How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost in Los Angeles?

If you are planning to replace a driveway in Hancock Park, Mid-City, Fairfax or anywhere in Central LA, you will see wildly different numbers online, from a couple of thousand dollars to well over ten thousand. Most of that spread is simply size: a one-car strip and a three-car pad are different projects. The rest comes from demolition, grading, roots, thickness, finish, access and permits. This guide walks through each of those, shows the published Los Angeles ranges with their sources, and explains how to read a quote so you can compare like with like.

Cost by driveway size

The table shows Angi's published Los Angeles ranges by size. Because size is the biggest driver of the total, this is the right place to look for a ballpark, not the average.

Published ranges, not quotes. Sources: Angi, Concrete Driveway Cost in Los Angeles (updated May 5, 2026); HomeGuide, Concrete Driveway Cost (page dated June 3, 2025) (standard to basic concrete). Angi also lists $7,200 to $13,200 for a 600 sq ft driveway in Los Angeles in its national guide. (Angi)

Measuring your driveway: multiply length by width in feet. Many LA driveways are long and narrow, running beside the house to a garage at the back, so a "one-car" driveway can still be 400 sq ft or more. If you're not sure, choose "not sure" on the form; the contractor will measure.

Cost by finish level

HomeGuide groups driveways into four quality tiers. These are national per-square-foot figures; LA usually sits toward the higher end.

National published ranges, not quotes. Source: HomeGuide, Concrete Driveway Cost (page dated June 3, 2025). For stamped work in LA specifically, Angi lists $15 to $30 per sq ft. (Angi, LA stamped)

Labor vs. materials

Angi says labor is close to half the cost of a concrete driveway, with Los Angeles concrete pros charging $4 to $12 per sq ft, or $75 to $125 per hour when they bill by the hour. (Angi, LA driveways) Ready-mix concrete itself is sold by the cubic yard; Angi lists all-purpose mixes at $140 to $180 per cubic yard and high-strength mixes at $180 to $230. (Angi, LA driveways) A 4-inch slab uses about 1.2 cubic yards per 100 sq ft (100 sq ft × 0.33 ft ÷ 27), so the concrete is a smaller share of the total than most people expect; preparation and skilled finishing are where the money goes.

Demolition and haul-off

Most Central LA jobs are replacements, so the old slab has to be broken out and hauled away. Angi lists $1.40 to $2.30 per sq ft for demolition of a standard unreinforced slab in Los Angeles. (Angi, LA driveways) Reinforced or extra-thick slabs take longer to break. If the job is a new driveway on bare ground, grading and site prep instead add about $1 to $3 per sq ft, and Angi notes some projects may need soil compaction testing at $2,000 to $6,000. (Angi, LA driveways)

When you compare quotes, check that every one includes demolition, haul-off and disposal. A low quote that leaves demolition out is not really lower.

What drives the price in LA

• Size and shape. Bigger driveways cost more in total but often less per square foot; curves and many angles add forming time. (HomeGuide)
• Demolition and haul-off. See above; usually the biggest add-on for a replacement. (Angi, LA driveways)
• Slope and grading. Sloped lots need more excavation, base and sometimes drainage. HomeGuide notes costs increase for heavily sloped sites, and a new drainage channel along a driveway runs $400 to $2,400 nationally. (HomeGuide)
• Tree roots. Roots that lifted the old driveway will lift the new one unless they are handled. Street-tree roots in the parkway need a StreetsLA permit before pruning. (StreetsLA)
• Thickness and reinforcement. Going from 4 to 6 inches raises the per-sq-ft range; rebar or wire mesh adds about $1 to $3 per sq ft nationally. (HomeGuide) (HomeGuide)
• Finish. Broom is the baseline; exposed aggregate, color and stamping step up the price (see the tier table).
• Access. Long, narrow side driveways and rear garages can limit truck and equipment access, which can mean a concrete pump or more hand work. In Hancock Park, for example, most side driveways run through a porte-cochère to a rear garage (see the Hancock Park guide). Angi also notes that limited access adds time and equipment. (Angi, LA stamped)
• Permits. Work on the apron, curb or sidewalk needs a Bureau of Engineering A-Permit; the official fees are in the permits section below.
• Timing and demand. Busy seasons can mean longer waits and firmer pricing; HomeGuide notes spring and fall are typical sweet spots. (HomeGuide)

Concrete vs. asphalt vs. pavers

Published ranges, not quotes; each cell links to its source. The concrete row repeats the Angi LA driveway range from the top of this page so the page uses one LA concrete figure; asphalt is from Angi's LA paving page and pavers are a national HomeGuide range. Sources disagree on lifespan: Angi's LA paving page gives concrete 50 to 100 years, (Angi, LA paving) while HomeGuide gives 30 to 40. We show the more conservative figure.

In LA's climate, concrete is the most common choice for driveways. Asphalt is cheaper up front but needs more upkeep; pavers cost more but let you repair one area without breaking out a slab.

Permits and the driveway approach

In the City of Los Angeles, the municipal code exempts driveways and walks that are not more than 30 inches above grade, and not over a basement or story below, from needing a building permit. (LAMC 91.106) So replacing a driveway slab that sits entirely on your lot often doesn't need a building permit, but that exemption doesn't authorize work that breaks other rules.

The section between the sidewalk and the street, the driveway approach, is in the public right-of-way. Building, changing or replacing an approach, or a curb cut, generally needs a Class A-Permit from the Bureau of Engineering. (BOE permit manual) (BOE driveway procedure) A new or widened curb cut also has to meet city standards: in single-family and duplex zones the apron must be 10 to 18 feet wide, and anything wider needs a City-approved deviation. (LAMC 62.105.2) Your contract should state who obtains any permits. (CSLB)

What the A-Permit costs (official BOE fees)

Official City fees, not a quote. Source: LA Bureau of Engineering, Standard Fee List (rev. Dec 7, 2025, PDF), linked from engineering.lacity.gov/permits, checked October 28, 2026. The schedule steps up each July 1; confirm the current amount with BOE. Third-party estimates you may see online, such as Angi's $150 to $400, are below the current official basic fee.

Different rules apply in some places: West Hollywood is its own city with its own Building & Safety division, (West Hollywood) and historic districts (HPOZs) in parts of Central LA can add review for visible exterior changes. (City Planning) Our area guides cover the local details.

If the sidewalk is damaged too

Under LAMC 62.104, the owner of a lot is responsible for maintaining the sidewalk, driveway approach and curb fronting the lot. (LAMC 62.104) If roots have lifted the public sidewalk next to your driveway, it can make sense to fix both at once. The City's Safe Sidewalks LA program offers rebates for voluntary sidewalk repairs, capped at $12,400 per lot for residential properties, but new applications are currently waitlisted, and you must get a rebate offer before doing the work. (Safe Sidewalks LA FAQ) (Safe Sidewalks LA) Details are on our repair page.

Timeline and curing

The physical work on a typical replacement is often only a few days: demolition, base and forms, then the pour. Curing takes longer. HomeGuide lists 7 to 30 days of curing time for concrete compared with 1 to 3 days for asphalt. (HomeGuide) Ask the contractor when you can walk on it and when you can park on it, and plan where your cars will go in the meantime, since street parking rules vary by block.

How to compare quotes

Quotes are only comparable when they describe the same job. Check that each one states:

1. The exact area in square feet and the slab thickness.
2. Demolition, haul-off and disposal of the old slab.
3. Base: depth and compaction.
4. Reinforcement: rebar, wire mesh or none.
5. Finish and any color or pattern.
6. Control joints and slope for drainage.
7. Who handles permits and inspections. (CSLB)
8. How tree roots, if any, will be handled, and the price for surprises.
9. Start date, completion date and cleanup. (CSLB)
10. The contractor's CSLB license number, which you can check at the CSLB lookup.

Paying a contractor safely

California law limits the down payment on a home improvement contract to $1,000 or 10% of the contract price, whichever is less, and progress payments can't exceed the value of the work done or materials delivered. (Cal. BPC 7159.5) CSLB notes there are no exceptions to the down-payment limit for special-order materials. (CSLB checklist) The rare exception is a contractor with an approved blanket performance and payment bond, which appears on the license record. (CSLB checklist) Get the contract in writing, get change orders in writing, and don't make the final payment until you're satisfied. (CSLB checklist) You can cancel a home improvement contract in writing within three business days of signing (five business days if you are 65 or older). (CSLB checklist)

How we built this guide

We are a referral service, not a contractor, and we don't set prices. Every number here comes from a published source linked next to it, with Los Angeles figures used where they exist and national figures labeled as national. Permit and legal information links to the official code or agency page. We checked every source on October 28, 2026 and will update this page when we collect real quotes from Los Angeles contractors, stating the method when we do. If you spot something out of date, tell us.

Frequently asked questions