How-to or quick reference guides and other resources designed to assist applicants and STRA registrants using the NSW Planning Portal.
To help applicants and Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) registrants to use the NSW Planning Portal we have compiled a comprehensive collection of resources.
We have prepared a series of quick reference guides to help first-time users and those wishing to gain access to the NSW Planning Portal.
If you do not have a NSW Planning Portal account, or are having problems registering, then this video and quick reference guide will help you through the process.
If you already have a NSW Planning Portal account but need help to navigate the dashboard, then the following video and guide will provide the assistance you need.
Additional information may be requested by council prior to your application being lodged or at any time during the assessment process. This guide will show you how to provide additional information.
If you need to cancel an “In progress” application, this guide will provide you with the assistance needed. Note: Once you have cancelled the application it will be moved to your “Completed work” list.
The digital services use the ServiceNSW payment gateway to collect some of the application fees. Other application fees will be paid outside of the NSW Planning Portal, as per your agreement with your nominated certifier/council. This guide will show you how to make a payment.
Frequently asked questions about using the NSW Planning Portal are answered on our FAQ page.
Organised by service type or topic, these quick reference guides (QRGs), fact sheets and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) should provide suitable guidance for all applicants and Short Term Rental Accommodation (STRA) registrants.
The application tracker allows you to search and track the real-time status of complying development certificates, development applications and State significant applications across NSW.
The Activation Precinct Certification process aims to facilitate a responsive streamlined planning pathway that will enable economic development.
In council areas where the online 10.7 Planning Certificate Service is available, applicants and councils can work together on requests for 10.7 Planning Certificates through shared digital dashboards.
The Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) requirements apply to all residential dwelling types and are part of the DA process in NSW. There are BASIX requirements for water and energy usage and thermal comfort performance that apply to:
A Building Information Certificate application is to include an original or certified copy of a survey report and plan if it is related to residential zoned land. For land situated in other zones, you may be required to provide a survey report. The survey report and plan must represent the property and buildings as existing at the time of lodging the application. Additional information may also need to be provided (including building plans, specifications and certificates) to allow Council to assess the application.
It’s always best to check with your individual council before you begin a Complying Development certificate application for its requirements.
This online service is part of a digital-first planning environment that simplifies and fast tracks the approval process for development applications.
In many council areas, you can apply online for a Construction Certificate via the NSW Planning Portal when lodging a development application. Here are some useful resources to help you through the process.
The Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP) facilitates growth in Western Sydney to 2056 and beyond and delivers important development and biodiversity outcomes.
A development application is one of the most frequently used services by applicants on the NSW Planning Portal. Here are some useful quick reference guides (QRG) and resources to help you with your application.
The Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR) requires landholders on waterfront land to apply for a Controlled Activity Approval (CAA) for their works before they start. Approvals usually contain conditions to minimise the impact of the activity or works on the waterway and adjoining land.
By requiring landholders to get a CAA before carrying out works on waterfront land, NRAR prevents activities that could alter water flow or quality, destabilise beds or banks of waterways, cause erosion, or disturb wildlife habitats.
Most controlled activities also need development approval from your local council. If this is the case, you will need to lodge what is known as an Integrated Development Assessment System Development Application (IDAS DA).
The following guides will help you with completing NRAR-related applications on the NSW Planning Portal.
The issue of the final OC is the last step in the formal DA and construction process (though there could be ongoing ‘operational’ conditions such as maintaining appropriate noise levels or landscape maintenance).
A planning proposal document can be prepared by a council, a landowner or developer seeking to change the planning controls relating to a particular site, area, locality or local government area, or by a third party on behalf of a landowner or council.
Note: If you are interested in being advised about new planning proposals, you can subscribe to the department’s planning proposal alert.
You can apply for a principal certifier appointment via the NSW Planning Portal using two different methods. Applicants can apply via a stand-alone application (consent application is outside of the Portal) or via an online development (DA) or online complying development certificate (CDC) application.
Applicants can use the Publish on Portal service when requested by the Land and Environment Court (LEC) to upload documentation to the NSW Planning Portal (Portal). To register a new account, refer to our Register for the NSW Planning Portal quick reference guide or video.
You can register a non-portal approved consent or certificate on the NSW Planning Portal to create a NSW Planning Portal reference number. This will be required to submit a post-consent certificate application.
You can now submit a Section 125 or Section 138 and Section 144 application online, for certain councils and State agencies, anywhere and anytime with our online services.
In some council areas, it’s possible to submit an application under section 68 of the Local Government Act 1993 online.
The STRA framework allows registrants to register their property and make their registration fee payment via the NSW Planning Portal. Registrants can also manage their properties via the STRA Listings area - this includes de-registering your property, registration status and property details. Registrants can enter the bookings for their STRA properties via the STRA Listings area.
The NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer is an enhanced digital mapping service that provides easy-to-use, information-rich maps for every address and lot in NSW.
You can access the NSW Planning Portal Spatial Viewer to see if your development is within a SIC area.
The State Design Review Panel (SDRP) is a multi-disciplinary panel of highly experienced built-environment professionals from industry and government that provides independent advice on the design quality of major development proposals in NSW. More information is available at the Government Architect NSW website.
The SDRP Application provides a digital workflow that will enable proponents to create a new SDRP application online, provide contact and project-related information and upload submission requirements for Panel review meetings as determined by the SDRP team.
If these services are not yet available in your local government area, you can apply directly to your local council or search for an accredited certifier on the Building Professionals Board’s Register.
You can request to have a tree pruned, replaced or removed on a private property by submitting a Private Tree Permit application on the NSW Planning Portal.
In accordance with the NSW Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021, applicants are required to pay a digital application processing fee for certain planning applications and certificates.
A full list of fees can be found on the NSW Planning Portal Service Fees page.
If you would like to contact the department, please use this online form.