The limits for a house driveway
The Australian standard for parking (AS/NZS 2890.1) sets these limits for a domestic driveway:
- Maximum slope: 1 in 4 (25%). Steeper than that and cars struggle, especially in the wet.
- Change of slope at a crest: no more than 1 in 8 (12.5%). A sharper change and the middle of the car scrapes.
- Change of slope at a dip: no more than about 1 in 6.7 (15%). A sharper change and the front or back bumper scrapes.
Where the slope changes by more than that, you add a transition: a short section, usually about 2 m long, at half the slope. That splits one big change into two smaller ones.
The footpath part is set by the council
Between the kerb and your boundary, the council controls the levels, often with a gentle crossfall of about 2.5% across the footpath. Your driveway has to start from those levels, so a steep block can run out of room quickly.
Curved driveways
On a bend, the inside edge is shorter than the middle but climbs the same height, so it is steeper. A 15% slope round a 6 m bend on a 3.2 m driveway is about 20% on the inside. A car also sweeps a wider path on a bend than on a straight, so tight bends need a wider driveway: about 3.4 m at a 6 m radius. A typical car can’t turn much tighter than about a 4 m radius at all.
Fixing a driveway that’s too steep
- Make it longer: set the garage further back, or curve the driveway.
- Change the garage floor level, if the design isn’t final yet.
- Lengthen the transitions to stop scraping.
Common questions
What is the maximum gradient for a driveway in Australia?
1 in 4 (25%) for a residential driveway under AS/NZS 2890.1, with limits on how suddenly the slope changes. Many councils ask for gentler slopes near the boundary, so check your council’s rules too.
How do I calculate my driveway slope?
Divide the height difference by the horizontal length. A 1.2 m rise over 8 m is 15%, or 1 in 6.7. The calculator above also allows for the footpath and the transitions at each end.
Why does my car scrape on the driveway?
Usually because the slope changes too suddenly at the bottom (a dip) or the top (a crest). Adding a transition, a short section at half the slope, fixes it.
How do I check a curved driveway?
Measure the length along the middle of the driveway, not in a straight line. Then check the inside edge of the bend, which is shorter and so steeper, and that the driveway is wide enough for a car to sweep round the bend. Set the bend radius in the calculator above, or use Groundwork’s Calcs tab for a driveway with several bends.
What is a driveway transition?
A short section, usually about 2 m long, where the slope is halfway between the two slopes it joins. It splits one sharp change into two gentle ones so cars don’t bottom out.