In Queensland a residential driveway should be no steeper than 1 in 5 — 20%, or about 11 degrees. Up to 1 in 4 (25%, about 14 degrees) is allowed under the Queensland Development Code, but only if the steep part stays short and is eased at both ends.
That is the answer. The rest of this page is why the maximum is rarely what actually causes a driveway to fail — a driveway can sit under every limit and still ground a car.
The short answer
Builders say ratios. Homeowners say percentages. Spec sheets sometimes say degrees. Same thing.
| Ratio | Percentage | Degrees | Where it comes up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in 4 | 25% | 14.0° | Steepest allowed in Queensland, and only for a short run |
| 1 in 5 | 20% | 11.3° | The standard maximum for a residential driveway |
| 1 in 6 | 16.7% | 9.5° | A comfortable working grade |
| 1 in 8 | 12.5% | 7.1° | The transition grade at the ends of a steep section |
| 1 in 20 | 5% | 2.9° | Near-flat — typical at a garage door or street kerb |
To convert a ratio to a percentage, divide 1 by the second number: 1 ÷ 5 = 0.20 = 20%. A bigger second number means a flatter driveway.
Remember one pair: 1 in 5 is the ordinary limit, 1 in 4 is the concession — and the concession has conditions.
What the Queensland rules actually say
Queensland's rule sits in NMP 1.1 of the Queensland Development Code. It gives two acceptable solutions, not one limit.
| Acceptable solution 1 | Acceptable solution 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum gradient | 1 in 5 (20%) | 1 in 4 (25%) |
| Length steeper than 1 in 5 | Not applicable | 6 m maximum |
| Transition at each end | Not required | Not steeper than 1 in 8 |
| Minimum transition length | Not applicable | 1 m |
Summarised from NMP 1.1 as published. NMP 1.1 is a non-mandatory part of the code — see the section on councils below, and the disclaimer at the foot of this article.
The second is the one people quote incorrectly. 1 in 4 is not simply permitted — it is permitted while the run steeper than 1 in 5 stays within 6 m, and there is a transition of at least a metre at each end.
Why transitions matter more than the maximum
A car does not scrape because a driveway is steep. It scrapes because the slope changes faster than the car's underside can follow.
Leaving a flat street onto a 1 in 4 driveway at a single sharp break drops the front bumper toward the ground while the rear wheels are still level. Spread that change over a metre of easing grade and the car rides through untouched. That is what the transition rule is for.
NMP 1.1's performance requirement says as much directly: a vehicle should travel the driveway without scraping, scratching or being damaged. The numbers are the test a certifier applies. The vehicle is the test the owner applies on moving day.
More in why rate of grade change matters and why your car scrapes.
Where AS/NZS 2890.1 fits
AS/NZS 2890.1 is the Australian and New Zealand standard for off-street parking, and its residential access provisions are the other document a certifier may have open. It is not part of the Queensland Development Code, and the two are not identical.
Which applies depends on what your approval cites. Know which document is named, design to that, and stay within the tighter of the two where they differ.
What your council may require on top
NMP 1.1 is a non-mandatory part of the code. That does not make it irrelevant — councils reference it and certifiers use it as the yardstick when nothing more specific applies — but it is guidance, not a statutory requirement in its own right.
A planning scheme, a council standard drawing, or a condition on your approval can require something different. And the strip between the kerb and your boundary is usually a council-owned vehicle crossing, built to the council's drawing rather than NMP 1.1.
How to check a driveway
Same process whether it is poured or still on paper:
- Get the two end levels. The reduced level (RL) at the street boundary and the finished floor level of the garage. On a new build these come off the site plan; on an existing driveway they can be measured.
- Work out the overall grade. Divide the total rise or fall by the total length. A 1.5 m rise over 8 m is 1 in 5.3 — inside the ordinary limit.
- Find the steepest section. The average grade can comply while a section in the middle does not. This is the number that governs.
- Measure the steep run. If any part exceeds 1 in 5, that run must stay within 6 m to use the 1 in 4 concession.
- Check both transitions. At each end of the steep section, look for at least 1 m of easing at no steeper than 1 in 8.
Setting these levels on a design: boundary RL to garage RL. Already poured and grounding cars: what getting it wrong costs.
Common questions
How steep can a driveway be in Queensland?
No steeper than 1 in 5 (20%). Up to 1 in 4 (25%) where the section steeper than 1 in 5 is no longer than 6 m and has a transition of at least 1 m, no steeper than 1 in 8, at each end.
Why does my car scrape even though the driveway passes?
Because of an abrupt change in grade rather than the grade itself — usually where the driveway meets the street or the garage floor. A long front overhang or low clearance finds a sharp transition a higher car rides through.
Is 1 in 8 a limit on how much the grade can change per metre?
No — the most common misreading. The 1 in 8 is the steepness of the transition at each end of a steep section; the 1 m is how long that transition must run. It is not a blanket rate-of-change limit.
Who is responsible for the section across the footpath?
Usually a council-owned vehicle crossing, not your driveway, built to the council's standard drawing. Responsibility varies by council — more here.
Do these rules apply outside Queensland?
No. Other states work from their own codes and from AS/NZS 2890.1. The figures are not interchangeable.
Disclaimer
This article is general information, not advice. It summarises QDC NMP 1.1 as published rather than reproducing it, and it does not reproduce AS/NZS 2890.1, which is copyright to Standards Australia. NMP 1.1 is a non-mandatory part of the Queensland Development Code; local planning schemes, council standard drawings and conditions on individual approvals may impose different or additional requirements. Confirm the requirements applying to your project with the relevant council or a qualified certifier before relying on anything here.
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