Driveway technical standards

Brisbane City Council requires proposed driveways to comply with a number of technical standards prior to driveway permit approval. The standard drawings set out recommended gradients for building a driveway, as well as driveway load requirements and materials.

Gradients

Driveways must not exceed the maximum gradient level of one in four inside the property boundary and one in six outside the property boundary. The rate of change in a driveway gradient is a maximum of one in 12 slope for a minimum length of one metre. Recommended gradients are set out in Council’s standard drawings (refer to BSD-2024 and BSD-2025).

To find out the maximum fall per metre, select your proposed grade from the list.


- Select a gradient -

Load and materials

This section includes details for driveway loads and materials.

Concrete surfaces

The driveway must meet the following requirements.

  • The N25 strength must be in accordance with AS1379 and AS3600.
  • Expansion joints must be 10 millimetres thick, full depth, closed cell, cross-linked polyethylene foam (85-150 kg/m³).
  • The slab must be 125 millimetres thick.
  • Preferred surface finishes are stencilled concrete or broom finished concrete.

Asphalt (permitted in non-urban areas only)

The driveway must meet the following requirements.

  • There must be at least 50 millimetres thick compacted roadbase under the asphalt cover.
  • The asphalt cover must be at least 100 millimetres thick.

Clay or concrete pavers

The driveway must meet the following requirements.

  • The clay or concrete pavers must be at least 40 millimetres thick.
  • The compacted sub-base must be at least 100 millimetres thick.
  • The pavers must be concreted to the base.

Standard drawings

To assist with the construction of driveways, Council has produced standard drawings for:

  • BSD-2001 - Kerb profiles
  • BSD-2023 - Vehicle crossing (driveway)
  • BSD-2021 - Vehicle crossing (driveway) - other than single dwelling and rear allotment access
  • BSD-2022 - Vehicle crossing (driveway) - single dwelling
  • BSD-2024 - Vehicle crossing (driveway) - grades 3.75 metre verge
  • BSD-2025 - Vehicle crossing (driveway) - grades 4.25 metre verge
  • BSD-5201 - Concrete footpath
  • BSD-5202 - Concrete footpath - full width.
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