A complying development certificate, or CDC, is a fast-track approval in New South Wales that can replace a council development application on some straightforward jobs. It only applies if the proposal meets set standards, so a builder should confirm the pathway before pricing anything.
This guide is for NSW only. The rules change often, so treat it as a checklist of questions, not planning advice. The pages quoted were read on 13 November 2026.
What a complying development certificate is
The NSW Planning Portal describes a CDC as a fast-tracked application process. It combines planning approval and construction approval for straightforward residential, commercial and industrial work.
The same page says these approvals are determined by the council or an accredited certifier, without a full development application, as long as the proposal meets specific development standards. If a job does not meet every standard, it does not qualify, and the usual route is a development application to the local council.
When it can and cannot apply
Complying development only applies when the job meets every standard in the relevant code. The Planning Portal says most exempt and complying development types and standards sit in the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, and some housing types sit elsewhere. A granny flat, for example, is certified against the standards in the Housing SEPP 2021; the lot size, floor area and subdivision rules for that job are in granny flat approvals before you quote.
The Planning Portal says complying development can be carried out on bushfire prone land and on flood-prone lots only as the relevant code allows. The pages we read do not list every limit, such as heritage controls, and do not say whether complying development applies in every zone. Do not assume a block qualifies because a neighbour’s did. If a job misses a standard, the usual route is a development application to the council.
The Planning Portal also notes that complying development does not override private covenants, that the work must comply with the Building Code of Australia, and that work on public land or over a public road needs separate approval. This is general information, not planning or legal advice: check the pathway for each lot with the council or an accredited certifier, and with a solicitor where a covenant is involved.
What a builder should confirm before pricing
Before you give a number, ask:
- What is the job? A new dwelling, a secondary dwelling, an extension, a change to an existing building?
- What is the lot size, and does it meet the minimum for this job?
- Is there anything on the title that restricts building, such as a covenant?
- Has anyone, such as a certifier or the council, confirmed the pathway in writing?
- Who is the certifier, and has the client appointed one?
- Who applies, who pays the fees, and who supplies which documents?
The most expensive mistake is pricing the job as a CDC and then learning it needs a development application. The scope, the program and sometimes the design all change. If you cannot confirm the pathway, say so in the quote and mark the price as dependent on it. See our guide to quote vs estimate for how to word that.
What the client needs to supply
The Planning Portal lists the documents an applicant typically submits. You will often be chasing the client for them, so give them the list at the start:
- A certificate of title.
- A site layout drawing.
- Design drawings.
- Structural drawings.
- Building specifications.
- Anything else the council or certifier asks for.
The page also says to notify neighbours before approval and again before construction, and to register for a Planning Portal account to complete the online application. For Class 2 residential projects, build team details and regulated designs are needed before building work starts.
What it does to timing and the first price
The Planning Portal says approvals can take as little as 20 days, or 10 days under the NSW Housing Pattern Book pathway. That is the best case the regulator states, not a promise for any one job. Missing documents, a certifier’s queries or neighbour notification can add time. Do not quote a start date to the client until the certificate is issued.
For the first price, think about three costs that sit outside the build: the certifier’s fee, the application fees and the cost of the drawings and reports the application needs. Tell the client which of these are in your price and which they pay directly.
This early work is a good fit for a paid first stage. Sorting out the pathway, the drawings and the site facts takes real hours before a firm build price is possible. See charging for preliminary work, and our pre-construction page for how we help builders run that stage.
Where to check the current rules
Go to the source, and check the date on the page:
- NSW Planning Portal: online CDC applications.
- NSW Planning: granny flats.
- NSW Planning: secondary dwellings under the Housing policy.
The granny flat page gives a Codes team email address for questions the page does not answer. The council or an accredited certifier can also tell you whether a specific block qualifies.
Common questions
What is a complying development certificate?
A fast-track approval in NSW that combines planning and construction approval for straightforward work, issued by the council or an accredited certifier without a full development application.
Do I need a DA if I have a CDC?
No, if the proposal meets all the complying development standards. If it does not, a development application to the council may still be possible.
How long does a CDC take?
The Planning Portal says as little as 20 days, or 10 days under the Housing Pattern Book pathway. That is the best case, not a guarantee.
Does a CDC override a covenant on the title?
No. The Planning Portal says a CDC does not override private covenants.
Does this apply outside NSW?
No. Other states have different approval pathways. Check the planning authority in your state.