Pasadena Driveway Permit | Curb Cuts and Encroachment

Pasadena Driveway Permits, Curb Cuts and Encroachment

In Pasadena, the part of a driveway that crosses the parkway, sidewalk and curb sits in the public right-of-way, so a new approach, a wider apron or a curb cut needs a Public Works permit before any concrete is poured. This guide explains who handles what, which details are still to be confirmed with the City, and what to ask first.

Public Works permitting

Aprons and curb cuts

Parkway trees

Fees: check with the City

Last reviewed October 2026.

Two halves of every Pasadena driveway permit question

A driveway has two parts with two different owners. The slab from the garage to the back of the sidewalk is on your lot. The apron, the strip that crosses the parkway and sidewalk, and the curb cut at the street are in the public right-of-way, which the City controls. Most driveway permit questions in Pasadena are really about that second part.

Who to ask, by part of the driveway

Part of the job	Where it is	Who to ask
Driveway slab on your lot	Private property	Building and Safety if steps, walls or structures are involved
Apron, approach and curb cut	Public right-of-way	Public Works, Engineering and Construction (626-744-4191)
Public sidewalk crossing	Public right-of-way	Public Works
Street tree in the parkway	Public right-of-way	Public Works, before roots are cut or the tree is affected
Visible change on a historic property	Private property	Planning, Certificate of Appropriateness

Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

New concrete driveway cut into panels by control joints, running up to a detached two-car garage — A new driveway on a Pasadena job, cut into panels by control joints so any cracking follows the lines.

Driveway approaches and curb cuts

Pasadena's Engineering and Construction division handles work in the right-of-way through its public works permitting program, and publishes a general guide to the public works permit process. The specific fee, plan requirements and turnaround for a residential driveway approach weren't confirmed for this guide, so treat them as questions for the City rather than known numbers.

Questions to ask Public Works before you design

Is a new or wider curb cut allowed at this frontage, and how wide can the approach be?
What drawing do you need: a simple site plan, or an engineered plan with grades?
Is there a street tree, utility box, fire hydrant or catch basin near the approach?
What are the permit and inspection fees, and how long does review take?
Which inspections are required, and at what stage: forms, before pour, final?
Who may pull the permit: the owner, or only a licensed contractor?

Parkway trees and the sidewalk

Many Pasadena aprons cross a parkway planted with a City street tree. Cutting roots or working close to the trunk is the City's call, not the homeowner's, so raise it with Public Works before the design is set. If roots from a City tree have already damaged the public sidewalk, the sidewalk repair and street tree guide covers who pays and the City's cost-share program.

Craftsman bungalows, lawns, parkway strips and concrete driveways on Michigan Avenue in Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena — Michigan Avenue in Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena: bungalows, parkway trees and narrow concrete drives.

On your lot: building permits, historic review and runoff

Building and Safety

A driveway slab at grade is usually the simplest part of the project. Steps, retaining walls, a carport or garage, or work near the house can each bring a building permit. Ask Pasadena Building and Safety with a sketch of the whole plan rather than one piece at a time.

Historic properties

Under Pasadena Municipal Code section 17.62.090(B)(1), most exterior alterations to a designated or eligible historic resource outside the Central District need a Certificate of Appropriateness. A new or wider front driveway is visible from the street, so expect that review in a landmark district. The historic district driveway rules explain how it works.

Stormwater

A bigger driveway adds impervious surface. Pasadena regulates runoff under Chapter 8.70 of its Municipal Code; whether a given project triggers extra requirements is a question for the City's stormwater program. See the stormwater guide.

Call before you dig

Breaking out an old driveway and digging for a new base can reach buried lines. In Southern California, DigAlert takes 811 requests to mark utilities before excavation.

South Pasadena encroachment permits

South Pasadena is its own city with its own permit counter, and homeowners there search for its encroachment permit by name. Its Building Division is at 1414 Mission Street (626-403-7224); ask the City which department issues encroachment permits for a driveway approach before you plan one. The South Pasadena page has more.

Next: the concrete driveway in Pasadena page for the spec, and the driveway cost page for prices.

Pasadena Driveway Permit Questions

Pasadena City Hall at dusk.

Do I need a permit for a new driveway in Pasadena?

For the part in the public right-of-way, yes: a new or wider driveway approach, an apron rebuilt at the street, a curb cut or work in the sidewalk goes through Pasadena Public Works permitting. Whether the part on your own lot needs a building permit depends on what else is involved, such as steps, walls or a structure; ask Building and Safety.

Who issues driveway approach and curb cut permits in Pasadena?

The Engineering and Construction division of Pasadena Public Works, which runs the City's public works permitting. Its phone number is 626-744-4191.

How much is a driveway permit in Pasadena?

The City sets its own fees, and they weren't confirmed for this guide, so check with Public Works. For budgeting only, constructlytools' Los Angeles concrete guide (updated May 19, 2026) allows $200 to $700 for permits on a driveway or slab project, on top of its per-square-foot prices.

What is an encroachment permit?

A permit to do work in, or place something in, the public right-of-way: the street, curb, parkway and sidewalk in front of a property. Driveway approaches are one of the most common reasons homeowners need one. People in South Pasadena search for it by that name; Pasadena handles the same kind of work through Public Works permitting.

Can I widen my driveway without a permit if I stay on my own lot?

Work that stays entirely on your lot is a different question from work at the street. But a wider driveway usually means a wider apron or a new curb cut to reach it, and that part needs Public Works approval. On a historic property, a visible change can also need a Certificate of Appropriateness.