City of South Perth - Lodge an Occupancy Permit

Occupancy permits

An occupancy permit must be obtained from a permit authority before a class 2-9 building can be occupied. It covers such scenarios as:

occupying a completed new building or a new part of an existing building
occupying a building or part of a building that has undergone a change of use or classification
authorising and occupying an unauthorised building or an unauthorised part of a building and
occupying an incomplete building or part of a building on a temporary basis.

Application information

Are there exemptions?

Conditions clearance

Occupancy permits

An occupancy permit signifies that a building surveyor is satisfied that the completed building work is suitable for occupation and are required for some classes of building.

Please refer to the different types of occupancy permit below.

Please note, all conditions of Development Approval must be cleared with the City's planning services team before submitting an Occupancy Permit application and be accompanied by a clearance letter. The City will undertake an inspection prior to issuing an Occupancy Permit however if outstanding matters are identified, a fee will be charged for each subsequent inspection required.

If you are unsure of which Occupancy Permit type to select please contact the City on 9474 0777.

Description of types of Occupancy Permits

Section 46 and 47

New building - complete (section 46 of the Building Act 2011):
A new building (including fit outs/alteration and additions) that has been completed and a current Building Permit has been issued
NOTE: An Occupancy Permit is not mandatory for fit out/alteration or addition works unless planning approval for a Change of Use was issued prior to the Building Permit or the works were not authorised prior to construction
New building - incomplete (section 47 of the Building Act 2011):
Partial Temporary Permit for new building, fit out or alteration and additions works that are incomplete and a current building permit has been issued.

Section 48

Additional use of the building on a temporary basis (section 48 of the Building Act 2011).

To modify the current Occupancy Permit for an existing building if:

the person proposes that in addition to the use authorised by the current Occupancy Permit, the building is to be used in another way and
the person proposes that the building would be used in the additional way for no longer than one year and
the additional use does not require building work of a kind for which a building permit is required.

Section 49

Permanent change of the building's classification (section 49 of the Building Act 2011)

Note: Only select section 49 on the application form if planning approval for a Change of Use has been issued AND no Building Permit was required.

When a Change of Use approval has been issued and NO Building Permit is required:

That the building is to be used, on a permanent basis, in a way that is different from the use authorised by the current Occupancy Permit
That the building's classification is to be different from that set out in the current Occupancy Permit.

Section 50

Section 51

Section 52

Building application forms

Building application enquiries

One of the City's building information officers is available to attend to general building application enquiries during business hours. Enquiries can be made as follows:

By phone - a message will be taken if the building information officer is unavailable
In person - by appointment at the Civic Centre. Please call to make an appointment
In person - from 9.30-10.30am or 3-4pm at the Civic Centre (no booking required).

Fees

Register or sign in

To submit an application, you will need to register or sign in for a mySouthPerth account. Click the Register and Sign In option at the top right of this page to proceed.

For assistance with your mySouthPerth account, visit our information page.

Already signed in?

If you see your initials at the top right-hand corner of this page, you are already signed in.

Submit an application

To submit an application, proceed below.

Before you begin

Prior to commencing the application via the link below, ensure you have an electronic copy (eg scan) of the following documentation prior to completing the application process:

Completed application for Occupancy Permit for (BA9) or Occupancy Permit Strata (BA11)
Either a
BA17 (Certificate of Construction Compliance)
BA18 (Certificate of Building Compliance)
Any supporting documents required as part of the BA17 or BA18.

You will be required to attach this information during the application process.

Application attachments

Please ensure you are attaching all plans, materials and supporting information relevant to the application as part of your initial lodgement. Any omissions or additional materials will be required to be sent as separate emails, which will be limited to standard email size limitations (eg 10MB).

Lodge an Occupancy Permit Application - BA09

Lodgement guidance

Type of location - property or land?

When lodging your application, you are presented with two options to search the location.

To use the Property search method, click on Property and enter the street number and street name (eg 199 Thelma Street, or 2/203 Thelma Street, or 205B Thelma Street).

To use the Land search method, click on Land and enter the lot number and plan number (eg Lot 3497 DP187254, or Lot 1 SP5985).

Where can I find the lot and plan numbers?

Refer to the Certificate of Title, especially if it has been recently subdivided.

Alternatively, you can refer to the City's mapping tool. Via mapping, search and select the location. Scroll down to the Land - Property Information section via the information to the right of the page. The data for the land search is the Lot on Plan data. You can copy and paste this information into the land search when you start your application.

What if there are no land details in mapping?

I cannot lodge as I have errors

Do I complete any section/s with 'for City officer use only' in it?

How do I attach documents?

The lodgement process may include requirements to attach documents. Please refer to the Before you begin section on this page in relation to requirements and ensure you have this information prior to commencing the process. You will be presented with options for mandatory and optional documentation.

Mandatory documentation

Mandatory document types will be displayed within the mandatory documentation section. There may be more than one document required, and the name of each document will be listed.

To add the document, click the Add button, search and select the correct document then click Open. A pop up will display with your document name as well as the attachment type. Select Save when complete. The document will then be uploaded to the lodgement.

Please note, if you have more than one document for this mandatory field, you can select Add Another via the pop up or Add via the main screen once you have attached the first document.

Complete the process for each mandatory attachment type.

Optional documentation

The lodgement process will also include the ability to attach optional documentation. Please ensure you refer to the Before you begin section of this page for guidance on required documentation as not all may be listed as mandatory.

To attach optional documentation, click the Add button under Optional Attachments, search and select the correct document then click Open. A pop up will display with your document as well as a drop down section to select your Attachment Type. Click the drop down and select the correct type. Select Save when complete. The document will then be uploaded to the lodgement.

Repeat this process for each additional document.

Post lodgement process

Once your application is lodged, the following steps will apply:

Your application will be reviewed to ensure all required information/documentation has been provided. You will be contacted if anything is missing
When all documentation has been received, the lodgement process will be complete
The application will then be assessed and can take up to 10 business days for a decision.

Please take the time to check that the application is complete. An incomplete application may be returned and the fees forfeited.

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