Permits and approvals for decking in Perth: what you need to know in 2025
One thing that causes lots of Perth homeowners stress when trying to build or add something to their home, permits. Permits can be stressful but you need them.
So you want to build a deck and you’re wondering about permits. That’s definitely fair enough, because the rules around decking approvals in Perth have gotten a bit more complicated over the years.
Eco Carpentry deals with these types of issues all the time. The good news is most basic decks don’t need full building permits but there are definitely some traps you can fall into if you don’t know the rules.
The council website has guidelines on their site but aren’t crystal clear with knowing what to do and what not to do.
The thing is getting it wrong can be expensive. Having to completely rip out your brand new deck because it doesn’t meet guidelines and get the right approvals. Its expensive and stressful.
When you actually need a permit
The height, size and location of your deck will determine wheat approvals you need. The basic rule is decks under 1 metre high and less than 10 square metres generally don’t need permits.
Sounds simple right? Nope! There are always exceptions. If your deck is attached to the house or over 1 metre high or within certain distances of boundaries then you’ll probably need approval.
You may be aware of the council rules around pool fencing? Pool decks almost always need permits regardless of size because of safety requirements that come with installing a new pool fence.
The 10 square metre thing catches alot of people out. That’s only about 3m x 3m which is pretty small for most family entertaining areas. If you go over that size you have to get a permit, and usually you need one bigger than the 10 square metres, if you have a large backyard that is.
Height is measured from natural ground level which can be confusing on sloping sites. A deck that looks low from one angle might actually be well over the 1 metre limit when measured properly.
Different types of approvals
Pretty much there are three levels of approval you might need depending on your deck. There are development approvals you can get or a building approval or sometimes even both. It depends what youre wanting to do with your project and how big it is.
Development approval is all about the actual planning rules and different setbacks from boundaries heritage considerations, that sort of thing. Building permits have more to do with the actual structure of the buildings and projects
Small decks that are under one metre normally just need a developmental approval from council but if your deck is big and high then you may need both approvals.
Some councils have this process called fast track. This speeds up approvals for standard deck designs. But its not always as fast as it sounds and sometimes takes just as long.
Council variations across Perth
Every council has slightly different rules which makes things extra tricky. Even though they are all meant to cover the same Building codes. But different coucnsil tend to interpret things differently.
City of Perth has pretty strict rules about heritage areas and setbacks. Stirling council is usually pretty reasonable but they’re picky about drainage and stormwater. Joondalup seems to focus more on how things look an the visual sides of things.
It’s worth calling your local council before you start planning to understand their specific requirements. The person on the phone might give you better info then their website which honestly can be pretty useless sometimes.
What you need to submit
Normally you’ll have to submit a site plan that shows where the deck is located and how elevated it is. The plan should include design and details about materials and you need to be pretty specific about.
Youll need some drawings from professional engineers once you get over a certain height. Pool decks almost always need detailed drawings because of the safety rules that come along with pools.
You’ll need to show setbacks from boundaries, drainage arrangements and how the deck connects to existing structures. If you’re in a heritage area or have heritage listing you might need additional heritage assessments. Which adds time.
Timing and processing
Its safe to safe that the council is pretty infamous for delaying your projects andmaking you wait for months for a simple tick of approval. Ever since covid, waiting times have gotten even worse. What used to be a two or three week wait is now up to six to eight weeks!
Summer is definitely the worst time to submit a request because everyone is doing the same. Everyone’s trying to get outdoor projects done before the weather gets too hot. If you can submit applications in autumn or winter you might get faster processing but even then it’s no guarantee.
Some councils now offer paid priority processing for an extra fee but whether it’s worth it depends on your timeline and budget .
Actually hang on let me mention something that catches heaps of people out. If you’re thinking about future additions or modifications then it’s probably smarter to plan for them now rather than trying to get separate approvals later.
Planning ahead
A key piece of advice would be to get the process started early. Dealys are super common these days and you may find yourself waiting for months and months which is frustrating when you just want to get your deck built and start using it.
If youre looking at having a new deck for the summer you probably will need to start the process by February or March at the latest. These kinds of things need serious planning ahead, you might start thinking about the idea of a new deck in the summer time, but reality is you probably wont have it built until the following summer unless you get right to business.
The council rules surround these sorts of things are ever changing so if you are unsure then get in touch with a professional and they can steer you in the right direction.