How Much Does a Concrete Driveway Cost? (2026 Cost & Design Guide)

Quick answer: a standard 2-car concrete driveway (20x40 ft, 800 sq ft) at 5 inches thick costs about $5,820 to $10,380 installed with a broom finish, or roughly $7 to $13 per sq ft. A 1-car driveway runs about $3,610 to $6,370 and a 3-car about $8,580 to $15,380. Stamped concrete raises the 2-car price to roughly $11,220 to $17,130.

A driveway is one of the larger concrete jobs most homeowners ever buy. It also takes more abuse than a patio: car and truck weight, freezing water, de-icing salt and runoff from the roof and street. This guide prices the common sizes, then walks through the design choices that decide whether the slab lasts for decades or starts cracking within a few years.

Driveway Cost by Size (5-Inch Slab)

A 1-car driveway is usually 10 to 12 ft wide, a 2-car about 20 ft and a 3-car about 30 ft. Length depends on your setback, so we used 40 ft for all three. Run your exact measurements through the slab cost calculator. These prices are for a new slab on prepared ground; tearing out an old driveway is extra (see below).

How Thick Should a Driveway Be?

The IRC sets a 3.5-inch minimum for concrete floors on ground, but that is a floor, not a driveway target. For passenger cars, 4 inches works on firm, well-drained soil. We recommend 5 inches for most driveways because it handles pickups, delivery vans and soft spots in the subgrade with much less cracking. Go to 6 inches for RVs, boats on trailers or a concrete truck that will need to drive on it later.

Going from 4 to 5 inches adds about 2.72 cubic yards and only about $410 to the direct cost, because forms, finishing and labor stay the same. It is the cheapest durability upgrade on the job. Our slab thickness guide covers the trade-offs in more detail.

Finish Options and What They Cost

A smooth steel-trowel finish is a poor choice outdoors: it gets slick when wet or icy. A popular middle path is a broom-finish field with a stamped or colored border, which gives most of the look for a fraction of the price. Stamped driveways also need a sealer every few years, which is an ongoing cost that broom finish mostly avoids.

Concrete Strength: PSI and De-Icing Salt

IRC Table R402.2 sets minimum strengths by weathering exposure. It does not list driveways by name, but in a severe-weathering (freeze-thaw) region it requires at least 3,500 PSI, air-entrained concrete for garage floors, carport slabs, porches and steps, and that is the sensible minimum for a driveway too. Where you or the city will use de-icing salt, we recommend 4,000 PSI with 5 to 7% entrained air. The tiny air bubbles give freezing water room to expand, which is what stops the surface from flaking (scaling).

The upgrade is cheap. Each 500-PSI step adds about $4 to $10 per cubic yard, so 4,000 PSI instead of 3,000 on a 2-car driveway (13.58 yd³) costs only about $110 to $270 more. Also: do not use salt on new concrete during its first winter, and never use products containing ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate, which attack concrete chemically.

Reinforcement: Rebar or Mesh

For a driveway, #4 rebar on chairs is the better choice. At 18-inch centers a 20x40 driveway takes about 60 twenty-foot bars and 98 chairs, roughly $800 to $1,400 installed. Welded wire mesh costs about $320 to $560, but it often ends up trodden to the bottom of the slab where it does little. Reinforcement does not stop cracks from forming; it holds cracks tight so the panels do not shift. Lay out bars with the rebar calculator.

Joints, Slope and Drainage

Control joints for a 5-inch slab go every 10 to 15 ft (2 to 3 times the thickness), cut a quarter of the slab deep. On a 20x40 driveway that usually means one joint down the center and cross joints every 10 ft: eight 10x10 panels and about 100 linear ft of joints. Saw-cutting that runs about $100 to $200 if it is not already in the bid, and it should happen 4 to 12 hours after finishing.

If the driveway slopes toward the garage, a trench drain at the garage door is cheaper than a wet garage. Steep driveways need a transition at the top and bottom so cars do not scrape.

Apron, Approach and Removing the Old Driveway

The apron (the strip between the sidewalk or curb and the street) usually sits on city right-of-way. Many cities require a separate right-of-way permit for it, set its thickness and mix (often thicker than the driveway itself), and may require a licensed contractor. Ask your public works department before you get bids, and make sure each bid says whether the apron and any curb cut are included.

Removing an old driveway costs about $3 to $4 per sq ft for a plain 4-inch slab, or $2,400 to $3,200 for 800 sq ft. Thicker or reinforced concrete lands at or above the high end. Asphalt usually comes out cheaper. Check your numbers with the concrete removal cost calculator. After tear-out, the base often needs rework: excavation and a fresh compacted gravel base run about $1.40 to $3.30 per sq ft, or $1,120 to $2,640 for 800 sq ft.

Permits and Inspections

Many towns require a permit for a new driveway, partly because it adds impervious surface and changes runoff. Small residential flatwork permits typically cost $50 to $350, and the apron permit may be separate. Some places limit total lot coverage or driveway width. See do you need a permit for a concrete slab.

Concrete vs. Asphalt

Asphalt is cheaper up front: about $3 to $7 per sq ft installed, or $2,400 to $5,600 for 800 sq ft. Concrete costs more but usually lasts much longer with less upkeep, and it handles heat better. Asphalt flexes more in freeze-thaw climates and needs sealcoating every few years. Our concrete vs. asphalt driveway comparison covers lifespan, maintenance and climate in detail.

DIY or Hire a Pro?

An 800 sq ft driveway is a hard DIY job. It is 13.58 cubic yards, more than one truckload (a mixer truck carries about 8 to 10 yd³), and it all has to be placed, screeded, floated and jointed before it sets. A pro crew of 3 to 4 finishers handles that routinely. Where DIY makes sense is the prep: demolition, hauling and base work, if your contractor will price the job that way. Before you sign, run any bid through the concrete quote checker and make sure it states thickness, PSI and air entrainment, reinforcement, base depth, joint spacing and whether removal and the apron are included.

Sources and Method

Costs come from the same line items and default rates as our calculator (see our methodology). They are national working benchmarks, and local prices vary by region, season and access. Strength and air-entrainment minimums follow IRC Table R402.2; slab-on-ground minimums follow IRC R506; joint and finishing practice follows ACI 302.1R and ACI 332 (residential concrete); curing follows ACI 308R. Your local building department and any city right-of-way rules have the final say.