Do you need a DA, a CDC, or nothing at all?
For tradies and owners scoping residential work. Points you to the right planning pathway — exempt development, a Complying Development Certificate, or a full Development Application.
Sound familiar?
- “The owner wants to start Monday and you don't know if it needs a DA.”
- “You've heard 'CDC' and 'exempt' thrown around but never had it explained.”
- “There's an overlay on the block and you're not sure what that rules out.”
What this tool does
Takes the job and a few facts about the property and points you to the likely pathway — exempt development (no approval), a Complying Development Certificate (fast-track via a certifier), or a Development Application (council assessment). It's orientation, not an approval.
General guidance only. Exempt and complying-development rules vary by state (SEPP / state codes) and council. Always check with your local council or a private certifier before starting work.
1
Job type
2
Property
3
Details
4
Result
Step 1 — What type of job?
What the law actually says
- •Residential work falls into one of three buckets: exempt development, complying development (CDC), or a development application (DA). Which one depends on the job, the property, and your state's planning codes.
- •Heritage listing, heritage conservation areas, and bushfire/flood/environmental overlays commonly knock work out of the fast-track pathways and into a DA.
- •Guidance only — exempt and CDC rules vary by state and council. Confirm before you start.