How Wide Should a Driveway Apron Be? The Easy Guide [ 2024]

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How Wide Should a Driveway Apron Be?

The driveway apron width must be the same as the driveway width at the driveway end and 2’ – 3’ wider at the curb end as a rule of thumb. However, you must comply with the local building code specifications.

The driveway width depends on the garage front width, which depends on the number of standard garage doors.

Garage Size	Standard Garage Door Width	Recommended Driveway Width
One Car Garage	8’	12’
Two Car Garage	16’	24’
Three Car Garage	24’	24’

Practically speaking, a driveway width of 12’ for a single car and 24’ for multiple cars is good enough. Having an extra wide driveway serves no purpose.

The property line may not be exactly parallel to the street curb. Since the curbside of the driveway apron is wider than the driveway side, the apron has a trapezoid shape. The apron can also flair out in a fan shape as it approaches the curbside.

Do check with the local building code on the shape and curvature permissible.

Keep in mind that your county may also have a limit on how wide the driveway apron can be. Many local jurisdictions like to keep the driveway apron width in the 10’ to 20’ range.

What Is the Difference Between a Driveway Apron and a Garage Apron?

Any residential driveway will have aprons at both ends. The one at the curb end is known as the driveway apron. The other one is at the garage end and is known as the garage apron.

What Is the Apron of a Garage?

The garage apron is between 2 to 6 feet wide, runs the entire width of the driveway and is installed directly in front of the garage door. The concrete garage apron provides a transition from the driveway level to the garage floor level.

The purpose of the garage apron is to

Provide a gradual slope between the two different levels of the concrete garage floor and the driveway.

Provide a visual demarcation between the garage and the driveway.

Keep the two surfaces apart as they have different subgrades and experience different freeze thaw cycles and other stresses.

Divert rainwater and snowmelt from entering the garage or seeping into the garage foundation.

What Is the Apron of a Driveway?

Drive apron is that portion of the driveway from the edge of City roadway pavement or curb line to the public right-of-way/property line including any sidewalk area within these limits.
American Legal Publishing

The driveway apron connects the driveway within your private property with the public street. Though it is installed on public land, the homeowner has the responsibility to build and maintain it, as per city council guidelines.

Of course, without a driveway apron you and your cars will not have access to your home & garage. This is the main purpose of the driveway apron.

Additionally, similar to the garage apron, a driveway apron also:

Provides a gradual transition between the driveway and the street.

Keeps the two surfaces apart as they have different load bearing capacities and different load patterns.

Facilitates flow of rainwater and snowmelt from your driveway to the stormwater drainage system that runs along the street.

While asphalt driveway aprons may be permitted in some localities, concrete driveway aprons are the norm. Concrete driveway aprons are strong and durable, so they can handle loads of even heavy vehicles.

How Much Slope Should a Driveway Apron Have?

The maximum slope permissible for a driveway and a driveway apron is specified in the local building code. The specifications usually vary from county to county. So do check the specifications for your area.

It is not unusual for local building codes to specify a maximum permissible slope of 8% – 10% for the driveway and 10% – 12% for the driveway apron.

You should keep the driveway apron slope at 2% at the very least. This will make the rainwater falling on the driveway flow down smoothly into the stormwater drain alongside the street.

What Are the Components of a Driveway Apron?

The different components of a Driveway Apron are:

Driveway – is within the homeowner’s property line
Driveway Approach – is on public land intended for entry and exit of vehicles from the street to the driveway. This includes the driveway apron, the end slopes, the sidewalk section and the curb return.

Driveway Apron – is the area between the two end slopes
End Slopes – provide the transition from the curb to the apron and from the apron to the driveway
Sidewalk – is the part of the driveway approach that is located between the gutter and the apron plus the end slopes