Confirm the pathway before starting work
Renovation approval depends on the property, location and exact work. Check planning and building requirements separately, then any strata, plumbing or other permissions. Confirm the applicable pathway and the documents needed before work starts.
Location
Use the rules and authority for your address.
Scope
Describe each part of the proposed work.
Records
Keep decisions, conditions and completion documents.
Separate planning permission from permission to build
Start with the property address, building type and a clear description of the work. Planning controls concern matters such as use, location and effects on neighbours; building approval addresses construction requirements. The names, exemptions and decision-makers differ across Australia.
Victoria distinguishes planning and building permits; South Australia uses separate consents within development approval. Treat these as different checks, even when one professional helps coordinate them. Ask about heritage, hazards, easements, services and any owners corporation requirements for the site.
NSW: exempt development, CDC or development consent
- Exempt development: Some minor work needs no planning or construction approval when it meets all applicable standards and land requirements. Read the exemption conditions before relying on this pathway.
- Complying development certificate (CDC): Eligible proposals can be assessed against set standards by a council or certifier. This can include qualifying alterations, additions and two-storey housing; a second storey does not automatically rule it out.
- Development application (DA): A proposal requiring development consent is assessed by the consent authority, usually council. Check the NSW residential pathways against the actual design and land.
A NSW construction certificate (CC) serves a different purpose from development consent. The Planning Portal states that a separate CC is not required for exempt or complying development. Confirm the certificates, conditions, appointments and notices needed before starting your work.
Do not assume CDC means no neighbour notification. NSW has notification requirements; ask the certifier which apply to the proposal.
Describe the work before asking if it is exempt
| Proposed work | What to check |
|---|---|
| Kitchen or bathroom | Describe cabinetry, walls, waterproofing, plumbing and electrical changes separately. Confirm the building classification and any common property involved. |
| Deck, patio, carport or garage | Provide dimensions, height, boundary distances, attachment to the house and site constraints. Check the actual local exemption or permit rules. |
| Extension or extra storey | Ask which planning pathway applies and what building, structural, drainage and energy documents are needed. Size or storey count alone is not a national approval test. |
| Heritage or strata property | Identify the relevant listing, conservation controls, by-laws and common property. Ask which additional permissions or specialist advice apply before finalising the design. |
There is no single bathroom rule for Australia. For example, Queensland treats much existing-home kitchen and bathroom plumbing as notifiable work, while the NT permit table distinguishes wet-area changes in building control areas. Neither example decides the other approvals for your property.
Strata permission is another check: NSW distinguishes cosmetic, minor and major renovations, with waterproofing included in major work. Do not treat strata permission as planning or building approval.
Where to check in your state or territory
New South Wales
Check exempt, complying or development-consent eligibility, then the construction and commencement requirements for that pathway. Use the NSW residential approval guide and ask council or a certifier about your design.
Victoria
Ask council whether a planning permit is needed and a registered building surveyor whether a building permit is needed. Consumer Affairs Victoria explains the sequence and appointment rules. If both permits are required, obtain planning permission first; the builder cannot appoint a private building surveyor for you.
Queensland
Ask a licensed building certifier about building approval and the council about the planning scheme. Redland City Council explains the certifier role, including identifying possible planning, referral and plumbing approvals. Check your own council's requirements; plumbing has separate work categories.
Western Australia
Check development approval under the applicable planning controls separately from the building permit. WA Planning identifies local government as the first planning enquiry; the WA building-approval guidance directs applicants to the relevant local government for permit requirements.
South Australia
Identify the consents needed for the proposed development. PlanSA separates planning, building and land-division consent; the required combination depends on the proposal. Confirm that full development approval and any commencement requirements are in place before work begins.
Tasmania
Building Standards Tasmania distinguishes low-risk, notifiable and permit work. Notifiable work involves a building surveyor and notification rather than the same process as a council building permit. Check planning and plumbing separately; low-risk building work may still need planning approval.
Australian Capital Territory
Check development-approval and building-approval exemptions separately. ACT guidance requires the general and specific building-exemption criteria to be checked. Being exempt from one approval does not establish exemption from the other; ask about additional approvals for the land and services.
Northern Territory
Confirm whether the property is in a building control area. NT guidance explains which work needs building permits in those areas, including distinctions for wet-area work. A development permit or other permission may also be needed; check the proposal with the relevant authority and certifier.
Get fees and timing for the actual application
Request the current authority fee schedule and separate professional quotes. Clarify which plans, reports, lodgement charges, certification, inspections and completion documents are included. PlanSA provides application-fee information; use the equivalent current authority guidance for your location.
Ask for a sequence of stages rather than one promised approval date. PlanSA explains that timing depends on the pathway and completeness of the application, and some assessment clocks can pause for additional information. Distinguish document preparation, assessment, referrals or notification, conditions and permission to commence.
- Who will lodge the application and respond to requests?
- Which fees or reports are excluded from the quoted total?
- What happens if the design changes, the application is refused or it is withdrawn?
- Which approvals and conditions must be resolved before booking the construction start?
Keep a short approval record
- Confirm the property and scope. Gather the address, title or strata details, existing records and drawings showing proposed changes.
- Confirm the pathway. Ask the relevant authority and building professional which approvals, exemptions and other permissions apply. Keep their advice with the plans it concerns.
- Agree responsibilities. Record who prepares documents, lodges applications, pays fees and handles revisions. Check professional registration and insurance obligations for the work.
- Check permission to start. Keep the decision, approved plans and conditions together. Confirm required appointments, notices and inspections; do not assume a planning decision alone authorises construction.
- Keep completion records. Collect required inspection records, final or occupancy documents and trade certificates. Ask whether a proposed change needs amended approval before carrying it out.
Victoria's homeowner guidance explains contract responsibilities, the inspection role and completion documents. Use the equivalent requirements for your jurisdiction; certification does not replace checking that the contracted work is complete.
If work was done without the required approval
Contact the relevant authority and obtain suitably qualified advice before continuing, buying or selling on the assumption that the records can be fixed later. Establish what was approved, what was built and which records are missing. Ask your conveyancer about a property transaction and your insurer about cover.
Do not assume a retrospective DA or CC is available. NSW explains a different process for a building already erected without approval, involving a Building Information Certificate in relevant circumstances. Its scope is limited and an application is not a guarantee that the work can remain. Ask council what process applies to the actual site.
About the official sources
Official guidance linked above was checked on 16 October 2026. State and territory pages explain the system; a council source illustrates its own jurisdiction. Check current requirements with the authority responsible for your address before relying on an exemption or commencing work.
This guide does not approve a design, estimate fees or replace property-specific professional advice. Read our editorial policy for how sources and corrections are handled.
