The State Policy for exempt and complying development is contained within the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the State Policy).
Exempt development
Did you know that you can do some minor building works to your house, shop or business without a development application? This is called exempt development. This means that low impact works not requiring a full merit assessment by council can be done more quickly and with less cost. A few examples of development that can be exempt development are:
- decks
- garden sheds
- carports
- fences
- repairing a window
- painting a house
As long as the proposed works are low impact and meet all of the development standards (identified in the State Policy) a planning or building approval may not be needed.
Complying development
Complying development is a combined planning and construction approval for straightforward development that can be determined through a fast track assessment by a council or private certifier. Complying development applies to homes, businesses and industry and allows for a range of things like the construction of:
- a new dwelling house
- alterations and additions to a house
- new industrial buildings
- demolition of a building
- changes to a business use
This means that routine works that comply with the development standards in the State Policy and do not require a full merit assessment by council, can be done more quickly and with less cost.
More information
For more details on exempt and complying development see the NSW Planning Portal.