How do you replace an asphalt driveway with concrete?

Step 1: Decide if the asphalt must come out

Concrete can be placed over asphalt. Road and parking lot engineers do it, and the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center publishes a guide for it^[7]. A bonded overlay suits asphalt with low to medium distress that is stable and free of loose material. An unbonded overlay is thicker and uses the old asphalt as its base, as long as the soil and base below are stable^[7].

The catch for a home driveway is height. An overlay raises the surface, and the same guide says designers must find the "fixed elevation points" that cannot take a rise, such as building frontage and curbs^[7]. On a driveway those are the garage slab, the door threshold and the street or sidewalk. A 4 to 5 inch overlay^[6] can leave a step at the garage and send water toward it. For most homes, removing the asphalt is the simpler path. If a bidder proposes an overlay, ask how they will handle the garage and street transitions.

Step 2: Permits, HOA and utilities

• Right-of-way permits. The apron between your property line and the street usually sits in the public right of way. Houston requires a residential driveway permit to remove and replace a driveway, with a minimum fee of $103, plan review, and inspections before and after concrete placement^[8]. Columbus requires a right-of-way permit for a curb cut and any paving in the right of way^[9].
• Zoning. Columbus requires zoning clearance to expand a driveway, but not to repave an approved one at the same size^[9]. Widening during the swap can change what you need.
• Fees. HomeAdvisor puts typical driveway permits at $50 to $200 and notes some cities waive fees when an apron already exists^[3].
• Utilities. Removal and regrading involve digging. The Common Ground Alliance says to contact 811 a few business days before digging so utilities can mark buried lines^[10].
• HOA. Check rules on material, color and width before you get bids.

See driveway apron and curb cut permits for more cities.

Step 3: Removal

Asphalt removal pricing varies by source:

Source (date)	Removal price
HomeGuide (Jun 2026)	$3 to $7 per sq ft; 20 x 20 ft driveway $1,200 to $2,800[1]
HomeAdvisor (Jun 2026)	$1 to $2 per sq ft for demolition and removal[2]
HomeAdvisor driveway guide (Jun 2026)	$250 to $3,000, or $2 to $6 per sq ft[3]
Fixr (2022)	About $2 per sq ft on average[12]

HomeGuide's own page also quotes a "national average" of $4,375 to $5,125 that does not match its per-square-foot table^[1], so lean on the per-square-foot figures. Thicker asphalt costs more to remove: HomeGuide lists $1.50 to $3.50 per square foot for 3 to 4 inches and $3 to $7 for 4 to 6 inches^[1].

Step 4: Base and drainage

The base matters more than the surface. The Michigan Concrete Association's driveway guidelines call for^[6]:

• A subgrade free of organic and loose material, with unstable soil removed to at least 6 inches and replaced with compacted stone, gravel or sand.
• At least 4 inches of compacted sub-base.
• A slope of at least 1/8 inch per foot for drainage.
• No concrete on a frozen subgrade, and no standing water when the concrete is placed.

Old asphalt driveways often have a gravel base already. Whether it can be reused depends on its depth and condition, so ask each bidder to inspect it after removal and price any added base separately.

Step 5: Concrete thickness, mix and joints

Item	Guideline
Thickness	At least 4 in; 5 in if delivery vehicles use it[6]
Edges	6 to 8 in thick to resist cracking, per HomeGuide[4]
Strength	4,000 psi at 28 days[6]
Air content	6.5%, plus or minus 1.5%[6]
Control joints	Spaced no more than 2 times the slab thickness in feet (8 ft for a 4 in slab), cut 1/4 of the depth[6]
Curing	Start within 30 minutes of texturing, at least 3 days[6]

Air content matters most in Ohio, Illinois and other freeze-thaw areas, where non-air-entrained concrete scales^[11]. See concrete driveway thickness and reinforcement.

What it costs in total

By our arithmetic from HomeGuide's tables, a 20 by 20 foot driveway would run about:

Item	Range
Asphalt removal	$1,200 to $2,800[1]
Plain concrete driveway	$2,400 to $6,000[4]
Total	$3,600 to $8,800

HomeAdvisor's guide reaches a similar place another way: adding removal brings total driveway costs to about $9 to $29 per square foot depending on material^[3]. Added base, grading, a thicker slab or a decorative finish push the total up. HomeGuide prices a 6 inch concrete driveway at $8 to $20 per square foot^[4].

How long it takes

Removing an old driveway typically adds 1 to 2 days, and pouring takes about 1 to 3 days^[5]. You can walk on new concrete after 1 to 2 days and drive on it after about 7 to 10 days, per HomeGuide^[5]. The Michigan Concrete Association says a driveway may open to traffic after 7 days of curing, or sooner if tests show 2,500 psi^[6]. Avoid deicing salt on it the first winter if you can^[11].

When to call a pro

• Ask a contractor in your area to confirm the finished height at the garage and street before demolition starts.
• Get the permit status in writing: who pulls it, what it covers, and when inspections happen.
• If the old asphalt sank or heaved in spots, ask for the base to be inspected and priced after removal.
• If water already drains toward the house or garage, have grading fixed as part of the job.