Driveway Aprons, Curb Cuts and Sidewalks: Minneapolis vs. St. Paul Rules

Last updated October 22, 2026

One of the most confusing parts of a Twin Cities concrete project is the strip of land between your yard and the street. It holds the boulevard, the public sidewalk and the driveway apron, and even though it looks like part of your property, it's usually public right-of-way. That means your city decides what can be built there, who can build it and, in some cases, who pays. Minneapolis and St. Paul handle it differently, and the suburbs add their own variations.

What counts as the right-of-way

On a typical city block, your property line is somewhere behind the public sidewalk, not at the curb. The boulevard (the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb), the sidewalk itself and the apron where your driveway crosses them to reach the street are generally public. Your survey or the city's property maps can show where the line falls. Anything you build there is subject to city standards and inspection.

Minneapolis: curb cuts

Minneapolis calls the driveway connection to a public street a curb cut, or drive apron, and treats it as something you need city permission to build or change. According to the city's curb cut requirements:

• A Minneapolis-licensed sidewalk contractor must do the work. Homeowners can't do it themselves unless they hold that license.
• Each home can have only one driveway, and one- to three-unit homes with alley access are not eligible for a curb cut.
• The apron must run perpendicular to the right-of-way, stay set back from hydrants, poles, signs, streetlights and trees, keep clear of property lines and intersections, and fall within width limits.
• The process starts with plan review: you submit drawings of existing and proposed conditions, and once plans are approved the contractor obtains a sidewalk inspection permit before work begins.

The alley rule surprises people. Many Minneapolis homes have a garage off an alley, and if yours does, a new driveway from the street generally isn't an option. Replacing a garage slab or alley apron is a different project, so ask the city what applies.

Minneapolis: public sidewalks

Minneapolis makes the owner of the adjoining property responsible for the public sidewalk. The city inspects sidewalks on a rotating multi-year schedule, sends a notice to owners of properties with defective panels before work starts, has the repairs done through a city contractor, and then bills the owner. Owners can pay in full or have the cost spread over several years on property taxes as a special assessment, with interest on unpaid balances. Owners are also responsible for damage caused by tree roots. If you receive a notice and want to arrange the work yourself, contact the city's sidewalk inspections office about your options and deadlines before the city's contractor is scheduled, and remember that any contractor you hire for the public sidewalk needs a Minneapolis license.

St. Paul: who maintains what

St. Paul draws the lines differently. The Public Works Sidewalk Division maintains mainline sidewalks, the walks that run parallel to the street, and the city says there's no direct cost or assessment to individual owners for that work, which is funded from the general fund or other programs. Owners are responsible for their boulevard walk (the short walk from the sidewalk toward the street or house), driveways and driveway aprons, and the city won't repair those for you. One exception: if the city rebuilds a mainline sidewalk, it may make minor repairs to a connecting boulevard walk to match, and that cost can be added to the owner's bill.

St. Paul: aprons, curb cuts and contractors

• Concrete work in the right-of-way requires a contractor licensed by the city's Department of Safety and Inspections, which involves a bond, insurance and a Public Works concrete exam, and the contractor must obtain a sidewalk permit before construction.
• Adding or widening a curb cut starts with a separate curb cut request to see whether it's allowed; that request is not itself a permit.
• Changes to a driveway apron must meet city zoning requirements and are done at the owner's cost.
• Asphalt isn't allowed for driveway aprons or boulevards unless the Director of Public Works approves it.

The suburbs: check every time

Suburban rules vary widely. Bloomington, for example, requires a permit to construct, replace, overlay or alter a residential driveway approach, requires the applicant to be bonded and insured with the city, and requires a form inspection before concrete is placed in the right-of-way, with a final inspection afterward. Bloomington also requires a separate permit for the private driveway in many cases. Other suburbs may require a driveway permit, a zoning permit, a city-licensed contractor, or nothing at all for same-footprint replacements. Rules can also depend on whether your street is a city street or a county road. The safest step is to call your city's public works or engineering department before you sign a contract.

Why this matters for your quote

Right-of-way rules affect cost and schedule in several ways:

1. Contractor eligibility. In Minneapolis and St. Paul, a contractor without the city license can pour your private driveway but not the apron. Ask whether they hold it, or who will do the apron.
2. Permits and plan review. Plan review and permits take time, so build that into your schedule, especially in the spring rush.
3. Standards. Cities set requirements for aprons and sidewalks, and the contractor has to build to them. Inspections may happen before the pour.
4. Coordination with city projects. If your street or sidewalk is scheduled for city reconstruction, the apron may be rebuilt as part of that project. Ask before replacing it yourself.

Trees, utilities and the boulevard

Boulevard trees are often city-owned, and cities generally regulate cutting their roots or working near them. Minneapolis requires curb cuts to stay set back from trees in the right-of-way. Before any digging, Minnesota law requires notice to Gopher State One Call at least 48 hours ahead, not counting weekends and holidays. Utility lines in the boulevard can be shallow, so this step matters.

A checklist before you schedule

• Find your property line on a survey or city map.
• Call your city about permits for the driveway, apron and any sidewalk panels.
• Confirm your contractor holds any city license needed for right-of-way work.
• Ask whether a city street or sidewalk project is planned on your block.
• Check HOA rules if you have an association.
• Make sure 811 is contacted before digging.

For more on budgeting, see what affects driveway cost in the Twin Cities, or read about sidewalks and walkways. When you're ready, request a concrete contractor and mention if the work reaches the street.

Related services

• Sidewalks & Walkways
• Concrete Driveways

Sources and further reading

• American Concrete Institute (ACI)
• Portland Cement Association (PCA)
• Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry: residential contractor licensing
• City of Minneapolis: curb cuts for residential properties
• City of Minneapolis: city sidewalk repair process
• City of Saint Paul Public Works: sidewalks
• City of Saint Paul: sidewalk contractor license
• City of Bloomington: residential driveway approaches and curb cuts handout
• Minnesota Rules chapter 1303 (frost depth zones), Office of the Revisor of Statutes
• Hennepin County landslide atlas: Minnesota River valley
• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (winter salt and chloride)
• Gopher State One Call (Minnesota 811)
• Minnesota Department of Public Safety: Gopher State One Call

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