By the Templateez Team · Licensed Attorney · June 2026

Driveway Sealing Intake Forms: What Sealcoating Contractors Need to Capture Before the Job

Sealcoating looks simple from the outside: roll up, spray or squeegee the driveway, collect the check. But contractors who have been in this business more than a season know that the pre-job intake is where the money is made or lost. Apply coal tar emulsion over a driveway with active oil staining that was never degreased, and you will be back in three months to redo the job for free. Miss that the surface is stamped concrete instead of asphalt, and your emulsion-based sealer will peel within weeks. Skip the conversation about cure time, and you will get a call when the homeowner's teenager drives over the driveway 14 hours after application and leaves tire impressions in the still-soft seal.

The intake is not paperwork. It is your quality control checkpoint. A thorough driveway sealing intake form captures everything that determines which products you use, how you prep the surface, what the job will cost, and what your warranty actually covers. Here is what that form needs to include.

Surface type: the single most important variable

Every other decision — sealant product, prep protocol, application method — flows from what kind of surface is in front of you. Your intake form needs to identify this clearly because clients frequently do not know the difference, and guessing wrong costs you a callback.

• Asphalt (blacktop) — the most common substrate for residential driveway sealing. Asphalt is a petroleum-based product that oxidizes and dries out over time, becoming brittle and prone to cracking. Sealcoating slows that process by replacing the volatiles that evaporate from the surface. New asphalt should cure 90 days before the first seal application; sealing too early traps volatiles and prevents the asphalt from hardening correctly. Ask the client when the driveway was installed or last paved.
• Concrete — concrete driveways exist, and clients absolutely call sealcoating companies to seal them. Concrete requires a completely different product than asphalt. Penetrating silane/siloxane sealers, acrylic sealers, or polyurethane coatings are used on concrete; coal tar and asphalt emulsion sealers will not bond to a concrete surface. Identify this at intake and steer the conversation to the right product before the truck is loaded with the wrong material.
• Pavers — interlocking concrete pavers, brick pavers, or natural stone. Paver sealing is a distinct service from asphalt sealcoating. It requires polymeric sand re-jointing before sealing, a paver-specific sealer (often an acrylic or polyurethane), and a different application method. If your company does not seal pavers, identify that at intake rather than showing up and deciding on-site.
• Stamped or decorative concrete — stamped concrete needs a penetrating or film-forming sealer that enhances the pattern and color without creating a slippery surface. High-gloss acrylic sealers are commonly used and need reapplication every 2 to 3 years. Stamped concrete clients are typically more exacting about appearance, so capturing their expectations in writing matters more here than on a plain blacktop job.
• Previously sealed surface — if there is existing sealer on the driveway, you need to know what type it is. An asphalt emulsion sealer over a previous coal tar seal can create adhesion problems. A solvent-based sealer over a water-based sealer can cause lifting. Ask what product was used last time if the client knows, and document it.

Current condition: the surface tells you what it needs

Never commit to a price before documenting surface condition. The intake form should walk through each category of defect systematically, because each one affects the scope of work and the final cost.

• Cracks — hairline cracks (under 1/8 inch wide), medium cracks (1/8 to 1/2 inch), and wide cracks (over 1/2 inch) require progressively different treatments. Hairline cracks can be sealed over directly. Medium cracks need hot-pour crack filler or cold-pour rubberized filler before sealing. Wide cracks often indicate sub-base failure and may need to be routed (cut wider with a crack router) to accept flexible filler properly. Your intake form should capture the approximate linear footage of cracks by size category — this is what drives the crack filling line item on your estimate.
• Potholes and depressions — potholes are not a sealcoating problem; they are a patching problem. A client who has a two-inch pothole in the driveway is getting two services: patching and sealing. Document the number, approximate size, and depth of potholes. Cold-patch asphalt is the standard fix for residential work; hot-mix patching is more durable but requires a paving crew or access to a mixing plant.
• Oil and fuel stains — this is one of the most commonly overlooked intake items in sealcoating. Oil stains that are not properly degreased before sealing will bleed through the sealer and cause adhesion failure directly over the stain. The stain itself does not ruin the surrounding seal, but the area over the stain will peel and look terrible. Your intake form should document the number, size, and approximate age of oil stains. Fresh stains are easier to treat; old, deeply saturated stains may require multiple applications of degreaser or an oil spot primer before sealing.
• Spalling and surface raveling — spalling is the progressive deterioration of the asphalt surface, where aggregate (gravel) becomes exposed and the surface texture becomes rough and pitted. Mild spalling can be addressed by sealing; severe spalling indicates that the asphalt layer is near the end of its serviceable life and sealing is not a long-term solution. Document the extent of spalling so you can be honest with the client about what sealing will and will not fix.
• Alligator cracking — also called fatigue cracking or map cracking, alligator cracking is the interconnected pattern of cracks that looks like reptile skin. It signals sub-base failure, typically from water infiltration, inadequate base thickness, or the asphalt having exceeded its fatigue life under vehicle loads. Sealing over alligator cracking does not fix the problem — it makes the surface look better for a season before the pattern reappears. Your intake form should flag alligator cracking specifically, and your conversation with the client should address whether overlay or removal and replacement is the right solution. This protects you from a warranty dispute when the cracks reappear through the new sealer.
• Edge condition — asphalt driveways that were not properly edged at installation, or that have had their edges crumble from vehicle overrun, have a ragged perimeter that affects the appearance of the sealed surface. Edging — trimming or cutting the perimeter to a clean line — should be noted as a separate prep item if the client wants a clean finished edge.
• Slope and drainage — a driveway with poor drainage will hold standing water, which accelerates asphalt deterioration regardless of how well it is sealed. Document whether the driveway drains properly and whether there are low spots where water pools. This is useful background information if the client asks why the driveway is deteriorating faster than expected.

Driveway dimensions and previous seal history

You cannot estimate without dimensions, and you cannot plan the job correctly without knowing the history. Both belong on the intake form.

Dimensions. Length and width in feet, total square footage, and any non-rectangular areas (aprons, turnarounds, parking pads). Sealcoating is priced per square foot, so the accuracy of the estimate depends directly on the accuracy of the measurement. Document who measured and how — client-provided dimensions are often significantly off, especially for irregularly shaped driveways.

Slope. Steep driveways (greater than roughly 10 percent grade) require attention to application technique to prevent the sealer from running before it sets. On very steep sections, squeegee application rather than spray may be appropriate. Steep driveways also affect drying time — gravity pulls the sealer toward the low end of the surface, which can create uneven thickness if the application rate is not adjusted.

Previous seal history. When was the driveway last sealed, and with what product? How many times has it been sealed total? Over-sealed driveways — resealed every year for many years — can develop a thick sealer buildup that cracks and peels as a unit. The APA (Asphalt Pavement Alliance) recommends sealing every 2 to 5 years depending on climate and traffic. A driveway that has been sealed annually for ten years may need the built-up sealer stripped before another application. If you do not ask, you will not know until you are on-site scraping off a half-inch of accumulated old sealer that the client told you was "just a driveway."

Sealant type: product selection is a technical decision

Most residential clients have no idea what kind of sealer is going on their driveway, and many contractors apply whatever they buy by the pallet without discussing options. Documenting the product selection on the intake form protects you and gives the client something to reference when they are comparing quotes from three different companies who all call their product "driveway sealer."

• Coal tar emulsion — the traditional commercial-grade sealer. Highly resistant to petroleum products (oil, fuel, hydraulic fluid), which makes it the right choice for driveways with significant vehicle traffic or a history of oil staining. More durable than asphalt emulsion in high-traffic applications. Banned in some municipalities and states due to PAH (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) content — check your local regulations. Has a distinctive strong odor during application and cure. Not appropriate for use near ponds, streams, or storm drains due to environmental concerns.
• Asphalt emulsion — water-based sealer made from the same petroleum base as the asphalt itself. Less resistant to oil and fuel penetration than coal tar, but environmentally preferable and acceptable in jurisdictions where coal tar is restricted. Good flexibility in temperature cycling, which makes it a reasonable choice in climates with significant freeze-thaw cycles. Lower durability than coal tar under heavy vehicle use.
• Acrylic sealer — the standard product for concrete and paver sealing. Water-based formulations are low-odor and recoat quickly. Solvent-based acrylics are more durable but have stronger fumes and require longer dry times. Acrylic does not provide the same UV and petroleum resistance as coal tar for asphalt surfaces, but it is the correct product family for concrete and decorative surfaces.
• Polyurethane sealer — premium product used on concrete, stamped concrete, and high-end asphalt applications. Significantly more durable than acrylic, with excellent resistance to abrasion, UV exposure, and chemical penetration. Higher cost and longer cure time than acrylic. Two-component polyurethane (Part A and Part B mixed on-site) is the most durable option but requires careful application and is not forgiving of temperature or humidity outside the manufacturer's specified range.

Document which product was selected, why, and the manufacturer and product name. When the sealer fails in year two because the client drove on it the next morning in 45-degree weather, your intake form shows that you specified the correct product and cure requirements.

Crack filling requirements and prep work

Sealing is the last step, not the first. The quality of the finished job depends almost entirely on the prep, and prep is where scope creep lives. Your intake should capture the full prep scope up front so the estimate reflects the real work.

Crack filling. For asphalt surfaces, linear footage of cracks by size drives material cost and labor time. Cold-pour rubberized crack filler works for cracks under about half an inch wide in mild climates. Hot-pour crack filler — applied with a melter-applicator at temperatures around 375 degrees Fahrenheit — is more flexible, bonds better, and holds up significantly better through freeze-thaw cycles. If you use cold-pour for every job because it is easier, you are leaving callbacks on the table. Document the crack filling product on the intake form so the client understands what they are getting.

Cleaning and degreasing. The surface must be clean for the sealer to bond. Power washing is standard for most residential jobs. Oil spot treatment — applying a degreaser, agitating, and rinsing — is a separate step that takes additional time and may require multiple passes for heavy staining. An oil spot primer may be needed on stains that do not fully respond to degreasing; this is a specialty product that prevents oil bleed-through after sealing. Document the cleaning method and whether oil spot treatment is included in the estimate.

Edging. Trimming grass and vegetation away from the driveway edges before sealing keeps the sealer application clean and gives a finished appearance. Edging is often a separate line item; whether it is included in the base price or charged additionally should be clear on the intake form.

Weed and crack vegetation removal. Weeds growing through cracks need to be killed and removed before crack filling. If the crack filler goes over live vegetation, the roots will continue to grow and eventually break the repair. This is a prep step that clients often do not anticipate as part of the service, so document it.

Surface prep work for driveways overlaps with what any exterior cleaning service handles before treating a hard surface. Pressure washing contractors face similar questions about surface condition, contamination type, and access when capturing a job at intake — the difference is that in sealcoating, the cleaning is not the end product but a prerequisite for the product that follows.

Weather and temperature constraints

Sealcoating is one of the most weather-sensitive services in the exterior trades. Setting expectations at intake prevents the phone calls you get when you reschedule a job three times in a row during a rainy week in April.

Temperature. Most sealers require an air and pavement temperature of at least 50 degrees Fahrenheit and rising at the time of application. Applying in temperatures below this range slows cure and can prevent the sealer from curing properly at all, resulting in a soft, tacky surface that never hardens. On the upper end, extreme heat (above 90 degrees on the pavement surface) can cause the sealer to flash dry, which traps solvent and leads to bubbling or poor bonding.

Rain. No sealer should be applied if rain is expected within the cure window — typically 24 to 48 hours for most emulsion-based products, though check the manufacturer's spec sheet for the specific product you are using. Rain on fresh sealer will wash it out, dilute it, or prevent it from bonding to the surface. Document on the intake form that scheduling is weather-dependent and that you will reschedule if conditions are not suitable, at no charge to the client for the reschedule.

Direct sun vs. shade. Heavily shaded driveways dry significantly slower than driveways in full sun. On a cloudy day with temperatures in the low 50s, a shaded driveway may need 48 to 72 hours before light vehicle traffic, versus the standard 24-hour window. This matters for cure time instructions and is worth noting on the intake so the client's expectations are calibrated correctly.

Cure time and vehicle restrictions

This section is where homeowners most frequently violate the job conditions, and it is where your intake documentation matters most from a warranty perspective.

Standard cure recommendations for asphalt emulsion and coal tar emulsion sealers: foot traffic after 4 to 6 hours in good conditions, light vehicle traffic after 24 hours, and full cure (sharp turning movements, heavy vehicles) after 48 to 72 hours. These windows extend significantly in cool, humid, or shaded conditions.

Document the specific cure window on the intake form — not as a suggestion, but as a condition of the work. When a client calls to report tire marks in their sealed driveway, you need to be able to show that they were told, in writing, that vehicles should stay off for 24 hours and that the marks they are seeing are the result of driving on an uncured surface, which is not a product defect or an application error.

Beyond cure time, document restrictions on sharp turns in place (the most common cause of sealer scuffing in the first few weeks), heavy vehicle access (delivery trucks, RVs, garbage trucks), and parking in the same spot repeatedly before the sealer fully hardens.

Pricing: per square foot vs. flat rate

How you price the job should be documented on the intake form because it drives the estimate and shapes the client's expectations when they compare your quote to a competitor's.

Per square foot pricing is the standard for residential sealcoating. It gives the client a clear unit rate and makes the estimate easy to verify. The rate varies by region, product type, prep work included, and number of coats. One coat is standard for maintenance sealing; two coats may be recommended for heavily oxidized or porous surfaces. Document whether the base price includes one or two coats.

Crack filling should be priced separately — typically per linear foot or as a flat add-on based on the scope documented at intake. Bundling crack filling into the per-square-foot price without documenting it leads to disputes on jobs with extensive crack work, because the client who saw a low square-foot rate does not understand why the final invoice is higher.

Minimum job charges are standard in this industry. Short driveways under 400 to 500 square feet often cost more per square foot because mobilization time is the same regardless of driveway size. Document your minimum charge on the intake form so small-job clients are not surprised.

Additional services — oil spot treatment, edging, weed removal, multiple-coat applications, paver re-jointing — should each be a separate line item. Presenting these as additions to a clearly documented base price is more transparent than a single lump sum that the client cannot evaluate.

Warranty terms

Sealcoating warranty terms are more nuanced than they appear, and documenting them at intake prevents the conversation you do not want to have six months after the job. The reality is that sealer wears. That is its job. A properly sealed driveway in a normal climate with normal vehicle traffic should hold a presentable surface for 2 to 5 years before resealing is warranted. It will not look like it did on day one forever.

Coverage period. Most residential sealcoating warranties run 1 to 2 years. Specify what the warranty covers: peeling, premature wear (beyond normal traffic wear), adhesion failure on areas that were properly prepped. Specify what it does not cover: damage from sharp objects, chemical spills, vehicle fluids, use of de-icing salts, and normal wear consistent with the expected service life.

De-icing salt exclusion. This is non-negotiable. Sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride — all common de-icers — accelerate sealer breakdown and can damage the underlying asphalt through the sealed surface. Sand or non-chemical traction aids should be used instead. Document this exclusion on the intake form and in your post-job care instructions.

Normal wear disclaimer. Tire marks from sharp turns, scuffing in high-traffic pivot areas, and slight surface texture changes from UV exposure are all normal characteristics of sealcoated surfaces, not defects. A sealer that shows moderate wear at 18 months is functioning as designed. Clients who expect the driveway to look freshly sealed for three years without any wear are operating on incorrect expectations — set them right at intake, not after the first complaint call.

Before and after photos. Photograph the driveway before you start and after you finish. Before photos document existing defects — cracks that were there before you arrived, oil stains that persisted after treatment, edge deterioration that is unrelated to the seal. After photos document the quality of the finished job. Together, they resolve 90 percent of disputes without any further conversation. Note on the intake form that photos will be taken and retained.

Building the estimate from what you documented at intake

A driveway sealing estimate built on a thorough intake form is a different document than a quote scratched on a business card in the driveway. You know the surface type and why the product selection is correct. You know the crack footage and what filling method is appropriate. You know the oil stain situation and whether an oil spot primer is needed. You have documented the cure time requirements and the warranty exclusions. When the client signs off on the estimate, they are confirming all of that, not just approving a dollar figure.

Related work that shares the same driveway surface requires similar documentation. Concrete services contractors who work on concrete driveways face the same surface-condition and product-compatibility questions that come up in sealcoating — the difference is that concrete work involves structural repair and new installation, while sealcoating is a protective surface treatment. Both require the same discipline about capturing condition, specifications, and client expectations before the work begins.

If you run a multi-service exterior company — sealing, cleaning, concrete patching, and related services — the Trade Services Bundle covers driveway sealing alongside 51 other home and trade service categories, each with intake forms specific to that trade's scope.

Related guides

• Concrete & Masonry Intake Forms — what concrete contractors need to document for driveways, patios, and flatwork before pouring.
• Pressure Washing Intake Forms — surface condition, contamination type, and prep documentation for exterior cleaning services.