Last reviewed October 2026, from City of Burbank permit pages and the Burbank Municipal Code.
Which Burbank office handles which part
A driveway project usually touches two or three City departments, and Burbank's own permits FAQ draws the line at the property line: work on private property goes to Building and Safety, and anything on the sidewalk, including the approach, goes to Public Works.
| Part of the job | City office | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway on your lot | Building and Safety (often permit-exempt) | (818) 238-5220 |
| Apron, curb cut, gutter, sidewalk | Public Works permit counter | (818) 238-3950 |
| Front-yard layout, new curb opening location | Planning | (818) 238-5250 |
| Parkway tree near the apron | Parks and Recreation, Forestry | (818) 238-5304 |
| Sidewalk lifted by a street tree | Street and Sidewalk Maintenance | (818) 238-3800 |
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Phone numbers from the City of Burbank's Public Works permits FAQ, Building and Planning pages and the parkway tree page, read October 2026.
The driveway slab itself usually needs no building permit: Burbank's 2025 exemption list covers driveways no more than 30 inches above the grade next to them, not over a basement and not part of an accessible route. The Burbank concrete permit guide lists the other exemptions.
How wide a Burbank driveway approach can be
Public Works allows an approach up to 17 feet wide in the R-1 through R-5 zones and 30 feet in other zones, and the Director can approve more. The zoning code is stricter on house lots: all curb openings together may take no more than 25 percent of the lot width, and no single driveway may be wider than 15 feet at the curb. On narrow Burbank lots the 25 percent rule is the one that bites:
| Lot width | 25 percent of width | Practical limit |
|---|---|---|
| 40 ft | 10 ft | One 10 ft opening |
| 50 ft | 12.5 ft | One opening up to 12.5 ft |
| 60 ft | 15 ft | One 15 ft opening |
| 80 ft | 20 ft | Two openings only with 20 ft of curb between them |
| 100 ft | 25 ft | Circular drive becomes possible |
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Computed from BMC 10-1-603(G)(5)(b) (25 percent of lot width, 15 ft per driveway, circular drives on lots 100 ft or wider) and BMC 7-1-217 (20 ft between driveways). Confirm your lot's zone and width with Planning.
Front-yard rules that come with a wider driveway
Widening the opening usually widens the paving behind it, and Burbank limits that too. No more than 45 percent of the required front setback may be hardscape, concrete and pavers included. Paving can't be added beside the driveway to make one continuous slab, a walkway next to the driveway needs a planted buffer and a different surface, and cars may park in the front yard only on the driveway itself. The rest of the setback has to be landscaped.
What the permit asks for
- 1Check the layout against zoning
Measure the lot width and the existing curb openings. A new or wider opening has to fit the 25 percent and 15 foot limits and leave 20 feet of curb between driveways.
- 2Look up for trees
If a parkway tree stands near the apron, Parks and Recreation Forestry (818-238-5304) is part of the plan; BMC 7-1-222 requires notice when digging could damage a street tree.
- 3Call DigAlert
Mark the dig area and call 811 at least two working days before digging. The ticket number goes on the permit application.
- 4Insurance and permit
The $1,000,000 liability certificate and City endorsement go to the Public Works counter at 150 North Third Street with the fee and deposit.
- 5Build to the City standard
The old apron is cut out, the curb opening formed to the City's plan, and the sidewalk it crosses replaced to the nearest score line at no more than a 2 percent fall.
- 6Inspection
Public Works inspects before the job closes and the deposit is released.
Moving or closing an old driveway
Relocating a driveway leaves an old approach behind. Under BMC 7-3-504 the City can order an abandoned or dangerous private driveway on the sidewalk removed and replaced with curb and sidewalk, so the old opening is normally closed as part of the same permit: the curb is rebuilt full height and the sidewalk panels are replaced to the score lines.
When the apron is part of a bigger job
Most aprons get rebuilt alongside a new driveway; see concrete driveway replacement in Burbank. Curb, gutter and sidewalk on their own are on the curb, gutter and sidewalk page, and roots under the apron are covered in the sidewalk repair and street tree guide. Back to the concrete contractor in Burbank overview.
