NSW Planning Portal

The NSW Planning Portal is the NSW Department of Planning’s mandatory online system for lodging development consents and post-consent certificates. Most pathways now require Portal lodgement: development applications (DA), complying development certificates (CDC), construction certificates (CC), occupation certificates (OC), Principal Certifier appointments, and DBP Act compliance declarations. Council-direct paper lodgement is no longer available for most consent types.

What goes through the Portal

Document	Submitted by	Lodged where
Development Application (DA)	Owner / applicant	Portal → council
Complying Development Certificate (CDC)	Owner via certifier	Portal → certifier
Construction Certificate (CC)	Owner via certifier	Portal → certifier
Principal Certifier appointment	Owner	Portal → certifier
Notice of commencement	Builder	Portal → certifier and council
Mandatory inspection records	Certifier	Portal
Occupation Certificate (OC)	Owner via certifier	Portal → certifier
DBP Act compliance declarations (Class 2)	Practitioners	Portal

Why it exists

NSW consolidated paper-and-email lodgement into one system for auditability and end-to-end visibility. Each lodgement gets a Portal reference number that follows the consent through every step.

For a builder

• Set up the owner’s Portal account at consent stage. Owner lodges; don’t use shared credentials.
• Save every Portal reference number.
• Don’t bypass the Portal. A paper lodgement for a Portal-only consent type sits unprocessed.
• Portal status is the truth. Check it before scheduling site work; inspections, certificates, notices all show there.

Category: Approvals / NSW.

Related

• DA process (NSW)
• CDC NSW
• Principal Certifier (NSW)
• Construction Certificate (NSW)
• Occupation Certificates

See also

• Notice of commencement
• PlanSA Portal (SA equivalent)

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Last updated: 2026-05-29. Verified: 2026-05-29. Quarterly review for currency.