Responsible authority (VIC)
The responsible authority is the body (usually the council) that assesses and decides a Victorian planning permit, the VIC equivalent of a consent authority.
Ask Chalkline about this →The responsible authority is the body responsible for assessing and deciding a Victorian planning permit application against the planning scheme. It is usually the local council, and it is the Victorian equivalent of the New South Wales consent authority or the Queensland and South Australian assessment manager.
In Victoria, planning runs under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, and the responsible authority is the decision-maker named for a planning scheme, the council for most permits, with the Minister for Planning or another body responsible in particular cases (large or state-significant projects, certain precincts). The responsible authority:
- receives and assesses the permit application against the planning scheme,
- refers it to any referral authorities,
- decides to grant (with conditions) or refuse, and
- is the respondent if the decision is appealed to VCAT.
It is distinct from a referral authority: the referral authority only has a say on its specific concern (fire, water, roads); the responsible authority decides the application as a whole.
For a builder the practical point is to know who your responsible authority is for a Victorian job (almost always the council, but confirm for anything large or in a special precinct), because that determines where you lodge, who assesses, and who you deal with on conditions. The terminology also matters when you read interstate guidance: “responsible authority” (VIC), “consent authority” (NSW), and “assessment manager” (QLD/SA) are the same role under different names.
Also known as: RA (planning), planning decision-maker (VIC).
Category: Planning / Victoria.
Related
See also
References
- VIC DA process (Chalkline) (verified 2026-06-03)
Last updated: 2026-06-03. Verified: 2026-06-03. Quarterly review for currency.