Asphalt driveway repair costs $2,459 on average, but homeowners might spend anywhere from $1,072 to $4,011 to repair an asphalt driveway, depending on the type and extent of the damage.
No matter how hard you work to keep your curb appeal—well, appealing—a crumbling asphalt driveway can really steal the show. While the typical asphalt driveway repair cost is between $1,072 and $4,011, most homeowners pay around $2,459. While basic asphalt maintenance can cost as little as $300, leveling a sunken driveway or installing a new asphalt driveway can cost up to $8,000.
An asphalt driveway can last 15 to 20 years. However, cracks and holes can appear over time. When they do, you’ll want to find an asphalt mix that works for your repair and the best price. You’ll also want to decide whether to hire an asphalt repair pro near you or do it yourself.
Most professionals will charge you between $1 to $3 per linear foot to fill in a small crack. However, the cost of asphalt repair per square foot is between $2 and $5 for issues such as potholes, crumbling, and minor sinking.
For more complex issues—such as a tree or frost heave threatening the stability of your driveway—a contractor may charge a flat fee instead of a per-square-foot rate for repairing asphalt driveways. Let's look at flat fees for all types of asphalt repair.
As we noted above, filling in cracks costs between $1 and $3 per linear foot. However, a professional will charge a minimum service fee to diagnose and repair asphalt driveways. Depending on the severity, you'll pay an average of $100 to $400 for crack repair on your whole driveway.
Larger cracks and potholes may require an asphalt patch, a process that costs between $100 and $500 on average. Contractors can use a range of patching methods, either a quick patch with cold asphalt or heating up the asphalt for a hot patch.
Cold patches cost between $100 and $200 per patch, whereas hot asphalt patches cost up to $250. More specialized patching methods, such as saw-cutting the surrounding asphalt or heating it with infrared, cost up to $500 per patch.
It's important to seal an asphalt driveway every three to five years. The cost to seal asphalt driveways is between $110 and $1,500, or an average of $470.
Contactors may choose a longer-lasting form of sealant for older and more vulnerable asphalt driveways, driving up the price. For example, patch-and-seal includes asphalt aggregate for highly damaged driveways and can lay beneath a traditional sealant for extra stretch.
Resurfacing gets into the higher asphalt driveway repair prices, costing around $1 to $4 per square foot or between $500 and $2,000. Resurfacing an asphalt driveway is a great bet when there are so many repairs that the cost to fix them individually no longer makes sense, aesthetically or financially.
The resurfacing process will add an asphalt overlay to your current driveway. Unlike adding a relatively thin sealcoat, resurfacing adds between 1 and 2 inches of new asphalt.
When necessary asphalt repairs are too extreme to salvage the driveway, it may be best to consider replacement. Replacing an asphalt driveway costs between $8 and $15 per square foot, or an average of $3,000 to $10,000, which includes the cost to remove the old asphalt and lay the new one.
| Repair Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Filling cracks | $100–$400 |
| Patching | $100–$500 |
| Sealing | $110–$1,500 |
| Resurfacing | $500–$2,000 |
| Replacement | $3,000–$10,000 |
Cold or hot temperatures can impact how long an asphalt driveway will last. Plus, it’s possible that UV radiation from the sun can undermine asphalt over time. If you live in an area with seasonal changes, then the price to repair your asphalt driveway can vary quite a bit from the cost in more temperate climates. The length of your driveway also plays a large part in what you’ll pay.
To get an idea of what you’ll pay, here is the average cost to patch and repair an asphalt driveway near you:
| U.S. City | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Chicago, IL | $2,000 |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | $1,500 |
| Houston, TX | $3,400 |
| Omaha, NE | $900 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $2,100 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $1,500 |
| Seattle, WA | $2,500 |
While asphalt is known to be fairly inexpensive, there are a few factors to take into account to figure out a more exact price. If you are in an area with very hot or freezing temperatures or the type of asphalt solution you choose can raise or lower your total costs. Determining how much asphalt driveway repair or patching you can get on your budget varies a great deal.
Here’s a look at the factors that will determine how much you’ll pay for asphalt repair.
The severity of asphalt driveway repairs can affect the final cost in a few ways. For one, contractors may set a basic flat fee to fix minor repairs like small cracks or patch holes. However, if more than a quarter of the driveway has significant cracks, crumbling, or sinking, they may look into surrounding problems. For example, you may need to remove surrounding tree roots or level the ground and replace areas of the asphalt.
If the cost of repairs outdoes the cost of resurfacing or replacement, your contractor may recommend this approach instead.
Materials account for a relatively low percentage of asphalt repair costs, as the material itself is not hard to come by. A 50-pound bag of asphalt patching material costs between $20 and $40, for example. Replacing an asphalt driveway will cost between $3 and $13 per square foot, depending on if you choose recycled, porous, or standard asphalt.
Labor costs to repair an asphalt driveway will often depend on the contractor's specialized skills and certifications. Asphalt installation pros charge between $50 and $150 per hour. Contractors with experience repairing sunken driveways and using specialized patches may raise their per-square-foot labor costs.
While the square-foot asphalt driveway repair costs vary by type, the overall size affects your bottom line. Contractors may offer discounted rates for tackling larger jobs all at once instead of individual fixes to cut down on transportation. At the same time, expansive driveways of unique shapes and sizes will require more time and materials overall.
Asphalt driveways typically range between 2 and 6 inches thick. The measurement typically depends on the load requirements and the number of cars coming and going each day. Drainage and the makeup of the soil will also play a role. The thicker the asphalt driveway, the more you'll pay to replace areas with extensive repairs.
You can sometimes repair your asphalt driveway yourself. It may be a dirty job and will take time, but you can save money when you do it yourself. But only take on minor repairs without the help of a pro—such as how to repair driveway cracks less than a quarter of an inch thick, small potholes, and light crumbling around the edges of your driveway. Anything beyond this may require hot patches or resurfacing, fixes too complex for a DIYer.
If you do choose to tackle it yourself, the cost to repair an asphalt driveway depends on the type and size of the project. As we mentioned earlier, a bag of asphalt repair for cracks and minor patches costs between $20 and $40. You'll also need basic tools, such as a drywall knife or caulking gun. Always begin by cleaning out the cracks or holes you plan to fill, typically with a shop vac or shovel.
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We’ve surveyed thousands of real Angi customers about their project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
Whether you should resurface or replace your asphalt driveway heavily depends on your driveway’s condition. If the foundation of the driveway is solid and the damage is minor, resurfacing is your best bet because it’s more affordable and faster than replacing the driveway. But if your driveway has foundational problems and/or severe damage, like large, deep cracks and potholes, then it makes more sense to replace it.
Hot-pour sealants have an asphalt cement base that might also include rubber and other materials to allow the seal to flex in hot or cold temperatures. Asphalt emulsion sealants are not heated but are liquid applications that use water and an emulsifying agent to allow the asphalt and water to mix.
To maintain your asphalt driveway, add a new coat of sealant every three to five years. Pricing varies, but you will pay about $0.08 to $0.50 per square foot from start to finish. You can also choose to add a fill-and-seal layer that includes a layer of aggregate to fortify a damaged top layer of asphalt.
Asphalt edging secures the sides of your driveway to prevent crumbling and cracking over time. Most driveways have edges with a 45-degree grading. This helps transfer some of the stress from the asphalt to the ground underneath. If your driveway doesn’t have proper edging, the pressure from your car may break down the edges over time.
