How much does a dropped kerb cost?
Two costs: council fees (£132 to £568 in total across the 39 councils we've checked) and building the crossing (councils publish about £1,000 to £3,500 for a standard one). Pick your council for a sourced estimate.
Dropped kerb cost calculator
Choose your council to see its fee and an estimate.
The two parts of the cost
1. Council fees. The homeowner application fee runs from £50 (Leicester) to £568 (Devon) among the councils we've checked. Some councils add other fees, such as a second payment on approval or a licence or permit for your contractor (for example Leeds £345.90, West Sussex £309, Leicestershire £240, Essex £150, Nottinghamshire £80). Added together, total council fees run from £132 (Nottinghamshire) to £568 (Devon), counting councils that publish every fee and are taking applications.
2. Building the crossing. The kerbs are lowered, and the pavement from the kerb to your boundary is dug out and rebuilt strong enough for a car. Councils that publish prices put a standard crossing at roughly £1,000 to £3,500:
| Council | Who builds | What the council publishes |
|---|---|---|
| BCP | Council or your contractor | BCP gives a guide price of £2,000 for a standard crossover of 3 dropped kerbs and 2 tapers; each quote is priced individually. |
| Birmingham | Council builds | Priced individually after inspection (size, materials, labour, traffic management, trees and street lighting), plus a £375 administration fee. |
| Bradford | Council builds | Bradford charges £1,995 plus VAT for a standard crossing and £1,596 plus VAT for an extension. |
| Coventry | Council or your contractor | If approved, Coventry gives an estimated cost of construction, valid for three months. |
| Derby | Council or your contractor | Option 2: Derby City Council gives a quote (valid six weeks) to build it. |
| Devon | Any qualified contractor | Devon says the work will probably cost somewhere between £1,500 and £3,000, more if obstructions or restrictions need moving. |
| Hertfordshire | Council builds | Hertfordshire gives a quote for the full work after a successful assessment (its page has an estimate tool). |
| Kent | Any qualified contractor | Kent says contractors' prices can vary from £1,000 to £2,500. |
| Kingston upon Thames | Council builds | Kingston says the maximum 4 m dropped kerb costs about £1,800; costs vary with the footway and materials. |
| Lancashire | Council's own list only | Lancashire says quotations are currently between £2,000 and £3,500 for a standard crossing (4.5 m wide at the kerb face, 2.5 m vehicle width, on a footpath normally 2 m wide). |
| Leeds | Any qualified contractor | Leeds says a standard crossing usually costs around £1,500. |
| Leicestershire | Council or your contractor | If approved, Leicestershire's decision letter includes a quote for the work. |
| Lincolnshire | Council or your contractor | If the council builds it, Lincolnshire estimates construction at £2,500 to £3,500, priced on your property's needs. |
| Manchester | Council builds | Manchester says the minimum new dropped kerb is roughly 3 m, with a starting cost of £1,575 including up to 2 m towards the property. Wider crossings, verges and obstructions cost more. |
| North Yorkshire | Council's own list only | North Yorkshire can also quote to build it: a quote costs £102.36, and it says typical construction costs are around £2,000 plus a 10% admin fee. |
| Southend-on-Sea | Council's own list only | Southend's 2026/27 charge for building a domestic crossing is £255 per square metre. |
| Surrey | Council's own list only | Surrey says building costs average roughly £1,800, depending on the work and the contractor. |
| Thurrock | Council builds | Thurrock's construction rate is £264 per square metre (2025/26 figure on its page), so an average standard crossing costs around £1,900. |
| West Sussex | Any qualified contractor | West Sussex's guidance says construction can vary between £1,000 and over £4,000, and moving streetlights or street furniture could be significantly over £2,000. |
Dropped kerb fees by council: league table
Every row was checked on the council's own website on 3 October 2026. Select a column heading to sort. Fees aren't always like-for-like: some are partly refundable, Devon's licence is applied for by your contractor, and where councils build it themselves the fees are only the start of the price.
| Council | Homeowner application fee | Other council fees (e.g. contractor licence/permit, where published) | Total council fees | What the fees cover / refunds | Who builds | Contractor requirements | Valid for | Decision time | Published build cost (not included in fees) | Source | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradford | £120 | None published | £120 | Applications paused. Application fee: non-refundable if approved; £60 refunded if refused. | Council builds | Council builds | – | 28 working days | Bradford charges £1,995 plus VAT for a standard crossing and £1,596 plus VAT for an extension. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| BCP | £130 | Section 171 licence if you use your own contractor: amount not published | £130 + an unpublished fee | Application and site inspection fee. Not refunded if you're refused, decide to use your own contractor, or don't go ahead. If BCP builds it: the £130 fee, then BCP's quote. | Council or your contractor | Street works accredited; A Section 171 licence to work on the highway | 6 months (quote) | – | BCP gives a guide price of £2,000 for a standard crossover of 3 dropped kerbs and 2 tapers; each quote is priced individually. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Nottinghamshire | £52 | Contractor consent fee (paid by your contractor): £80 | £132 | Non-refundable charge for the initial assessment by Via (on behalf of the county council). Your contractor then pays £80 for consent to do the work. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. A valid Streetworks qualification; At least £5 million public liability insurance | 6 months | – | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Hertfordshire | £139 | None published | £139 | Assessment fee to apply for a quote. Refundable within a 14-day cooling-off period, non-refundable after that. | Council builds | Council builds | – | 8 weeks (aim) | Hertfordshire gives a quote for the full work after a successful assessment (its page has an estimate tool). | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Leicester | £50 | Second payment if your application is approved: £100 | £150 | £50 non-refundable application fee, plus a second non-refundable £100 payment if approved. | Any qualified contractor | Accepted by Leicester City Council for your job before work begins | 6 months after contractor acceptance | 12 weeks | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Derbyshire | £160 | None published | £160 | Non-refundable charge for inspection and administration, paid by you or your contractor within 7 days of the payment link. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. Personnel qualified under the New Roads and Street Works Act accreditation scheme; At least £5 million public liability insurance | 3 months | Up to 8 weeks | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Southampton | £165 | Road Opening Licence for your contractor: amount not published | £165 + an unpublished fee | Non-refundable fee (including VAT) for administration, assessment and a site visit. | Any qualified contractor | £10m public liability. New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 accreditation; £10 million public liability insurance | – | About 4 weeks | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Nottingham | £170 | None published | £170 | Section 184 licence fee, after a pre-application enquiry. | Any qualified contractor | Suitably qualified (the council checks the details once you name them); Works need a valid Section 184 licence | – | – | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Derby | £175 Option 1, with a private contractor | None published | £175 | Non-refundable processing fee if you use a private contractor (Option 1). Option 2: Derby City Council quotes to build it. | Council or your contractor | £5m public liability. £5 million public liability insurance (copy with your application); Supervisors and operatives accredited on the Street Works Qualification Register | – | – | Option 2: Derby City Council gives a quote (valid six weeks) to build it. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Kingston upon Thames | £183.86 | None published | £183.86 | Inspection fee, not refunded if the application is rejected (refundable to Blue Badge holders if refused). | Council builds | Council builds | 3 years | – | Kingston says the maximum 4 m dropped kerb costs about £1,800; costs vary with the footway and materials. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Edinburgh | £210 Footway dropped crossing permit, per location | None published | £210 | Footway dropped crossing permit, per location (2026/27). A 25% surcharge applies to applications made inside the 10-working-day minimum notice period. | Any qualified contractor | NRSWA accreditation certificate for the works supervisor; NRSWA accreditation certificates for the operatives | – | Minimum notice 10 working days | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Hampshire | £211.90 | None published | £211.90 | Non-refundable application fee. Optional Fast Track adds £97 (total £308.90) for a decision within two weeks. Optional Fast Track: +£97 for a decision within two weeks. | Any qualified contractor | £10m public liability. £10 million public liability insurance, indemnifying you and Hampshire County Council; Operatives and supervisors accredited under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 codes of practice | 12 months | 8 weeks (aim); 2 weeks Fast Track | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Sheffield | £220 | None published | £220 | Domestic application fee (light industrial £230). Online payment only. | Any qualified contractor | £2m public liability. Street Works qualifications; £2 million public liability insurance | – | About 10 weeks | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Plymouth | £104 | Conditional approval fee: £128; Section 171 highway permit for your contractor: amount not published | £232 + an unpublished fee | £104 application fee plus a £128 conditional approval fee if approved. Neither is refundable. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. £5 million public liability insurance; Supervisor and operative accredited under NRSWA 1991 | – | 6 to 8 weeks | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Oxfordshire | £250 Residential access on an unclassified road | None published | £250 | £250 for a residential access on an unclassified road; £400 on a classified road. Paid by BACS with the emailed application form. £400 on a classified (A, B or C) road. | Any qualified contractor | £10m public liability. Relevant Streetworks qualifications; £10 million public liability insurance | 12 months | – | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Coventry | £200 With your own contractor | NRSWA permit (paid by your contractor): £75 | £275 | £130 if the council's contractor builds it (non-refundable). £200 if you use your own external contractor (£100 of it non-refundable). External contractors also need a £75 NRSWA permit. If Coventry's own contractor builds it: £130 application fee, then the council's estimate. | Council or your contractor | £5m public liability. Public liability insurance of at least £5,000,000; Supervisors' and operatives' NRSWA Streetworks qualification cards | – | – | If approved, Coventry gives an estimated cost of construction, valid for three months. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Lancashire | £290 | None published | £290 | Paid when you apply. Half (£145) is refunded if the application is unsuccessful. | Council's own list only | Must be on Lancashire's approved contractor list (your own builder can apply to join); Works under a Section 171 licence, which is free when your approval code is used | – | 28 days (aim) | Lancashire says quotations are currently between £2,000 and £3,500 for a standard crossing (4.5 m wide at the kerb face, 2.5 m vehicle width, on a footpath normally 2 m wide). | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Southend-on-Sea | £300 | None published | £300 | Non-refundable application fee (£325 if the crossover crosses a watercourse or ditch). Construction is charged at £255 per m² for a domestic crossing. | Council's own list only | Southend's own authorised contractors only | – | – | Southend's 2026/27 charge for building a domestic crossing is £255 per square metre. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Gloucestershire | £105 | Part 2 fee (with the works certificate): £205 | £310 | Total, paid in two parts: £105 (non-refundable) with Part 1, then £205 with Part 2. Extra site visits £125 each. Fee in force from 1 April 2025. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. Valid New Roads and Street Works accreditations; Public liability insurance of at least £5 million | 12 months | – | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| North Yorkshire | £310.20 | None published | £310.20 | Domestic dropped kerb licence fee. | Council's own list only | £5m public liability. Must be on North Yorkshire's approved contractor list; Approved contractors hold £5 million public liability insurance and are on the Street Works Qualification Register | – | – | North Yorkshire can also quote to build it: a quote costs £102.36, and it says typical construction costs are around £2,000 plus a 10% admin fee. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Bristol | £357 | None published | £357 | Combined excavation (Section 171) and vehicle crossover (Section 184) licence for a domestic crossover. A retrospective licence costs £536. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. Public liability insurance of at least £5 million; All operatives NPORS or SWQR qualified under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 | – | – | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Essex | £210.18 | Road Opening Notice (paid by your contractor): £150 | £360.18 | Non-refundable initial application fee (covers the site visit, a search for underground apparatus and admin). If approved, your contractor pays £150 for the Road Opening Notice. Vehicle crossing fees carry no VAT. | Any qualified contractor | £10m public liability. Valid £10 million public liability insurance; All site workers NRSWA-accredited to Operative level, with at least one Supervisor-level person on site or available at any time | 6 months | Several weeks after consent | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Thurrock | £375 | None published | £375 | Paid upfront. £300 is returned if the application is refused; £150 is returned if it's approved and the crossing is built to standard. | Council builds | Council builds | – | – | Thurrock's construction rate is £264 per square metre (2025/26 figure on its page), so an average standard crossing costs around £1,900. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Surrey | £383 | None published | £383 | Non-refundable Stage 1 application fee. Covers the site assessment, marking out, utility searches, managing the works and the final inspection. A re-mark costs £116. | Council's own list only | Must be one of Surrey County Council's procured approved contractors | 6 months | 20 working days | Surrey says building costs average roughly £1,800, depending on the work and the contractor. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Somerset | £388.30 | None published | £388.30 | Non-refundable fee for a Section 184 vehicle crossing licence (administration and site inspection). | Any qualified contractor | Accredited to work on the highway (Somerset's wording) | 3 months | – | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Leeds | £55.06 | Section 171 licence (paid by your contractor): £345.90 | £400.96 | Non-refundable site inspection fee. Your contractor then pays £345.90 for a Section 171 licence. | Any qualified contractor | NRSWA accreditation; Section 171 licence (£345.90) before excavating | – | – | Leeds says a standard crossing usually costs around £1,500. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Cambridgeshire | £414 | None published | £414 | Covers all inspection fees (no VAT). £314 is refunded if the application is unsuccessful. | Any qualified contractor | Street works accredited | – | 6 weeks | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Cornwall | £438 | None published | £438 | Standard vehicle crossing licence. Licence fees are reviewed every year and new fees apply from 1 April. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. Streetworks Supervisor and Operative qualifications; Public liability insurance of at least £5 million | – | At least 6 weeks | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Suffolk | £450 | None published | £450 | Non-refundable application fee. Pre-application advice (for borderline cases) costs £225. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 qualified supervisors and operatives; Public liability insurance of at least £5,000,000 | 1 year | 20 working days | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Lincolnshire | £470 With a third-party contractor | None published | £470 | £300 for a new light-duty application if the council builds it (removing an existing kerb: £125). £470 for a new domestic access if a third-party contractor builds it (£235 for extensions up to 2 m). If the council builds it: £300 application fee, then the council's price. | Council or your contractor | £10m public liability. Public liability insurance of at least £10 million; NRSWA accreditation for all operatives | – | 10 working days (response) | If the council builds it, Lincolnshire estimates construction at £2,500 to £3,500, priced on your property's needs. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Birmingham | £125 | Administration fee (included in the council's quote): £375 | £500 | Non-refundable application (inspection) fee on Birmingham's cost page (updated 1 April 2026). The quote also includes a £375 administration fee. Birmingham's older application page (updated 10 December 2025) still shows £113, so confirm the amount when you pay. Birmingham's older application page still shows a £113 application fee. | Council builds | Council builds | Application open 1 year after inspection | Quote within 28 working days of inspection | Priced individually after inspection (size, materials, labour, traffic management, trees and street lighting), plus a £375 administration fee. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Kent | £500 | None published | £500 | Application fee. Extra inspections cost £76 each (for a new access point, or a dropped kerb near a tree or street light). £231 is refunded if the application is declined. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. NRSWA accreditation for excavation and reinstatement; £5 million public liability insurance | 2 years | 28 days (aim) | Kent says contractors' prices can vary from £1,000 to £2,500. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Buckinghamshire | £520.38 | None published | £520.38 | Vehicular access licence fee. | Any qualified contractor | £10m public liability. £10 million public liability insurance; NRSWA accreditation (operative and supervisor cards, front and back) | 2 weeks (works window) | Up to 28 days | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| West Sussex | £215 | Construction licence (your contractor applies): £309 | £524 | Non-refundable assessment fee. Your contractor then pays £309 for the construction licence. | Any qualified contractor | Competent, insured and qualified (West Sussex's wording); Applies for the £309 construction licence | 6 months | – | West Sussex's guidance says construction can vary between £1,000 and over £4,000, and moving streetlights or street furniture could be significantly over £2,000. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Leicestershire | £300 | Permit fee (if you use your own contractor): £240 | £540 | Non-refundable application fee. If you use your own contractor, there's also a £240 permit fee. If the council builds it: the £300 fee, then its quote. | Council or your contractor | £10m public liability. £10 million public liability insurance; A current New Roads and Street Works accreditation card | 6 months | About 6 weeks | If approved, Leicestershire's decision letter includes a quote for the work. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Devon | £568 Licence applied for by your contractor on your behalf | None published | £568 | Licence fee. Your contractor applies for the licence on your behalf. | Any qualified contractor | Applies for the licence on your behalf | – | – | Devon says the work will probably cost somewhere between £1,500 and £3,000, more if obstructions or restrictions need moving. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Glasgow | See Book of Charges | None published | Not published | Glasgow says costs are in its Book of Charges, but the 2026/27 road permit and road traffic charge pages we checked don't list a footway crossing fee. Ask the council. | Any qualified contractor | A private civil engineering contractor, subject to the council's approval for the job | – | – | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Manchester | No separate fee listed | None published | Not published | Manchester's pages don't list a separate application fee. After assessment the council tells you the cost of the job, which you pay before it starts work. | Council builds | Council builds | 90 days after approval and cost | – | Manchester says the minimum new dropped kerb is roughly 3 m, with a starting cost of £1,575 including up to 2 m towards the property. Wider crossings, verges and obstructions cost more. | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
| Staffordshire | Not published | None published | Not published | Staffordshire's dropped kerb pages mention a non-refundable administration charge but don't publish the amount. It is shown when you apply. | Any qualified contractor | £5m public liability. Registered with Staffordshire's network and traffic management register; £5 million public liability insurance with no limit on the number of claims | 3 years | 2 to 3 weeks after inspection | Not published | Council page | 3 October 2026 |
How to read the fee columns. Homeowner application fee is what you pay the council to apply. Other council fees are further fees the same council publishes for the job, such as a second payment on approval or the licence or permit your contractor needs (they usually pass it on to you). Total council fees adds them up. Where a council lets you use your own contractor, the figures are for that route; the other route is described in the notes. Construction prices aren't included. Where the council builds the crossing itself, you also pay its price for the work. "+ an unpublished fee" means the council says another licence or permit is needed but doesn't publish the amount. Every row links to the council page that shows the fee.
Two councils' figures couldn't be confirmed: Staffordshire doesn't publish its fee, and Glasgow's 2026/27 Book of Charges doesn't list one. Norfolk and Wiltshire aren't included because their websites blocked our checks.
What pushes the price up
- Width: more dropped kerbs mean more pavement to rebuild. Southend charges £255 and Thurrock £264 per m².
- Grass verges: Manchester says verges are the most expensive type of crossing.
- Street furniture: moving lamp posts or signs costs up to £3,000 (Devon); streetlights can be well over £2,000 (West Sussex).
- Utilities: Gloucestershire says diverting utility apparatus can cost over £10,000.
- Drains: Thurrock charges £420 to amend a highway gully.
- Parking restrictions: Devon says moving restrictions can cost £3,000 and cause long delays.
- Traffic management on busy roads: Surrey's Lane Rental can add up to £1,500 a day on its busiest roads at peak times.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Get at least three quotes where you can choose your contractor (West Sussex, Gloucestershire and Cornwall recommend this).
- Blue Badge holders may get discounts: Birmingham on a standard crossing, Kingston £100 off.
- Share with a neighbour: Birmingham and Southend allow joint applications.
- Kent: if footway works are already planned on your road, you may get a dropped kerb at a reduced rate.
- Use a permeable driveway, so you don't need planning permission for the hard surface.
Questions people ask
How much is a dropped kerb on average?
Council-published prices for a standard crossing mostly fall between £1,500 and £2,500, plus council fees (a median application fee of £215 in our data, and £132 to £568 in total council fees). The full range runs from about £1,000 to £3,500, before extras like moving a lamp post.
Is the council fee refundable?
Usually not, though some councils refund part if you're refused: Kent £231, Lancashire £145, Cambridgeshire £314, Thurrock £300, Bradford £60.
Is VAT included?
Council fees are usually stated as the total you pay (Essex says its vehicle crossing fees carry no VAT; Southampton's £165 includes VAT). Bradford's construction price is £1,995 plus VAT.
Your next steps
Check your own council's rules first, then make sure your property qualifies before you apply.
Find your council Can I get a dropped kerb? Printable checklist
Sources (official, checked 3 October 2026)
- Kent: Apply for a dropped kerb, extension or access point
- Lancashire: Vehicle crossings (dropped kerb)
- Devon: Vehicle crossing or dropped kerb
- Leeds: Request a vehicle crossing outside your house
- Southend: Vehicle crossovers
- Thurrock: Use of dropped kerbs (applying)
- Gloucestershire: Vehicle dropped kerb
- West Sussex: Dropped kerbs for driveways
- Manchester: Apply for a dropped kerb
- Surrey: Vehicle crossovers or dropped kerbs
- Southend: Council fees and charges 2026/27