CDC or DA? Choosing the Right NSW Approval

CDC or DA: picking the approval your home project needs

Nearly every NSW home project ends up with either a complying development certificate or a development application lodged with council. This guide explains how to work out which suits your plans.

Ahead of starting a build in NSW, you need to know which approval path your project sits on. For a house, granny flat, pool, garage or addition, the choice usually comes down to two options: a complying development certificate (CDC) or a development application (DA). Picking the right one early saves weeks and avoids paying for drawings twice.

What a CDC is

A CDC is a quicker approval for designs that satisfy a fixed set of state rules. Most of those rules sit in the Housing Code, one of several codes within State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008. If the design ticks every box, a registered certifier or the council can issue the CDC without a merit assessment.

The codes set hard numbers, including:

how big and how wide the lot must be
how tall and how large the building can be
setbacks from the front, side and rear boundaries
garden area and outdoor living space
privacy controls for windows, decks and balconies

There is no room to negotiate. If a wall sits 100 mm inside a required setback, the project does not qualify, however reasonable it looks.

What a DA is

A DA goes to council, which weighs the proposal against its local environmental plan and development control plan. Council can approve designs that bend a rule, provided the outcome is acceptable on merit. Neighbours are usually notified and can make submissions.

DAs take longer, and once one is approved you still need a construction certificate (CC) before work begins. The CC checks the detailed drawings against the National Construction Code and every condition of consent.

Common reasons a project cannot use a CDC

the property is a heritage item, or sits in a heritage conservation area where the codes exclude that type of work
the land is mapped at the highest bushfire attack levels (BAL-40 or BAL-FZ)
the lot is too small or too narrow for the code
the design exceeds a height, floor area or setback limit
the land is environmentally sensitive, or another exclusion in the codes applies

Flood-affected lots can sometimes still use a CDC, but extra controls kick in, for example a set floor height above flood level.

How to find out early

Start with the planning certificate for your property (often called a 10.7 certificate). It lists zoning, heritage status, bushfire and flood mapping, and whether complying development is allowed on the land. A survey plan then shows the real boundaries and levels.

A plan assessment before you finalise drawings is the cheapest way to confirm the path. We test the concept against the code and flag anything that would push it into a DA, while changes are still easy to make.

After approval

Whichever path you take, the steps after approval look similar:

appoint a principal certifier
give notice of commencement no less than two days ahead of starting work
complete the critical stage inspections as the build progresses
obtain an occupation certificate before anyone moves in or uses the building

For more detail, see our pages on complying development certificates, construction certificates and building approvals. Not sure where your project lands, request a quote with the address and any sketches you have.

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: Shellharbour City Council, Campbelltown City Council, Hunter’s Hill Council, Penrith City Council, Liverpool City Council, City of Ryde.

Suburb pages with local planning notes: Flinders, Glen Alpine, Huntleys Point, Kingswood, Liverpool, Macquarie Fields, Macquarie Park, Marrangaroo, McGraths Hill, Megalong Valley. You can also browse every service area.