Vehicle Crossing (driveways and crossovers)

A ‘vehicle crossing’ is the strip of your driveway that crosses the footpath and nature strip allowing vehicles to enter and exit your property. If re-constructing the driveway, or doing anything that involves altering this area, a Vehicle Crossing Permit may be required.

Maintaining and/or modifying the vehicle crossing is at the property owner’s expense.

If the vehicle crossing is part of an issued building permit, the crossing has not been automatically approved. You will still have to make a separate Vehicle Crossing Permit Application. The same requirement applies if the vehicle crossing is part of an issued Town Planning Permit. 

In some cases, such as during building works where your builder needs to access the property from the road where no vehicle crossing is located, you may need to obtain what is called a Temporary Vehicle Crossing Permit. This is treated the same as a Vehicle Crossing Permit but will have conditions placed on it that affect the standard of construction and the reinstatement of the area once the permit expires. 

If you are seeking to have approval prior to the start of building your home (for example, to sign a contract), you will need to proceed with making an application to ensure that a vehicle crossing can be built there. Council will advise you in writing if your application has been approved or not. Approvals are for 12 months, in which time you must obtain the Vehicle Crossing Permit.

Vehicle Crossing Specifications

All crossings constructed in the City of Monash have to meet standards of the Vehicle Crossing Specification which can be found in:

Specifications for construction of Vehicle Crossings(PDF, 693KB)

There can only be 1 vehicle crossing per property.

Redundant vehicle crossings must be removed when a new vehicle crossing is constructed. 

To have a better chance of getting your permit approved, make sure your application takes into account:

Distance

  • The crossing is a minimum of 9m from a street corner
  • If the vehicle crossing is located within 2.4m of an adjoining vehicle crossing, the area between must be constructed to form a double vehicle crossing
  • The crossing is to be no less than 1m from any existing street ‘furniture’, such as electricity pits or poles, Council stormwater pits, sewer pits, Telstra/NBN pits, hydrants, bus stops, signage or similar 
  • All excavation works for the vehicle crossing should be planned to be at least 4m from the base of a street tree. You may be able to construct closer if an individual street tree allows. Some street trees may require a greater distance, so all plans should show how far away from them you plan to build, unless written Council approval is obtained from Council’s Asset Protection Department. 

Standard Dimensions

The minimum (and also the standard) width of the vehicle crossing is 3m. The maximum width of the vehicle crossing is normally 3.5m. If you wish to have a wider vehicle crossing, Council will try to accommodate. While in most circumstances this cannot be done, if not asked, Council will only allow for the 3.5m maximum.

Specific Permissions

In some circumstances, what you want to do may impact on other public assets owned by Service Authorities.

You will require written approval (from the relevant Service Authority), if

  • The crossing is less than 1m away from electricity pits or poles, Council stormwater pits, sewer pits, Telstra/NBN pits, hydrants, bus stops, signage or similar 
  • Excavation works for the crossing’s construction are less than 4m away from the base of an existing street tree
  • The vehicle crossing is located within 2.4m of an adjoining vehicle crossing and you do not wish for the vehicle crossings to be constructed as a double vehicle crossing

You also require approval from the Town Planning Department, if

  • The vehicle crossing/s is/are on an arterial road (this does not include service lanes)
  • All industrial/commercial crossings, and/or
  • The vehicle crossing is on a Town Planning Development (for example, units or apartments).  This also is on old Town Planning developments. 

Fees and Security Deposit

When applying for this permit you will need to pay an application fee. Council will process your application to determine if you can construct the vehicle crossing how and where you have proposed. 

If successful, and if all required documents have been submitted, a tax invoice will be issued via email. Council may request further documentation before proceeding with invoicing. Permit costs and a refundable security deposit vary, depending on the works to be undertaken. For more information, please see Engineering Permit Fees(PDF, 152KB)

Application fee: $130.00 (non-refundable) Please note the application fee is paid at the time of applying through the online application portal.

Vehicle Crossing Permit fees:

  • Local roads: $150 to $380 (non-refundable)
  • Arterial roads: $240 to $650 (non-refundable)

Supporting documentation

In submitting your application we require as a minimum: 

  • Site Plan showing the location of the proposed vehicle crossing, with all measurements and features including; property, existing and proposed driveways, trees, street furniture - for example, electricity or poles, Council stormwater pits, sewer pits, Telstra/NBN pits or posts, hydrants, bus stops, signage or similar 
  • Site photos prior to works commencing (minimum 5 photos). Please provide photos of the exact location of where the works will be undertaken and showing conditions of Council asset.

It is recommended you also supply the following documents if you have them, as you will need these if your application is successful:  

  • Traffic Management Plan as per the Road Management Act 2004 and the Road Safety (Traffic Management) Regulations 2019. Council requests you obtain your plans through an experienced provider to ensure high-quality plans are produced as poor-quality plans in the past have not met these basic requirements (hand-drawn plans are not accepted). The Traffic Management Plan should cover temporary changes to traffic conditions, road and footpath closures, and traffic detours. Council will assess the impacts on movement and safety for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles (check VicRoads website: Register of prequalified contractors & consultants).
  • Copy of the Works Manager's Public Liability Insurance (Certificate of Currency).

Council may also require:

  • A copy of a Neighbour Notification Letter advising affected residents of the works.
  • Supporting documentation from any service authority if the works affect or are near their assets and Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) approval if located on an arterial road.

Please note, the construction of vehicle crossings on arterial roads will require a permit and Memorandum of Authorisation (MOA) supplied by the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP) and a Traffic Management Plan from a prequalified contractor and consultant. 

The Vehicle Crossing Permit application advice may take up to 10 working days, depending on the complexity of the works involved.

If more information is required to complete your application, you will get a letter with advice via email. If Council does not receive the required document(s) within 1 month from the dated letter, your application will be cancelled, and you will need to apply again on a later date. Please note, the application fee is non-refundable. 

 

Apply for Vehicle Crossing Permit

When applying for your Vehicle Crossing Permit, if your new development has multiple units, you will only be required to submit one application under one unit's property address for the whole development. 

Step 1.Prepare supporting documentation

Step 2.Apply online

Vehicle Crossing Permit Application

Please note the application fee is paid at the time of applying through the online application portal.  

Step 3.Pay fees

If the application is successful, a tax invoice will be issued for payment via email.

The tax invoice will provide advice on how to pay for the permit. 

Step 4.Assessment

After the application has been assessed and should no further information be required, you will be issued with a tax invoice (permit and security bond fee).

Step 5.Receive the Permit

Once you pay the tax invoice, the permit will be issued by email. 

 

 

Vehicle Crossing Permit conditions

When the Vehicle Crossing Permit is issued, it will contain conditions that must be read and followed carefully.

Non-compliance may result in an infringement being issued.

Vehicle Crossing Permit expiry

The Vehicle Crossing Permit expires 6 months from the date of issue

Vehicle Crossing Inspections

You will have to arrange for Council to conduct an inspection of the vehicle crossing after the area is excavated, but before any concrete is poured. You must have a Vehicle Crossing Permit in place before booking the Vehicle Crossing inspection.   

As with other official inspections, remember that:

  • You won’t be able to book the inspection until you have obtained your permit.
  • A representative of the owner or contractor must be on site at the arranged inspection time.
  • You or your representative will have to set aside the morning of a regular weekday for the inspection. Inspections are not conducted on afternoons, weekends or public holidays.
  • You will have to book a Vehicle Crossing inspection by phoning 9518 3555 at the latest prior to 2pm on the day before inspection day.
  • Council will conduct a re-inspection on the vehicle crossing, scheduled for 1 month after the pre-pour inspection.

 

Security deposit refund

Council will re-inspect the vehicle crossing 1 month after the pre-pour inspection. You do not need to book this inspection as only Council will attend to check no damage has occurred to the vehicle crossing or Council assets during works.

The inspection is undertaken at this time because it takes 1 month for the concrete to have reached almost 100% of its full strength and to allow time for any defects to be shown.

If there is no damage and the inspection is signed off as satisfactory, your refundable security deposit will be returned. If any damage is noted, a letter will be sent to you for any required reinstatement works.

The refundable security deposit is paid as an electronic bank transfer into your nominated bank account. 

Reinstatement of Council assets

Please notify Council after rectification so a re-inspection can be arranged.

Please note, should Council attend the site 3 times or more to inspect reinstatement, you may incur an additional inspection fee of $139.70.

If no advice is received from the permit-holder about the reinstatement, Council may undertake the reinstatement works at the expense of the permit-holder.;