Dropped kerb cost and rules in Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire
A dropped kerb costs the council's application fee plus the cost of building the crossing to highway standards, and sometimes a planning application too. There is no single price: each council sets its own fees, which are listed on its website, and construction depends on the kerbs and pavement involved. You must get approval before any work starts.
This guide explains who to apply to across our area, what you are paying for and how the process works. We have linked each council's own page, because fees and forms change and the council's page is the one that counts.
Do I need a dropped kerb for my driveway?
Yes, if you drive across a pavement or verge to reach your drive. The Planning Portal's guidance on paving your front garden says a dropped kerb is required to drive over a pavement onto your property, that it is illegal to do so without one, and that the application goes to your local authority. A new driveway without an approved crossing is not a legal way in, however good the drive is.
Which council do I apply to?
You apply to the highway authority for your road. In two-tier areas that is the county council, not the district or borough council. Nottingham and Derby are unitary councils and run their own roads. GOV.UK's dropped kerb page finds your council from a postcode.
| Where you live | Highway authority | Who can build the crossing | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottinghamshire outside Nottingham city, e.g. Sutton-in-Ashfield, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Mansfield, Eastwood | Nottinghamshire County Council | A contractor you appoint, with a valid Streetworks qualification and at least £5m public liability insurance | Request a dropped kerb |
| Nottingham city | Nottingham City Council | The council, on a quotation, or a private contractor with NRSWA accreditation and £5m public liability insurance | Creating a vehicle access for your property |
| Derbyshire outside Derby, e.g. Alfreton, Ripley, Heanor, Chesterfield, Bolsover | Derbyshire County Council | A qualified private contractor you appoint; the council no longer quotes to build them | Vehicle accesses, crossovers and dropped kerbs |
| Derby city | Derby City Council | A private contractor with £5m public liability insurance and SWQR accreditation, or the council | Vehicle access: kerbs |
How much does a dropped kerb cost?
The total is made up of a few parts, and they are charged by different people:
- The council's fee. Every council charges to assess or inspect the application, and Nottinghamshire charges in two stages (an initial assessment, then construction consent for your contractor). The amounts differ from council to council and change over time, so check the current figure on the council's page above before you budget.
- Building the crossing. A crossing is built to a higher specification than an ordinary footway so vehicles do not damage the cables and pipes underneath. The price depends on how many kerbs are lowered, how much pavement or verge has to be rebuilt, and the site. Nottinghamshire describes a standard access as five kerbs: three dropped kerbs and two transition kerbs.
- Planning permission, if you need it. This is a separate application to your local planning authority (your district or borough council, or the city council in Nottingham and Derby), with its own fee.
Our price guide covers the driveway itself, not the crossing, because the crossing is a highways job with its own approval. Get a written price for the crossing from whoever will build it.
Do I need planning permission for a dropped kerb?
Often not, but in some cases you do. Both county councils say planning permission is needed if the new access is onto an A, B or C classified road. Nottinghamshire adds two more cases: where the crossing passes over land that is not highway, such as a village green or common land, and where the property is not a single family house. Nottinghamshire suggests checking whether your road is classified with its FindMyStreet tool before you apply.
Planning permission for the driveway is a separate question. A permeable drive, or one that drains onto your own lawn or border, normally does not need it; covering more than 5 m² of a front garden with a hard surface that runs off onto the road does.
How does the application work?
- Check your road. Is it classified, and is there space and visibility for a car to get in and out safely? Derbyshire asks you to confirm this before applying.
- Get planning permission first if your road or property needs it.
- Appoint a contractor the council will accept (or, in Nottingham or Derby, ask the council for a quote). Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire both ask for your contractor's reference when you apply.
- Apply and pay the council's fee online.
- Build within the approval. In Nottinghamshire, the authorisation is valid for six months for work to start.
Allow time. Derbyshire currently says applications can take up to eight weeks to process, so apply well before you want the new drive in use.
Can the council say no?
Yes. There is no automatic right to a crossing. Derby City Council, for example, lists positions where it may refuse because the crossing would be unsafe: on a junction, on the brow of a hill, at a bus stop, or where it would be hard to see. It can also refuse for planning reasons. Check before you commit to a new drive that depends on one.
How does a dropped kerb fit with a new driveway?
The drive and the crossing have to meet at the right level so water does not run from the road onto your drive, or from your drive onto the pavement. At the free site visit Lucian checks whether you already have a crossing, whether it is wide enough for the new drive, and how the levels and drainage will work. The driveway quote is fixed and in writing; the crossing is approved and priced through the council process above.
Quick answers
- Dropped kerb cost: the council's fee plus construction, and a planning fee if needed. Fees vary by council; check the pages linked above.
- Who approves it: the highway authority: Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire County Council, or Nottingham or Derby City Council.
- Planning permission: needed for access onto an A, B or C classified road, and in a few other cases.
- Can I drive over the pavement without one? No. The Planning Portal says it is illegal.
- How long: apply early. Derbyshire quotes up to eight weeks to process an application.
Planning a new drive? See our driveways page, get a guide price for the drive with the price calculator, or book a free site visit.
Last updated: 29 September 2026. Written by Lucian, owner of C&L Landscaping & Driveways, Sutton-in-Ashfield.