Building a pergola, veranda, deck, or carport

You will need a building permit to construct a veranda. 

You will require a planning permit if your land is in the:  

• General Residential Zone and less than 300sqm in area
• Residential Growth Zone and less than 300 sqm in area. 

You may require a planning permit if your land is:

• affected by an overlay
• has an existing planning permit
• T=there is more than one dwelling on the land
• the works are within the Tree Protection Zone of a significant tree.

In many circumstances, a planning permit is not required for an open-sided pergola or veranda if: 

• the structure has a finished floor level not more than 800mm above ground level and a maximum height of three metres above ground level
• the land is residentially zoned and has an area of more than 300m2.

There are exceptions where the land is affected by an overlay that may trigger a planning permit for certain buildings and works. You can check the zones and overlays that apply to your property at VicPlan.

You will need a building permit to construct a deck regardless of its size. 

You will need a planning permit if your land is in the:  

• General Residential Zone and less than 300sqm in area
• Residential Growth Zone (and less than 300sqm in area. 

You may require a planning permit if your land is:

• affected by an overlay
• has an existing planning permit
• there is more than one dwelling on the land
• the works are within the Tree Protection Zone of a significant tree.

In many circumstances, a planning permit is not required for deck associated with a dwelling if: 

• the structure has a finished floor level not more than 800mm above ground level 
• the land is residentially zoned and has an area of more than 300m2.

There are exceptions where the land is affected by an overlay that may trigger a planning permit for certain buildings and works, You can check the zones and overlays that apply to your property at VicPlan.

You will need a building permit to construct a garage or carport.

You will need a planning permit if your land is in the:  

A pergola means an open structure that is unroofed but may have a covering of open weave permeable material.

A veranda means a solid roofed structure with openings on one or more sides and attached to a building or house.

 You will need to engage a building surveyor to obtain a building permit for your works. Visit the Victorian Building Authority (VBA) website or our building permits page for more information.

View the following fee schedules for more information:

• building services fee schedule
• planning services fee schedule