Council approval
How council approval works
Most carports and patios in Brisbane need council approval. We lodge it for you. This page covers what decides it and how long it takes.
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2–6 weeks approvalWe lodge it and chase it
[6 & 15-year] warrantiesStructural and material
Three things decide it
Floor area is not one of them, even though many answers online assume it is.
Mean height
What counts is the mean height of the structure, rather than the height at the ridge or the gutter. That is why a flyover patio gets a closer look than a skillion, and a gable carport needs approval more often than a flat one.
Distance to the boundary
How close the structure sits to your fence line. You can build to within 500mm of a boundary with your neighbour's written agreement. You need that agreement before you build, so we raise it early.
Overlays on the property
Character and flood overlays come up most often around Brisbane. They belong to the land, whatever you are building on it, so nobody can answer the approval question without your address.
The 500mm rule, in a picture
The setback is how close the structure sits to your fence line. People run into it more than anything else, and it is easier to see in a drawing.
With your neighbour's written agreement, you can build to within500mm of the boundary. Without it, the required distance is greater.
Talk to your neighbour early. It is a much easier conversation before the structure is designed.
What we do about it
We check your address
Before we quote, we look up what the planning scheme puts over your property. This tells us whether you are looking at a two-week job or a three-month one.
We prepare the drawings
Engineered to the span and the site, and drawn to what the council will assess.
We lodge it and chase it
The application goes in under our name. If a setback or height concession needs negotiating, we negotiate it. You never have to chase a reference number.
A certifier signs it off
At completion the structure is inspected and certified. That makes it a legal structure, so there is nothing to disclose or discount when you sell.
Approval usually runs 2–6 weeks, and it happens while materials are ordered.
We measure the setbacks- We draw and engineer it
We build to the approved plans
Your council
The rules that decide approval are state-level and the same everywhere in South East Queensland. Each council adds its own planning scheme on top. That sets which overlays apply, how the application is lodged and what it costs.
Brisbane City Council
The Brisbane local government area, from Bracken Ridge in the north to Parkinson in the south.
Chermside · Carindale · Wynnum · Aspley · The Gap · Mount Gravatt
Logan City Council
The Logan local government area, south of Brisbane between the Logan and Albert rivers.
Springwood · Shailer Park · Daisy Hill · Browns Plains · Beenleigh · Loganholme
Moreton Bay Regional Council
The Moreton Bay region, north of Brisbane from Redcliffe and North Lakes up to Caboolture and Bribie Island.
Redcliffe · North Lakes · Caboolture · Narangba · Petrie · Bribie Island
Redland City Council
The Redlands, on Brisbane's bayside, including Capalaba, Cleveland, Victoria Point and the bay islands.
Capalaba · Cleveland · Victoria Point · Wellington Point · Thornlands · Alexandra Hills
Ipswich City Council
The Ipswich local government area and the western corridor, including Springfield and Ripley.
Ipswich · Springfield · Ripley · Booval · Goodna · Karalee
Does your structure need approval?
A web page can't tell you whether your structure needs approval. Overlays are property-specific, so a definite answer needs your address. A square-metre figure on its own won't settle it.
We will check it against your address before you have spent anything. If you do not need approval, we will tell you.
Common questions about council approval
Do I need council approval for a carport in Brisbane?
Usually, yes. It depends on the mean height of the structure, how close it sits to your boundary and whether an overlay applies to your property. Floor area alone does not decide it. We prepare and lodge the application as part of the build, so you do not have to manage it.
What size carport can I build without a permit in QLD?
There is no single answer without your address. Exemptions depend on the mean height of the structure, the setback from your boundary and the overlays over your property. Some structures are exempt; most are not. Send us the address and we will tell you which side of the line you are on.
Do I need council approval for a patio?
Usually. The same three things decide it. Flyover patios are taller, so they get a closer look than skillions. We handle the application as part of the build.
How long does council approval take?
2–6 weeks in the ordinary case. If the job needs a relaxation (a concession on setback or height), allow up to another four weeks on top.
How close to the boundary can I build?
You can build to within 500mm of a boundary with your neighbour's written agreement. Without that agreement the required setback is larger. We will raise the neighbour's sign-off with you before you commit.
What happens if I build without approval?
An unapproved structure has to be disclosed when you sell, and a buyer will either discount for it or ask for it to be removed. Councils can also require retrospective approval or removal. Doing it properly costs far less than fixing it later.
Do you handle the approval, or do I?
We do. Drawings, lodgement, dealing with the council and certification at the end are all part of the build.
Send us your address
We will tell you where you stand on approval before you spend anything. If you want the structure as well, we will measure up and give you a fixed price.
Prefer to talk? 07 3276 8899
- Licensed Queensland builder, QBCC Licence [00000]
- A fixed price before anything starts
- Council application prepared and lodged by us
- [6 & 15-year] structural and material warranties