A two-story residential home with a short driveway.

Residential Driveway Installation

What is required when you install or change a driveway on your property.


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Before Submitting an Application Prepare Application Materials Submittal Instructions Project Review and Permitting Paying Fees

If you are planning to add a driveway or replace an existing driveway at your residential property, you must first obtain permits from the City before beginning construction. All projects are reviewed for compliance with the Raleigh development code and North Carolina state building code.

Before Submitting an Application

Detailed code review will not begin until application submittals have been deemed complete by customer service staff. It is important that all required information is submitted for a project, and it is the applicant’s responsibility to be informed on the prerequisites below: 

  1. If any work in the Right-of-Way or five feet adjacent to the Right-of-Way, any contractor performing work in the Right-of-Way must have these minimum documents on file in accordance with the City of Raleigh Code Section 11-6001 and Section 11-6002:  
    1. A current performance bond ($5,000.00 minimum) from your insurance company. View the Contractor Bond Template.
    2. Current general liability insurance.
    3. If the documents are not up to date, no permits can be issued. If it is determined during the review process that a Right-of-Way permit is needed, you will be notified during the review process and can submit that information at resubmittal.
  2. If you are a homeowner acting as the contractor for your project, the Owner Exemption Affidavit is required.
  3. Is your home located in a Historic District or designated as a Raleigh Historic Landmark? If so, you are required to submit a Certificate of Appropriateness to the Raleigh Historic Development Commission (RHDC). Approval from the RHDC may be required prior to submitting your permit application.
  4. If your property contains a private well or septic services, approval from Wake County Environmental Services is required prior to applying with the City of Raleigh.
  5. If you have requested a variance, it needs to be approved by the Board of Adjustment.
  6. The property should have a legally recorded map at the Durham or Wake County Register of Deeds.
  7. Your property may be subject to Residential Infill Compatibility standards. Learn more about residential infill development and verification

For more information see Raleigh Municipal Code section 11-6001 Permit and regulations for working in, upon, over, under or adjacent to the streets and sidewalks.

Prepare Application Materials

For new driveways or changes (widening or moving) to existing driveways:

  1. Complete the Residential Permit Application.
  2. Complete the Residential Site Plan Checklist.
  3. Provide a survey indicating the proposed work on the property that includes the dimensions. The survey must be in accordance with the specifications of the Transportation Standard Details and the Street Design Manual. - See a plot plan survey example.
  4. If site is located in a historic district, complete the Certificate of Appropriateness.

For replacing or repairing existing driveways (like for like ONLY)

  1. Complete the Residential Permit Application.

Submittal Instructions

At this step, your application materials should be ready to assemble. Please take note of the instructions below, applications that do not meet these criteria will not be accepted:

  1. Only PDF file types will be accepted unless other file types (such as image, Excel, or CAD) are specifically called for as part of the application submittal process.
  2. .ZIP files are not allowed.
  3. Only one file should be associated with each discrete document included with the application package. For example, if an application requires 1) an application form, 2) a set of plans, and 3) a calculation report, the applicant should transmit these as three separate files.
  4. City of Raleigh limits email attachments to 30 MB. To send larger files, you may send a file-sharing link (Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.) to a folder with all required documents. Staff must be given direct access to your files and cannot accept links that require access codes, passwords, or logins.

Submit all files (or file-sharing link) via email DowntownDS@raleighnc.gov. 

Tips for Submitting Residential Driveway PDF Files:

  1. Submit one PDF file containing a residential permit application.
  2. Submit one PDF file containing a residential site plan checklist.
  3. Submit one PDF file with all other supporting documents (survey and diagram).

All application forms and supporting documents listed above must be attached as PDFs. Please send a PDF of the entire application packet (with all documents) to DowntownDS@raleighnc.gov.

Project Review and Permitting

Applicants will be notified by email when a project is processed. Standard review times are available to view online. Plan review comments can be viewed any time via a registered account in the Permit and Development Portal.  

Plans that are ready for permit issuance but have incomplete contractor information will be kept at the Planning and Development Customer Service Center for up to six months. After six months, the plans will be considered invalid, and the application will be voided. An administrative fee may be incurred when projects are voided.

A pre-pour inspection must be scheduled before pouring the driveway. Inspections can be scheduled via the permit portal.

Paying Fees

A Plan Review Fee is due prior to project review. All other permit fees are due when permits are ready for issuance.

The Development Fee Guide provides a detailed list of specific development fees.

  • The Customer Service Center Customer Service Center processes payments or you may pay via the Permit Portal.
  • Payment types include Cash, MasterCard, Visa, or check made payable to the City of Raleigh.

A fee calculator may be used to obtain an estimate of some building and trade permit fees.

Contact

 

Planning and Development Customer Service Center
919-996-2500

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Lead Department:
Planning and Development
Service Categories:
Permits - ResidentialPermits - ZoningTransportation Development Review