Townhouse & Multi-Dwelling Approvals NSW

If your site and design tick the boxes for Complying Development, we’ll prepare your CDC application and lodge it on your behalf via the NSW Planning Portal.

What’s required to get started:

• Buildcert application form
• Detailed architectural plans
• Title Search, Deposited Plan and Instrument 88B
• Section 10.7 Planning Certificate

What we check:

• Dwelling types and layout
• Zoning and planning controls
• Flood, bushfire, heritage or other restrictions

Why it matters:

Zoning, bushfire, and flood overlays can affect eligibility. We’ll flag any issues upfront.

Need more detail?

Check out our Lodgement Checklist for a full rundown of what’s typically required.

If your project doesn’t qualify for CDC (e.g. due to zoning, bushfire or heritage overlays), after getting your Development Consent from Council, we can get started on your Construction Certificate (CC).

What we need to issue your CC:

• Council-issued Development Consent
• DA stamped construction plans
• Buildcert application form

Why it matters:

Once your DA is approved, the CC is your ticket to start construction – and we make sure it’s as smooth as possible.

Who handles this:

Buildcert’s team of registered certifiers take care of the full CC assessment and approval.

Need more detail?

Check out our Lodgement Checklist for a full rundown of what’s typically required.

If your multi-dwelling development includes subdividing land into separate lots, you’ll need subdivision certification to make it official.

Subdivision certification is what allows each dwelling to sit on its own legal lot, which is crucial for registration, future sales, or financing. Getting it right now avoids costly delays later.

Our specialist subdivision team at Landcert handle this for you. Their experienced team guides you through the process, flags any issues early, and helps fast-track your lot registration. Just let us know upfront, and we will include this as part of your quote.

We’ll take care of lodging your application through the NSW Planning Portal. From there, our certifiers review the project in detail and, if needed, carry out a site inspection.

If more information is required, your certifier will issue a Request for Information (RFI) so you know exactly what’s missing. And if changes to plans are needed, we’ll step you through them to avoid delays.

You’ll have a clear list of requirements from the outset, open communication, and a certifier focused on your project. We’ll keep things straightforward and work with you to ensure approvals progress without hold-ups.

Our team reviews all documentation, plans, and reports against the National Construction Code, planning legislation (for CDCs), DA conditions (for CCs) and other requirements that apply specifically to multi-dwelling builds.

Once everything is in place, we issue your Complying Development Certificate (CDC) or Construction Certificate (CC).

If there are pre-commencement items to address, such as an owner-builder permit or Home Building Compensation Fund (HBCF), we’ll flag these clearly in your approval. Once they’re sorted, we issue the Notice of Commencement, and just two days later, you’re ready to start construction.

Your approval will include a list of the component certificates likely to be required as construction progresses, so you know exactly what to expect at each stage.

It also sets out the mandatory inspections for your project. While it’s the builder’s responsibility to book them, we keep the process simple. Book an inspection before 3pm, and we can be on-site the following day to keep everything moving.

Our certifiers will then complete each mandatory inspection to confirm your project remains safe, compliant, and on track.

For multi-units, these inspections usually cover:

• Piers/Footings - prior to placement of concrete

• Slab - prior to placement of concrete

• Frame - prior to insulation and internal lining/plasterboard

• Fire Separating Wall - prior to insulation and internal linings

• Waterproofing - prior to internal wet area tiling

• Stormwater - prior to backfilling the discharge connection point

• Completion inspection

Once the final inspection is complete and all documentation checked, we’ll issue your Occupation Certificate (OC) – the official sign-off that your project is finished.

In some cases, a Partial OC can be issued to allow occupancy before items like driveways, landscaping, or retaining walls are complete, though this depends on council requirements.