Your driveway is two jobs. The part inside your boundary usually needs no council approval. The crossover, the strip across the footpath and kerb to the road, is on council land. Building, widening, moving or replacing it usually needs approval from your council, and it has to follow their standard design.
What counts as the crossover
Picture your driveway from the garage to the road. At your front boundary, the land changes from yours to council's road reserve. Everything from there to the road edge is the crossover: the section over the footpath or grass verge, and the dropped kerb (the layback) where cars roll down to the road.
Because pedestrians, stormwater and services all share that strip, councils control how it's built: its width, its slope across the footpath, how it meets the kerb, and how far it sits from trees, power poles, stormwater pits and intersections.
When you'll usually need approval
- A new crossover, for a new home, a second driveway or a corner block.
- Widening an existing crossover, such as single to double.
- Moving it to a different spot on the frontage.
- Replacing a cracked or damaged crossover, especially if the design changes.
If you're only replacing the driveway inside your boundary and the crossover stays as it is, approval usually isn't needed. Check with your council if you're unsure. Confirm with Josh which crossover jobs he handles and whether he lodges applications.
Gold Coast, Logan and Brisbane
The principle is the same in all three, but each council has its own application, fees, standard drawings and inspections. Always check the current version on the council's website before you start.
| Council | Covers | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| City of Gold Coast | Ormeau to Coolangatta, including Surfers Paradise, Coomera, Robina, Burleigh | goldcoast.qld.gov.au |
| Logan City Council | Springwood, Shailer Park, Beenleigh, Park Ridge, Jimboomba, Yarrabilba | logan.qld.gov.au |
| Brisbane City Council | Greater Brisbane | brisbane.qld.gov.au |
How it typically works
- Check the siteLook for trees, power poles, stormwater pits and the distance to any intersection. These often decide where the crossover can go.
- Apply to councilLodge the application with a simple site plan. Fees and processing times vary by council.
- Build to the standard drawingCouncil's drawing sets the thickness, slope across the footpath and kerb detail. It's often heavier than the driveway itself.
- Inspection, if requiredSome councils inspect the formwork before the pour or check the finished crossover.
New estates
In many new estates across Coomera, Pimpama, Yarrabilba and Park Ridge, the developer or builder pours the crossover before handover. You then only need the driveway inside the boundary, built to your estate covenant. See our northern Gold Coast and Logan pages.