The honest cost of a concrete driveway in Maryland — a 2026 breakdown.

Ask three Maryland contractors what a concrete driveway costs and you’ll get three different answers — not because anyone is dishonest, but because half the line items are buried in a single “driveway” number. This is the breakdown we wish every Potomac, Bethesda, and Rockville homeowner had before they signed.

In 2026, a new concrete driveway in Montgomery County, Maryland runs anywhere from $8 to $22 per square foot, finished. That’s a real spread, and the difference between the low and high end isn’t margin — it’s sub-base depth, reinforcement, finish, and how the property drains. Below, we walk through each cost the way it shows up on our own line-item quotes.

01 / The numbers, up frontWhat a Maryland driveway actually costs in 2026.

For a typical 600 sq ft driveway (about 20′ × 30′ — a common Potomac suburban pull-in), here’s how the cost breaks down on a mid-range broom-finished concrete pour:

For a 600 sq ft driveway, that’s roughly $6,000 to $8,400 done right. Stamped concrete pushes the high end past $13,000. A bare-bones pour with no rebar and a 3′′ sub-base can come in under $5,000 — and crack within three winters.

02 / The sub-baseThe cheapest line item to cheat. The most expensive to fix.

Maryland’s soil is mostly clay, and clay does two things concrete hates: it holds water, and it swells and shrinks with the seasons. A driveway that’s only as good as the dirt underneath it — and we mean that literally.

Here’s what a proper sub-base looks like for Potomac, Bethesda, or Rockville:

• Excavate to a minimum of 10′′ below finished grade (more for trucks).
• Lay 6′′ of compacted CR-6 gravel in two lifts, with a plate compactor between each.
• Roll the sub-grade clay with a vibratory roller — don’t just dump gravel on soft dirt.
• In wet zones, add a layer of woven geotextile fabric between the clay and the gravel.

If a quote doesn’t spell out the sub-base depth and material, ask. A 3′′ gravel base under a 4′′ slab is a driveway that’ll crack in a pattern called “alligator cracking” — and once it starts, there’s no patching it.

Concrete doesn’t fail. The base under it fails. — A foreman’s favorite line.

03 / ReinforcementRebar, fiber, or both?

You’ll see three options in proposals:

1. Fiber mesh only. Microscopic synthetic fibers mixed into the concrete itself. Controls surface cracking. Cheap, and fine for a sidewalk — not enough on its own for a Maryland driveway.
2. Welded wire mesh. A 6′′×6′′ steel grid laid in the slab. Better than fiber, worse than rebar. Often laid on the ground and not lifted into the slab where it can actually do work.
3. #4 rebar grid, 18′′ on center. Half-inch steel bars tied into a grid and chaired up off the sub-base. This is the standard we use. Adds about $1 — $1.50 per sq ft.

For a driveway in Potomac or Bethesda, where the slab will see freeze-thaw cycles, road salt, and the occasional UPS truck, rebar pays for itself the first time the ground heaves.

04 / Permits & approvalsWhat Montgomery County actually inspects.

Montgomery County requires permits for new driveways and for replacements when the apron meets the public right-of-way. The two approvals most homeowners don’t expect:

• Right-of-way permit for any work within the county’s easement (where your driveway meets the street).
• Stormwater review for impervious surface over a certain threshold — varies by zone, stricter in WSSC-protected watershed areas.

Budget $200 — $600 in permit fees for a residential driveway in 2026. A licensed Maryland contractor handles the paperwork for you — if a quote is silent on permits, it’s either rolled into “misc.” or being skipped.

05 / FinishesBroom, exposed, stamped — what changes.

Same slab, three very different curb-appeal outcomes:

Broom finish

The default. A coarse, textured surface dragged with a broom while the concrete is still wet. Best traction in ice, lowest cost, and the easiest to repair if a section ever cracks. +$0.50 / sq ft.

Exposed aggregate

A retarder is applied to the surface, then washed off the next morning to reveal the stones in the mix. Beautiful, durable, mid-cost. Pairs especially well with the brick and stone architecture common across Bethesda. +$2 — $3 / sq ft.

Stamped concrete

The slab is impressed with rubber mats while wet, then color-hardened and sealed. Ashlar slate and herringbone brick are the two patterns we pour most often. Stunning, but it costs — +$5 — $7 / sq ft — and requires resealing every 3 to 5 years.

06 / TimelineFrom signature to a driveway you can park on.

1. Days 1–3: Demolition, haul-off, excavation.
2. Days 4–5: Sub-base compaction, forms, rebar grid.
3. Day 6: Pour and finish (one long day, weather permitting).
4. Days 7–9: Cure — foot traffic OK at 24 hours, no vehicles for 7 days.
5. Day 10+: Sealer applied, cleanup, walk-through.

Plan for two weeks between break-ground and being able to park on it. Rain extends everything — we don’t pour into mud.

07 / What to negotiateThree lines worth asking about.

1. Sub-base depth. Push back on anything under 6′′ of compacted CR-6.
2. Concrete PSI. 4000 PSI is the Maryland residential standard. If a quote says 3000, ask why.
3. Workmanship warranty. 1 year is industry minimum; 3 — 5 years is what a contractor who’ll stand behind their work offers.

08 / Final wordThe cheapest driveway is the one you build twice.

A properly built concrete driveway in Maryland should last 30 to 40 years with minimal maintenance. A poorly built one starts cracking in three. The difference, almost every time, is the few hundred dollars saved on sub-base and rebar that turns into a few thousand spent on a tear-out before the kids leave for college.

If you’re weighing options for a project in Potomac, Bethesda, Rockville or anywhere across Montgomery County, we’d be glad to walk it with you and put a written, line-item proposal in your inbox. No charge, no pressure. Request a free estimate or call us at (240) 424-0124.