Construction Approvals and Certificates

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Glossary

Approvals & Compliance

Approvals decide when a project can start on site and when it can be occupied, and the names change at every border. New South Wales issues construction certificates and complying development certificates, while other states issue building permits or development approvals for the same stages.

These definitions explain each approval, who issues it, what has to be satisfied first, and the programme risk that sits behind it.

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Sept 2026

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Complying development certificate (CDC)

A complying development certificate, or CDC, is a New South Wales approval that combines development consent and construction approval in one document. It is available where a proposal meets every standard in the relevant complying development code, and it can be issued by a council or a registered certifier.

Complying development certificate (CDC)

Construction certificate

A construction certificate is a New South Wales approval confirming that the detailed plans and specifications for building work comply with the Building Code of Australia and with the conditions of the development consent. It is needed after a development application is approved and before physical work starts.

Construction certificate

Long service levy

The long service levy is a charge that funds portable long service leave for construction workers, who build up service across employers instead of with one. Australia runs eight separate schemes. Three charge a percentage of project value before work starts, and the rest charge employers a percentage of wages.