV. APPLICATION - PUBLIC WAY WORK LICENSE
V. CONTACT NAMES & NUMBERS
VI. LICENSE APPLICATION CHECKLIST
VII. OPENING FEE NOTIFICATION LETTER
Dear Contractor:
Please be informed that on January 10, 1997 the City Council passed an ordinance which
will affect all contractors who perform work in the public way which necessitates
pavement removal and/or excavation.
Some of the provisions of this ordinance are, but not limited to, the following:
1. Provides for licensing of all non-Governmental entities or contractors working in
the public way.
2. A condition of the license is a letter of credit, in an amount commensurate within
the amount of work the contractor expects to be permitted for, during the calendar
year. The letter of credit will replace the necessity for cash deposits per pavement
opening to guarantee restoration. A complete explanation of the letter of credit
requirements is attached.
3. Provides for penalties against licenses and/or license revocation for licenses
failing to restore pavements to City standards.
4. A certificate of insurance naming the City of Chicago as an additional insured
will continue to be required as a provision of the license.
Please see the CDOT Rules and Regulations for Letter of Credit and Licensing
requirements. The CDOT Rules and Regulations have been posted on the city’s internet
site www.cityofchicago.org.
Also, attached for your convenience is a Public Way Work License application for your
use. In this first licensing procedure, we ask that the application be filed in person in
the offices of the Division of Infrastructure Management – Public Way Permit Division
in Room 905, City Hall by a representative of your company who is able to answer
questions pertinent to the permit request.
Please contact Kevin Holman at 312-744-4652 for additional information.
Very truly yours,
Bryan Gallardo
Assistant Commissioner
Department of Transportation
Required Form of Letter of Credit for Public Way Work License
IRREVOCABLE STANDBY LETTER OF CREDIT
(Date)
BENEFICIARY APPLICANT
City of Chicago [name of licensee]
c/o Department of Transportation
121 North La Salle Street
Room 905
Chicago, Illinois 60602
Gentlemen:
We hereby issue Irrevocable Standby Letter of Credit No.
(“Credit”) in
favor of the City of Chicago for the account of ___________________ [name
of licensee] up to the aggregate amount of Dollars ($ ), effective immediately. This
Credit is issued, presentable and payable at our offices at __________________ ,
Attention , and expires at 2 P.M. Chicago time on December 31, __ [year
must be 3 years from license year].
Funds under this Credit are available to you unconditionally against your notarized
sight drafts for any sum or sums not exceeding a total of Dollars ($
) drawn on us
mentioning the Credit by number and signed by the Commissioner of Transportation of the
City of Chicago or the City Comptroller of the City of Chicago (whether acting or actual).
Funds drawn under this Credit shall be paid in the form of a wire transfer per instruction of
the City Comptroller, or, if the City of Chicago so specifies, in the form of a check made
payable to "City of Chicago" and sent by overnight delivery to the City of Chicago at the
address listed above.
Partial and multiple drawings are permitted.
This Credit sets forth in full the terms of our undertaking and may be amended only
by a written amendment signed by us and by the beneficiary.
Our obligations hereunder are primary obligations to the City of Chicago. We hereby
engage with you we will honor drafts drawn and presented under and in compliance with the
terms of this Credit.
This Credit is subject to the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits,
International Chamber of Commerce Publication No. 500, 1993 revision (“UCP”) and to the
Uniform Commercial Code - Letters of Credit, 810 ILCS 5/5-101 et seq., as amended, as in
effect in the State of Illinois (“UCC”). To the extent the provisions of the UCP and the UCC
conflict, the provisions of the UCC shall control.
Name of Issuing Institution
By:
(signature)
Name:
Title:
Page -2-
TO ALL APPLICANTS FOR PUBLIC WAY PERMITS:
Effective January 1, 1995, each applicant for a public way permit will be required to:
1. Furnish a certificate of Comprehensive General Liability insurance including an
endorsement that reads “City of Chicago is an additional insured, as their
interests may appear”. Minimum Limits of Liability: $1,000,000 per occurrence.
2. Where applicant uses a motor vehicle (any type), in the conduct of business
including the use of said vehicles on boulevards, or requires a permit for the
parking of said vehicle or vehicles on the public way, applicant will also be
required to furnish a certificate of automobile insurance including an endorsement
that reads “City of Chicago is an additional insured”. Minimum Limits of
Liability on motor vehicles, $1,000,000 per occurrence.
3. All policies must be written by Best “A” rated companies licensed to do business
in Illinois.
4. An original and one copy of each certificate in question should be sent to the City
of Chicago. The certificate holder is:
CITY OF CHICAGO
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PUBLIC WAY PERMIT DIVISION
121 NORTH LA SALLE STREET - ROOM 905
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60602
5. Upon receipt and approval of your certificate of insurance, your application for a
public way permit will be approved.
Page -4-
<Blank Page>
APPLICATION
PUBLIC WAY WORK LICENSE
1. Name: F.E.I.N. #:
Contractor:______________________________________
Individual:_______________________________________ Tax ID #:
2. Address:
Street:________________________________ City:__________________ State:_____ Zip:__________
Telephone #: Fax #:
If renewal of existing license and none of the following information has changed, skip to next box.
3. Company Ownership (25% or more / or largest % of ownership)
A. Name: _____ % of Ownership
Home Address: ____________ FEIN/Tax ID:
B. Name: _____ % of Ownership
Home Address: ____________ FEIN/Tax ID:
C. Name: _____ % of Ownership
Home Address: ____________ FEIN/Tax ID:
D. Name: _____ % of Ownership
Home Address: ____________ FEIN/Tax ID:
4. Level of Letter of Credit Provided $10,000.00 $50,000.00 $100,000.00 $200,000.00
Letter of Credit expiration date: ___________________________________________
5. Certificate of Insurance Provided
Policy #_______________________
Insurance Carrier:_____________________________________ Expiration Date:________________
6. Work Discipline (Check all that apply)
( ) Asphalt
( ) General Contractor
( ) Road Striping
( ) Concrete
( ) Landscaping
( ) Saw Cutting
( ) Electrical
( ) Plumbing
( ) Stump Removal
( ) Excavator
( ) Restoration
( ) Tree Removal
( ) Other
Page 1 of 2
APPLICATION
PUBLIC WAY WORK LICENSE Cont.
7. Application Information I agree to indemnify, save and keep harmless the City of Chicago from any and all loss, cost, damage,
expense of liability of any kind whatsoever which the City may suffer, or which the City may be put to, or which may be recovered
from the City, from or on account of the issuance of this license, or from or on account of any act or thing done be virtue of the
authority given in this license, or for any damage, loss or expense to any person caused by the tearing up, constructing, repairing or
removing of such public way or part thereof, whether or not performed pursuant to a valid license.
Applicant Name:______________________ Application Date:__________________
Applicant Signature:________________________________________________
8. Additional Information:
Name(s) of persons authorized to draw or cancel permits in the Company Name:
1._____________________________________________ 2.____________________________________
3._____________________________________________ 4.____________________________________
9. Emergency Contact Name and Telephone Numbers:
Name:________________________________ E-mail:
Cell Phone:___________________ Fax #:________________ Pager:
Page 2 of 2
CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
CONTACTS
KEVIN HOLMAN CIVIL ENGINEER II 312-744-4652
BRYAN GALLARDO ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER 312-744-4652
MICHAEL IMPARATO COORDINATOR OF STREET PERMITS 312-744-4652
WORK LICENSE CHECK LIST
DATE OF SUBMITTAL
All of the above documents must be returned in person to Kevin Holman for processing
at:
CITY OF CHICAGO
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
DIVISION OF INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT
CITY HALL – ROOM 905
121 NORTH LA SALLE STREET
CHICAGO, IL 60602
Opening Fee Notification Letter
TO: All Licensed Public Way Contractors
FROM: Bryan Gallardo
Assistant Commissioner
DATE: 1 January 2024
RE: 2023 Opening Fees
Pursuant to Section 10-20-150 of the Municipal Code of Chicago, all permit fees required
under this section shall be increased by 5% annum.
The permit fee for creating a pavement or sidewalk opening shall be $706.16 for each
opening. A permit fee for creating an opening in any sidewalk or unimproved portion of
the public way shall be $353.07 for each such opening.
All permit fees shall take place effective January 1, 2024.
Please remember that your work license expires on December 31
st
. To renew your work
license, you will need the following:
1. An amendment to your original letter of credit extending the expiry date
to 12/31/27
2. A license fee of $125.00 made payable to the City of Chicago
3. A current certificate of general liability and auto liability insurance in the amount
of $1,000,000.00 naming the City of Chicago as an additional insured.
4. An updated application for public work license.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.