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Building Permit - City of Port Phillip - Victoria

Description

You will require this permit if you intend to undertake building or development work. This includes any construction, alteration, removal or demolition of any new or old building or structure.

Further examples of development work include:

  • constructing sheds, carports or garages
  • raising fences, signs, masts, antennas, pergolas or verandas
  • building retaining walls or stairways
  • re-blocking, re-stumping and re-roofing
  • installing swimming pools, spas, doors or windows
  • any renovations.

As part of the permit approval, you may be required to submit management plans that describe how you intend to deal with things like bushfire, waste, flooding, termite risk, or trees and vegetation.

A building permit has commencement (six to twelve months) and completion (six to thirty-six months) time limits that will apply depending on the nature of the building works.

An application for a building permit may be made to a municipal or private building surveyor. A municipal building surveyor works at the local council where your project is located. Some municipal building surveyors issue permits outside their municipal district, whereas a private building surveyor will issue a permit in any municipality.

Have a discussion with your municipal or preferred private building surveyor before applying to them for a building permit. To ensure your preferred private building surveyor is registered, search for them through the eToolbox.

Please note that once a council municipal building surveyor has commenced assessing a building permit, you cannot switch to a private building surveyor.

Service type

Licence

A licence defines the need to obtain recognition / certification and registration to undertake a certain business activity.

Exemptions

Exemptions to this permit exist for minor structures and may depend on such things as size, nature and type of work proposed. Examples of exemptions include some pergolas associated with houses, garden sheds with a floor area less than ten square meters and repair work done for maintenance purposes, such as replacing rotted weatherboards.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible for this permit, your application must contain sufficient information to show that the building work will comply with the legislation. This includes compliance with all Building Standards and Codes, the Five-Star Energy Rating Standard, building in designated Bushfire Prone Areas, builder's registration and insurance or owner-builder certificate of consent.

For construction of a new building, you must typically include:

  • descriptions of the intended use of all buildings on allotment plans
  • three copies of drawings, specifications and allotment plans in the prescribed form and copies of any computations or reports necessary to demonstrate building compliance
  • a soil report
  • a copy of Certificate of Title.

To alter an existing building you must include copies of drawings and allotment plans that clearly differentiate between the existing building and the proposed building work.

To demolish or remove buildings you must typically include:

  • three copies of an outline and description of the building or part thereof to be demolished or removed
  • an allotment plan showing the location of boundaries and adjoining buildings, other buildings on the allotment, and streets, footpaths or crossings adjoining the allotment
  • specified computations or information relating to compliance of remaining buildings.

A heritage certificate may be required from the Heritage Council of Victoria to ensure compliance with the heritage status of the building and site. Please consult with Heritage Victoria in the first instance before commencing any works.

Additional consents may be required relating to the protection of adjoining property and / or dispensations from the local Council relating to such matters as building over an easement, building on land liable to flooding, fire risk, site setbacks, etc.

Ongoing eligibility requirements

A Building Permit Levy is payable before a building permit can be issued, however, an application may still be considered pending payment of the levy.

Works restrictions and compliance requirements may be in place if the building work relates to a property that has been, or is in the process of, being registered as heritage interest or significance.

Various approvals and / or consents under Planning and Environment Acts may also be required prior to the issue of a building permit.

A building permit period may be extended, if warranted, by application to the building surveyor before the permit lapses.

If building works are to be conducted out of hours then additional approval and a permit may be required.

Duration

Varies depending on the nature and scope of the permit.

Fees

Fees Details for this service in table format.

Task Type Business Structure Description
Apply Application All

Please consult the responsible council for specific information on fees to be submitted with your application.

Act(s) name

Building Act 1993 Victoria

Regulation(s) name

Building Regulations 2018 Victoria

Lodgement process

Apply

Please lodge your completed application form and any associated documentation directly with the Council or Private Building Surveyor.

Approval time

Varies depending on the nature of the application.

Additional information

Furthermore, any building taking place in bushfire prone areas may be subject to additional requirements under the Building Code of Australia.

Administering agency

City of Port Phillip

Contact details

Contact Email, Phone and Address Details for this service in simple two column table format, header then data.