Concrete Driveways in San Diego
A new concrete driveway in San Diego often needs no building permit for the slab, but the approach at the curb is street work and needs city review.
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What the City Code Says About Driveways
The San Diego Municipal Code lists driveways and sidewalks among the projects exempt from a building permit. The slab must be 30 inches or less above the ground next to it. It cannot sit over a basement or story. It cannot be part of an accessible route under the California Building Code.
Most new driveways at the front of a house meet that test. A raised driveway over a garage or a ramp that serves as an accessible route does not. If you are not sure, the city customer service line is 619-446-5000.
The city homeowner flyer also says like for like maintenance repairs under $1,000 need no permit at single family homes, townhomes and duplexes.
The Approach Is a Separate Job
The The driveway approach is the sloped section that runs from the street gutter across the parkway to your lot. sits on city land in the The public right of way is city land along the street. It often includes the parkway, the sidewalk, the curb and the driveway approach.. The city reviews all work there. A city standard residential driveway, new or remove and replace, can use Rapid Review is the City of San Diego fast track for standard street work like a city standard driveway approach. under Information Bulletin 165.
A non standard residential driveway or a commercial driveway must be submitted with plans. A separate traffic control permit may also be needed. Read the full walk through on the driveway approach permit page.
Base Prep on San Diego Clay
The County of San Diego says highly Expansive clay soaks up water and swells, then shrinks as it dries. That movement can lift and crack slabs. occur mostly in the coastal plains, per its soils report. Clay that swells and shrinks can lift a slab and open cracks.
Ask how deep the base will be, how it will be packed and what goes inside the slab for strength. Ask where the A control joint is a cut or groove that gives a slab a planned place to crack, so the crack runs straight and out of sight. will go. A good contractor answers all of this in writing before a single truck shows up.
What to Ask Before You Sign
Get the slab thickness, base depth, reinforcement, joint layout and finish in writing. Ask who removes the old driveway and hauls it off. Ask who pulls the right of way permit for the approach. Put each answer in the contract.
Then check the license on the CSLB site before you pay anything.
Where This Job Comes Up in San Diego
These communities often call for this kind of work, based on their ground and the age of their homes.
- Barrio Logan Short driveway replacements, often with a new approach at the curb.
- Carmel Mountain Ranch Full driveway replacement, often with a city standard approach.
- City Heights Driveway replacement on older single family lots.
- Clairemont Tearing out and replacing original driveways.
- College Area Driveway replacement and wider parking pads.
- Del Mar Mesa Long driveways on large lots.
- Eastern Area Sloped driveway replacement with a grip finish.
- Encanto Paving long or gravel driveways.
- Fairbanks Ranch Driveways on sloped lots.
- La Jolla Steep driveway replacement with a grip finish.
- Linda Vista Driveway replacement on older lots.
- Mira Mesa Replacing boom era driveways.
- Navajo Sloped driveway replacement.
- Normal Heights Narrow driveway replacement.
- Otay Mesa-Nestor Replacing 1960s and 1970s driveways.
- Pacific Beach Driveway and alley access replacement.
- Point Loma Steep driveway replacement.
- Rancho Bernardo Replacing older tract driveways.
- Rancho Peñasquitos Sloped driveways with a grip finish.
- San Ysidro Driveway replacement and new parking pads.
- Scripps Ranch Driveway replacement with a plan for roots.
- Serra Mesa Replacing postwar driveways.
- Skyline and Paradise Hills Sloped driveway replacement.
- Southeastern San Diego Short driveway replacement.
- Tierrasanta Replacing 1970s to 1990s driveways.
- Torrey Pines Driveway replacement on sloped lots.
- University Replacing older tract driveways.
Questions People Ask
Do I need a permit to replace my driveway in San Diego?
Not for the slab in most cases. The city code exempts driveways 30 inches or less above grade that are not over a basement or part of an accessible route. Work on the approach at the curb is reviewed by the city.
Who gets the permit for the curb cut?
Ask the contractor before you sign and write the answer into the contract. City standard approaches can use Rapid Review under Information Bulletin 165.
Can I widen my driveway at the street?
Widening the approach is work in the public right of way. A city standard design can use Rapid Review. A non standard design must be submitted with plans. Call the city at 619-446-5000 to confirm.
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