Reporting Potholes & Road Problems Online
Published October 2026 · Last verified October 2026
Renew your license, register your car, and get REAL ID-ready without the line. Plus what the Ravenna and Kent BMV offices actually want from you.
A pothole is easy to spot, but who fixes it is not always obvious. In Ohio, the right office depends on whose road it is: the state, the county, or your city. This guide shows you how to tell, and how to report the problem online or by phone.
What's inside this guide
The printable PDF walks through 34 short chapters, in plain language. It also includes an everyday cheat sheet and at-a-glance pictures.
- Whose Road Is It, Anyway?
- The Main Road Owners at a Glance
- What to Gather Before You Report
- Telling State, County and City Roads Apart
- Reading Route Shields and Signs
- The Ohio Turnpike Exception
- Finding ODOT's Road Problem Form
- Filling In ODOT's Form, Step by Step
- The Route Number Box Trips People Up
- What Happens After You Submit to ODOT
- ODOT District 4 and Portage County
- The Portage County Engineer
- Township Roads and Your Trustees
- Reporting to the City of Kent
- Reporting in Ravenna
- Reporting in Streetsboro
- Other Portage County Cities and Villages
- Describing the Location Precisely
- Taking a Safe, Useful Photo
- Reporting From Your Phone
- Reporting From a Computer
- Calling Instead of Using a Form
- When to Call 911 Instead
- Streetlights, Drains and Other Problems
- Gas, Water and Utility Emergencies
- Vehicle Damage and Claims
- Keeping a Record of Your Report
- Following Up Without Frustration
- Scams and Fake Report Sites
- Helping a Neighbor or Family Member
- Using a Library or Public Computer
- Making Forms Easier to Read
- Winter, Thaw and Pothole Season
- A Few Plain Questions and Answers
Get the printable guide
Everything above is a quick summary. The full, printable guide — the same words, laid out to read and keep by the computer — is a free PDF.
Last verified October 2026. Information accurate as of October 25, 2026.
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