Entrance Permits

If you're carrying out any of the following activities on a County of Lanark road you must have an Entrance permit.

• Constructing a new entrance
• Constructing a temporary entrance
• Changing the design, location or use of an existing entrance
• Paving an existing entrance

New entrances to County roads will only be permitted when access from a local municipal road is not possible.

How to apply

Each entrance requires a permit and we offer several permit types.  Applications will not be processed until the following documents are received:

• Application for Entrance permit
• Registered plan of the property or acceptable sketch showing dimensions
• Proof of ownership
• Required fee and deposit

Submit your application and documents by email to or drop it off to the Public Works Business Office.

Application types, fees and deposits

Fees and deposits can be paid by cash, cheque payable to Lanark County, Interac Debit or e-Transfer to pwpermits@lanarkcounty.ca .

Want to confirm an entrance before buying property

If you are thinking of buying property you may ask if an existing entrance has a permit. We will complete the necessary file search at no cost and respond to you within 2 business days.

Buying or developing land that requires a new entrance

If you are buying or developing land and require a new entrance, we recommend you make an Application for an Entrance Inquiry. If you are not the current owner of the lands you will require the owner's consent for you to act as an agent on the inquiry application. We will inspect the proposed entrance location and within 5 business days advise you if the entrance can be approved. When your property purchase or development has been approved and you are ready to construct the entrance you can change your inquiry into a full application. Do this by completing an Entrance Inquiry Confirmation and submitting the remaining fee and deposit. The amount of the remaining fee and deposit will depend on the type of Entrance permit you have applied for. Your inquiry application will remain valid for one year and if you proceed within this time period, we will deduct the inquiry fee paid off the full application fee.

Guidelines and criteria

The primary function of the County road system is to provide safe and efficient movement of through traffic over long distances at reasonable speeds. This function is diminished where uncontrolled development adjacent to the road creates turning and stopping movements by interfering with the free flow of traffic. For this reason, the guidelines to determine if an entrance can be permitted are complex. You will find the criteria for an entrance on a county road including spacing requirements between entrances in the Access to County Roads Policy. The current Access to County Roads Policy was adopted by By-Law 2024-28 at the June 2024 session of Lanark County Council.

How long will it take to get a permit

Under normal circumstances after a complete application package is received you can expect to receive your response as follows.

• Non-commercial entrances that comply with the Policy within 20 business days
• Private road, commercial, industrial, institutional or multi-residential entrances will be considered in conjunction with the site plan development or subdivision approval process. The response will occur within 30 business days from the date that the site plan is received.

If applications do not conform to the Policy you will be notified and we will arrange a site meeting to review conditions at the location and discuss alternatives. No further action will be taken by the County until the site meeting occurs.

Entrance applications will be processed pending weather conditions. Applications will not be approved when winter conditions make site inspections impossible.