Self-assessable building work

Some minor building work doesn’t need a building permit. You can assess this type of work yourself, but you need to ensure it complies with relevant standards and codes. These include:

• the National Construction Code
• the Queensland Development Code
• the Toowoomba Regional Planning Scheme
• standards and codes that cover structural sufficiency and size limits.

Types of work you can self-assess

Under Schedule 1 of the Building Regulation 2021 (Qld), you can self-assess some of the following types of work:

• fences, barriers and gates
• non-load bearing devices
• retaining walls
• filling or excavation work
• heating devices or air conditioners
• solar hot water systems or photovoltaic panels
• signs
• repairs, maintenance and alterations; depending on how they affect structural components and fire safety systems.

For some types of work, the type of building or structure affects whether you can self-assess. For example, you can self-assess:

• building work for temporary structures on building sites
• work to erect a tent with a floor area of less than 500m²
• some work on class 10 buildings or structures
• some types of work on budget accommodation buildings as per Chapter 7, Part 3 of the Building Act 1975 (Qld).

Check Schedule 1 of the Building Regulation 2021 (Qld) for specific details on which types of work under each category you can self-assess.