---
title: "right-of-way permit: Definition and Meaning | NPSA"
description: "A right-of-way permit is local government permission to use public right-of-way, such as a street or the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk."
url: https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/right-of-way-permit
publisher: National Portable Storage Association (NPSA)
phone: "(816) 960-6552"
email: info@npsa.org
---

Site and permits

# right-of-way permit

A right-of-way permit is local government permission to use public right-of-way, such as a street or the grass strip between the curb and sidewalk. Cities often require one before a storage container, dumpster or similar item sits there overnight. Rules, fees and time limits differ by city.

## Why it matters

A homeowner who has no driveway space may ask a portable storage company to leave a unit on the street. Many cities require a permit for that, and some limit it to places where parking is allowed. Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, for example, requires a permit for storage in the public right-of-way and limits it to a set number of days. A common mistake is to assume the delivery company handles the permit. Some do and some do not. Customers and operators should ask who applies, who pays and how long the permit lasts before delivery day.

[Read: Permits, zoning, and HOA rules for container rental operators](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/guides/permits-zoning-hoa-for-operators)

Definition source: [wauwatosa.net](https://www.wauwatosa.net/government/departments/public-works/engineering/street-occupancy-permit-for-storage)

## Related terms

[### delivery access Delivery access is the space and route a truck needs to reach the drop spot. It includes the road, driveway, gates, turning room and overhead clearance. XCaliber Container gives a guide of about 10 feet of width on each side of the container and 13 feet of overhead clearance.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/delivery-access)[### zoning ordinance A zoning ordinance is a local law that controls how land can be used and built on. It divides a city or county into districts and sets which uses, building sizes and activities are allowed in each. Los Angeles describes zoning as turning a city's goals into land use rules.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/zoning-ordinance)[### temporary structure permit A temporary structure permit is local approval to place a structure on a site for a limited time. Some cities treat portable storage containers as temporary uses and set time limits instead of requiring a full permit. Names and rules differ by city, so the exact permit may have a different title.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/temporary-structure-permit)[### on-site storage On-site storage means keeping a portable storage container on the customer's own property, such as a driveway or a job site. The provider delivers the container, the customer loads and locks it, and the container stays there until the customer wants it moved or picked up.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/on-site-storage)[### portable storage container A portable storage container is a container made for rent or sale as movable storage. NPSA describes portable storage containers as ISO shipping containers retired from international shipping and offered on the domestic market. In practice the term also covers other portable units.](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary/portable-storage-container)

[All 220 terms](https://npsa.preview.multisites.ai/glossary)

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