Most domestic and commercial work needs a building approval. Building approvals are issued by private building certifiers.
Some minor building work is considered accepted development under the Planning Act 2016 and does not need a building approval.
Examples of work that does not need a building approval:
- a shed, stable or similar structure up to 10 square metres in area, with a maximum height of 2.4 metres
- a fence up to 2 metres high (excluding swimming pool fencing)
- a retaining wall up to 1 metre high, provided there is no load above it, like a building or driveway).
All building work must comply with applicable building standards, the Logan Planning Scheme 2015 and the Queensland Development Code.
To find out if you need a building approval you can contact a private building certifier.
Projects where a building approval is required
Houses and granny flats (Class 1a)
- New houses
- Relocatable or removal houses
- Demolition of a house
- Rainwater tanks when part of a construction of a new dwelling or building
- Extensions and additions
- Raising the height of a house
- Major structural alterations affecting 20 percent of the building structure, including
- re-roofing or roofing repair
- removal or alteration of load bearing walls
- re-blocking or restumping
- Secondary dwellings, granny flats attached or detached from the main house
- Converting a garage into habitable space, detached or attached to a house
- Enclosing a patio, verandah or deck.
Sheds, patios and other residential structures (Class 10a)
The following structures need building approval if they exceed an area of 10 metres square, are longer than 5 metres or higher than 2.4 metres:
- sheds
- garages
- carports
- patios
- pergolas and similar structures
- roofed decks or elevated decks that are higher than 1 metre
- large rainwater tanks
- shipping containers placed on residential properties for longer than 30 days - find out about shipping containers on footpaths
- stables and animal accommodation.
Fences, pools and other structures (Class 10b)
- Fences over 2 metres high
- Certain retaining walls
- Large awnings and sunhoods
- Large antennas, satellite dishes and flagpoles
- Some advertising signs
- Swimming pools
- Demolition of an inground pool
- Portable pools and spas meeting regulated thresholds
- Large cubby houses and playground equipment
- Pontoons
- Tents over 100 square metres.
Projects where a building approval is not required
- Solar hot water systems
- Rooftop solar panels
- Air-conditioner installation, repair or maintenance (unless part of a fire safety or mechanical ventilation system)
- Repairing or replacing fixtures, kitchen cupboards, floor coverings.
Some building projects need a planning approval as well as a building approval. A private building certifier can tell you if you need a planning approval.
Some common building projects that need a planning approval include:
- a building that is too close to the property boundary or over the minimum boundary setbacks
- a building that is bigger than a particular size or height
- a building on land affected by an overlay in the Logan Planning Scheme 2015 (e.g. a steep slope or flood-affected land).
A planning approval for these building projects is needed before a private building certifier can give a building approval. Private building certifiers can help you lodge an application for a planning approval.
To check if you need to lodge an application for planning approval with us, see our development in Logan pages or contact our team.
Private building certifiers have been responsible for issuing building approvals in Logan since April 1998.
If a building approval was issued by a private building certifier it will need to be finalised by them.
If the inspections were not finished, the original certifier (or another certifier) can tell you how to meet the requirements.
If an approval has lapsed or the certifier is not contactable you will need to find a new private building certifier. They will need to start the process for a new building approval.
Private building certifiers must lodge approval documents, plans and inspection details with us for record keeping. Approved building plans lodged with us from July 2018 are freely available through the Development Enquiry Tool. For more information or to ask questions about online building plans, please email us at council@logan.qld.gov.au or contact our team.
If you are unsure about the status of a building approval you can ask us to search our records. For more information about a building approval status, please see Property searches.
Before the introduction of private certification in April 1998, councils granted building approvals.
We may be able to finalise a building approval issued between 1983 and April 1998. To finalise the approval, a Council building officer will inspect the building and make sure it meets approval requirements.
This includes ensuring:
- the building has not been altered from the original approval
- plans, inspection records, documentation or relevant certificates are available.
If plumbing and drainage is a part of the works, a plumbing and drainage final will need to have been issued.
If we are satisfied that the building meets the requirements of the approval and we have received all the relevant paperwork and certificates will may be able to:
- issue a certificate of final inspection for a residential (class 1 and 10) building, or
- issue a certificate of occupancy (formerly certificate of classification) for a commercial (class 2 to 9) building.
Before we inspect the property, we will need written authority from the current property owner.
To request finalisation of a building approval, complete the finalisation of building and plumbing approvals form (PDF, 221KB) and return it to us.
All new residential accommodation services must have a building compliance notice. We check these facilities against the Queensland Development Code to make sure they meet health and safety standards. Our building compliance officers will inspect the premises, and owners must provide authorisation.
Residential accommodation services include:
- Private boarding houses
- Supported accommodation hostels
- Aged rental accommodation.
Find out more about residential services accreditation on the Queensland Government website.
Apply for accreditation
- Create an account and register online. Registration may take up to 3 business days.
- After registration, complete and submit the online application form under ‘Applications’.
- Choose the application type “Other Development services including development Road Closure”
As a local authority, we are responsible for investigating matters relating to legislative compliance for building in Logan.
If we investigate building compliance and reasonably believe a breach has occurred, we may issue the following:
- show cause notice. This outlines our understanding of an alleged offence and gives an opportunity for a response before more action is taken
- enforcement notice. This is a statutory notice for specific action to be taken to fix an offence.