Practical Guides
Planning Permits vs Building Permits: What Homeowners Should Know
Reviewed:
One common source of confusion for homeowners is the difference between a planning permit and a building permit.
Both may be required for a project, but they address different questions.
What is a planning permit?
A planning permit deals with whether proposed land use or development is acceptable under the relevant planning scheme.
Depending on the proposal, planning assessment may consider issues such as the use of land, building siting and scale, neighbourhood character, heritage, vegetation, overlooking or overshadowing.
Planning permits are generally issued by the responsible authority, commonly the local council.
Not every renovation needs a planning permit. The answer depends on the particular site, planning controls and work proposed.
What is a building permit?
A building permit concerns compliance with applicable building laws and requirements.
It addresses matters such as structural adequacy, safety and other building standards relevant to the proposed construction.
Building permits are issued by a registered building surveyor, who has a statutory role in assessing compliance and carrying out or arranging required inspections.
Some minor works may be exempt, but you should not assume that an internal renovation, deck, pergola or extension is exempt without checking the applicable requirements.
Sources: Building and Plumbing Commission — Agreements and contracts
Which comes first?
Where both permits are required, the planning permit must be obtained before the building permit can be issued.
However, work needed to establish feasibility often starts earlier.
For example, an extension may require a feature and level survey, preliminary design, structural advice or an investigation of existing services before the team can determine a suitable approval pathway.
Sources: Building and Plumbing Commission — Agreements and contracts
Approval does not eliminate every risk
Obtaining a permit is an important milestone, but it does not automatically confirm that a project is affordable, that every site condition is known or that construction will be straightforward.
Design development and investigations can still reveal issues that require changes.
What should homeowners do?
Before committing heavily to design or construction:
- Check the property's planning controls.
- Describe the proposed works clearly.
- Ask the relevant council whether planning approval may be needed.
- Consult an appropriate building practitioner or building surveyor about building permit requirements.
- Identify specialist information needed to establish feasibility.
- Allow for approval dependencies in the project programme and budget.
Sources: Planning Victoria — Using VicPlan; Building and Plumbing Commission — Agreements and contracts
The central lesson: Understanding the approval pathway early can help prevent time and money being committed to an unsuitable approach.