Complying Development
If your project qualifies, a CDC can be approved in weeks rather than months, without going to council.
Faster · Cheaper · Certain
Complying Development (CDC) is an alternative approval pathway that bypasses council entirely. A private certifier assesses the project against a standardised set of rules — if it complies, it's approved.
Advantages of CDC
- Faster — typically 10–20 business days once lodged
- More certain — no subjective merit assessment
- Lower fees than a council DA
- No notification to neighbours required
- Less risk of politically-motivated refusal
When CDC applies
CDC is available for a wide range of residential projects under the Housing Code, Low Rise Code and Medium Density Code within the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021. Common eligible projects include:
- Single and two-storey additions and alterations
- New dwelling houses on residential land
- Secondary dwellings (granny flats)
- Certain dual occupancies and terraces
Not all sites and projects are eligible. Heritage items, flood-prone land and some high-density zones exclude CDC. We'll tell you at the planning check stage whether CDC is available to you.
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