The Benton County Road Department has permits for road approaches (driveways), oversized loads, and utilities. More information about these can be found here.
If your property is located within a short plat (a subdivision of 4 or fewer lots), a plat (a subdivision of greater than 4 lots - streets are paved), or has a survey recorded with the County, the County Auditor’s Office can provide you with a copy of this information. You can also visit the County Assessor’s Office website and use their property search engine.
You may put a fence anywhere on your own property. You are responsible for ensuring that your fence is not built on adjacent property or within the County’s right-of-way. Benton County Road Department staff can stake the road right-of-way in front of your property; they will not stake your property frontage. Contact the Benton County Building Department at (509) 735-3500 to determine if you will need a building permit for your project. Please consider how your fence may impact vehicular traffic and sight distances, particularly at intersections, driveways, etc.
We cannot provide this service. Please contact a private land surveying company to locate your property lines . Please bear in mind that a professional land surveyor is a licensed position in the State of Washington; only work completed by or under the direction of a professional land surveyor will be considered valid with respect to Washington state law.
Small portions of northern and southern Benton County are classified as open range. For exact locations, please contact our office (509) 786-5611. The Benton County Public Works Web Map (with the "LiveStockRestricted" layer turned on) will also show you the restricted zones.
Please contact the Benton County Planning Department or use the Benton County Web Map (with the zoning layer turned on).
A flood plain is any land that is likely to be flooded if flood stage is reached, usually any property abutting a body of water (such as the Yakima River) would be included. To find out if your property is in the flood plain, please contact the Benton County Planning Department at (509) 786-5612 or (509) 736-3086.
If your property is within the city limits of one of Benton County’s municipalities (Benton City, Kennewick, Prosser, Richland, or West Richland), please contact your city's respective Planning Department. If the property is NOT within City limits, please contact the Benton County Planning Department.
In the past, Benton County budgeted an amount each year to pave gravel roads. This program was contingent on funding and dedicated right-of-way from adjacent landowners. With budgets being reduced around the state, this program is no longer active. However, you can ask about entering into a County Road Improvement District (CRID). A CRID allows for a section of road to be improved at the expense of those owning property adjacent. For more information, please contact our office (509) 786-5611.
The Benton County Road Department has, through its snow and ice policy, classified and prioritized the roads in the county road system in order to optimize resources to provide the greatest utility. The policy is updated on a regular basis. Input can be provided by contacting the Road Department office.
Contact Benton County Building Department at (509) 735-3500. The first installation of the sign is made by the Building Department; replacements are the responsibility of the property owner.
The blue road name signs designate a private road. To receive a name and a sign, a private road must serve five (5) or more residences. Green road name signs designate County roads. Both private and County road name signs are installed and maintained by the County Road Department.
A missing stop sign or warning sign should be reported immediately. Between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. call the County Road Department at (509) 786-5611. Outside those hours, call non-emergency dispatch (509) 628-0333. Missing or damaged street name signs or informational signs should be reported to the County Road Department at the numbers above - leave a message if after hours.
Benton County does not install warning or informational signs, other than road name signs, on private roads. Please contact a private sign company.
