How do I apply for a dropped kerb for my driveway?

A dropped kerb (the council term is a vehicle crossover) is an application to your local council as highway authority, and the process varies from council to council. Start at gov.uk's dropped kerb page, which routes you to your own council's form, fee and specification.

The typical process runs like this. You submit the application with a sketch or photos of the frontage and pay the application fee — typically £100–£300. The council inspects, checks visibility, trees, street furniture and any services under the footway, then approves or refuses. Approval commonly takes 6–12 weeks. The physical work usually has to be done by a highways-approved contractor — you cannot DIY works to a public footway — and all-in costs land around £1,200–£2,500 in most UK councils.

Two warnings. On classified roads you may need planning permission as well as the crossover licence, so ask the council which applies. And don't be tempted to lay the driveway first: driving over an un-dropped kerb damages the footway, and councils do serve enforcement notices for it.

Two extras worth knowing. If the council refuses — usually for sight lines, a nearby bus stop or crossing, a street tree or services under the footway — you can sometimes still get approval by shifting the access point or improving visibility, so ask exactly what failed before giving up. And the driveway itself has rules: surfacing more than five square metres of front garden in an impermeable material (standard concrete or tarmac) needs planning permission unless you use permeable paving, or drain the run-off to a border or soakaway on your own land rather than out to the road.

If the dropped kerb is part of a new driveway, budget for it as a separate line item — our driveway cost guide breaks down what else to expect, or get three free driveway quotes from vetted installers.