Last updated October 2026
A dropped kerb for a new driveway costs about £2,000 to build at typical UK prices, plus your council’s own fee, which runs from £50 to over £500 across the councils we checked. Some councils build it themselves, some keep a list of approved contractors, and some let any accredited contractor do it. Allow three months or more from application to finished kerb.
Most of the cost is the construction; the council fee is smaller, but most councils keep it even if you are refused.
| Crossing | Typical UK price | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average to lower a kerb | about £2,000 | MyJobQuote |
| 2 kerbs, crossing under 2 m wide | £750 to £950 | MyJobQuote |
| Up to 7 kerbs, crossing over 3 m wide | £2,300 to £3,000 | MyJobQuote |
| Labour share of the construction | £800 to £1,500 | MyJobQuote |
| Council inspection fee, where charged | £50 to £150 | MyJobQuote |
| Traffic management, where needed | £200 to £500 or more | MyJobQuote |
| Planning application in England, if needed | £272 | MyJobQuote |
How much does a dropped kerb cost?
About £2,000 on average to build, according to MyJobQuote, ranging from £750 to £950 for a short two-kerb crossing to £2,300 to £3,000 for a wide one of up to seven kerbs. Councils that build crossings themselves publish similar figures: BCP Council gives a guide price of £2,000 for a standard crossing, North Yorkshire Council says “around £2000” plus a 10% admin fee, and Newcastle averages about £1,600 for a single crossing and £2,200 for a double.
The council’s fee comes on top of these figures.
What does my council charge to apply?
From £50 to over £500 among the councils we checked, and most fees are non-refundable. Here is what each council asks, as published on its own site:
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Council | Fee to apply | Who builds it | Area page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leicester City | £50, plus £100 if approved | Your contractor, approved by the council | Leicester |
| Liverpool City | £100 inspection, credited if the council builds it | The council, or your contractor under a street works licence | Liverpool |
| BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) | £130 | The council, or a street works accredited contractor | Bournemouth and Poole |
| Swansea | £132 | Only the council’s own contractor | Swansea |
| Southampton City | £140 | Your contractor, with street works accreditation | Southampton |
| Reading Borough | £156 | Private contractors under council conditions | Reading |
| Croydon | £163.60 | Check with the council | London |
| Nottingham City | £170 licence | Your contractor or the council: its two pages disagree, so check first | Nottingham |
| Kingston upon Thames | £183.86 inspection, non-refundable | Only the council’s approved suppliers | South West London |
| Norfolk County (Norwich) | £193.92 | The county council | Norwich |
| Bath and North East Somerset | £205.26, non-refundable | Only one of the council’s own accredited companies | Bath |
| Solihull | £210 | Only the council’s highways contractors | Solihull |
| Hampshire County | £211.90 (Fast Track £308.90) | Your private contractor | Hampshire |
| Merton | £235.80 | Only the council | South West London |
| Cardiff | £263 | The council or its nominated contractor only | Cardiff |
| West Sussex County | £200 assessment, plus a £287 licence | Your chosen contractor | Sussex |
| North Yorkshire (Harrogate) | £310.20 | Approved contractors only | Harrogate |
| Bristol City | £344 | Your own contractor | Bristol |
| Bromley | £350 | The council | Bromley |
| Surrey County | £383 | One of the council’s approved contractors | Surrey |
| Kent County | £500, plus £76 for each additional inspection | Any contractor with street works accreditation and £5 million public liability | Kent |
| Devon County | £568, paid by the appointed contractor | An appointed contractor | Devon |
| Dundee City | £400, plus a £190 road opening permit, issued only if consent is granted | Check with the council | Scotland |
Every area page on this site carries its council’s own rules. Fees change, often every April, so check the council’s page before you apply.
How it works
- 01Send photos of the driveRough size, what is there now and your postcode.
- 02We visitThe ground under the drive, the levels and where the water goes are checked.
- 03Written priceThe base, edging and drainage as their own lines.
Can my driveway installer build the kerb?
Only if your council allows it. Merton, Kingston, Swansea, Cardiff and Solihull let nobody but their own contractor build the crossing; Surrey, North Yorkshire and Bath keep approved lists; Bristol, Southampton, Kent and Hampshire let you appoint your own contractor, and Southampton and Kent ask for street works accreditation. North Yorkshire Council warns that doing the work yourself, or using a contractor it has not approved, is an offence. Either way, Alex arranges the kerb, through the council or an accredited contractor where the council allows one, and plans the drive around those dates.
How big must the driveway be?
Big enough to park a car wholly inside your boundary, and every council sets its own minimum. Published minimums include 4 m by 2.4 m in Leicester, 4.75 m deep in Birmingham, 4.8 m by 2.4 m in Bristol and Richmond, 5 m by 2.5 m in Essex and Swansea, and 5.5 m long in Newport. Newcastle asks for 5.5 m if the space also holds an EV charger, bin store or garage access.
Do I need planning permission for a dropped kerb?
Sometimes. Most councils need planning permission first if the kerb is on a classified road (an A, B or C road), and many also for flats, listed buildings and conservation areas. On an unclassified street of houses it is usually just the highway consent. In Scotland the footway crossing needs Roads Authority permission under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and in Northern Ireland any new access needs DfI Roads consent. Our planning permission guide covers the drive itself.
How long does it take?
Three months or longer from start to finish, in MyJobQuote’s estimate: council approval can take up to 12 weeks and scheduling another 12, although the building itself takes one or two days. Councils that publish timings vary widely, from a two-week Fast Track decision in Hampshire to about 14 weeks from payment in Derby when the council’s contractor does it.
What happens if I cross the kerb without permission?
You risk having the crossing removed at your expense. Nottingham City Council warns that unauthorised kerbs can be removed and the owner charged, and that rogue traders falsely claim to be council approved: the council “does not approve individual contractors”. Brighton and Hove secured its first prosecution for unauthorised crossings in 2019: a contractor and its former director were each ordered to pay £10,001.52, including compensation to rebuild the kerbs. Simply bumping the car up an undropped kerb is no answer either: in Norfolk, the county council treats it as an offence.
Build the drive first or the kerb first?
Usually the drive first. Bromley says your driveway must be built before the council arrives to build the crossover, and Swansea says the driveway must be finished before the crossover is built. Apply for the kerb early, because approval takes weeks, then time the drive so it is ready when the council’s crew is booked.
What our quotes cover on a kerb
- The council’s process for your address and its fee
- Whether the council or a private contractor must build it
- The minimum parking space your council asks for
- Any drainage your council requires at the boundary
- The drive and the kerb on separate lines
Illustrative example
Built only from the tables above; not a real job.
A homeowner in a council area that lets residents appoint their own contractor needs a three-metre crossing. The construction sits within MyJobQuote’s range, about £2,000, and the council fee is added on top: £344 in Bristol, or £140 in Southampton, for example. Allowing for approval and scheduling, the kerb can take three months or more, so the application goes in while the drive is being planned.
Who does the work?
Alex Winser manages the drive and the kerb paperwork with you, and the installers lay the drive. He arranges the kerb through the council or, where it allows one, an accredited contractor. The Resin Drive Company is a WeDo Property Services service.
Often needed alongside
- Resin driveways across the UK
- Resin driveway cost, for the drive behind the kerb
- Resin driveways near me, with each council’s rules
FAQs
Is the council fee refundable if I am refused?
Usually not. Most councils above state their fee is non-refundable; York charges £63 if refused and £263 if granted.
Can the drive behind the kerb be loose gravel?
Not everywhere. Nottingham requires “permeable, bound materials” and says “Loose gravel is not permitted”, which a resin bound drive meets.
Can a renter apply for a dropped kerb?
BCP Council asks renters for the landlord’s written permission; check your own council’s rule.
What does the council need before it decides?
Often proof about planning. Kent, for example, asks for a copy of the planning permission or written confirmation from the borough council that none is needed.
Who maintains the kerb afterwards?
It varies: Leicester asks for 24 months’ maintenance and Derby a two-year guarantee from the applicant, while Cheshire West and Chester maintains crossings itself afterwards.
Sources
- MyJobQuote, Dropping a kerb cost, Oct 2026
- Leicester City Council, Apply for a dropped kerb, read Oct 2026
- Liverpool City Council, Apply for a dropped kerb, undated
- BCP Council, Apply for a dropped kerb, read Oct 2026
- Swansea Council, Dropped kerb guidance, Oct 2025
- Southampton City Council, Dropped kerbs, read Oct 2026
- Reading Borough Council, Dropped kerbs, Apr 2026
- Croydon Council, Dropped kerbs and crossovers, read Oct 2026
- Royal Borough of Kingston, Dropped kerbs, read Oct 2026
- Nottingham City Council, Apply for a dropped kerb, read Oct 2026
- Transport Nottingham, Council warning over rogue traders, Feb 2025
- Norfolk County Council, Vehicle access crossings, read Oct 2026
- Bath and North East Somerset Council, Apply for a dropped kerb, read Oct 2026
- Solihull Council, Apply to lower your kerb, read Oct 2026
- Hampshire County Council, Dropped kerbs, read Oct 2026
- Merton Council, Dropped kerbs, Apr 2026
- Cardiff Council, Vehicle crossovers, read Oct 2026
- West Sussex County Council, Dropped kerbs licence, read Oct 2026
- North Yorkshire Council, Pavements and kerbs, July 2026
- Bristol City Council, Vehicle crossover guidance and process, rates from Apr 2024
- Bromley Council, Access drive crossovers, July 2026
- Surrey County Council, Vehicle crossovers, read Oct 2026
- Kent County Council, Apply for a dropped kerb, read Oct 2026
- Devon County Council, Dropped kerb application for contractors, Apr 2026
- Newcastle City Council, Apply for a crossing, read Oct 2026
- Brighton and Hove City Council, First successful prosecution for unauthorised dropped kerb crossing, May 2019
- Glasgow City Council, Apply for a footway crossing, Aug 2025
- Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Your home and planning permission, read Oct 2026