Regulation Decoded
Complying Development Certificate (CDC) in NSW: How to Apply, What to Lodge and What Happens After Approval
A practical guide to getting a Complying Development Certificate in NSW: the eligibility check, the full documents checklist, lodging on the NSW Planning Portal, neighbour notification, the conditions that come with a CDC, timeframes, and the steps from approval to Occupation Certificate. Written by the registered certifiers at Built Smart Solutions in Sydney.
CURRENT AS AT 27 OCTOBER 2026
19 MIN READ
BY BUILT SMART SOLUTIONS
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Quick answer
A Complying Development Certificate (CDC) is a combined planning and construction approval in NSW for projects that meet every applicable standard in a State code, such as the Housing Code or the Industrial and Business Buildings Code. To apply, you confirm the land and project are eligible (the section 10.7 planning certificate is the starting point, not the whole answer), engage a registered certifier, prepare the plans and supporting documents (survey, BASIX, engineering, specialist reports), and lodge the application on the NSW Planning Portal. The site must be inspected before the CDC can issue. For new dwellings, additions to dwellings, granny flats and demolition close to neighbouring homes in most of metropolitan Sydney, the certifier must give notice (to neighbours in residential and rural zones, and to council) 14 days before issuing the CDC, and the statutory determination period is 20 days. Otherwise it is 10 days, and Pattern Book CDCs are always 10.
Once the CDC issues, you appoint a Principal Certifier, give any required notice to neighbours (7 days in most of metropolitan Sydney, 2 days elsewhere) and give council at least 2 days’ notice of commencement, then build with mandatory inspections through to the Occupation Certificate. Built Smart Solutions reviews eligibility before you design, prepares the lodgement checklist, issues CDCs as registered certifiers across Sydney and NSW, and stays with the project to the OC.
Key takeaways
- Eligibility first, documents second. The land must not be excluded and the design must meet every standard; check both before you pay for full drawings.
- A complete application is a fast application. There is no stop-the-clock for a CDC, so a gap in BASIX, survey levels or engineering puts the application itself at risk.
- Lodge on the NSW Planning Portal with your chosen certifier, who inspects the site and assesses the application.
- Neighbours are notified, but have no right of objection or appeal. For most residential work in metropolitan Sydney there is notice before the CDC issues and again before work starts.
- The CDC comes with standard conditions, including contributions, hours of work and inspections. Read them before you start.
- After approval: appoint the Principal Certifier, lodge the Notice of Commencement, pass the inspections and get the Occupation Certificate.
- Built Smart Solutions handles the whole path, from eligibility review to CDC to Occupation Certificate, on one fixed fee.
What a Complying Development Certificate is
A Complying Development Certificate is a fast-track approval that combines the planning approval and the construction approval into one certificate. It is available only for development that a State code covers, on land the code does not exclude, where the design meets every applicable development standard. The standards are fixed numbers: height, setbacks, floor area, landscaping, privacy, parking and so on. If the development is complying development and meets every standard, the certifier must not refuse it; if any one is missed, the certifier cannot issue it.
CDCs are issued under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 against the codes in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (the Codes SEPP) and the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021. Common CDC projects include:
- new one and two-storey houses and knock-down rebuilds (Housing Code);
- alterations and additions, swimming pools, garages and outbuildings;
- granny flats under the Housing SEPP;
- dual occupancies, manor houses and terraces (Low Rise Housing Diversity Code);
- NSW Housing Pattern Book designs (Pattern Book Development Code);
- commercial fit-outs, changes of use and new industrial buildings (Industrial and Business Codes);
- demolition, subdivision of complying buildings and some fire safety upgrades.
If you are still deciding whether your project should be a CDC or a development application, read our CDC vs DA guide first. This article assumes the CDC is the right pathway and explains how to apply.
Who issues a CDC and who can apply
| Role | Who | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Applicant | Owner, or another person with the owner’s consent (for example a builder or developer) | Lodges the application on the Portal and pays the fees |
| Certifier | A registered certifier with the right class of registration, or council | Inspects the site, assesses the application against the code and the NCC, notifies neighbours, determines the CDC |
| Designer | Architect, building designer or draftsperson | Prepares plans that meet the code standards |
| Consultants | Surveyor, structural engineer, BASIX assessor, specialists | Prepare the supporting documents |
| Council | Local council | Receives a copy of the CDC; collects contributions; may act as certifier |
Built Smart Solutions issues Complying Development Certificates as registered certifiers for residential, commercial and industrial projects. Because we review eligibility before design, problems surface while they are still cheap to fix.
Before you apply: the eligibility check
Every CDC application starts with three questions. If any answer is no, stop and talk to your certifier before paying for full drawings.
- Does a code cover this type of development? Houses, alterations, granny flats, dual occupancies, Pattern Book homes, commercial fit-outs and others are covered; residential flat buildings and many specialised uses are not.
- Is the land eligible? The section 10.7 planning certificate from council is the starting point. It states whether the general exclusions stop complying development on the land under each code, but it does not cover every exclusion: it gives no bushfire attack level, no flood categories and no code-specific exclusions, and a council can say it does not have enough information. Heritage items, environmentally sensitive land, some flood and bushfire land and other exclusions rule a CDC out.
- Can the design meet every applicable standard? Lot size and width, height, setbacks, floor area, landscaped area, privacy, earthworks, parking and the rest.
Order the 10.7 certificate first, then send it to your certifier with a sketch of what you want to build. Built Smart Solutions will tell you whether the project is CDC-eligible, and which standards are tight, before a single detailed drawing is paid for. Many near-misses can be designed out at this stage; when they cannot, we say so and point you to a DA.
CDC application documents checklist
A complete application is the single biggest factor in how fast a CDC is issued. This checklist reflects what Built Smart Solutions asks for on typical projects; your certifier will confirm the final list for your site.
| Document | Residential | Commercial / industrial | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section 10.7 planning certificate | Yes | Yes | Zone, instruments and the general exclusions; the starting point, not the whole eligibility answer |
| Owner’s consent | Yes | Yes | Signed by all registered owners (or strata/landlord consent) |
| Detail and level survey | Yes | Usually | Boundaries, levels, existing structures, trees, services |
| Site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections | Yes | Yes | Showing compliance with each code standard |
| Calculations: floor area, landscaped area, site coverage | Yes | As relevant | Shown on plans |
| Shadow diagrams | Where required by the code | Rarely | Two-storey houses near neighbours |
| BASIX certificate | Yes (new dwellings and most alterations over the threshold) | No (NCC Section J instead) | Commitments shown on plans |
| Structural engineering | Yes | Yes | Footings, slab, framing, retaining walls |
| Stormwater / drainage plan | Yes | Yes | Connection or on-site detention as required |
| Specification or NCC compliance details | Yes | Yes | Construction standards, materials |
| Bushfire (BAL) assessment | If bushfire prone | If bushfire prone | BAL-40 and Flame Zone land is excluded under every Codes SEPP code except the Housing Alterations Code; the Pattern Book code excludes all bush fire prone land |
| Flood or geotechnical report | If triggered | If triggered | Per the 10.7 certificate and code |
| Arborist report | If trees affected | If trees affected | Tree protection under the code |
| BCA / NCC compliance report | Rarely | Yes | See our BCA consultant guide |
| Fire safety schedule and strategy | No | Yes | See Fire Safety Strategy & Reports |
| Access report | No | Usually | See Access Consulting |
| Traffic, parking or loading assessment | Rarely | Where required | See Transport Planning |
| Sydney Water building plan check | Yes | Yes | In Sydney Water’s area; building over or near assets |
| Estimated cost of works | Yes | Yes | For fees, levies and contributions |
How to apply for a CDC: step by step
Obtain the section 10.7 planning certificate
Order it from council. It gives the zone, the instruments that apply and whether the general exclusions apply under each code. Your certifier checks the rest.
Engage a registered certifier and confirm eligibility
Choose a certifier with the right registration class and get a fixed fee in writing. Ask for an eligibility review of your concept against the relevant code before detailed design.
Design to the code and prepare the documents
Your designer works to every applicable standard. Commission the survey, BASIX, engineering and any specialist reports the land triggers.
Pre-lodgement review
Your certifier checks the full set for gaps and inconsistencies before lodgement, so the application is complete on the day the statutory clock starts. A CDC has no pause for missing information.
Lodge on the NSW Planning Portal
Create the CDC application on the Portal, nominate your certifier, upload the documents, include owner’s consent and pay the fees. The certifier accepts the application.
Site inspection, notification and assessment
The site is inspected, the certifier gives any required notice to neighbours on lots within 20 metres and to council, and the application is assessed against the code and the NCC.
Pay the Long Service Levy, then receive the CDC
Where the Long Service Levy applies, it must be paid before the CDC is released to you. The certifier determines the application and issues the CDC with its conditions, approved plans and, where relevant, the fire safety schedule. Contributions come later, before work starts.
Neighbour notification for CDCs
Complying development does not give neighbours objection rights, but it does require them to be told.
| Notice | Who gives it | Who receives it | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-determination notice (new dwellings, additions to dwellings, granny flats, group homes and demolition under the demolition code, on a lot within 20 m of a lot with a dwelling, in most of metropolitan Sydney plus Wingecarribee and Wollondilly) | The certifier | Where the land is in a residential or rural zone, the occupier of each dwelling on a lot within 20 m in such a zone; and council if the certifier is not the council | CDC cannot be issued until at least 14 days after notice (7 days for the Pattern Book pathway) |
| Pre-determination notice (other land, including urban release areas, growth centres and regional NSW, and work outside the categories above, such as most commercial and industrial CDCs) | Not required | Not applicable | Not required |
| Pre-construction notice (new building, addition or demolition, on a lot within 20 m of a lot with a dwelling) | The person with the benefit of the CDC | The occupier of each dwelling on a lot within 20 m | At least 7 days before work starts in most of metropolitan Sydney; at least 2 days elsewhere |
Neighbours can raise concerns with the certifier, but if the proposal is complying development and meets every standard, the certifier must not refuse it. There is no merit appeal against a CDC. A neighbour who believes one was issued unlawfully can challenge it only on legal grounds, and only within a limited time.
What is in a CDC and the conditions you must follow
A CDC is issued with approved plans and documents and a set of conditions prescribed by the Regulation and the relevant code. You do not negotiate them; you comply with them. Common conditions include:
| Condition | What it requires |
|---|---|
| Principal Certifier and Notice of Commencement | A PC appointed and notice lodged at least 2 days before work starts |
| Contributions | Section 7.11 or 7.12 contributions paid to council before work starts, where a contributions plan applies |
| Hours of work | Construction limited to the standard hours in the code’s conditions. The hours differ between codes, so read the ones on your certificate |
| Site management | Erosion and sediment control, toilet facilities, waste management, protection of public land |
| Tree protection | Trees to be retained protected during construction |
| Dilapidation | Reports on neighbouring buildings where excavation is close to the boundary |
| Site sign | A sign showing the Principal Certifier’s and principal contractor’s details and that unauthorised entry is prohibited |
| Notice to neighbours | Written notice before work starts, where the pre-construction notice applies |
| Inspections | Critical stage inspections by the Principal Certifier or another certifier it agrees to; the final inspection must be the Principal Certifier’s own |
| BASIX | All BASIX commitments implemented and certified |
| Occupation Certificate | No occupation until the OC is issued |
A CDC lapses five years after the date endorsed on it unless the work has physically commenced, and that period cannot be extended, so do not sit on an approval indefinitely.
After the CDC: from approval to Occupation Certificate
- Appoint the Principal Certifier. Usually the certifier who issued the CDC. See our step-by-step guide to appointing a Principal Certifier on the NSW Planning Portal.
- Pay contributions and satisfy any other pre-commencement conditions.
- Give neighbours the pre-construction notice where it applies, and give council notice of commencement at least 2 days before work starts.
- Build with every critical stage inspection booked before work is covered.
- Collect compliance certificates as each trade finishes.
- Obtain the Occupation Certificate. See how to get an Occupation Certificate in NSW.
Changing a CDC
A CDC can be modified only if the modified development is still complying development. A change that breaks a standard needs a new approval, often a DA. A 2025 amendment that will let councils vary some standards on a CDC has not yet commenced. Talk to your certifier before you change anything on site; our article on site changes that stop projects explains why.
How long a CDC takes
| Stage | What to expect |
|---|---|
| 10.7 certificate and eligibility review | Usually a few days |
| Design and supporting documents | Usually a few weeks; depends on the design and the consultants |
| Pre-lodgement review | A few days |
| Assessment and determination | Statutory period of 20 days where neighbour notice applies, otherwise 10 days; Pattern Book CDCs 10 days |
| Contributions, PC appointment, neighbour notice | At least the statutory notice periods; usually a few weeks in total |
| Concept to start on site | Commonly a few months on a straightforward site |
A development application followed by a Construction Certificate commonly takes several months longer. The difference is why getting a CDC right first time matters.
Choosing a certifier for your CDC: council or private
A CDC can be issued by council or by a registered private certifier. Both apply the same codes and the same National Construction Code. The difference is in how they price, how quickly they turn applications around and how they run the project afterwards.
| Factor | Council | Registered private certifier |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | Council fee schedule, often scaled to cost of works | Fixed fee quoted for the project |
| Pre-lodgement eligibility review | Varies; often a separate service | Usually included |
| Assessment timing | Same statutory period; workload-dependent | Same statutory period; turnaround stated in writing |
| Principal Certifier afterwards | Council can act as PC | The same certifier usually acts as PC |
| Inspection booking | Council availability | Usually at short notice, by arrangement |
| Single point of contact | Varies | One certifier for the project |
What to check before you engage a certifier
- Registration under the Building and Development Certifiers Act 2018, in the class that covers your building. Check it on the public register before you sign.
- A fixed fee that names the CDC, the Principal Certifier appointment, the number of inspections and the Occupation Certificate.
- An eligibility review of your concept before you pay for detailed drawings.
- A pre-lodgement review so the application is complete on day one.
- Inspections in person, never signed off from photos.
- Experience with your code: Housing Code, Low Rise Housing Diversity Code, Pattern Book or the Industrial and Business Codes.
- Honest advice about when a DA is the better route.
Built Smart Solutions’ CDC service covers every line on that list, across Sydney and regional NSW.
Ready to apply for a CDC?
Send us the address, the 10.7 certificate if you have it, and your concept. Built Smart Solutions will confirm eligibility and give you the lodgement checklist and a fixed fee.
Common CDC application mistakes
Designing before checking eligibility
The most expensive mistake. Read our note on the fast-track assumption.
Lodging an incomplete application
No BASIX, no levels on the survey, engineering for an earlier design. A CDC has no stop-the-clock, so each one puts the application at risk.
Documents that disagree with each other
A BASIX certificate, bushfire report and plans that describe different buildings. See when your reports don’t talk to each other.
Missing owner’s consent
Every registered owner must consent; for strata lots, the owners corporation; for tenants, the landlord.
Forgetting contributions and the Long Service Levy
The levy must be paid before the CDC is released to you, and contributions before work starts.
Skipping the pre-construction neighbour notice
It is the responsibility of the person with the benefit of the CDC, and where it applies it is a condition of the certificate.
Starting work before the Principal Certifier is appointed
The CDC does not authorise building work until a Principal Certifier is appointed. Appoint the PC and give notice of commencement first.
How Built Smart Solutions helps
Built Smart Solutions is a Sydney-based team of registered certifiers, consultants and town planners, ISO 9001 certified, with more than 20 years in certification and regulatory policy. Our CDC service is built around getting the application right before it is lodged.
| You need | Built Smart service |
|---|---|
| To know if the work needs approval at all | Exempt Development Advice |
| Eligibility review, lodgement checklist and the CDC | Complying Development Certificates |
| Principal Certifier and inspections | Principal Certifier Appointment |
| Sign-off at completion | Occupation Certificates |
| NCC compliance advice | BCA Consulting |
| Fire safety strategy and schedule | Fire Safety Strategy & Reports |
| Access and traffic reports | Access Consulting, Transport Planning |
| A DA when a CDC is not possible | Town Planning, DA Preparation |
Our consulting services are separate engagements from our certification work. On any one project, Built Smart Solutions acts as your certifier or your consultant, not both, so the certification stays independent.
We review your concept before you commit, against the Housing Code, the Industrial and Business Codes and the other codes. We give you the checklist and a pre-lodgement review so the statutory clock starts on a complete set. We tell you straight when a DA is the better route. See it in practice in our Sutherland Shire dual occupancy case study. Meet the team.
Final verdict
Applying for a Complying Development Certificate is straightforward when it is done in the right order: eligibility, design to the code, complete documents, lodgement, notification, determination. The applications that take weeks longer than they should are almost always the ones that skipped the first step or lodged with something missing.
If your project fits a code, a CDC is usually the fastest approval route in NSW. Built Smart Solutions can confirm eligibility, issue the CDC and take you through to the Occupation Certificate. See our CDC service, get a fee proposal or call (02) 9127 8249.
Frequently asked questions about applying for a CDC
What is a Complying Development Certificate?
A Complying Development Certificate (CDC) is a combined planning and construction approval in NSW for development that meets every applicable standard in a State code, such as the Housing Code, the Low Rise Housing Diversity Code or the Industrial and Business Buildings Code. It is issued by a registered certifier or council, within a statutory determination period of 10 or 20 days depending on the land and the type of work.
How do I apply for a CDC in NSW?
Obtain a section 10.7 planning certificate, engage a registered certifier and confirm eligibility, prepare plans and supporting documents that meet the code, and lodge the application on the NSW Planning Portal with owner’s consent and fees. The certifier inspects the site, notifies neighbours where required, assesses the application and issues the CDC.
What documents do I need for a CDC?
Typically a section 10.7 planning certificate, owner’s consent, detail and level survey, site and architectural plans showing compliance with each standard, BASIX certificate for residential work, structural engineering, stormwater plan, specification, and any bushfire, flood, geotechnical or arborist reports the land requires. Commercial CDCs usually also need BCA, fire safety, access and sometimes traffic reports.
How long does a CDC take?
The statutory determination period runs from lodgement. It is 20 days for new dwellings, additions to dwellings, granny flats and demolition on a lot within 20 metres of a neighbouring dwelling in most of metropolitan Sydney, and 10 days otherwise. Pattern Book CDCs are always 10 days. The period can be longer only if the applicant agrees, and there is no pause for missing information, which is why a complete application matters. Including design and documents, concept to start on site commonly takes a few months on a straightforward site.
Can I lodge a CDC myself?
Yes, the owner or a person with the owner’s consent can lodge a CDC application on the NSW Planning Portal, nominating the certifier. In practice most applicants have their certifier coordinate the lodgement so the documents are checked first.
Do my neighbours get notified of a CDC?
For new dwellings, additions to dwellings, granny flats and demolition in most of metropolitan Sydney, yes. Where the land is in a residential or rural zone, the certifier must give the occupier of each dwelling on a lot within 20 metres written notice, and cannot issue the CDC until at least 14 days later (7 days for the Pattern Book pathway). The person with the benefit of the CDC must also give neighbours written notice before work starts: at least 7 days in most of metropolitan Sydney, 2 days elsewhere. Neighbours cannot object on merit.
Can a neighbour stop a CDC?
Not on merit. If the proposal is complying development and meets every applicable standard, the certifier must not refuse it. A neighbour can raise concerns with the certifier, and can challenge a CDC in court only on legal grounds such as the development not actually being complying development.
What is a section 10.7 planning certificate and why do I need it?
A section 10.7 planning certificate is issued by council and states the zoning of the land, the planning controls and constraints that apply, and whether the general exclusions prevent complying development on the land under each code. It is the starting point for every CDC eligibility check, not the whole answer: it does not give a bushfire attack level, flood categories or code-specific exclusions, and a council can state that it does not have enough information.
What conditions come with a CDC?
Standard conditions prescribed by the Regulation and the code, typically covering appointment of a Principal Certifier, the Notice of Commencement, payment of contributions, hours of work, site management, tree protection, dilapidation reports where required, critical stage inspections, BASIX commitments and the requirement for an Occupation Certificate before occupation.
Do I have to pay council contributions on a CDC?
Where a council contributions plan applies, section 7.11 or 7.12 contributions are payable for complying development, before work starts. The amount depends on the council and the type of development.
How long is a CDC valid for?
A CDC lapses five years after the date endorsed on the certificate unless the work has physically commenced within that time, and the period cannot be extended. Once work has physically commenced, the CDC does not lapse.
Can I change my design after the CDC is issued?
Only if the changed development is still complying development, through a modification to the CDC. If the change would breach a standard, a new approval such as a development application is needed. Speak to your certifier before making any change on site.
What happens if my CDC application is refused?
If the land is excluded or the design does not meet a standard, the certifier cannot issue the CDC. There is no right of review or appeal against a CDC refusal. You can adjust the design to comply and re-apply, or lodge a development application. An eligibility review before lodgement makes refusal much less likely.
Does the certifier inspect my site before issuing a CDC?
Yes. A CDC cannot be issued unless the site has been inspected by a council or registered certifier, to confirm the site conditions and that the proposal can be carried out as complying development.
Does Built Smart Solutions issue CDCs across NSW?
Yes. Built Smart Solutions issues residential, commercial and industrial CDCs across Sydney and regional NSW as registered certifiers, reviews eligibility before design, and can act as Principal Certifier through to the Occupation Certificate.
Apply for your CDC with Built Smart Solutions.
Eligibility review, lodgement checklist, CDC, Principal Certifier and Occupation Certificate, from one Sydney team on a fixed fee. ISO 9001 certified.
Related reading from Built Smart Insights
This guide reflects the Codes SEPP, Housing SEPP, EP&A Act and Regulation and NSW Planning Portal processes as at October 2026. Document requirements and conditions vary by code and site, and timeframes vary by project. Nothing in this article is advice about a particular property. For a fixed fee, request a fee proposal.
