​​26 September 2025 release

Development application service 

‘Edit DA’ functionality 

In August and September 2024, the Department ran a series of workshops with NSW Councils to identify opportunities for enhancements to the existing digital services. The items were reviewed, prioritised with councils and the Department made the following enhancements to the development application service as a result: 

• Council users can edit applicant answers to the following fields:
  • ‘What type of modification application is requested?’ (NB: This is only available on the ‘Completeness check’ screen.)
  • ‘Provide a description of the proposed modification?’ (NB: This is only available on the ‘Completeness check’ screen.)
  • ‘Was the DA applied for via the NSW Planning Portal?’
  • ‘Please provide NSW Planning Portal application number (PAN) within application details’
  • ‘What is the Development Application number of the consent to be modified?’
  • ‘What is the Development Application number of the consent to be reviewed?’
• Council users can edit council-entered information in the following fields:
  • ‘Has the applicant paid the Development Application fees required for lodgement of the application?’
  • ‘Enter Total Fee Paid’
  • ‘Enter the Council unique identification number:’
  • ‘The fees payable for a modification application are specified in Schedule 4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 and determined in accordance with Part 13. Following your review of this application, are fees payable under Part 13?’
  • ‘Is the development subject to the Special Infrastructure Contribution (SIC)?’
  • ‘Is the development located within an Urban release area?’
  • ‘Nominated urban release area’
  • ‘Does the development trigger the need for consideration of satisfactory arrangements for public infrastructure?’
  • ‘When was the site inspection completed?’
  • Declaration ‘I confirm that the SIC condition has been included in the proposed conditions’
  • Declaration ‘I confirm that a SAC has been issued in relation to this development’
• ‘Edit DA Online’ has been renamed to ‘Edit application details’ on the ‘Completeness Check’ screen of the online development application service. This change is visible to council users only.
• New option ‘Edit council entered details’ in the ‘Actions’ menu within the online development application service for council users.
• A PDF document will be generated to track any edits made by council users to council entered responses. The document will display the Portal Application Number (PAN-XXX) and clearly highlight before and after values. This ensures transparency by allowing both council users and applicants to easily identify and understand any changes made. 

NSW Housing Pattern Book application pathway 

In July 2025, the Department announced the introduction of the NSW Housing Pattern Book. The following enhancements to the complying development certificate (CDC) service have been made a result: 

• Additional mandatory question ‘Are you using a NSW Housing Pattern Book design for your development?’ introduced on the ‘Development details’ screen.
• Additional mandatory question ‘What is your unique Pattern Identification Number?’ with guidance text ‘As it appears in your NSW Housing Design Verification Statement. For example, 1111-SD01, 1234-MH01, 1432-TH04001, 1324-RH01001' introduced on the ‘Development details’ screen if the applicant indicates they are using a Pattern Book design.
• Introduction of help text to assist users with Pattern Book applications: ‘The NSW Housing Pattern Book offers a collection of high-quality low and mid-rise housing designs to suit sites across NSW. By using a pattern book design, you may be able to access a new fast-track assessment pathway, reducing approval time by up to 50%’ screen.
• New mandatory document, ‘Design Verification Statement’, on ‘Requirements and uploads’ screen when an application is using a NSW pattern book design.
• Council user can edit pattern book related answers provided by applicant.
• When an applicant submits a Pattern Book application and later submits a modification to that application, all Pattern Book-related questions from the original application will be automatically pre-filled in the modification application. The fields cannot be edited by the applicant.
• A modification complying development certificate application cannot be submitted as a Pattern Book application if the original application was not submitted under the Pattern Book process.
• If an applicant enters a pattern book unique reference number that was used for another application, a warning message is displayed: ‘NSW Housing Book Pattern Identification Number used in another application. Using this number could result in your submitted application being declined as per the Terms and Conditions of use. To check or change the number, return to the ‘Development details’ screen.’.
• If an applicant submits a complying development certificate application for a pattern book design and the unique reference number was used for another application, a warning message is displayed to alert the nominated certifier when they are reviewing the application: ‘This Pattern Identification Number was used in another Complying Development Certificate application.’. 

Changes to applications for cemeteries 

The following changes were made to align with policy requirements:  

• ‘Cemetery’ development type now found in ‘Infrastructure’ development type category. This change applies to complying development certificate, development application, construction certificate, occupation certificate, principal certifier appointment, concurrence and referral, building works and strata bond services.
• Additional mandatory questions on the ‘Development details’ screen in the complying development certificate if ‘Cemetery’ development type is selected:
  • ‘Does the application apply to an existing cemetery?’
  • ‘Is this an active cemetery (i.e., accepting new burials)?’
  • ‘Is the development to be carried out on land that: 
    i) comprises an item that is listed on the State Heritage Register under the Heritage Act 1977 or on which such an item is located, or 
    ii) is subject to an interim heritage order under that Act or on which is located an item that is so subject, or  
    iii) is identified as an item of environmental heritage or a heritage item by an environmental planning instrument or on which is located an item that is so identified?’ 

Enhancements to functionality in other digital service 

• When an applicant selects any option other than ‘I am the only owner of the development site and I am in an Alpine Resort’ in the ‘Owner/s details’ section of a new state development application, a message will appear stating: ‘Note that if consent of the owner(s) of the land is not obtained before determination, this application cannot be determined.’.
• A new mandatory question ‘Has written evidence of the consent of the owner(s) been provided?’ introduced on the ‘Capture Determination’ screen in the state development application service if applicant indicates they are not the sole owner of the development site.
• Consent authority can sort documents by date of upload within the ‘Documents’ tab in a state development application service.
• When an applicant selects any option other than ‘I am the only owner of the development site’ in the ‘Owner/s details’ section of a new subdivision certificate application, a message will appear stating: ‘Note that if consent of the owner(s) of the land is not obtained before determination, this application cannot be determined.’.
• A new mandatory question ‘Has written evidence of the consent of the owner(s) been provided?’ introduced on the ‘Certificate Issuance’ screen of a subdivision certificate application if the applicant indicates they are not the sole owner of the development site.
• Principal certifier, appointed through the PCA application process, will have the ability to record critical stage inspections (CSI) and written direction notices (WDN) on the related complying development certificate and construction certificate application, even if they were not the assessor.​
• When an appointed principal certifier changes following the determination of a complying development certificate or construction certificate application, the previously appointed certifier will not have the ability to record critical stage inspections and written direction notices 2 business days after this change.
• Change to the ‘conclude building work’ declaration in the Building Work service, to provide clarification to developers that are excluded from the Design and Building Practitioner Act requirements for class 2, 3 and 9c development. The declaration now reads: If development is subject to the DBP Act, final building compliance declaration has been lodged after the occupation certificate has been issued.
• Error messaging has been enhanced on the ‘Apply for Certificate’ screen within the Post-Consent Certificate Service. When initiating an Occupation Certificate (OC) application using an ITSOC for regulated building classes (Class 2, 3, and/or 9c), if there are outstanding actions on the ITSOC, a general error message will be displayed: “Please complete all pending actions on the ITSOC case before the OC application can be initiated.’ This will be followed by one or more of the messages below. Note: The user will be unable to progress until these actions have been completed.
  • An error message, ‘The Building Commission NSW team must complete their assessment. For assistance, contact [email protected]‘, is displayed when there is an active OC Audit review.
  • An error message, ‘The Developer must upload the Certificate of Currency on the ITSOC case.‘, is displayed when the Decennial Liability Insurance has not been provided.
  • An error message, ‘The Building Practitioner must declare the final regulated designs. Instructions for completing the Building Compliance Declaration can be found here.‘, is displayed when the As-built declaration has not been completed.
  • An error message, ‘The Developer must pay the building work levy. The payment notice is generated 28 days before the expected completion date. If the completion date has changed, please submit an expected completion amendment notice. Instructions for submitting an expected completion amendment notice can be found here.‘, is displayed when the building work levy has not been paid or exempted.
  • An error message, ‘The Developer must submit and obtain approval for a Strata Building Bond. Instructions for submitting the application can be found here. If the application has already been submitted, contact [email protected] for assistance. If the application is approved, withdraw any unrequired strata bond applications. ‘, is displayed when the Strata Building Bond has not been approved.
• When ‘Occupation certificate’ is selected on the ‘Apply for certificate’ screen within the Post-consent certificate service, if the ITSOC reference number entered is not valid, an error message will be displayed ‘The ITSOC reference number you entered does not exist. Please check and enter a valid reference number’.
• When a building practitioner clicks on ‘As-built (Final Set)’ within an ITSOC case, and there are no documents lodged against the related construction certificate, the following warning message will be displayed, ‘There are no documents lodged on the associated CC’.
• Removal of the future date validation on the ‘Building works commencement date’ field on the ‘Certifier details’ screen in the principal certifier appointment application.
• ‘When is it anticipated that the construction work on the site will commence?’ has been amended to ‘Building works commencement date’ on ‘Certifier details’ screen in the principal certifier appointment application.
• Developers can now lodge their Strata Building Bond (SBBIS) application from the ITSOC case without requiring the Building Practitioner to complete the Building Compliance Declaration (BCD) i.e. As-built Declaration (Final Set) task. This applies to Class 2 developments where the Developer has indicated that a Strata Building Bond is applicable. This streamlines the project close-out process by allowing Developers to submit the SBBIS application earlier for assessment, reducing delays and dependencies on the Building Practitioner.