How much does building approval cost in NSW?

Building approval costs in NSW typically range from $30,000 to $100,000+ depending on project type and construction value. This includes council DA/CDC fees, section 7.11 or 7.12 contributions, Long Service Levy, bonds, HBCF insurance, and practitioner costs for certifiers, engineers, and fire consultants. ApprovalAssist calculates the exact costs for your specific property and project.

What is the difference between a DA and CDC in NSW?

A Development Application (DA) is assessed by your local council and suits complex projects or those that don't meet pre-set standards. A Complying Development Certificate (CDC) is assessed by a private certifier, is typically faster (20 days vs months), and suits projects that meet standards under the State Environmental Planning Policies. ApprovalAssist automatically determines which pathway applies to your project.

What documents do I need for building approval in NSW?

Common documents include architectural plans, structural engineering drawings, a BASIX certificate, bushfire assessment (if applicable), flood assessment, heritage impact statement (if applicable), geotechnical report, and a Statement of Environmental Effects. The exact list depends on your property's zoning, overlays, building classification, and approval pathway. A typical Class 2 renovation requires 19+ documents across pre-DA, pre-CC, construction, and pre-OC stages.

For Property Owners

What's it going to take?

Know NOW for YOUR property — not a generic list.

All you need is your address. We'll give you every cost, document, certificate, practitioner, and DCP rule filtered to your address, your council, your zone, your project.

Start with a Report. Upgrade to a Full Case when you're ready.

Get Started See Example Report ↓

6,000+

Development Control Plans

11,000+

Listed Practitioners

CDC/DA to OC

Full Process Coverage

Everything about YOUR property, before you start

Enter your address. Get a compliance roadmap specific to your property — not a generic checklist.

💰

Every Fee & Bond

Council contributions, Long Service Levy, HBCF insurance, damage bonds, stormwater bonds — itemized with amounts. Know what's refundable and what isn't.

📄

Documents & Certificates

Full checklist from DA through to OC. What you need, when you need it, and who provides it. Including Class 2+ requirements.

👷

Practitioner Costs

Verified cost ranges for certifiers, engineers, fire safety, acoustic, and more. Based on real Sydney invoices, not estimates.

🚧

Inspection Gates

Every mandatory inspection from commencement to final. Stage-by-stage timeline so you never get caught out.

🏗️

Your Property's DCP Controls

Not a generic council dump — DCP rules filtered to your specific property. Setbacks, height limits, FSR, parking, landscaping, privacy, and solar access matched to your zone, overlays, and project type.

⚠️

Critical Warnings

The traps that catch first-timers. Private certifiers don't avoid council fees. Waterproof before tiling. Chase your bonds.

Example Report

This is what a real report looks like — for a $300K renovation in Manly, Northern Beaches.

Imagine this for YOUR address.

YOUR ADDRESS HERE Northern Beaches Council · R2 Zone

Building Classification BCA Class 2 Development Application (DA)

⚠️ Class 2+ — Additional requirements apply under Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020

Estimated Total Compliance Cost

$26,534 — $39,540

9% — 13% of your $300,000 construction cost

💸 Money You Lose

$11,534

🔒 Bonds (Get Back)

$15,000

👷 Practitioners

$17,500+

💰

Fee Breakdown

Fees for YOUR council — 8 line items

Section 7.12 Development Contributions$3,000

Long Service Levy$750

Infrastructure / Damage Bond$2,000

Strata Defects Bond (2%)$6,000

+ 4 more line items in full report

📄

Documents You Need

19 documents required for this project

🏆

Certificates Required

16 certificates from CDC to Occupation Certificate

🔍

Inspection Gates

12 mandatory inspections at each build stage

🏗

Council DCP Controls

DCP rules filtered to YOUR zone & overlays

All you need is your address. Start with a Report. Upgrade to a Full Case when you're ready.

All sections expand with full details specific to YOUR property

Get YOUR Report →

Simple Pricing

Start with a Report. Upgrade to a Full Case when you need it. No subscriptions, no lock-in.

Report

$39 + GST per project

Know what it's going to cost before you start.

✓ Full compliance assessment
✓ Every fee, bond & levy itemised
✓ Document & certificate checklists
✓ Practitioner cost ranges
✓ DCP controls filtered to your property
✓ Compare CDC vs DA pathways
✓ Inspection gate timeline
✓ Critical warnings

Get Report

BEST VALUE

Full Case

$199 + GST per project

Everything you need from start to OC.

✓ Everything in Report
+ Process tracker (CDC/DA to OC)
+ Document tracker & gap analysis
+ Upload your docs — see what's missing
+ Certifier pack download (zip)
+ Search RANKED practitioners in your area
+ LiveLink shared portal with your certifier

Get Full Case

Practitioner Listing

Provided by your

Certifier or Builder

Your certifier or builder may already be on ApprovalAssist.

✓ Ask your certifier if they use ApprovalAssist
✓ They can create a case and invite you
✓ Shared visibility on your project
✓ Their branding on your portal
✓ All documents in one place
✓ Process tracked from start to OC

Learn How It Works

📄

Already got some documents? Upload them.

Upload the documents you already have — CDC, plans, certificates, invoices, engineer reports — and we'll tell you exactly what's still missing.

Track your progress from CDC through to OC. Know which certificates you've collected, which ones are still outstanding, and who needs to provide them. Download a complete pack for your certifier when you're ready.

Start Tracking Your Documents →

Built from real invoices. Filtered to YOUR address.

Fee data verified against actual council receipts and practitioner invoices. DCP controls extracted from 30+ council plans and filtered to YOUR property. Not AI guesses — real numbers and real rules from real projects.

Enter YOUR Address →