Planning Certificates

Planning certificates provide clear and accurate information about planning and other development controls that apply to specific parcels of land. Anyone can buy a planning certificate for any purpose, though these are most commonly used to assist landowners and purchasers to provide clear, accurate, and reliable planning information about land.

Basic planning certificates (issued under section 10.7(2) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (the EP&A Act)) contain the information required by Schedule 2 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021 (EP&A Regulation 2021). This information relates to land zoning, relevant planning instruments and policies, planning controls, and hazards and risks. These certificates must be attached to a contract of sale.

Full planning certificates (issued under section 10.7(5) of the EP&A Act) contain the information above as well as any other relevant information that a council may have about the land.

Planning certificate FAQs and factsheet

To assist in the implementation of the updated planning certificate schedule, please see Frequently Asked Questions – Planning Certificates.

For further guidance about the detailed changes to the planning certificates schedule introduced in the EP&A Regulation 2021, please see the Guide to the 2021 EP&A Regulation - Planning certificates.

Draft State Environmental Planning Policies and Development Control Plans

Draft environmental planning instruments (EPIs) and development control plans (DCPs) that have not been made within 3 years of the date they last went on public exhibition or were subject to community consultation do not need to be included on planning certificates. This is a new requirement under section 1 of Schedule 2 of the EP&A Regulation 2021.