A Development Permit for Building work, otherwise known as a Building Approval, is required before starting construction on most types of building work in Queensland including domestic and commercial building works.
This is applicable whether the work is being carried out by a property owner or by a licensed builder.
The following are examples of work that require a building permit:
- New dwellings
- Extensions or modifications to your existing building
- House removal and relocation
- Demolitions
- Garages, carports and sheds
- Roofed patios, gazebos, pergolas and shade sails (including the DIY kit type) swimming pools and spas, and their fences
- shade sails, patios, pergolas, carports • shipping containers (not short-term use)
- Retaining walls greater than 1m in height or within 1.5m of a building or other retaining wall
- Sheds, including lawn lockers
- Fences over 2m high
- Detached signs higher than 2m or wider than 1.2m
- Demolition or removal of a structure
If you require building certification services for your proposed building works, please contact a Private Building Certifier that is ‘appropriately licensed’ by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). Details of certifiers within our region can be found in the Yellow Pages and other business search facilities.
Council does not undertake building certification and cannot recommend any particular private certifiers. The Queensland Building and Construction Commission offers a Finding a Licensed Certifier service.
Note: There are rules that govern the distance a house and other structures can be positioned from the front, rear and side property boundaries - known as setbacks – as well as site coverage (siting) and building heights. If your proposed building or structure does not meet these requirements you may also need to obtain Siting Concession (Referral Agency Assessment) from Council.
Note: If you are building over or near relevant infrastructure (including sewers, water mains, storm water drains and combined sanitary drains), you may also need to obtain Referral Agency permission from Council.
For any plans and details of council-owned sewer, water and stormwater infrastructure on/near the allotment contact Dial Before You Dig (Call 1100 or www.1100.com.au).
Approval should be sought from a private building certifier, it is their responsibility to ensure that all aspects of the proposed work comply with the relevant codes and standards.
Depending on your Building Approval the following may be required to be lodged with a private certifier for assessment before works can commence:
- DA Form 2 – Building work details
- Engineering and Architectural plans (including certification)
- Site Plans including fence and gate locations
- Pool and spa details
- Fence Details
- Q Leave (for proposed work valued at grater than $10,000 exclusive of GST)
Application fees are up to the Private Building Certifier's discretion; there are no fees payable directly to Council by the applicant.
The Certifier is responsible for lodging all applicable paperwork with council regarding your building or structure.
For works that are the subject of a Building Approval, inspections are required by the Private Certifier at particular stages of construction.
An example of the required inspections for a structure are:
- Site inspection
- Foundation and excavation stage
- Slab stage
- Frame stage
- Final stage
If you require building certification services for your proposed building works, please contact a Private Building Certifier that is ‘appropriately licensed’ by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). Details of certifiers within our region can be found in the Yellow Pages and other business search facilities.
Council does not undertake building certification and cannot recommend any particular private certifiers. The Queensland Building and Construction Commission offers a Finding a Licensed Certifier service.