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Oakville driveway width checker: by-law limits for your lot
The Oakville driveway width bylaw sets two limits, one on your lot and one on the town boulevard. Enter your frontage and garage size to see both.
Oakville driveway width bylaw: the two limits
Oakville limits driveway width twice. The zoning by-law caps it on your lot by lot frontage (6.0 m, half the frontage, or 9.0 m), and the Town caps the apron on the boulevard by garage size (3.5, 6.5 or 9 m).
What is the maximum driveway width on a lot in Oakville?
It depends on frontage. At 12.0 m or less the limit is 6.0 m, between 12.0 and 18.0 m it is half the frontage, and at 18.0 m or more it is 9.0 m (s. 5.8.2 c).
| Lot frontage | Maximum width | In feet |
|---|---|---|
| 12.0 m or less | 6.0 m | 19.7 ft |
| More than 12.0 m, under 18.0 m | 50% of frontage (15.0 m gives 7.5 m) | 24.6 ft at 15.0 m |
| 18.0 m or more | 9.0 m | 29.5 ft |
The minimum width is 3.0 m, or 2.4 m where a detached private garage sits in the rear yard. Section 5.8 covers detached, semi-detached, duplex, linked and townhouse dwellings in Residential and Mixed Use zones.
How wide can the apron be at the road?
The apron, the part that crosses the boulevard, is capped at 3.5 m with no garage or a single garage, 6.5 m with a double and 9 m with a triple or more, for low-density residential lots (Driveway Permits Procedure).
| Garage | Maximum apron | In feet |
|---|---|---|
| No garage or single | 3.5 m | 11.5 ft |
| Double | 6.5 m | 21.3 ft |
| Triple or more | 9 m | 29.5 ft |
The minimum apron is 3 m. No driveway may meet the travelled road at an angle under 70 degrees. The checker does not draw the angle, so ask the Town about it.
Do I need a permit to widen a driveway in Oakville?
Yes, for anything that touches the town boulevard. The Town’s development engineering permit guide lists altering an existing driveway (widening) as work that needs a permit, and the driveways page says the same for driveway construction.
- Sign in to the Town’s online portal and choose Development Engineering Permit.
- Describe the work and select your property.
- Pick the activity (altering an existing driveway, widening) and answer the questions.
- Upload the required documents and submit.
- The Town pre-screens the application within five business days.
- Pay the fee under the Town’s rates and fees schedule.
- Technical review follows and may take six to eight weeks.
See our Oakville driveway permit guide.
What counts as driveway width: walkways, extra paving, side setbacks
Width is measured on the whole hard surface, not only the vehicle lane (s. 5.8.2 e and f). Continuous paving counts, and so does separate paving within 0.6 m of the widest part, along the whole length.
One walkway connection up to 1.8 m wide is allowed on each side of the driveway. Other hard surface stays 0.6 m back from the driveway edge. On a Residential Low lot the driveway sits at least 0.6 m from the side lot line.
Circular driveways and second entrances
Section 5.8.5 limits a circular driveway and all hard surface to 50% of the yard it sits in. The entrances may total no more than 9.0 m wide and must be at least 9.0 m apart on an arterial road (or a collector within 75 m of one) or at least 15.0 m apart on a local road. A lot with under 18.0 m of frontage may have only one access (s. 5.8.3 a). A second driveway for a circular layout needs a development engineering permit; see the Town’s driveways page.
Widening a driveway: what we check first
If the answer above says you have room, the next step is driveway widening, quoted in writing after we measure.
Across the border, different numbers
A lot across the border follows Mississauga’s by-law, with different limits. See driveway widening.
Sources and what the checker does not cover
Every number above was read from the Town’s own pages on 2026-10-25. The checker does not know your site-specific zoning, regulated lands, how the apron meets the road, or where boulevard trees and utilities sit.
The width limits apply to lots south of Dundas Street under Zoning By-law 2014-014. Lots north of Dundas follow By-law 2009-189, which this checker does not cover.
Conservation Halton regulates most work in flood plains, steep slopes, valley lands and wetlands, including site grading. A corner lot has extra setback rules. When in doubt, confirm with the Town before you pour.
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FAQ
Driveway width questions
How wide can a driveway be in Oakville?
South of Dundas Street, Oakville’s Zoning By-law 2014-014 caps driveway width by lot frontage: 6.0 m (19.7 ft) at 12.0 m frontage or less, half the frontage between 12.0 and 18.0 m, and 9.0 m (29.5 ft) at 18.0 m or more. Separate, lower limits apply on the town boulevard. Enter your frontage to see both.
Do I need a permit to widen my driveway in Oakville?
Oakville’s development engineering guide lists widening an existing driveway as work that needs a permit, and its Driveway Permits Procedure makes permits mandatory for any alteration in the municipal right of way. Call ServiceOakville at 905-845-6601 to confirm what applies to your address before you dig.
How long does an Oakville driveway permit take?
The Town says an application is pre-screened within five business days, then circulated for technical review, which may take six to eight weeks depending on complexity. Fees follow the Town’s rates and fees schedule. Plan your install date around that review, not around an installer’s calendar.
What is the maximum driveway apron width in Oakville?
Within the municipal right of way, the maximum apron for low-density residential is 3.5 m (11.5 ft) with no garage or a single garage, 6.5 m (21.3 ft) with a double garage and 9 m (29.5 ft) with a triple garage or more. The minimum apron is 3 m.
Can I widen my driveway to fit a third car?
Only within both limits. The apron cap for a triple garage is 9 m, but your zoning limit still applies: half your frontage between 12 and 18 m. A 15 m lot tops out at 7.5 m of driveway however many cars you own. Vehicles may only park fully on a driveway or surface parking area.
Does a walkway or extra paving count toward driveway width?
Often yes. The by-law measures width including continuous hard surface and separate paving within 0.6 m of the widest part. One walkway connection up to 1.8 m wide is allowed on each side. Other hard surface must stay 0.6 m back from the driveway edge. Enter your layout in the checker.
How close can a driveway be to my side lot line?
On a Residential Low lot, a driveway must be at least 0.6 m from the interior side lot line, except where semi-detached homes share a wall. Corner lots have extra setback rules. The checker flags corner lots so you can confirm them with the Town before you pour anything.
Is this checker an approval or legal advice?
No. It applies the numbers in Oakville’s Zoning By-law 2014-014 (consolidated to June 15, 2026) and its Driveway Permits Procedure to the figures you enter. Site-specific zoning, regulated lands and corner-lot rules can change the answer. The Town makes the final call, so confirm before you build.
Sources
- Town of Oakville: Driveway Permits Procedure (apron limits, undated page, read 2026-10-25)
- Town of Oakville: Zoning By-law 2014-014 (page)
- Town of Oakville: Zoning By-law 2014-014, Part 5, consolidated to June 15, 2026
- Town of Oakville: Development engineering permit guide
- Town of Oakville: Driveways (building permits and inspections)
- Conservation Halton: Permitting
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