Estimate the cost of getting a dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) installed in the UK, including council and contractor fees.
If your council asks for drawings or supporting documents, check the dropped kerb planning map checklist before ordering a block plan or site location plan.
Most standard single driveways require 3 to 5 dropped kerb stones. A double driveway usually requires 5 to 7.
Enter your council's published assessment or application fee. Current charges vary widely across the UK.
Official Ordnance Survey mastermaps for planning applications.
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Create Planning MapDisclaimer: This calculator provides an illustrative estimate using £300 per kerb unit. Actual quotes depend on width, footway construction, utilities, drainage and local highway rules. Your council may use its own contractor or require an approved or accredited contractor.
2026 cost guide
There is no single UK dropped kerb price. The total normally combines a council assessment or application fee, construction of the vehicle crossover, traffic management and any extra work needed around utilities, trees, drainage or street furniture. Use the calculator as a starting point, then replace its default council fee with the charge published by your highway authority.
| Cost item | What it covers | Why it varies |
|---|---|---|
| Council fee | Application, site assessment, administration or licence checks | Each highway authority publishes its own process and charges |
| Construction | Lowered kerbs, transition units and strengthening the footway or verge | Width, materials, pavement depth and contractor model |
| Traffic management | Signs, guarding, temporary lights or lane controls | Road classification, traffic volume and working space |
| Additional works | Moving covers, signs or street furniture; drainage, tree or utility work | Site constraints and third-party approvals |
Examples checked in July 2026 show why a local quote matters:
These are examples, not national price bands. Fees can change and construction is quoted separately in many areas.
You need permission from the relevant highway authority before creating a vehicle crossover over a public footway. Planning permission is a separate question and may be required for a classified road, a flat or maisonette, work in a conservation area, removal of certain walls or other site-specific reasons.
The Planning Portal dropped-kerb guide directs applicants to their local authority for a vehicle-crossover licence. Check both the highway authority and local planning authority before paying a non-refundable fee or starting private driveway work.
If drawings are requested, use the dropped kerb planning-map checklist to decide whether you need a site location plan, block plan or more detailed access drawing.
There is no national fixed price. Budget for the council assessment or application fee, construction, traffic management and any additional utility, drainage or street-furniture work. Replace the calculator defaults with local published fees and contractor quotes.
The calculator gives an illustrative construction estimate based on five kerb units, but councils and contractors may price by width, square metre or a site-specific quotation. The pavement construction and traffic controls can matter more than the number of stones.
You always need to follow the highway authority vehicle-crossover process for a public footway. Separate planning permission may be needed for a classified road, flats, conservation constraints or associated works. Ask the relevant councils before applying.
Normally no. The work affects the public highway and must follow the authority's construction, contractor and licensing rules. Some councils use their own contractor; others require an approved or appropriately accredited contractor.
Requirements vary. Some authorities ask for an accurate diagram, dimensions or planning drawings, especially where planning permission is required. Check the local application checklist before ordering mapping.
Timelines vary from a few weeks for assessment to several months for approval, quotation and construction. Site constraints, planning permission, contractor availability and utility checks can extend the process.
