Fencing permits

Do you need a building permit or a report and consent?

Type of fence Building permit required Report and consent required

Side or rear boundary fences that are all of the below:

  • less than 2.0m high
  • further than 3m away from the front allotment boundary
  • made of timber or steel             
 No No
Side or rear boundary fencing taller than 2.0m high Yes Yes
Front fences under 1.2m high No No
Front fence taller than 1.2m high Check planning zones that apply to your property or contact Council for advice on 

1300 653 356

 Check planning zones that apply to your property or contact Council for advice on 1300 653 356
Fence on a corner block that is less than 1.0m high and within 9.0m of the intersection of both street alignments No No
Fence on a corner block that is taller than 1.0m high within 9.0m of the intersection of both street alignments Yes Yes
Chain mesh fence surrounding tennis court No No
Any fencing surrounding a pool or spa Yes Contact us

 

Please see our explanatory diagram(PDF, 86KB) for the above table.

You will need a report and consent if your fence is not within the scope of part 5 of the building regulations.

Check a current copy of the certificate of title for covenants, caveats and section 173 agreements as there may be restrictions regarding allowable fence heights for your property.

To apply for a building permit you will need to engage the services of a registered private building surveyor.

Do I need a planning permit?

In most cases you won’t require a planning permit if your site is more than 300m2, and there are no other restrictions or planning controls (e.g. overlays) affecting the land.

In most situations a planning permit is required to construct or extend a fence that is within three (3) metres of a street if:

  • there is one dwelling (house) on the lot, and the lot is less than 300m2 in area
  • there are two (2) or more dwellings (houses) on the lot, or there is a residential building on the lot.
  • the fence exceeds the maximum height specified in the relevant schedule to the zone.

If the site has an existing planning permit you are encouraged to contact the planning department to enquire if an amended planning application is required for the proposed fence.

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