What is a vehicle crossing?
A vehicle crossing, usually called a crossover, is the section of driveway that runs from the edge of the road, over the kerb and channel, through the nature strip and footpath, finishing at your front boundary. It sits on public land managed by the council. Because it affects footpaths, drainage, street trees, utility assets and on-street parking, councils control where crossovers go, how wide they are and how they are built.
Your private driveway, inside your boundary, is a separate matter. It does not need a crossover permit, although planning controls such as heritage overlays can affect changes visible from the street.
When you need a permit in Bayside
You need a Bayside vehicle crossing permit to:
- build a new crossover
- widen an existing crossover
- relocate a crossover to a different part of the frontage
- replace an existing crossover
The application also asks whether council assets need relocating and what works the crossover involves, so removing a redundant crossover as part of a new one is dealt with in the same process.
Check the basics before you design
A few of Bayside's published rules decide whether your plan is likely to be approved. Check these first.
Distance from intersections. If the distance from the nearest road intersection to the edge of your proposed crossover is less than 9 metres, the application is referred to a traffic engineer, and new crossings within 9 metres will generally not be approved. Corner blocks need particular care.
Width. The standard boxed width of a crossover is 3 metres. Under Bayside's policy, crossings up to 4.5 metres are only considered for dwellings with double garages within 5.5 metres of the front setback. If your double garage sits further back, plan for a 3-metre crossover with the driveway widening inside your boundary.
Neighbouring crossovers. If your proposed crossover would be within a metre of another crossover, including your neighbour's, a 1-metre separator is generally required between them. A narrower separator needs traffic engineering consent.
Public assets. Drainage pits, stormwater outlets, street trees, power poles and telecommunications pits in the nature strip or footpath all constrain where a crossover can go.
Survey the frontage
Walk out to the street and look carefully at everything between your boundary and the kerb. Photograph and measure:
- the full width of your frontage
- the position and width of any existing crossover
- your neighbours' crossovers on both sides
- every pit, pole, tree, sign, hydrant and stormwater outlet
- the distance from each of those assets to where you want the crossover
- the distance to the nearest intersection if you are near a corner
- the width of your garage or carport opening and its distance from the front boundary
Your concreter will do this at the site look, but doing it yourself first helps you spot problems early.
Deal with assets within one metre
Bayside requires written approval from the asset owner for any public asset within one metre of the proposed crossover, uploaded with your application. The council's vehicle crossing permits information explains who owns which assets. Typical examples include:
- Street trees: council assets. If a tree is affected, the application is referred to the council's Arboriculture Officer, and the tree must be shown on the plan with its distance from the crossover, measured from the nearest edge of the trunk.
- Drainage pits and stormwater outlets: if they are affected, the necessary alterations must be shown on the plan for the council's Drainage Engineer to comment on and approve.
- Power poles and pits: owned by the electricity distributor or telecommunications provider, whose approval you will need.
Relocating an asset, where possible at all, can take time and usually happens at the applicant's cost. Significant trees are rarely moved. This is often the step that changes a design, so start early.
Prepare the plan
The application needs a clear plan of the proposed vehicle crossing. Bayside provides an example plan with its online form. Your plan should show:
- the proposed crossover location and width, with clear dimensions
- the property boundary, footpath, nature strip and kerb
- all public assets, accurately positioned, with offsets from the crossover
- existing and neighbouring crossovers
- the nearest intersection if within 9 metres
- the garage position and setback if you are asking for more than 3 metres
A concreter who does crossovers regularly can prepare or help prepare this plan from the site measurements.
Gather the other documents
The online form also asks for:
- the correct property address (contact Bayside customer service if you cannot confirm it)
- a public liability insurance certificate, with the policy expiry date
- any asset owner approvals
- details of the works and whether council assets need relocating
Make sure the person applying is authorised to do so, since the declaration confirms the information is true and that the applicant will comply with the permit conditions.
Lodge and pay
Applications are lodged online through Bayside's website, with payment by card. Fees are set by the council and change from time to time, so check the current amount on the council's page. Fees are generally non-refundable once a permit is issued.
Wait for referrals and approval
Depending on your site, the application may go to the arborist, drainage engineer or a traffic engineer. Referrals take time, so do not book your concreter's pour date until the permit is issued.
Once approved, the permit is valid for 12 months from the date of issue, as long as the proposed plans do not change. If extra inspections are needed during the works, an additional fee may apply.
Build to the permit
With the permit in hand, the crossover can be built. A typical sequence:
- 1Set up safe pedestrian management around the footpath.
- 2Saw-cut and remove the old crossover, kerb and footpath sections as needed.
- 3Excavate and lay a compacted crushed-rock base.
- 4Set formwork to the council's levels and profile and place reinforcement.
- 5Arrange any inspection required by the permit conditions.
- 6Pour and finish, usually with a plain broom finish on the council section.
- 7Reinstate the nature strip and footpath joins and clean up.
Follow the permit conditions exactly. They are what the council will check.
How your concreter fits in
A good concreter will:
- measure the frontage and assets at the site look
- tell you early if Bayside's rules are likely to be a problem
- help prepare the plan and explain what the council needs
- schedule the driveway and crossover so levels and finishes match
- build the crossover to the council's standard drawings and permit conditions
- coordinate inspections and clean up properly
You remain the applicant (or authorise someone to apply on your behalf), and you are responsible for complying with the permit.
If you live outside Bayside
Neighbouring councils run their own processes:
- Glen Eira (Bentleigh, Caulfield South, Elsternwick and part of Brighton East): permit to build, modify, remove or repair a crossing and adjacent footpath, with an officer inspection of the proposed location.
- Kingston (Moorabbin and part of Highett and Cheltenham): Vehicle Crossing Permit, generally one crossing per property, and a pre-pour formwork inspection booked with at least two business days' notice.
- Port Phillip (Elwood): online application with a fully dimensioned 1:100 plan, at least 15 business days' processing, and no works before the permit is issued.
See our vehicle crossovers page for more on each.
Common reasons applications stall
- The plan does not show all assets or their distances.
- A street tree is close to the proposed crossover.
- The crossover is too close to an intersection.
- A wider crossover is requested without a qualifying double garage.
- The neighbour's crossover is within a metre and no separator is shown.
- Asset owner approvals are missing.
Fixing these before lodging saves weeks.
Bayside crossover permit FAQs
Yes. Bayside's permit covers building, widening, relocating and replacing crossovers.
Twelve months from the date of issue, provided the proposed plans do not change.
Only if your home has a double garage within 5.5 metres of the front setback, under Bayside's policy. Otherwise the standard width is 3 metres.
The application is referred to the council's arborist. The tree may limit where the crossover can go, so measure and photograph it early.
The applicant must be authorised and must comply with the permit. Many owners apply themselves with the concreter's plan; others authorise the contractor. Check the council's form for requirements.
Ready to plan your crossover?
Send us a photo of your frontage, including the nature strip and any trees, pits or poles. We will arrange a free site look, measure everything the council needs and send a written quote.