Ipswich City Council stands apart from its neighbours in two ways: it publishes its own standard drawings rather than adopting the IPWEA RS series, and it states a minimum driveway width as well as a maximum.
Checked 15 August 2026 against the council's Driveway Approvals page.
When you need approval
For an initial driveway, no approval is needed provided it complies with the driveway standard drawing and all conditions. Approval is required if the application:
- Refers to an additional driveway
- Is a non-standard driveway
- Is on a major road
Fees for a non-standard driveway are payable on submission, and further inspection fees apply if additional inspections are needed.
If your development approval already carries driveway conditions, a separate driveway approval is only needed for a non-standard or second driveway on the one standard lot.
The widths
| Case | Width |
|---|---|
| Minimum, all driveways | 2.5 m |
| Maximum, standard lot with single garage | 4 m |
| Maximum, standard lot with double garage | 6 m |
All other driveways are subject to approval requirements. Checked 15 August 2026.
The 2.5 m minimum is worth noting — most councils publish only a maximum, so a narrow driveway can be non-compliant here in a way it would not be elsewhere.
Materials are prescribed, and some are banned
A residential driveway must be a solid, non-slip material such as concrete, asphalt or pavers. Tiles, gravel and bluestone are not permitted.
It must also be the same level as the footpath, within permitted gradients, clear of stormwater pits and street trees, and constructed in accordance with the council's standard drawings.
The drawings, and who is responsible
Ipswich publishes three driveway drawings under its own numbering:
- SR12 — Standard Residential Driveway Invert and Slab
- SR15 — Standard Invert Crossing for Areas Without Kerb and Channel
- SR16 — Standard Rural Road Driveway Pipe Crossing
These are not the IPWEA RS-049 and RS-050 sheets used by Gold Coast, Moreton Bay, Logan and the Sunshine Coast, so figures from those drawings do not transfer here.
The council states plainly that driveways are the property owner's responsibility, and that construction costs, construction activities and maintenance are not Council's — see crossover or driveway.
Gradients and other roads
The page requires a driveway to be within permitted gradients but states no figures — those come from SR12 or the drawing that applies to your site.
A driveway onto a state-controlled road needs a Road Corridor Permit from the Department of Transport and Main Roads first, before council approval. For the state-level position see driveway gradients in Queensland.
Council also advises engaging only people or businesses licensed with the Queensland Building and Construction Commission.
Disclaimer
General information, not advice. Summarised from Ipswich City Council's published Driveway Approvals page as at 15 August 2026, not reproduced. Requirements, fees and standard drawings are revised from time to time, and individual sites may attract additional conditions. Confirm current requirements with Ipswich City Council, and obtain the applicable standard drawing, before designing or building.
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