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If you are putting in a new driveway entrance, widening an existing one or moving it, you will run into the vehicle crossing rules. This guide explains how vehicle crossings work in Palmerston North, what the council needs from you and what it costs. The rules and fees below come from Palmerston North City Council and were current for the 2026/27 year. Always check the council website for the latest version.
A vehicle crossing is the part of your driveway between the road and your property boundary. It usually replaces part of the footpath and the kerb, so it sits on council land even though it is part of your driveway.
You need Palmerston North City Council's approval before you:
If you are only replacing the driveway inside your boundary and leaving the crossing as it is, you do not normally need vehicle crossing approval. No work on a crossing can start until the council has approved the application and set out its conditions.
The council's application form sets a minimum crossing width of 3 metres and a maximum of 5 metres. A crossing wider than 5 metres triggers a resource consent, which is a longer and more expensive process. If you need more width for parking, it is often better to widen the driveway inside the boundary and keep the crossing within the limit.
Vehicle crossing approval is separate from building consent and resource consent. If the crossing is part of a new build, any conditions on those consents still apply.
These fees are set by Palmerston North City Council, include GST and apply per inspection from 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027:
| Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| New vehicle crossing | $512 |
| Altering an existing vehicle crossing | $278 |
| Inspecting an existing vehicle crossing | $278 |
The inspection fee is on top of the cost of building the crossing itself.
If your new concrete driveway needs a new or altered crossing, we can handle the process for you as part of the job. We measure the crossing at the quote, prepare the site plan, include the work and the council fee in your written price and sequence the job so nothing is poured before approval comes through.
Find out more about our concrete driveways in Palmerston North, see what affects the cost of a driveway, or get in touch for a free on-site quote.
Free on-site quote. Firm written price. A crew that turns up.
