Dropped kerbs in Derby
A dropped kerb lets you drive from the road, over the pavement and onto your own drive. It’s work on the public highway, so the council has a say first. Here’s how that works in Derby and across Derbyshire, and what to have ready.
What a dropped kerb is
A dropped kerb, also called a vehicle crossing or crossover, is a run of kerb lowered towards road level so a car can get across the pavement to a driveway.
The kerb and pavement belong to the public highway, not to the house. That’s why the homeowner needs the council’s permission before a crossing is built, and why the council inspects it afterwards.
Standard kerb
Dropped kerb
Derby City or Derbyshire County?
Who you apply to depends on where you live. Inside the city it’s Derby City Council. Outside it, in the rest of Derbyshire, it’s Derbyshire County Council, and the two work differently.
Derby City Council
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You apply to the council
The homeowner applies to Derby City Council. There is a £175 application fee, and it is non-refundable.
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You choose who builds it
Either a private contractor, who must have £5 million public liability insurance and workers accredited with the Street Works Qualification Register (SWQR), or the council itself. The council says its own build takes about 14 weeks from payment to completion.
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Planning permission, on some roads
If the crossing is on a classified road (an A, B or C road), you need planning permission as well.
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The council inspects the work
Once the crossing is built, the council inspects the finished work.
Source: Derby City Council: vehicle access and dropped kerbs, checked October 2026.
Derbyshire County Council
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You apply online
The homeowner applies online and picks a contractor from a drop-down list. Only contractors registered with the County Council are on it.
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Planning evidence from your district or borough
The application asks about planning permission. The evidence for that comes from your district or borough council, not the County Council.
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A week’s notice before work starts
The contractor gives the council one week’s notice before starting.
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The council inspects the work
When the work is finished, the contractor reports it so the council can inspect it.
Source: Derbyshire County Council: guidance note on how to apply for a dropped kerb (August 2026, PDF), checked October 2026.
These are the councils’ own rules, summarised. They can change, so check the current details with your council before you apply.
Not sure which applies to you? Call 07706 329 848 and we’ll talk you through the process for your address.
Planning permission on A, B and C roads
In Derby City, if the crossing is on a classified road (an A, B or C road), you need planning permission as well as the council’s agreement.
In the rest of Derbyshire, the County Council’s application asks about planning permission, and the evidence for it comes from your district or borough council.
What to have ready
- A photo of the front of your property, showing the kerb and pavement where you’d like the crossing.
- Measurements of your frontage, so the opening can be planned.
- Any planning letter, if your crossing needs planning permission, or the letter from your district or borough council if you’re in the county.
Getting a new drive as well?
Most new driveways need a dropped kerb before you can drive onto them from the road. If you’re planning both, we lay tarmac drives too.
Dropped kerb questions
Answered from the councils’ own pages, checked October 2026.
Do I need permission for a dropped kerb in Derby?
Yes. Inside the city, the homeowner applies to Derby City Council. Outside the city, in Derbyshire, the homeowner applies online to Derbyshire County Council.
How much is the Derby City Council application fee?
Derby City Council charges a £175 application fee, and it is non-refundable. That is the council’s fee for the application, not the cost of building the crossing.
Can I use a private contractor in Derby?
Yes. Derby City Council lets you use a private contractor, as long as they have £5 million public liability insurance and their workers are SWQR-accredited. The other option is for the council to build it.
How long does the council take to build one?
Derby City Council says that when it builds the crossing itself, it takes about 14 weeks from payment to completion.
Do I need planning permission?
In Derby City, you need planning permission if the crossing is on a classified road (an A, B or C road). In the county, the application asks about planning, and the evidence comes from your district or borough council.
I live in Derbyshire, outside the city. What’s different?
You apply online to Derbyshire County Council and choose your contractor from a drop-down list of contractors registered with the County Council. The contractor gives one week’s notice before starting and reports the finished work so the council can inspect it.
Who checks the finished work?
The council. Derby City Council inspects the finished work, and in the county the contractor reports completion so Derbyshire County Council can inspect it.
Talk to Gavin about your dropped kerb
Call, email or send the details, and we'll talk it through. We cover Derby and the surrounding area.
Call or email
Tell us what you need and roughly where you are.
07706 329 848Or email gdbsurfacing@gmail.com