Many City residents keep the cars, boats or caravans safe in a carport. Â
A carport is an open sided structure, designed to accommodate one or more vehicles, on a residential or commercial property.Â
The National Construction Code (NCC), the Residential Design Codes (R Codes) and Planning Policy DP7 set out the minimum requirements applicable to the location and construction of carports.
A Building Permit approval is required for all carports before work commences on site, an application may be submitted by the property owner or party contracted for construction.Â
Download the carports information guide to learn more.Â
Call 9186 8555 to speak with the City’s Building Services team for advice about carports. Â
Is a Building Permit required for a carport?
A Building Permit approval is required for all carports before work commences on site. Â
Who submits the application?
Either the property owner or the party contracted to construct the carport must submit the application.Â
What plans and specifications do I need to submit with my application for a Building Permit?
Please submit along with your application:Â
- floor plan and elevations to a scale of not less than 1:100Â
- a full site plan, showing the location of the proposed carport relating to the property boundaries and existing buildings on the property. This plan is to be drawn to a minimum scale of 1:200Â
- engineering drawings certified by a Structural Engineer. The engineering drawings must include details of the design criteria to which the building has been designed, i.e. wind region, importance level, terrain category.
What is the maximum carport height that I can have?
Read the City’s Planning Policy DP7 - link for details on the permitted height of a carport. Â
Lodge a Development Approval to request a a variation to this policy. Â
How far from the boundary of a property can I locate a carport?
Carports must comply with the setback requirements of the National Construction Code, the City’s Planning policy DP-7 and the R Codes. Â
The general requirements for most properties are:Â
- 1.5m from a primary or secondary street boundaryÂ
- 1m from the side or rear boundary, if the length of the carport is 9m or lessÂ
- 1.5m from the side or rear boundary, if the length of the carport is more than 9m.Â
Submit an Application for R Code Variation to request a variation to these requirements. Â
The setback required may vary depending on the proposed height.Â
Call 9186 8555 for more information from the City’s Planning Services team.
Can I build a carport as an owner builder?
Yes. You can construct a carport as an owner builder if the value of construction is $20,000 or less, or you have obtained an Owners Builders registration from the Building and Energy Division at the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Training. Alternately a registered builder will need to be engaged to obtain the Building Permit and carry out the work.Â