chalkline. Snap the line. Build to it.
process Planning and zoning 15 min read

Getting development approval in SA, step-by-step

Development approval in SA: PlanSA portal, Code Assessed vs Performance Assessed, building rules consent, certifier, certificate of occupancy. PDI Act 2016.

By Dan Waring. Last updated 9 May 2026. Verified 9 May 2026.

Ask Chalkline about this →

TL;DR

SA development approvals run through PlanSA under the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016. Every project lands on one of four assessment pathways: Accepted, Deemed to Satisfy, Performance Assessed, or Impact Assessed. Most standard new houses in residential zones are Deemed to Satisfy (fast, no neighbour notification). Approval has two stages: planning consent then building rules consent (SA’s equivalent of a building permit). Since 1 October 2024, a Certificate of Occupancy is required for all new Class 1a houses before move-in (verified 2026-05-09). Budget ~25 business days for Performance Assessed; Deemed to Satisfy is faster, typically a few weeks.

When you do this

SA development approvals apply whenever you propose to build, extend, or change the use of a building. Most residential construction sits in one of four pathways under the Planning and Design Code.

PathwayWhat it coversPublic notificationWho assesses
Exempt developmentMinor works: sheds to 15 m2, pergolas, decks under 50 cm, shade sails to 20 m2, fences to 2.1 m in most zones. No application at all. Does not apply in flood zones, Hills Face Zone, or heritage areas.NoneNo authority
Accepted developmentMore substantial work that meets criteria set in the Code or the Regulations but does not need planning consent. Common in Master Planned Neighbourhood and Master Planned Township zones for new detached dwellings meeting setback, height, parking and design requirements. Building rules consent still required.NoneCertifier or council building team
Deemed to Satisfy (Code Assessed)Standard residential development assessed against the Planning and Design Code. A new detached house in a General Neighbourhood, Master Planned, or Urban zone that meets all quantitative standards falls here. Assessed by an accredited professional or council assessment manager. No public notification.NoneAccredited professional or assessment manager
Performance Assessed (Code Assessed)Development assessed on its merits against the Code’s performance outcomes because it does not meet one or more Deemed to Satisfy criteria. Requires public notification to adjacent landowners and a site notice. Assessed by the assessment manager or Council Assessment Panel.Yes, adjacent landowners and site noticeAssessment manager or Council Assessment Panel
Impact AssessedMajor infrastructure: ports, wind farms, foundries. Assessed by the State Planning Commission. Not applicable to standard residential work.Yes (Environmental Impact Statement process)State Planning Commission

If your site has overlays (flood, bushfire, heritage, Hills Face Zone, acid sulphate soils), those overlays may push a proposal from Deemed to Satisfy into Performance Assessed, or trigger a state referral. Check the overlay mapping in the Planning and Design Code at code.plan.sa.gov.au before engaging designers. (verified 2026-05-09)

Who’s involved

PartyRole
OwnerApplicant for the development approval. Signs the application or authorises an agent to lodge.
BuilderHolds the building work; engages the private certifier; notifies the mandatory building inspection stages via PlanSA.
Architect or building designerPrepares plans and documents for lodgement. Ensures the proposal is assessed against the correct Code pathway.
Assessment managerAccredited planning professional (Planning Level 1) who assesses Deemed to Satisfy and some Performance Assessed applications. May be a senior council planner or a private consultant engaged by council. Not the same as a private building certifier.
Council Assessment PanelHears Performance Assessed applications that go to panel level. Made up of independent members with planning expertise. Replaces the old Development Assessment Commission role for most residential work.
Private building certifierAccredited professional (Building Level 2 for most Class 1 and Class 10 work, Building Level 3 for larger buildings). Assesses plans for building rules consent (NCC compliance), sets mandatory inspection stages, signs off the Certificate of Occupancy at completion. Alternative to council’s building team for the building rules assessment.
Council building teamCouncil’s in-house building officers can assess building rules consent where no private certifier is engaged.
State Planning CommissionAssesses Impact Assessed and certain Restricted development. Not involved in standard residential.
Referral agenciesSA Water, Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Country Fire Service (CFS), Department for Environment and Water, SA Heritage Council. Triggered by specific overlays or development types.

Steps

Part A: Development application (planning consent + building rules consent)

  1. Check the zone and overlays before engaging anyone. Use the Planning and Design Code online at code.plan.sa.gov.au. Enter the property address to see the zone, any subzones, and all overlays. This tells you the assessment pathway before a single dollar is spent on design. Heritage overlay, Flood Hazard Overlay, Bushfire Prone Area, Hills Face Zone, and Hazard overlays all change the assessment pathway and trigger specialist reports. (verified 2026-05-09, PlanSA)

  2. Pre-lodgement advice (optional but recommended for non-standard proposals). PlanSA offers a pre-lodgement service. For Performance Assessed or complex Deemed to Satisfy proposals, a pre-lodgement meeting with the assessment manager costs less than a full redesign after lodgement. Fees vary by council; most levy an hourly professional rate.

  3. Prepare the application documents. The document set depends on the pathway:

    • Deemed to Satisfy: site plan, floor plans, elevations, sections, a completed PlanSA application form, and a Deemed to Satisfy assessment demonstrating Code compliance. Simple proposals in master-planned zones may be leaner; council’s DA guide specifies minimums.
    • Performance Assessed: all of the above plus a planning statement addressing the Performance Outcomes the proposal does not satisfy by Deemed to Satisfy criteria, shadow diagrams (where relevant), a heritage impact statement (for Heritage Overlay sites), a bushfire attack level (BAL) assessment (for Bushfire Prone Area Overlay sites), a flood report (for Flood Hazard Overlay sites), and any other specialist report the overlay triggers.
    • Elect at lodgement whether building rules consent will be assessed by a private certifier or council’s building team. Both tracks run concurrently through the PlanSA system.

  4. Lodge via PlanSA portal (plan.sa.gov.au). All applications are lodged electronically. Register an account, complete the application form, upload all documents, and submit. The system assigns a reference number and publishes the application on the Development Application Register immediately. (verified 2026-05-09, PlanSA)

  5. Verification stage (up to 5 business days). The relevant authority checks that the application is complete, determines the final assessment pathway, and invoices the fees. The assessment clock does not start and the fee invoice is not issued until verification is complete. If additional documents are requested, the 5-day period resets. (verified 2026-05-09, PlanSA)

    Fee indicatives (December 2025, ex-GST):

    • Deemed to Satisfy applications under $10,000 cost of works: $146 planning consent component. (verified 2026-05-09, PlanSA Fees and Charges)
    • Deemed to Satisfy applications over $10,000 cost of works: $242 planning consent component.
    • Building rules consent fees are set separately and scale with cost of works; the private certifier sets their own schedule for private certification. Council building teams use the schedule in the Planning, Development and Infrastructure (Fees) Notice.
    • Pay the invoice via PlanSA before assessment begins.

  6. Public notification (Performance Assessed only, up to 30 business days with extensions). Within 2 business days of the assessment starting, the assessment manager must notify adjacent landowners by letter or confirmed email. A site notice must be displayed on the land. Notification is open for 15 business days (25 business days where an Environmental Impact Statement is involved). Submissions are lodged via the PlanSA portal. The public does not have third-party appeal rights on Deemed to Satisfy decisions. (verified 2026-05-09, PDI Act and PlanSA)

  7. Agency referrals (where triggered). If the overlay or development type triggers a state agency referral (SA Water for sewer and water connections, CFS for bushfire, EPA for prescribed activities, SA Heritage Council for State Heritage Places), the application is referred automatically through PlanSA. Referral timeframes vary by agency; 28 calendar days is the common expectation for most standard referrals. The assessment clock may be extended while referrals are outstanding.

  8. Assessment and decision. For Deemed to Satisfy applications, the assessment manager assesses against the Code and makes a determination. For Performance Assessed applications, the assessment manager may determine the application under delegation, or refer it to the Council Assessment Panel for a panel decision. Statutory timeframes:

    • Deemed to Satisfy: 5 business days (verification) + assessment; no fixed upper cap, but the applicant can issue a Deemed Planning Consent Notice if the authority misses the timeframe, after which the authority has 10 business days to issue formal consent or standard conditions apply automatically.
    • Performance Assessed: 25 business days total (5 for verification + 20 for assessment), extendable for public notification (up to 30 business days) or agency referrals. (verified 2026-05-09, PlanSA)

  9. Decision Notification Form (DNF). The outcome is issued as a DNF via PlanSA. The DNF records the planning consent (approved, approved with conditions, or refused), the building rules consent outcome (if assessed concurrently), any conditions of consent, and the list of mandatory building notification stages required during construction.

Part B: During construction (mandatory building notifications)

  1. Display the DNF on site at all times during construction. The DNF is the SA equivalent of a building permit; it replaces the old development authorisation form.

  2. Submit mandatory building notifications via PlanSA. The DNF lists the mandatory notification stages for your project. For Class 1a residential buildings, the standard stages under Practice Direction 9 (Council Inspections 2020) include footing excavation and reinforcement (before concrete pour), slab reinforcement (before pour, where slab construction), frame completion (before internal lining fixed), and final inspection. The certifier or council building team inspects at each stage. Do not pour concrete or fix linings before a mandatory notification has been responded to in writing. (verified 2026-05-09, PlanSA Practice Direction 9)

  3. Certificate of Occupancy (from 1 October 2024, mandatory for all Class 1a buildings). Before the building is occupied, the appointed building certifier or council building team must issue a Certificate of Occupancy confirming the completed work complies with the development approval and the NCC. The certificate is issued electronically through PlanSA. If the certifier or council refuses the certificate, the applicant has 28 days to lodge an appeal to the Environment, Resources and Development Court. Do not allow occupation before the certificate is issued. (verified 2026-05-09, PlanSA and Law Handbook SA)

Documents needed

DocumentSourceNotes
Zone and overlay reportcode.plan.sa.gov.au (Planning and Design Code)Pull before engaging any consultants. Determines the pathway.
PlanSA application formPlanSA portalCompleted online; uploaded with the other documents at lodgement.
Site plan, floor plans, elevations, sectionsArchitect or building designerStandard drawing set. Scale, dimensions, north point, site boundaries, and setbacks required.
Deemed to Satisfy assessmentBuilding designer or plannerTable matching each Code criterion to the design. Required for Deemed to Satisfy applications.
Planning statement (Performance Outcomes response)Town plannerRequired for Performance Assessed applications. Addresses the specific Performance Outcomes the design relies on.
Shadow diagramsDesignerRequired for some Performance Assessed applications and for development near Heritage Overlay sites.
Heritage impact statementHeritage consultantRequired for State Heritage Places and Local Heritage Places within Heritage Overlay.
BAL assessmentAccredited bushfire consultantRequired if the site is within a Bushfire Prone Area Overlay.
Flood or drainage reportHydraulic engineerRequired for sites within a Flood Hazard Overlay.
Structural engineering documentationStructural engineerRequired for building rules consent stage.
Energy efficiency documentation (NatHERS or equivalent)Energy assessorRequired under NCC 2022 for new Class 1a dwellings.
Builder’s contractor registration detailsConsumer and Business Services (CBS), SARequired at building rules consent stage.

Common holds

HoldCauseFix
Wrong assessment pathway identified at verificationOverlay not checked before lodgement. Design assumed Deemed to Satisfy; site has a heritage or flood overlay that pushes it to Performance Assessed.Check code.plan.sa.gov.au before engaging designers. Overlays are visible on the property report.
Deemed to Satisfy criteria not metDesign does not comply with quantitative standards (setback, height, site coverage, car parking).Engage a building designer who knows the Planning and Design Code for the applicable zone. Re-design before lodgement rather than after RFI.
Agency referral delayCFS, SA Heritage Council, or SA Water slow to respond.Identify referral triggers at the overlay check stage. Pre-lodgement contact with the agency is possible for heritage and bushfire.
Public notification submissionAdjacent landowner objects during the 15-business-day notification window.For Performance Assessed work, engage neighbours early. Design to the Deemed to Satisfy criteria wherever possible to avoid the notification requirement entirely.
Private certifier not appointed before constructionBuilder began work without a certifier on record for building rules consent.Appoint the certifier at contract signing. The certifier must be on the application before any mandatory notification stages fall due.
Mandatory notification stage missedFooting or slab concrete poured before the inspection response received. Works must stop; a rectification order may follow.Build mandatory inspection dates into the construction program. Do not book concrete trucks until the notification response is in writing from the certifier or council.
Certificate of Occupancy refusedDefects at final inspection; work does not comply with approved plans or NCC.Arrange a pre-handover check with the certifier before the formal final inspection. Fix defects then, not after the refusal.
Deemed Planning Consent Notice issuedAuthority missed its assessment timeframe. Applicant issues the notice and the authority then has 10 business days to act before standard conditions apply.Know the timeframe on your application. If the clock is missed by the authority, this notice is the applicant’s remedy under the PDI Act.

References

  • Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (SA), legislation.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). Primary statute governing development assessment, planning consent, building rules consent, development categories, and appeal rights.
  • PlanSA, plan.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). State-wide digital planning platform. All applications lodged here. Hosts the Planning and Design Code, development application register, accredited professional directory, and building notification submission system.
  • Planning and Design Code, code.plan.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). Replaced 72 Development Plans. Zones, subzones, overlays, and assessment pathway tables for all land in SA. Use the property search to determine the applicable zone, overlays, and Deemed to Satisfy/Performance Assessed criteria.
  • Categories of Development, Law Handbook SA, lawhandbook.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). Plain-language explanation of Exempt, Accepted, Deemed to Satisfy, Performance Assessed, and Impact Assessed categories. Statutory timeframes: 10 business days (Accepted), 25 business days (Performance Assessed), extensions for notification and referrals.
  • Certificate of Occupancy, Law Handbook SA, lawhandbook.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). Certificate of Occupancy requirements, Class 1a application from 1 October 2024, issuing authority, appeal rights (28-day appeal window to ERD Court).
  • Accredited Professionals Scheme, PlanSA, plan.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). Scheme governing building certifiers, assessment managers, and surveyors. Building Level 2 accreditation for Class 1 and Class 10 buildings.
  • Practice Direction 9, Council Inspections 2020, PlanSA, plan.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). Mandatory building inspection stages for residential buildings, minimum inspection coverage requirements (66% of Class 1 developments during construction or completion), and notification stage protocol.
  • Planning, Development and Infrastructure (Fees) Notice, PlanSA, plan.sa.gov.au (verified 2026-05-09). Fee schedule for planning consent and building rules consent by cost of works category.

See also

Last updated: 2026-05-09. Verified: 2026-05-09. Quarterly review for currency.

Related articles