Patio approval checker
Up to four quick questions. Takes about 20 seconds.
How the checker decides
A building permit and planning approval are two separate things. The checker works through both.
| Your patio | Building permit? |
|---|---|
| Attached to the house | Yes, any size |
| Freestanding, solid roof, 10 m² or less and 2.4 m or lower | No |
| Open pergola or shade sail with a house, 20 m² or less and 2.4 m or lower | No |
| Anything bigger or taller | Yes |
These exemptions come from the WA Building Regulations, so they are the same at every council. They don't apply in the cyclone wind regions in the north of the state.
Planning approval
Most backyard patios don't need planning approval if they meet the standard rules (the "deemed-to-comply" rules in the R-Codes). The usual reasons a patio needs it are:
- It sits in the front setback (the front yard).
- The property is heritage-listed or in a heritage area.
- It is too close to a side or back boundary. The City of Wanneroo, for example, wants patios 1 m back, but allows posts on the boundary if the patio is no longer than 10 m and no higher than 2.7 m, with the roof 500 mm back.
Rules differ a little between councils, so treat the checker as a guide.
Exempt doesn't mean anything goes
An exempt patio still has to be built to the building code and meet the planning rules. If you later enclose it, it stops being a patio altogether. See the rules for enclosing a patio.