Answer three quick questions about your project and get a complete checklist of every document you need to lodge your Development Application — tailored to your project type and site constraints.
Pick the option that best describes your project.
A Development Application lodgement in NSW must include the approved DA form, architectural and site plans, a Statement of Environmental Effects, a BASIX certificate for residential work, written owner's consent, and a cost estimate. The checklist above builds your custom document list from your project type and site constraints, so you know exactly what to prepare before you open the NSW Planning Portal.
Most first-time applicants underestimate the document count. Your designer produces the plans and the portal generates BASIX, but the SEE is the one you write yourself — or generate. That is where most self-lodged DAs stall, because the SEE must address every control in your council's LEP and DCP for your specific site.
Check your council's website for any local lodgement requirements. Some councils want additional copies of plans, a specific cover sheet, or a hard copy lodged in parallel with the portal submission. Confirm your cost estimate is honest and defensible — it sets your council fee. Make sure your SEE addresses the five section 4.15 matters your council must consider. If your site has heritage, bushfire, flood or tree constraints, confirm the relevant specialist reports are included.
Once lodged, the council registers your DA, notifies neighbours where required, and assesses it against section 4.15 of the EP&A Act 1979. Most straightforward residential DAs are decided within 40 business days.
Once you lodge your DA through the NSW Planning Portal, the council registers it and checks it is complete. If the application is missing a required document, the council can return it as not properly made, and you start again. If it passes, the council notifies adjoining owners where required and begins the formal assessment under section 4.15 of the EP&A Act 1979.
The assessment period is 40 business days for most local development. During assessment the council may issue a request for additional information, which pauses the clock until you respond. Once complete, the council determines: approve with conditions, or refuse with reasons. Our guide to lodging a DA in NSW walks through each step.
At minimum you need the approved DA form, scaled site and architectural plans, a Statement of Environmental Effects, owner's consent in writing, and a cost estimate. Residential work also needs a BASIX certificate. The exact list depends on your project type and any site constraints.
Yes. Councils can require additional information under their DCP or lodgement policies. Always check your council's website for a local lodgement checklist before you submit. Common extras include a survey plan, stormwater concept plan, or a waste management plan.
The council DA fee is set by the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 on a tiered scale based on your estimated development cost. On top of that, you pay for plans, a BASIX certificate, any specialist reports, and your SEE. A town planner charges $800 to $2,500 for the SEE alone. Estimate your costs with our calculator.
The council registers your DA, checks it is complete, notifies adjoining owners, and begins its assessment under section 4.15. Most residential DAs are determined within 40 business days. Complex or contentious applications take longer and may go to a local planning panel.