Do I need a DA for a shed?
Summary: usually not. Most standard backyard sheds fall under exempt development in NSW. But size, height and distance from the boundary change that quickly, and a shed that misses one criterion is not "nearly exempt" - it needs approval like anything else.
In NSW, a shed can typically be built without any council approval if it meets every one of a specific set of exempt development criteria. The word doing the work in that sentence is every.
What makes a shed exempt
The criteria cover the things you would expect and a couple you might not:
- Floor area - a maximum, which varies with the zone your lot sits in
- Height - a maximum overall height, and a limit on how tall it can be relative to the ground
- Distance from each boundary - a minimum setback
- Site coverage - the shed counts toward how much of your lot is built on
- Location - not in front of the building line, and not over a registered easement
- Drainage - stormwater from the roof has to be disposed of properly
A structure that satisfies all of them needs no approval at all. A structure that misses one is in exactly the same position as a structure that misses all of them.
When you do need approval
You will generally need a Complying Development Certificate or a full DA if the shed is taller than the exempt limit, larger than the exempt floor area, closer to a boundary than the minimum, or in front of the building line.
You will also need approval - usually a DA - regardless of the dimensions if your property is heritage listed or in a conservation area, is on bushfire-prone land, is flood affected, or is in an environmentally sensitive area. The exemptions do not apply on those sites.
How to actually check
Three steps, and the first two are free:
- Get your planning certificate (a section 10.7 certificate) from your council. It lists the zone and every overlay that applies to your lot.
- Measure the proposed location - distance to each boundary, and the finished height.
- Compare against the current exempt development criteria for your zone.
If it clears every criterion comfortably, build it. If it is close on any of them, get it checked properly - because "close" is not a category the legislation recognises.
If it is already built
This is very common and it is fixable. An unapproved shed is usually regularised through a building information certificate, sometimes with a retrospective application for the structure. The important thing is doing it before council raises it, because a voluntary application and a response to an order are treated completely differently.
It also matters at sale time - unapproved structures surface during conveyancing and either delay the settlement or cost you at the negotiation.
Where to go next
If your shed is straightforward, you probably do not need us. If it is close to a limit, on a constrained site, or already standing, a five-minute check tells you where you stand. See our residential council approval page or call us.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I build a shed that is not exempt?
It becomes unauthorised building work. Council can require it to be brought into compliance or removed. In practice most are regularised through a building information certificate or a retrospective application, and doing that voluntarily is far cheaper than responding to an order.
Does a shed on a slab count differently to one on piers?
The construction method is less important than the dimensions and location, but a slab can affect drainage and site coverage calculations, both of which feed into whether the structure is exempt.
Can I put a shed on the boundary?
Exempt development criteria include a minimum distance from each boundary, so building on the boundary generally takes the structure outside the exemption. There are separate considerations where the shed is attached to a boundary fence or affects a neighbour's drainage.
Services related to this article
Residential Council Approval
Most residential developments do not need a full Development Application.
Complying Development (CDC)
A Complying Development Certificate is the fast-track approval pathway.
Unauthorised Structures
Building work or a use that went ahead without approval can usually be brought into the system - through a building information certificate, a retrospective development application, or both.
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Want this checked against your actual property?
General guidance can only go so far - zoning, overlays and council controls change the answer. Send us the address and we will confirm which approval pathway applies, free.