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WA Owner Builder Permit Checklist
If you are planning to build or renovate as an owner builder in Western Australia, one of the easiest mistakes to make is assuming that owner builder approval and a building permit are the same thing. They are not. In WA, eligible residential work over $20,000 generally requires owner builder approval first, and then a separate building permit application through your local government before work starts.
This WA permit checklist explains what to prepare before you apply, what documents are commonly required, and where owner-builders most often get delayed. It is designed for homeowners planning a house, extension, renovation, or a Class 10 structure such as a shed, garage or carport in Western Australia.
WA update: sheds, garages and carports under $50,000
From 1 July 2026, WA lifted the builder registration threshold to $50,000 for certain lower-risk Class 10a buildings such as private sheds, garages and carports. That does not remove building permit requirements, and the $20,000 threshold still applies to most other building work.
So if your project is a private shed, garage or carport under $50,000, registered builder involvement may no longer be required in the same way as before, but you should still check whether a building permit is required and confirm local government requirements before starting work.
Step 1: Confirm whether owner builder approval is required
Before you start collecting forms, confirm what kind of project you are actually doing. In WA, owner builder approval is generally required for eligible residential building work over $20,000 where you are taking responsibility for the work instead of engaging a registered builder.
Start by checking:
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The total value of the work.
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Whether the project is residential owner-builder work.
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Whether it is a house, extension, renovation, or Class 10 building.
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Whether the new $50,000 Class 10a threshold changes the builder registration side of the process for your shed, garage or carport.
This early classification step matters because it affects whether you need Form 75 owner-builder approval, what permit pathway you follow, and what documents your local government will expect later.
Step 2: Gather your owner-builder approval documents
If owner-builder approval is required, your first major document is Form 75: Approval – Owner builder. To be eligible, the applicant must be an owner of the land or hold a prescribed interest in the land, so land ownership documents are a core part of the application.
A practical owner-builder approval checklist should include:
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Proof of identity.
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Current Certificate of Title or other evidence of ownership or prescribed land interest.
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Your completed owner-builder course certificate.
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Basic details of the proposed project.
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Any other supporting documents required by the current Form 75 application pack.
This is the stage where many applicants lose time by lodging incomplete paperwork, so it is worth assembling everything before you submit.
Step 3: Confirm whether planning approval is needed first
A building permit is not always the first approval in the chain. Depending on the site, local planning scheme, setbacks, structure size, height, or heritage constraints, planning approval may need to come before the building permit application.
That means your permit checklist should also include:
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Contacting your local government early.
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Confirming whether planning approval is required.
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Checking local laws, estate covenants, or design guidelines.
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Confirming whether neighbour consent or boundary-related notices may be needed.
This step is especially important for additions, garages, carports, patios and larger outbuildings, where local planning controls can trigger extra requirements even before the building surveyor assesses the building work itself.
Step 4: Decide whether your permit application will be BA1 or BA2
WA building permit applications generally follow one of two paths:
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BA1 – certified application
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BA2 – uncertified application
A certified application means you obtain a Certificate of Design Compliance from a building surveyor before lodging the permit application. An uncertified application means the local government handles the compliance assessment as part of the permit process.
This matters for both timing and documentation. Certified applications are generally assessed within 10 business days, while uncertified applications are generally assessed within 25 business days, provided the application is complete and no further information is requested.
Step 5: Prepare your building permit documents
Once owner-builder approval is sorted, the next part of your WA permit checklist is the building permit submission itself. Local governments commonly require a detailed application package rather than a single form and a simple sketch.
Typical building permit documents can include:
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BA1 or BA2 application form.
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Owner-builder approval certificate, where required for works over $20,000.
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Site plan.
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Floor plan.
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Elevations and sections.
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Structural engineering details and specifications.
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Energy efficiency information.
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Bushfire, soil, drainage or other reports where relevant.
For many Class 1 and Class 10 applications, councils also expect sufficient detail to show boundaries, setbacks, levels, structural intent and compliance with applicable standards.
Step 6: Check the extra items that often get missed
A good WA permit checklist should not stop at drawings and forms. There are several “small” items that often cause real delays if they are overlooked.
Depending on the project, you may also need to check:
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Home indemnity insurance requirements for some owner-builder projects over $20,000.
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CTF levy form or receipt, where applicable for the project value.
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Termite management details.
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Site classification or geotechnical information.
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Stormwater or drainage details.
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Neighbour notices or consent where boundary issues are involved.
These supporting items are often what separates a smooth permit application from a stop-start one.
Step 7: Understand what can delay your permit
Even good projects get delayed when the paperwork is thin, inconsistent or incomplete. Local governments can request further information, and if key items are missing, the process can stall well beyond the standard assessment timeframe.
Common causes of delay include:
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Incomplete or outdated forms.
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Missing owner-builder approval documents.
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Plans that do not match engineering or specifications.
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No clear site plan or setbacks.
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Missing reports or certificates.
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Misunderstanding the difference between planning approval and building approval.
This is why a checklist is more than admin. It is a way to reduce rework, protect your timeline, and avoid pushing back trade bookings or site start dates.
WA permit checklist summary
Before you apply, make sure you can tick off the following:
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Confirm whether owner-builder approval is required for your project value and type.
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Check whether the new $50,000 Class 10a threshold applies to your shed, garage or carport, while remembering that building permit requirements still remain.
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Complete your owner-builder course and prepare your Form 75 application documents.
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Confirm whether planning approval is required before the building permit stage.
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Choose the correct permit pathway: BA1 certified or BA2 uncertified.
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Prepare plans, engineering, specifications and any required reports.
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Check for insurance, levy, termite, drainage and boundary-related requirements.
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Submit a complete application package to reduce the risk of delays.
If you are preparing for owner-builder approval in WA, the permit process is where many projects start to feel overwhelming.
Our WA Owner Builder Course is designed to help you understand the approval pathway, your responsibilities, permit steps, documentation, insurance and practical site obligations before you commit to the build.
You can also explore our asbestos awareness and silica awareness training if your project involves demolition, renovation, cutting, drilling or other higher-risk work.
