How long does a building permit take in Victoria? Once your building surveyor has everything they need, including any council consents and the building permit number, the Building Regulations give them 10 business days to decide an application for a house or outbuilding and 15 business days for other buildings. The real timeline is set by what happens before that: how complete your documents are, whether council report and consent is needed, and whether you need a planning permit first.
Here’s each stage, where the time actually goes, and a checklist to keep your permit moving. Every project is different, so use this as a guide and ask your building surveyor to map out the timeline for your job.
How long does a building permit take in Victoria, stage by stage?
1. Quote and appointment
You send your drawings and the cost of work, receive a quote and sign the building surveyor’s contract. For domestic work under a building contract, only the owner or their agent can appoint the building surveyor, not the builder. This step is quick when your enquiry includes plans and the site address.
2. Planning permit, if needed
If your project needs a planning permit, it must be obtained before the building permit can issue, and it is usually the longest stage. Council has 60 statutory days to decide a standard application, but if it asks for more information within 28 days of lodgement the clock starts again once you respond, and amending the application resets it. Straightforward proposals eligible for VicSmart are decided in 10 business days. Not sure whether you need one? Read building permit vs planning permit.
3. Document collection
This is where most avoidable delays start. The building surveyor needs a complete application with drawings, engineering, reports and title documents (see the checklist below), and missing items pause the assessment until they arrive.
4. Consultant reports
Engineering, soil tests, energy ratings, bushfire (BAL) assessments and land surveys are prepared by other consultants, each with their own lead times. Book them early, ideally while your drawings are being finalised.
5. Assessment and requests for further information
The building surveyor checks the design against the Building Regulations and the National Construction Code (NCC). If something is missing or doesn’t comply, you’ll receive a request for further information. How quickly you and your designer respond is the biggest factor within your control.
6. Council report and consent
If your design varies a siting rule, or involves building over an easement, on flood-prone land or beyond the street alignment, council’s report and consent is needed. The regulations give council 15 business days for siting matters on houses and outbuildings (including front fence heights) and 10 business days for most other consents, counted from when it receives the application. Incomplete applications and neighbour consultation add time.
7. Protection work, if needed
If your work could affect a neighbour’s property, for example by excavating near a boundary, protection work notices must be served. The neighbour has 14 days to respond, and the permit can’t issue until the process is complete to the building surveyor’s satisfaction.
8. Permit number, levy and permit issue
The building surveyor applies to the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) for a building permit number, and where the cost of work is over $10,000 the levy must be paid first (see our building permit cost guide). The BPC says a number can be issued within minutes when the information is complete and payment is by card; BPAY payments take normal banking time. The 10 or 15 business day decision period then runs from the day all reports and consents, including the permit number, are received.
9. Lodgement with council
Within 7 days of issuing the permit, the building surveyor lodges a copy with your council. This happens after issue, so it doesn’t hold up the start of work.
Two examples: which stages apply?
A deck at the back of a house. If the deck meets the siting rules and no overlays or easements are involved, there’s no planning permit or council consent to wait for. The timeline is mostly about how quickly the drawings and engineering are ready, followed by assessment, the permit number and issue. See our deck permits page.
A second-storey extension in a Heritage Overlay. The planning permit comes first and is the longest stage. The building drawings are then checked against the endorsed plans, engineering and any energy rating are finalised, and report and consent may be needed if a siting rule can’t be met, before assessment and issue.
What causes delays, and how can you avoid them?
- Incomplete drawings. A site plan without setbacks, levels or easements is the classic example. Have your designer check the drawings against the checklist below.
- Plans that don’t match the planning permit. The building permit must be consistent with the endorsed plans, so resolve any differences with council before you apply.
- Late engineering or energy ratings. Commission these as early as possible.
- Surprise consents. Ask your building surveyor to review siting and easements at quote stage, not after assessment starts.
- Owner-builder paperwork. Owner-builders doing work worth more than $20,000 need a certificate of consent from the BPC, so apply for it early.
- Levy payment. Paying by card avoids waiting for a BPAY payment to clear.
- Slow replies. Nominate one person to answer the building surveyor’s questions.
After the permit: when must work start and finish?
Your permit states the dates by which work must start and be completed. Under the Building Regulations:
- Work must start within 12 months of the permit being issued (6 months if you’re re-erecting a house or outbuilding).
- Houses and outbuildings (Class 1 and 10) must be completed within 24 months, other buildings within 36 months, and re-erected buildings within 12 months.
- A pool or spa built on its own must be finished within 6 months of work starting.
If you can’t meet a date, ask your building surveyor for an extension before the permit lapses. If a permit lapses and work continues, the BPC warns that the work becomes illegal – see our guide to illegal building works in Victoria.
Checklist: documents to have ready
- Completed building permit application (Form 1), including the cost of work – see our forms page
- Current copy of title and plan of subdivision, including any covenants
- Planning permit and endorsed plans, if applicable
- Site plan showing boundaries, setbacks, easements and levels
- Floor plans, elevations and sections
- Structural engineering drawings and computations
- Soil report or site classification for new footings
- Energy rating report for new homes and, where required, extensions
- Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) assessment in bushfire-prone areas
- Builder’s registration details, or your owner-builder certificate of consent
- For domestic work over $20,000 by a registered builder, the Home Warranty Notice of Cover
- Any council consents or property information you already have
Frequently asked questions
Can I start work while I’m waiting for the permit?
No. It is an offence to carry out building work unless a building permit has been issued and is in force, and starting early can lead to enforcement action.
Is there a legal deadline for the building surveyor?
Yes. Once all reports and consents, including the building permit number, have been received, the building surveyor has 10 business days to decide an application for a Class 1 or 10 building and 15 business days for any other building.
How long does council take to give report and consent?
Up to 15 business days for siting matters on houses and outbuildings, and 10 business days for most other consents, from when council receives the application. Incomplete applications and neighbour consultation add time.
How long is a building permit valid?
Work generally has to start within 12 months and be finished by the completion date on the permit, which is 24 months for houses and outbuildings and 36 months for other buildings. You can ask for an extension before the permit lapses.
Does a planning permit add much time?
Usually, yes. Council has 60 statutory days for a standard application, and requests for more information or amendments restart the clock. VicSmart applications are decided in 10 business days.
Want your permit moving as quickly as possible? Send us your drawings and we’ll tell you exactly what’s needed. Call JLN on 0422 234 951 or request a free quote, and our building surveyors will give you fast, practical advice on the path to your permit.
This article is general information current as of September 2026, not legal advice. Every project is different – ask us to confirm what applies to yours.