Home and neighborhood
Who handles a pothole or broken streetlight on my street?
Who handles it
Your city, town or county handles most local streets. The state maintains roads it owns, such as state highways. Report problems to whoever owns the road.
- Not Federal
- State
- Local
Facts checked November 5, 2026 · 3 sources
Why state and local government
Local governments own most public roads, and state and local governments maintain the roads they own. Federal roads are mostly on federal lands, such as national parks.
What to do next
- Report the pothole or dark streetlight to your city, town or county, by phone or through its website.
- If your community has 311, you can use it for non-emergency calls to local government services.
- If the road is a state highway, report it to your state transportation department.
In your state
Find your state’s official offices on our state pages.
What varies
Road ownership differs by place. A street may belong to a city, town, county or the state.
Learn the background: What is the difference between a county, a city, a township and a school district?
Sources
Official recordFHWA: About the Federal-aid Highway Program
Official recordFHWA: Conditions and Performance, Chapter 1: System Assets
Official recordFCC: 911 and E911 Services