Drainage Permits

The Hamilton County Surveyor's office requires a permit for crossing, outletting or working within the easement of a regulated drain. Regulated drains in Hamilton County consist of subdivision drains, field tiles, or open ditches and creeks.

Failure to Obtain a Permit

Failing to obtain a permit for work done on these drains will constitute a violation from the surveyor's office. The Hamilton County standards and specifications as published by the Surveyor's office must be met and approved prior to the beginning of the work.


Additional Information

For more information on regulated drains, fees and the permitting process, contact the Hamilton County Surveyor Plan Reviewer assigned to the area of the county the work is to be performed.

View our Plan Review Area Map (PDF) for more information about the plan reviewer assigned to those areas.

Permit Process

1. Surveyor Office Routing

  • Project is logged in the Surveyor's Office

2. Plan Reviewer

  • Reviews plans and drainage calculations
  • Existing site inspection
  • Writes review letter to engineer, developer and all affected parties
  • Project discussed at technical advisory committee meeting
  • Process of procedural items (signed petition to regulate, engineer's estimate, non-enforcement and checks, sureties)

3. Project Approved

  1. Goes to the New Regulated Drain Subdivision Projects (Green Files)
  2. Project is filed if it does not affect any regulated drains (Yellow Files). These may be for projects in a cities or town's municipal limits or other project not impacting a drain.
  3. Projects with other permits are routed to Permits Inspector (Blue Files). And inspection of project follows when it impacts the regulated drain.
  4. Green File is given to the Surveyor for Initial report to the Drainage Board.
  5. Inspection of Storm Sewer system of the Subdivision by the Inspector.
  6. Final Report made to the Drainage Board.
  7. Assessed for Drain Maintenance Fees.
  8. Maintained by Drainage Board Contractor.

4. Project Rejected

  • Plans are rejected with comments for revisions.
  • Plan is revised by the engineer or other request submittals are obtained.