The City of Gold Coast publishes two standard drawings for residential driveways: RS-049 covers width and setout, RS-050 covers the profile and the construction notes. They are IPWEA standard drawings, developed with participating councils and published by Gold Coast on its own site.
Figures below are read from those drawings, checked 15 August 2026. Both carry a note that the user should confirm the drawing has been adopted by the relevant council before relying on it.
The crossing profile is specified, not left open
RS-050 Section B sets out the vehicle crossing from the kerb invert to the property boundary as a sequence of defined segments rather than a single grade:
| Segment | Length | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Transition from kerb invert | 1500 mm | 1 in 8 |
| Path zone | 1500 mm minimum | 1 in 40 |
| Segment before boundary | Varies | See note 12 below |
Read from City of Gold Coast standard drawing RS-050, Plan 2 of 2, checked 15 August 2026. The drawing also tabulates heights above the invert of channel at set distances.
The drawing tabulates the height above the invert of channel at each distance, so the crossing profile is effectively fixed rather than a matter of judgement.
The grades the council may approve
Note 12 on RS-050 states that, under special circumstances, council may approve a rising grade of 1 in 6 maximum or a falling grade of 1 in 20 minimum, and that longitudinal grades along the property boundary must allow for free drainage and pedestrian safety.
Two other grade limits appear in the notes: earthworks cut and fill batters from the edge of the crossing to natural surface are capped at 1 in 10 (note 14), and an existing path must be longitudinally transitioned to a new crossing at a maximum grade of 1 in 10 (note 15).
The drawings beat the state code
This is the part worth knowing before you design anything. Note 29 on RS-050 says driveways are to be constructed in accordance with QDC NMP 1.1 — but that RS-049 and RS-050 take precedence to the extent of any inconsistency.
Who maintains it
Note 25 on RS-050 is unusually direct: maintenance of the crossings is the responsibility of the property owner.
That is worth knowing, because the crossing sits on council land. Owning the maintenance obligation for something outside your boundary surprises people — see crossover or driveway.
Note 1 requires all appropriate permits from the relevant council — specifying crossing type, materials, location, levels, finishes and dimensions — before any excavation.
Width and number of crossings
RS-049 tabulates how many crossings are allowed and how wide they may be, by dwelling type:
| Dwelling | Crossings | Max width at kerb | Max width at boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single garage | 1 | 4.0 m | 4.0 m |
| Double garage or more | 1 | 5.0 m | 5.0 m |
| Double garage, 40 m+ frontage | 2 | 5.0 m | 5.0 m |
| Garage or carport on boundary | 1 | 6.0 m | 6.0 m |
Selected rows from RS-049, checked 15 August 2026. Widths at the kerb include 500 mm tapers both sides. Two crossings require a minimum 40 m frontage and 12 m between them. Duplex rows omitted — see the drawing.
A separate detail worth planning around: note 11 requires the crossing to reach a high point 250 mm above the invert of kerb so stormwater stays within the road reserve.
Before you rely on any of this
These are IPWEA standard drawings adopted by a number of Queensland councils, not a Gold Coast invention — Moreton Bay, for instance, publishes drawings in the same RS series. The drawings themselves say to confirm adoption with the relevant council before use.
Get the current drawing for the property in question, and read the conditions on the approval. For the state-level position, see driveway gradients in Queensland; for a council that publishes different figures again, see Brisbane.
Disclaimer
General information, not advice. Figures are read from City of Gold Coast published standard drawings RS-049 and RS-050 as at 15 August 2026 and are summarised rather than reproduced. Those drawings state that users must confirm adoption by the appropriate council before use, and councils revise them. Confirm the current requirements with the City of Gold Coast, and obtain the applicable drawing, before designing or building.
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