Building information

What is a building permit?

A building permit is an official document issued by the relevant Building Surveyor certifying that the proposed building works comply with the Building Act 1993, Building Regulations and Building Code.

It allows the building work to proceed in accordance with the approved plans, specifications, and other related documents.

A building permit will indicate whether a certificate of final inspection or an occupancy permit is required upon completion of the building work. Once the relevant certificate is received, the building can be occupied.

Do I need a building permit?

A building permit is required for most building projects, including new buildings, extensions, alterations, and demolitions. It also applies to smaller structures such as verandas, roofed pergolas, carports, garages, sheds, restumping, swimming pools, spas, and certain fences.

Certain minor building works may not require a building permit. Possible exemptions may include garden sheds with a floor area less than 10m², repair work for maintenance purposes and some minor alterations and demolitions. For more information on when a building permit is required, the Victorian Building Authority have published this document When is a building permit required.

If you have any further questions about obtaining a building permit, please contact Council on (03) 5772 0333.

Obtaining a building permit

Obtaining a building permit ensures that:

• your building practitioners are registered and insured
• your building works will have sufficient documentation that is independently reviewed
• your building works will be adequately inspected
• completed works are assessed as suitable for use or occupation

To get your building permit processed quickly, make sure you provide all the necessary information:

All permits must be submitted with the applicable building permit fees.

For regular building works, visit our online Building portal, select Building then Apply for Building Permit.

Apply for a building permit online

An occupancy permit is issued when a Building Surveyor declares a building to be suitable to occupy. It is not a statement that all building works are necessarily complete.

Occupancy permits play an important role in establishing the commencement date for a builder's warranty and often, when the builder gets final payment.

An occupancy permit is not required for house alterations or minor building works where the suitability of a building to be occupied is not changed.

An application form for an occupancy permit is included with your Building Permit. If you need another copy, please contact Council by calling (03) 5772 0333 or emailing building@murrindindi.vic.gov.au

An owner builder is someone who constructs or renovates a domestic building on their property and is not a registered builder.

Owner builders must have a certificate of consent from the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) before a permit can be issued by a building surveyor to carry out domestic works over $16,000. This consent is your written approval to act as an owner builder within Victoria.

Owner builders can only carry out works on single dwellings on a single property, in any three-year period and are not permitted to construct units.

Further information for owner builders is available from the VBA website or by calling the VBA on 1300 815 127.

Your proposed building works may require a report and consent from Council.

Part 5 of the Regulations prescribes that a report and consent from Council is required when the design of a single dwelling does not comply with the regulations listed below.

• Building Regulation 73 - Maximum Street Setback
• Building Regulation 74 - Minimum Street Setbacks
• Building Regulation 74a - Building Setback for Small Second Dwelling
• Building Regulation 75 - Building Height
• Building Regulation 76 - Site Coverage
• Building Regulation 77 - Permeability
• Building Regulation 78 - Car Parking
• Building Regulation 79 - Side & Rear Setbacks
• Building Regulation 80 - Walls on Boundaries and Carports
• Building Regulation 81 - Daylight to Existing Habitable Room Windows
• Building Regulation 82 - Solar Access to Existing North Facing Habitable Room Windows
• Building Regulation 83 - Overshadowing of Recreational Private Open Space
• Building Regulation 84 - Overlooking
• Building Regulation 85 - Daylight to Habitable Room Windows
• Building Regulation 86 - Private Open Space
• Building Regulation 86a - Private Open Space for Small Second Dwellings
• Building Regulation 86b - Accessibility for Small Second Dwellings
• Building Regulation 87 - Siting of Class 10a Buildings
• Building Regulation 89 - Front Fence Height
• Building Regulation 90 - Fence Setback from Side and Rear Boundaries
• Building Regulation 91 - Fences on or within 150mm of Side or Rear Boundaries
• Building Regulation 92 - Fences on Street Alignments
• Building Regulation 94 - Fences and Daylight to Windows in Existing Dwelling
• Building Regulation 95 - Fences and Solar Access to Existing North-Facing Habitable Room Windows
• Building Regulation 96 - Fences and Overshadowing of Recreational Private Open Space
• Building Regulation 97 - Masts, Poles etc

Other regulations:

• Building Regulation 109 - Projections Beyond Street Alignment
• Building Regulation 116 - Protection of the Public
• Building Regulation 130 - Building Over Easement
• Building Regulation 134 - Building Above and Below Certain Public Facilities
• Building Regulation 153 - Building in Areas Liable to Flooding. For these application types, Finished Floor Levels (FFL) and site levels must be provided and to Australian Height Datum (AHD) points. NOTE - Reduced Levels (RL) will not be accepted.

To apply for a report and consent through our online Building portal, click on the link below, select Building then Apply for Report & Consent.

Visit our online Building portal

An easement is a right to use land owned by another party for a specific purpose. Drainage easements provide Council with access to a property to repair drainage problems and perform on-going maintenance.

Consent from Council is required to conduct works over or within an easement. Please click on the link below to be directed to our online Building portal. Select Building then Apply for Report & Consent.

Visit our online Building portal

The use of asbestos is banned nationally. Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fibre, mined from the earth and used extensively in building materials prior to 1985.

Trades people and home renovators are most at risk of exposure to asbestos fibres. Undertaking works using power tools, saws or sanding can cause the release of asbestos fibres into the air.

For more information and current certified asbestos removalists and receival facilities, visit asbestos.vic.gov.au

Alexandra Landfill is licensed to receive small quantities of asbestos from domestic sources by appointment only. Please contact Council on (03) 5772 0333 prior to delivery. Asbestos that is not packaged correctly will not be accepted.

As part of your building permit application, you may need to indicate the location of your designated Stormwater Discharge Point on your property. To obtain details of where Council’s designated Stormwater Discharge Point is in relation to a property, please complete the online application.

Apply to obtain Stormwater Discharge Point details

View our checklist below for advice on the minimum information that is required to be submitted for a building permit application.

View Building permit application checklist(PDF, 99KB)

The schedule below will help you determine the fees applicable to your building application.

Building permit fee schedule(PDF, 216KB)