Concrete Driveways & Sidewalks in Bainbridge Island, WA

Driveways & sidewalks in Bainbridge Island: what to know

The city’s building permit handout, revised May 2023, lists residential sidewalks without a height condition. On the handout’s commercial list, a sidewalk is allowed only when it sits no more than 30 inches above adjoining grade, lacks any basement or story underneath, and keeps clear of accessible travel routes. The handout does not mention driveways, so we confirm the driveway’s status with city staff before the slab is set. Under the grading checklist, less than 50 cubic yards of earthwork for the drive needs no building permit.

Work inside the right-of-way is a separate track. BIMC 15.12 bars private use of the right-of-way without a right-of-way use permit, and trenching or paving needs a Type B1 permit under that chapter. The public works director or a designee may approve the permit. The right-of-way page does not name a driveway approach or curb cut, so we ask the city which permit covers the apron before forms go in.

Permits and rules in Bainbridge Island

Whether a slab needs a building permit turns on the handout list and the grading quantity for the drive, and we confirm both for your address before quoting. For a right-of-way permit, BIMC 15.12.230 requires $500,000 in general liability insurance from the permittee. Under BIMC 15.12.220, a performance surety can be required at 125 percent of the estimated value of the work, and a deposit of 20 percent of construction cost is held for one year after final inspection when the city requires one. The right-of-way page sets the surety-bond trigger at a cost estimate above $2,000, while BIMC 15.12.220 accepts bonds only for amounts over $1,000; we ask which figure governs before the bond is quoted.

Rules change and vary by parcel, so we confirm the current requirements with the city before we start.

How we approach it

Check the handout list for sidewalks and the grading quantity for the drive
Keep any apron inside the right-of-way permit track
Confirm insurance, surety, and deposit terms before bidding
Route driveway runoff to a planted area or drain on your own parcel

For the full process, see our Concrete Driveways & Sidewalks page.

Building in the cold months? See our guide to winter concrete pours.

Our driveways & sidewalks work, serving Bainbridge Island

Examples of our work. We build driveways & sidewalks in Bainbridge Island and the cities around it. See all of our work

Questions from Bainbridge Island homeowners

Which Bainbridge Island driveways need a building permit?

The handout does not mention driveways, so the answer turns on the grading quantity. Earthwork under 50 cubic yards needs no building permit under the grading checklist, and larger cut or fill needs a building permit application. We confirm the status for your address before quoting.

Do Bainbridge Island sidewalks need a building permit?

The residential list names sidewalks with no height condition. The commercial list has three tests: no more than 30 inches above the neighboring grade, no basement or story beneath, and no spot on an accessible route.

Who approves a curb cut on Bainbridge Island?

Work inside the right-of-way needs a permit under BIMC 15.12, and the public works director or a designee may approve it. The right-of-way page does not name driveway approaches or curb cuts, so we ask the city which permit track covers the approach before forms are set.