Do I have to change my house address if I relocate my driveway to another side street?

[Anonymous]

This is all hyperlocal.

In DC getting a driveway moved is a big deal, needs a public space permit and ANC approval.

Changing your house number is a different process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live on a corner lot in Arlington and my driveway is behind the house on a different street. I can think of at least half a dozen homes in my neighborhood with this same set up. I believe the address is where the front door is located.

+1 I grew up on a corner lot in Chevy Chase, the house faced the street where the address was on but the driveway was on the side off of the other street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live on a corner lot in Arlington and my driveway is behind the house on a different street. I can think of at least half a dozen homes in my neighborhood with this same set up. I believe the address is where the front door is located.

This and it doesn't even have to be your actual front door. Our neighbor has a corner lot. Their address is on our street and their "official" front door is a side door that goes into their basement (The original house was a small three bedroom with a door on our street, they tore it down and built a McMansion). Their actual front door and driveway are around the corner. They have a big sign on the side of their house pointing to the side door for deliveries, it's super weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live on a corner lot in Arlington and my driveway is behind the house on a different street. I can think of at least half a dozen homes in my neighborhood with this same set up. I believe the address is where the front door is located.

This and it doesn't even have to be your actual front door. Our neighbor has a corner lot. Their address is on our street and their "official" front door is a side door that goes into their basement (The original house was a small three bedroom with a door on our street, they tore it down and built a McMansion). Their actual front door and driveway are around the corner. They have a big sign on the side of their house pointing to the side door for deliveries, it's super weird.

So in DC you need a 15 foot setback on the front of a house and an 8' setback on the side. It's quite common for people who own corner lots to petition the zoning board to change which side is considered the front if it works better with their plans. That doesn't change the address of the house.

[Anonymous]

Can you use your backyard going to different street as your main driveway?

[Anonymous]

The house near us used to face one street and the driveway was on the other. The house address matched the way the house was facing. A new house was built facing the street of the original driveway and now the driveway is on the street the old house faced on and again the address matches the orientation of the house and the front door.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Usually address is determine by the front door direction, not the driveway

Not where I live, and boy is it nuts having the street address on the adjacent street. So bizarre.

[Anonymous]

I’m sure you need permits for the driveway but there are lots of houses where the “front” entrance is only accessible on foot.

[Anonymous]

The address is the front door.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live on a corner lot in Arlington and my driveway is behind the house on a different street. I can think of at least half a dozen homes in my neighborhood with this same set up. I believe the address is where the front door is located.

I'm off a private drive and my address is not where the front door is or even the street the private drive is off of.

[Anonymous]

It's where your front door is. And your prominent front door doesn't even have to be your "front door". Our neighbor's "front door" is in their basement with a walkway to their mailbox which is around the corner from their driveway and big entry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Usually address is determine by the front door direction, not the driveway

No, address is determined by the plat.

X100. Everybody else is just talking out of their ass.