Building Permits

Nearly anything that is built requires a building permit.  Building permits enforce regulations that are designed to protect your building and, more importantly, those who occupy them.

The issuing of a building permit ensures the building work is built in compliance with the Building Act 1993 and its associated regulations.

However, there are many other good reasons for having a building permit.  The building permit ensures:

• The required building practitioners doing the work are registered and carry the appropriate insurance.
• Adequate documentation is prepared to construct the building.
• Independent review of the building documentation occurs.
• Key stages of the work are independently inspected.
• The work is structurally sound and meets health and safety requirements stipulated in the Act and Regulations.
• Your building is independently assessed as suitable for occupation.

A building permit requires inspections of the work at various mandatory notification stages such as foundations, reinforcement, frame, prior to occupation and upon completion of building work.

Once approved, a building permit has a period of time in which building work must commence and be completed.  As part of the process, the Relevant Building Surveyor who issues the building permit must follow the project through to the end, carrying out building inspections, issuing an occupancy permit and/or a certificate of final inspection on completion of the building work.

Baw Baw Shire Council is currently providing a statutory Building Control function. Council resolved not to compete with the private sector in issuing building permits as from 1 September 1997.

Building Permit applications may be lodged with any privately operating Private Building Surveyor. A list of Private Building Surveyors or Building Permits Services can be found under Private Building Consultants in the yellow pages.

When is a building permit required?

There are some minor types of building work that are exempt from the issuing of a building permit.  This is work that is of such a minor nature that the protection and advantages that a building permit can provide are not necessary or will not be achieved.

In certain instances the exemptions dispense with the necessity to obtain a building permit but still require the owner to ensure the building work complies with regulations.  .In these cases the owner may still require professional assistance from a Registered Building Practitioner.

Useful links:

Building Commission Practice Note 2008-32 dated January 2008 and titled “When is a building permit required?”:

Building Regulations 2006:

Building and renovating

Most property owners will at some stage conduct renovations to a building.  These projects can be as equally complex as a new building or building addition and in many cases building permits and the use of Registered Building Practitioners is a necessity.  It is recommended that these projects be well planned and executed.

Baw Baw Shire Council provides the attached document as a courtesy on behalf of The Building Commission. Council can provide access to hard copies of this document. Please call on 5624 2557 to arrange a time to view the document at a Council office or to have the document sent to you.