# Fort Bend County Plat Bonds, Maintenance and Right-of-Way Security URL: https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/metros/houston/fort-bend-county Updated: 2026-10-29 · Reviewed by the Principal, Gleason Insurance Brokers, LLC Publisher: My Contractors Insurance Quote, a website of Gleason Insurance Brokers, LLC In unincorporated Fort Bend County, the subdivision regulations price plat security per linear foot of roadway, from $25 for a gravel open-ditch street to $1,500 for a two-lane bridge, and the amount drops by half once the County Engineer certifies and accepts the construction. One bond from an A.M. Best "A" rated surety, or cash or a letter of credit, carries both construction and a one-year maintenance period until the roads enter the County Road Maintenance System. Right-of-way work is bonded separately, at 100% of paving cost or 25% of utility work cost with stated minimums. ## Key Decision Points - The Regulations of Subdivisions were adopted August 27, 2002, and revised January 9, 2024, but the bond and acceptance sections the County posts carry 2018 and 2019 file dates. - Section 3.9 sets initial security from $25 to $140 per linear foot of roadway by street type and $1,500 for a two-lane bridge, reduced by half after certified completion and acceptance. - Sureties must hold an A.M. Best rating of "A" or better, and the bond may not exceed the estimated construction cost of roads, streets and drainage. - The developer maintains the work for at least one year after construction completion, and the bond is released when the roads are accepted into the County Road Maintenance System. - Right-of-way performance bonds run 100% of paving cost, at least $65,000 per turn lane or median opening and 25% of utility work cost with a $5,000 minimum. ## Unincorporated Land and the Regulations in Force This page covers the unincorporated parts of Fort Bend County. Cities inside the County set their own subdivision and right-of-way requirements, and land in a city's extraterritorial jurisdiction can be subject to the city's rules as well, so the first question on any tract is which agency approves the plat and accepts the streets. Around Katy, for example, the city's own guarantee rules and municipal utility districts can sit beside the County's. The County's Regulations of Subdivisions were adopted August 27, 2002. The current title page reads revised January 9, 2024. The order approving that revision changed only the cover page and Appendix V, which now refers to platting and plat recordation fees adopted by Commissioners Court. The bond, maintenance and acceptance sections the County posts carry older file dates: Section 2 (general policy) and Section 6 (acceptance) are dated July 23, 2019. Section 3, which holds the bond schedule, is dated October 23, 2018. A September 2022 order later revised parts of Section 6, including a 120-day final-inspection window. Amendments from February and June 2020 were not part of the documents read here. Before pricing security on a plat, confirm the current version of Sections 2.11, 3.9 and 6 with Fort Bend County Engineering. For tracts near the city in the County's north end, compare the County rules with [Katy-area plat guarantees and MUD contracts](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/metros/houston/katy). ## Plat Security Priced per Linear Foot Section 3.9 ties the bond to roadway length, not to a percentage of the engineer's estimate. The bond secures the owner's obligation to construct and maintain the roads, streets, driveway entrance structures and all storm drainage and detention facilities, and it stays in force until that work is completed and accepted. The initial amounts per linear foot of roadway are: - Gravel open-ditch section: $25, reduced to $12.50 - Asphalt open-ditch section: $50, reduced to $25 - Curb and gutter section: $70, reduced to $35 - Boulevard section: $140, reduced to $70 - Two-lane bridge: $1,500, reduced to $750 How plat security compares across Texas cities and counties is explained under [Texas subdivision improvement bonds](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/construction-surety-bonds/subdivision-improvement-bonds/texas). ### Illustrative scenario: A Curb-and-Gutter Subdivision with a Turn Lane on a County Road Brazos Bend Homes LLC is platting a fictional 180-lot subdivision in unincorporated Fort Bend County with 9,000 linear feet of curb-and-gutter streets. Under the Section 3.9 schedule, its plat bond starts near $630,000 and would drop to about $315,000 once the County Engineer certifies and accepts construction. The surety it uses must carry an A.M. Best rating of "A" or better, so its broker checks that before the plat goes to Commissioners Court. The project also needs a left-turn lane on a County road, which calls for a separate right-of-way performance bond of at least $65,000 or 100% of the paving cost. The detention pond will not be accepted by the Drainage District, so the developer's agreement with its utility district assigns the pond and its liability exposure. The company and details are hypothetical; a real program depends on the County's current requirements, the surety and carriers involved and the firm's own risk. ## Surety Rating, Cap and Cash or Credit Alternatives Section 2.11 makes the bond payable to the County Judge and caps it so it does not exceed the estimated cost of constructing the roads, streets and drainage. Bonds must carry a minimum A.M. Best rating of "A" or better. That is a stricter floor than some neighboring counties use, and it can narrow the list of sureties a smaller developer has access to, subject to underwriting. In lieu of the bond, Section 2.11 lets an owner deposit cash or a letter of credit issued by a federally insured financial institution, while Section 3.9 refers to an irrevocable letter of credit from an acceptable Texas bank. The two sections use different wording, so confirm which bank qualifications the County applies before arranging a credit line. Section 2.8 also says construction does not begin until Commissioners Court approves the final plat and the County Clerk records it, which puts the security on the critical path. The County's bond form, Appendix M, was last amended in May 2022. One instrument covers construction and maintenance of the roads, streets, bridges and drainage in the right-of-way until the County Engineer approves them and they are accepted for maintenance, and private streets are released on acceptance by the homeowners association. The principal and surety also agree to defend and hold the County harmless, a term to read with the surety's indemnity agreement. ## One-Year Maintenance, Reduction and Release Section 6 requires the developer to maintain the improvements for a minimum of one year after the date of construction completion. Fort Bend does not use a separate maintenance bond percentage: the reduced Section 3.9 amount carries the maintenance period, and the bond is released when the roads are accepted into the County Road Maintenance System. Section 6 also lists what the County does not take over. It does not accept or assume maintenance, liability or responsibility for sidewalks, utilities or storm sewer systems, and the Fort Bend County Drainage District will not accept detention facilities for maintenance. Ponds therefore stay with the developer, a municipal utility district or a homeowners association, and so do the property and liability exposures that come with them. Whoever owns a pond after acceptance typically needs it on a liability program, and the developer's contracts should say who that is. Regional flood and detention issues across the metro are summarized on the [Houston-area construction insurance and surety](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/metros/houston). ## Right-of-Way and Driveway Bond Schedule Work in County right-of-way is bonded separately from the plat. Fort Bend County Engineering's permit page, with forms revised as recently as April 2026, sets performance bonds by type of work: - Roadway paving, including complete roadways, turn lanes and median openings: 100% of project cost - Turn lanes and median openings: at least $65,000 each - Driveway connections: $5,000 each - Utilities and miscellaneous right-of-way work: 25% of project cost, with a $5,000 minimum How other Texas agencies secure right-of-way work is explained under [Texas right-of-way and encroachment permit bonds](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/construction-surety-bonds/encroachment-permit-bonds/texas). ## Perpetual Bonds, Fees and Permit Timing The County's right-of-way guidelines allow a perpetual bond of at least $50,000 that can cover simultaneous projects, which suits utility and site contractors who work in County right-of-way often. A cashier's check payable to Fort Bend County, with a completed W-9, may be substituted for a bond, and the guidelines say the arrangement goes to Commissioners Court for approval. A permit that is not started is valid for one year. Permit fees on the County page are $150 for a residential driveway, $550 for a commercial driveway, $165 for a temporary driveway and $1,100 for a median or turn lane, with no fee listed for utility right-of-way work. The bond is the larger commitment, and a contractor carrying a perpetual bond should track how many open permits it is supporting. Bonding for contractors who work in public right-of-way is summarized under [Texas civil and infrastructure contractor bonding](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/audiences/civil-infrastructure-contractors). ## Atlas 14 Drainage, Insurance Terms and the Mobility Bond The Drainage District publishes the Fort Bend County Interim Atlas 14 Drainage Criteria Manual and Minimum Slab Elevation Criteria, listed as effective January 1, 2020, and updated in September 2021. The County says storm water detention is typically required to mitigate the impact of new development and that all detention facilities must be designed to accommodate Atlas 14 rainfall. Larger ponds and outfalls mean more of the Section 3.9 security and the maintenance period ride on drainage work. None of the subdivision sections, right-of-way pages or guidelines read for this page states an insurance requirement for developers or contractors. Insurance terms typically come from the permit, the owner contract or a municipal utility district agreement, so confirm them with the agency and the owner before binding coverage. Builders risk, contractors pollution liability for silt and storm water and completed-operations coverage that lasts through the maintenance year are worth checking, subject to underwriting and policy terms. Demand for this work is set to continue. On November 7, 2023, voters approved a $712 million mobility bond alongside a $153 million parks bond, and the County Judge's office described 70 new roadway projects and more than 20 traffic and pedestrian projects. Pollution coverage for grading, detention and drainage work is covered under [site development pollution liability](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/contractors-pollution-liability-insurance/site-development). ## Comparing Fort Bend with Harris and Montgomery Fort Bend prices plat security per linear foot and halves it after acceptance of construction. Harris County uses a much smaller flat per-lot schedule with a forfeiture rule, and Montgomery County uses higher per-foot rates plus a detention charge per acre-foot. A developer working across county lines should expect different security amounts, surety ratings and release events on otherwise similar subdivisions. The neighboring rules are laid out under [Harris County plat surety and right-of-way bonds](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/metros/houston/harris-county). ## Before You Ask for a Quote ### What to Gather - The current versions of Sections 2.11, 3.9 and 6 and Appendix M from Fort Bend County Engineering - Linear feet of roadway by street type, plus any bridge length - The surety's current A.M. Best rating - Right-of-way permit applications and the cost of each turn lane, median opening, driveway and utility crossing - The drainage report prepared to the Interim Atlas 14 manual and the pond ownership plan - Any municipal utility district or homeowners association agreement that assigns ponds, sidewalks or utilities ### What to Ask the Insurer or Surety - Does our surety meet the County's "A" or better rating floor? - Which letter of credit wording will the County apply: a federally insured institution or an acceptable Texas bank? - When will the County Engineer certify construction so the bond can drop to the reduced rate? - Would a perpetual right-of-way bond of $50,000 or more fit our volume of County permits? - Who will own and insure each detention pond after the County accepts the roads? - Does completed-operations coverage last through the one-year maintenance period? ## Broker Notes **Quick Answer:** Unincorporated Fort Bend County prices plat security per linear foot of roadway, $25 to $140 by street type and $1,500 for a two-lane bridge, halves it after certified completion and releases it when the roads enter county maintenance after at least one year. **Common Mistake:** Assuming the January 2024 revision rewrote the bond rules. That order changed only the cover page and fee appendix, and the posted bond and acceptance sections still carry 2018 and 2019 dates. **Broker Perspective:** A broker typically starts with roadway footage by street type, checks the surety rating floor and then adds right-of-way bonds and pond ownership to the same schedule. **Coverage Impact:** The County does not accept detention ponds, sidewalks or storm sewers, so those exposures typically stay with the developer, a district or an association, and a liability program that ends at road acceptance may leave them outside it, depending on the wording. ## Questions Buyers Ask ### How much plat bond does Fort Bend County require for a curb-and-gutter street? Section 3.9 of the County's posted regulations sets $70 per linear foot of roadway for curb and gutter sections, reduced to $35 once construction is certified complete and accepted by the County Engineer. The bond may not exceed the estimated construction cost. Confirm the current schedule with County Engineering, because the posted section is dated October 2018. ### Does Fort Bend County require a separate maintenance bond? Not as a separate percentage in the documents read. The same bond, at the reduced Section 3.9 rate, carries the one-year maintenance period, and Appendix M covers both construction and maintenance. The bond is released when the roads are accepted into the County Road Maintenance System. ### What surety rating does Fort Bend County accept? Section 2.11 says bonds must have a minimum rating of "A" or better in the most current A.M. Best Key Rating Guide. Cash or a letter of credit can be used instead of a bond, subject to the County's acceptance of the issuing institution. ### Will the Fort Bend County Drainage District take over our detention pond? No. Section 6 says detention facilities will not be accepted for maintenance by the Drainage District, and the County does not assume sidewalks, utilities or storm sewer systems either. The developer, a municipal utility district or an association typically keeps the pond and should plan its insurance accordingly. ### What bond does a utility contractor need for work in Fort Bend County right-of-way? The County's permit page sets 25% of project cost, with a $5,000 minimum, for utilities and miscellaneous right-of-way work. A perpetual bond of at least $50,000 can cover simultaneous projects, and a cashier's check may be substituted with Commissioners Court approval. Insurance terms are not stated there, so confirm them with the County. ## Official Sources 1. [Regulations of Subdivisions title page and order revising Appendix V (January 9, 2024)](https://agendalink.fortbendcountytx.gov/docs/2024/CCTR/20240109_3861/59554%5F010924%5FTitlepage%2Epdf), Fort Bend County Engineering (Commissioners Court agenda). Adopted August 27, 2002, and revised January 9, 2024; the 2024 order changed only the cover page and Appendix V fees. Verified 2026-10-25. 2. [Regulations of Subdivisions, Section 2 General Policy (file dated 2019-07-23)](https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/sites/default/files/document-central/document-central/engineering-documents/regulations-subdivisions/Section2GeneralPolicy.pdf), Fort Bend County Engineering. Bond payable to the County Judge, not to exceed estimated construction cost; A.M. Best "A" or better; cash or a letter of credit from a federally insured institution in lieu; no construction before plat approval and recording; one-year maintenance. Verified 2026-10-25. 3. [Regulations of Subdivisions, Section 3.9 Bond or Letter of Credit (file dated 2018-10-23)](https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/sites/default/files/document-central/document-central/engineering-documents/regulations-subdivisions/Section3PlatSubmittalProce.pdf), Fort Bend County Engineering. Per-linear-foot amounts by street type and for two-lane bridges, reduced amounts after certified completion and acceptance, irrevocable letter of credit from an acceptable Texas bank, bond in force until acceptance. Verified 2026-10-25. 4. [Regulations of Subdivisions, Section 6 Acceptance of Improvements (file dated 2019-07-23)](https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/sites/default/files/document-central/document-central/engineering-documents/regulations-subdivisions/Section6AcceptanceofImprov.pdf), Fort Bend County Engineering. Minimum one-year developer maintenance; bond release on acceptance into the County Road Maintenance System; Drainage District does not accept detention facilities; County does not assume sidewalks, utilities or storm sewers. Verified 2026-10-25. 5. [Appendix M Bond Form](https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/sites/default/files/document-central/document-central/Bond-Form-Appendix-M.docx), Fort Bend County. One instrument for construction and maintenance until approval and acceptance; private streets released on association acceptance; defend and hold harmless term. Verified 2026-10-25. 6. [Right of Way and Driveway Permits](https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/engineering/permits/right-of-way-and-driveway-permits), Fort Bend County Engineering. Performance bonds of 100% of paving cost, $65,000 minimum per turn lane or median opening, $5,000 per driveway connection and 25% of utility work cost with a $5,000 minimum; permit fees. Verified 2026-10-25. 7. [Right-of-Way Permitting Guidelines](https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/sites/default/files/document-central/document-central/engineering-documents/right-way-permits/ROW-Requirements.pdf), Fort Bend County Engineering. Perpetual bond of at least $50,000 for simultaneous projects; cashier's check with W-9 may substitute; Commissioners Court approval; one-year validity if unstarted. Verified 2026-10-25. 8. [Drainage District and detention guidance](https://www.fortbendcountytx.gov/government/departments/county-services/drainage-district), Fort Bend County Drainage District. Interim Atlas 14 Drainage Criteria Manual and Minimum Slab Elevation Criteria, effective January 1, 2020, and updated September 2021; detention typically required and designed for Atlas 14 rainfall. Verified 2026-10-25. 9. [Fort Bend County Residents Approve $865 Million Mobility and Park and Recreation Bonds (November 8, 2023)](https://pressreleases.fortbendcountytx.gov/County_Judge/2023/2023-11-08_Fort_Bend_County_Residents_Approve_$865_Million_Mobility_and_Park_and_Recreation_Bonds.pdf), Fort Bend County Judge's Office. $712 million mobility bond and $153 million parks bond; 70 new roadway projects and more than 20 traffic and pedestrian projects. Verified 2026-10-25. ## Related Decisions - [Texas MUD construction contract rules](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/construction-surety-bonds/public-agency-contractor-requirements/texas-municipal-utility-districts) - [Houston metro construction insurance](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/metros/houston) - [Harris County plat surety and right-of-way rules](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/metros/houston/harris-county) - [Montgomery County plat bonds and CLOMR bonds](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/metros/houston/montgomery-county) - [Texas developer bond and insurance rules](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/texas/audiences/developers) - [maintenance and warranty bonds](https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/construction-surety-bonds/maintenance-warranty-bonds) --- Start a quote request: https://mycontractorsinsurancequote.com/get-a-quote · Call 844-978-7283 Contract and insurance reviews are a courtesy service that may be available at times, depending on our workload and on the size, timing and complexity of the project. A review is not guaranteed and is limited to insurance considerations. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for advice from your own legal counsel, which you may need before signing a contract or obtaining coverage. Insurance and surety services are provided through Gleason Insurance Brokers, LLC. Site information is educational and does not constitute legal advice, a binder, an offer of coverage, a guarantee of eligibility or confirmation of policy terms. Insurance conditions are governed by actual issued policies; surety rights and obligations are governed by bond and indemnity documents.