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Making Changes to Your Property

When is Building Approval required to make changes to your property?

Building Approval is required for most residential and commercial alterations, additions and renovations.

The only time Building Approval is not required to undertake building work is when they are considered minor in nature and are exempted from requiring approval under the Building Regulations 2012.

A list of the commonly used exemptions can be viewed on the City's Sheds, Pergolas and Outdoor Structures page.

Other types of building work which do not require Building Approval are:

  • Some repairs, improvements or maintenance work to a building. Please note that this exemption can be misleading at times and the City suggests that you contact Building Services to discuss any work of this nature prior to the building works commencing
  • Construction of building site offices and toilets associated with an approved Building Permit
  • Construction of a fence, screen or similar, other than a swimming pool fence, which is in accordance with the City's Fencing and Floodlighting Local Law
  • Construction of a mast or antenna attached to a building which is no more than 2m in height, or if free standing is no more than 3m in height
  • Attaching solar panels to a residential building such as a house, shed or the like
  • Installing a roof mounted evaporative cooling unit on a Class 1, 2 or 3 building, which is a building normally used for people to sleep in, providing that the building is not located within a bush fire prone area.
When do I need Planning Approval to make changes to my property?

Generally a Planning Application to the Council will be required when:

  • There is a requirement under a town planning scheme for a Planning Application to be made
  • There is one or more variations to the Residential Design Codes (R-Codes).

More information on Planning Approval can be found on the City's website.

How to obtain a Building Permit

The current system of Building Approvals in Western Australia allows an applicant to either submit a Certified or Uncertified application.

Certified Building Permit applications

With a Certified building permit application, an independent registered Building Surveyor assesses the plans and specifications for compliance with the applicable building standards.

Once the Building Surveyor is satisfied that the plans and specifications comply with the applicable building standards, a Certificate of Design Compliance (CDC) is issued. 

The CDC and all of the referenced documents and plans must then be submitted to the City with a completed Form BA1 - Application for building permit - certified.

The prescribed fees must also be paid upon lodgement and the application cannot be accepted until payment has been made.

The City has 10 business days form the day after submission in which to either issue the Building Permit, request any additional information or refuse the application.

Uncertified Building Permit application

With an Uncertified Building Permit application, the applicant submits the plans and specifications along with a completed Form BA2 - Application for building permit - uncertified to the City.

The City's Building Surveyors assess the plans and specifications for compliance with the applicable building standards.

Once the City's Building Surveyors are satisfied that the plans and specifications comply with the applicable building standards, a CDC is issued along with the Building Permit.

The City has 25 business days from the day after submission in which to either issue the Building Permit, request any additional information or refuse the application.

The prescribed fees must also be paid upon lodgement and the application cannot be accepted until payment has been made.

How long does it take to receive Building Approval?

The Building Regulations 2012, set out the timeframes for deciding applications.  For an Uncertified application, the time for deciding the application is up to 25 business days with the time for deciding a Certified application being up to 10 business days.

Please note that the process start time is the day following the lodgement of the application and not the actual day of lodgement.

Do I need to be an Owner Builder?

Only if the value of the building works are greater than $20,000 and you do not wish to engage the services of a registered builder.

More information on Owner Builder requirements can be found on the City's website.

What happens when the building works are complete?

Once the building works are complete, the person named as the builder on the Building Permit must submit a Notice of Completion (Form BA7) to the City's Building Services.

More information on the Notice of Completion requirements can be found on the City's website.

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