CDC application documents checklist

What to include in a CDC application

A complete complying development certificate application keeps assessment moving. Here is a practical list of the site information, drawings, reports and portal details a certifier will look for.

A complying development certificate (CDC) application is only as quick as its paperwork. When something is missing, the certifier has to ask for it and assessment slows down. This checklist covers what a typical CDC for a house, granny flat, extension or outbuilding should include. A certifier can request extra items depending on the site.

Site information first

Planning certificate. An up-to-date section 10.7 planning certificate shows whether complying development is allowed on the land and flags hazards like flooding or bushfire. See our guide to Reading your planning certificate before you design.
Certificate of title. The NSW planning guide to complying development recommends it, as it shows easements, covenants and rights of way.
Survey plan. Required for some CDCs and useful for almost all. It should show levels, boundaries, trees, existing buildings and services. Our guide to Survey plans and site information your designer needs explains what to ask your surveyor for.

Drawings

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 sets out the plans and drawings that must accompany a CDC application. In practice, a certifier will expect:

Site plan with boundaries, setbacks, existing and proposed buildings, north point, easements and driveway.
Floor plans for every level, with room names and dimensions.
Elevations and sections showing natural and finished ground levels, floor levels and building height.
Roof plan and any demolition plan.
Landscape and site calculations showing landscaped area, site coverage and the other numeric controls in the code you are using.
Shadow diagrams where the code's solar access standards apply.
Stormwater concept plan and erosion and sediment controls.

Check that the drawings agree with each other and with the survey. Mismatched levels and setbacks are a common reason for queries. Our guide to The plan errors that most often stop a CDC lists others.

Reports and certificates

BASIX certificate for residential work that needs one, with its commitments marked on the drawings.
Bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment for lots on bush fire prone land.
Geotechnical or soil report where the site conditions or footings need it.
Structural engineering for slabs, footings and any framing outside the standard tables, either with the application or before work, as your certifier directs.
Specialist reports the site needs, such as an arborist report for nearby trees, or contamination information.

Details the Planning Portal asks for

CDC applications are lodged on the NSW Planning Portal. Along with the uploads, you will need:

Owner's consent. You tick a box to confirm it, and give contact details for every owner.
Estimated development cost, including GST.
BASIX certificate number. When validated, the certificate uploads itself. If the address does not match, it is flagged for the certifier to review.
Contribution details where a contributions plan applies.

The nominated certifier reviews the application and may request more documents, so keep your designer on hand. Name each file clearly so the certifier can find the right drawing quickly.

Before work starts

A few things come after approval but before construction: appointing a principal certifier, notifying neighbours, and confirming any levies or contributions are paid. Our guide to CDC neighbour notification: who gets told and when covers the notice rules.

CertifiBuild assesses and issues complying development certificates for Class 1 and Class 10 work. If you want a second set of eyes before lodging, our plan assessment checks the package against the code, or you can request a quote.

Local help across NSW

CertifiBuild certifies Class 1 and Class 10 work in 39 council areas. Local rules on these council pages are a good place to start: Blacktown City Council, Hunter’s Hill Council, Penrith City Council, Wollongong City Council, Waverley Council, Ku-ring-gai Council.

Suburb pages with local planning notes: Bondi Beach, Gordon, Hunters Hill, Macquarie Fields, Penrith, Ramsgate, Sans Souci, Schofields, Tamarama, Wollongong. You can also browse every service area.