The Act and Regulations also outlines what building works require building permits and the standards to which works are required to comply. All building works must comply with the National Construction Code (NCC).
Application Assessment Time Frames
In accordance with the Building Act 2011, specific timeframes are given to either approve or refuse an application, as per the list below. This timeframe commences 12am the day after payment of the required fees.
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Building Permit - Certified (BA1)
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10 working days
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Building Permit - Uncertified (BA2)
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25 working days
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Demolition Permit (BA5)
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10 working days
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Occupancy Permit (BA9)
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10 working days
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Building Approval Certificate (BA13)
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10 working days
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Supporting Documentation and Prior Approvals
To ensure your application can be assessed within these timeframes, it is important to make sure you provide the Shire with a complete application and obtain other required approval first.
Prior to accepting your building application, our planning team will assess the application and determine if a Development Approval is required. Please note that in most instances Development Approval may be required. For further information please contact the Shires Building Department on 9175 8000.
The Shire have developed a number of checklists to assist you with determining what supporting documentation is required when preparing your application.
Construction Training Fund Levy
Works over $20,000 will require a Construction Training Fund (CTF) Levy payment.
Visit the Construction Training Fund website to pay the levy - Construction Training Fund |Funding Training, Building Skills (ctf.wa.gov.au).
You will be required to include the receipt of payment with your application documentation.
Fees and Charges
The Building Regulations 2012 prescribe set fees for all applications. You can determine the application fee by reviewing the ‘Development Services’ section of our Current Fees and Charges.
Upon receipt of your complete application, you will be issued a tax invoice which will include the payment options.
Checklists
Application Forms
Click here to view all application forms available from the Building Commission of Western Australia.
Notices
Information Sheets
Approval Process
When you apply for a building permit, you must consider whether to lodge a certified application or choose to lodge an uncertified application. In either case, a signed certificate of design compliance (CDC) is required before approval can be given. A CDC confirms that a building's design complies with the applicable building standards.
Certified and uncertified applications
A certified application is where you engage a registered building surveyor to complete a CDC before the application for a permit is submitted. The CDC will need to accompany the application for a building permit certified Form BA1. If all other required approvals have been obtained, the permit authority has ten business days to approve or reject your application. Applications for Class 1b and Class 2 to 9 must be lodged as certified applications. Applications for Class 1a and 10 may be lodged as certified applications or uncertified. Building fees for Class 1 or Class 10 are calculated at 0.19% of the value of the work, with the BCITF levy fee the same as the Uncertified fee structure. For Class 2 to Class 9 is calculated at 0.09% of the value of the work with BCITF.
An uncertified application can only be lodged for class 1a and 10 residential buildings using a Form BA2. Once your application is submitted the permit authority will assess compliance with the Building Code of Australia and complete the relevant certification (CDC) before it can grant a building permit. The permit authority has 25 business days to approve or reject your application. For a timely approval it is important to ensure plans and specifications submitted with your application demonstrate compliance with the Building Code of Australia and all other relevant approvals have been obtained before your application is submitted. Building fees are calculated at 0.32% of the value of the work with a minimum fee of $92. Should the work exceed $20,000 then the BCITF levy fee is calculated at 0.2% of the value of the works inclusive of GST. All building applications attract a building Service levy on top of the above fees, over $45,000 is 0.09% of work value, under $45,000 is $40.50.
Private certification
A CDC can be signed by any registered building surveyor with appropriate qualifications. Local governments will continue to provide this service for uncertified applications and may elect to continue providing this service for certified applications. To check that the building surveyor is a registered contractor, who is authorised to issue a CDC, view the Register of Building Surveying Contractors and Practitioners - Building Services Registration Act 2011.
Other approvals
Other approvals are those that may apply to your proposed building work and may be outside the process of certification by the building surveyor. Typically this authority may include planning, health and any other approvals required by the local government under other written law.
For more information on the building approvals process please click here.