Chicago Driveway Permits and Aprons: What CDOT Requires

Most owners think of a driveway permit as a Department of Buildings matter. It is not. The driveway itself, the curb cut and the apron are CDOT's territory, and the rules come in two parts: what happens on your lot, and what happens in the public way. Here is what the City's pages say, so you can ask the right questions before anyone cuts a curb or pours a slab.

What does the City say about driveway permits?

The City's driveway permit rules come from CDOT. Per CDOT's instructions, any person who owns or operates a driveway in Chicago needs a CDOT driveway permit, and driveways less than 25 feet wide at the property line use the residential application (CDOT).

The residential application asks for:

• A plat of survey or a sketch of the property.
• A photo of the curb cut, apron and sidewalk.
• Homeowner liability insurance of $250,000, naming the City as an additional insured.
• A $10 application fee.
• Zoning sign-off for a proposed driveway.

Applications are not accepted by mail. CDOT manages driveway permits in a web-based permit system, and its materials describe fees that are paid online (CDOT). These requirements come from CDOT's instructions and rules dated 2022, so confirm the current list and fees with CDOT before you apply.

What is an apron, and why does it get its own rules?

The apron is the sloped section where a driveway crosses the sidewalk and meets the curb. It is the part of the driveway that sits in the public way. That is why it falls under a different set of rules than the slab on your lot.

Any work in the public way, meaning the sidewalk, curb, alley or parkway, needs a CDOT permit that is separate from a Department of Buildings permit. The same goes for using the public way for scaffolding, dumpsters or materials (City of Chicago). A mason license is not required for brick or concrete sidewalks or concrete paving (City of Chicago).

We could not confirm from an official page the fee or the exact process a private contractor follows to replace an apron in the public way. Ask CDOT before you budget for it.

Sometimes there is another route. In CDOT's Shared Cost Sidewalk Program, driveway apron replacement can be requested on the 311 application (CDOT). That program runs on its own schedule with limited funding, so read Chicago's Shared Cost Sidewalk Program, explained before counting on it.

When do you not need a building permit for a driveway?

Chicago publishes a list of work that needs no Department of Buildings permit. For driveways it says:

• No permit for in-kind replacement of a concrete, brick or asphalt parking surface or driveway (City of Chicago). In kind means the same material in the same place.
• A permit is required to establish, expand or eliminate off-street parking (City of Chicago).
• No permit for a concrete or brick sidewalk, patio or walkway that is not in the public way, no more than 30 inches above the adjacent grade, and not over a basement or story below (City of Chicago).

So replacing the cracked slab beside your garage, same size and same place, is a different question from adding a second parking pad or widening the curb cut. The first is a private replacement. The second changes how your property meets the street, and it involves zoning and CDOT.

Keep the two questions apart. A driveway that needs no building permit can still need a CDOT permit if the work reaches the apron, the curb or the sidewalk. For a wider look at when concrete work needs a permit, see do you need a permit to pour concrete in Chicago.

Who does this apply to?

• Owners replacing a worn driveway. Private surface replacement in kind is on the no-permit list. The apron and curb are still public way.
• Owners adding or widening a driveway or curb cut. This is the case that touches zoning and CDOT.
• Owners of a driveway that has never had a CDOT permit. CDOT's rule says anyone who owns or operates a driveway needs one. Ask CDOT what applies to yours.
• Contractors. The mason license is not required for concrete paving or sidewalks, and one exception lets an owner of a primary residence of three stories or fewer and six units or fewer act as their own contractor on one property per year (City of Chicago).

What does this mean in practice?

If you are replacing a driveway, here is the order we would work in:

1. Look at the apron and curb first. If the sidewalk section or curb is cracked, sunken or broken, that part is public way. Take photos now. CDOT's application asks for a photo of the curb cut, apron and sidewalk (CDOT).
2. Decide what changes. Same size and same place? Or wider, longer, or a new curb cut? That decides whether zoning and a new application come into play.
3. Get the paperwork ready. A plat of survey or sketch, the photo, and proof of liability coverage, as above.
4. Ask who is pulling what. Your contractor should tell you plainly which permits they pull and which ones you do.
5. Plan the staging. If a dumpster or materials will sit on the sidewalk or street, that needs its own permit (City of Chicago).
6. Check the record. Once permits are issued, look up the address in the City's building records search for any Department of Buildings permits.

The slab itself is a separate subject. For what changes the cost of a Chicago driveway, see what drives the cost of a concrete driveway. For sidewalk sections next to the driveway, see fix it, replace it, or wait. The overall picture is in our concrete and sidewalk guide.

When you want a straight answer on your driveway, our concrete crew can walk the property, look at the apron, and tell you which permits apply.

Common questions

This article explains general rules and common situations in Chicago. It is not legal advice, and City rules change. For a specific property, check with the Chicago Department of Buildings or a licensed professional.