carport guide · NSW
Do you need council approval for a carport in NSW?
A plain-English guide to the NSW rules for carports: what you can build with no approval, when you need a certificate or a development application, and what changes in Wollongong, Dapto and Shellharbour.
BC Complete · Dapto NSW · Updated
The short answer
Often, no. A carport needs no approval at all if it meets every exempt development rule in the NSW codes. Wollongong City Council puts it simply: "Most carports can be built as exempt development."
The catch is size. The exempt limit is 20 m² on a lot of 300 m² or less and 25 m² on a larger suburban lot. A typical single carport (about 18 m²) usually fits. A typical double (about 36 m²) does not, so it needs a Complying Development Certificate (CDC) or a development application (DA).
We design and build carports across the Illawarra from our base in Dapto, and we work out the approval route for every one before we quote. This guide sets out the rules we check, quoted from the NSW codes, so you can see where your carport stands before you call anyone.
The three approval routes
Every carport in NSW goes down one of three routes. Which one depends on whether it meets a fixed list of rules.
| Route | What it means | Who approves it |
|---|---|---|
| Exempt development | Meets every exempt rule in the state codes. No planning or building approval needed. You still have to build it properly and to the Building Code. | Nobody: no application |
| Complying Development Certificate (CDC) | Doesn't meet the exempt rules, but meets the Housing Code's own standards. A combined planning and building approval. | Council or an accredited private certifier |
| Development application (DA) | Doesn't fit either shortcut. Council assesses it against its local plans. | Council |
The rules for the first two routes are set by the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008, often called the Codes SEPP. They are the same across NSW, so the exempt rules in Dapto are the same as in Sydney.
The exempt carport rules, one by one
To be exempt, a carport has to meet every one of these. Miss one and it needs a CDC or a DA.
| Rule | The limit | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Floor area | 20 m² on lots of 300 m² or less · 25 m² on larger lots in residential and other non-rural zones · 50 m² on larger lots in a rural zone or Zone R5 | Most single carports fit. Most doubles don't on a suburban block. |
| Height | No more than 3 m above the existing ground. If attached to a single-storey house, no higher than the gutter line. | A carport tall enough for a caravan usually needs approval. |
| Street setback | At least 1 m behind the building line of any road frontage | It has to sit behind the front wall of the house. On a corner block, that applies to both streets. |
| Boundary setback | At least 900 mm from each lot boundary (5 m in Zones RU1, RU2, RU3, RU4, RU6 and R5). The roof must be at least 500 mm from each boundary. | A carport built right up to the side fence isn't exempt. |
| Open sides | Two or more sides open, and at least one-third of the perimeter open | Enclose it beyond that and it's a garage, not a carport. |
| How many | One per lot if there's a house on it | A second carport needs approval (two can be allowed where there is a secondary dwelling). |
| Materials | Metal parts must be low-reflective and factory pre-coloured | Pre-painted roofing such as COLORBOND® steel is factory pre-coloured. Unpainted or mirror-finish metal doesn't meet the rule. |
| Stormwater | Roofwater must go into the existing stormwater system | Downpipes have to be connected, not left to spill onto the driveway. |
| Fixing to the house | If it's connected to a fascia, it must be connected to a professional engineer's specifications | Attached carports need an engineered connection. |
| Driveway | No new driveway or gutter crossing unless the road authority has consented | Moving or adding a kerb crossing is a separate council approval. |
| Bush fire | On bush fire prone land and less than 5 m from a house, it must be non-combustible | Common on escarpment-side blocks. Steel is the usual answer. |
| Heritage | Not on a heritage item or draft heritage item. In a heritage conservation area, rear yard only. | Heritage listings change the route entirely. |
| Foreshore | Not on land in a foreshore area | Waterfront lots need approval. |
| Access | Must not reduce vehicle access, parking, or loading on the lot | You can't lose a required parking space to it. |
On top of those, every exempt structure has to meet the Building Code of Australia (or be structurally adequate), be installed to the manufacturer's specifications, and not involve removing a tree that needs a permit. That's why an exempt carport still needs a proper design. "No approval" doesn't mean "no rules".
Single or double: why size decides it
Size is where most carports fall out of the exempt route. Some rough sums:
| Carport | Typical size | Area | Exempt on a suburban block? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | about 3 m × 6 m | about 18 m² | Usually yes, if it meets the other rules |
| Large single (ute or 4WD) | about 3.5 m × 6.5 m | about 23 m² | Over the 20 m² limit on a lot of 300 m² or less; can fit 25 m² on a larger lot |
| Double | about 6 m × 6 m | about 36 m² | No: needs a CDC or DA |
| "20 × 20" (feet) | 6.1 m × 6.1 m | about 37 m² | No: needs a CDC or DA |
If you've seen a "20 × 20 carport" on an overseas website, that's 20 feet by 20 feet, about 37 m². In NSW that's a big double and well over the exempt limit. The exempt limits are measured in square metres of floor area, so measure in metres before you shop.
Lot size matters too. A lot of 300 m² or less gets the lower 20 m² limit. Check your lot size on your rates notice or the NSW Planning Portal before you assume 25 m².
Temporary and portable carports
There is no special category for a "temporary", "portable" or "pop-up" carport in the NSW codes. We searched the full text of the Codes SEPP for those terms and found nothing. If it's a roofed structure for sheltering cars with at least two sides open, it's a carport, and the same floor-area, height, setback and open-sides rules apply.
A portable carport also has to be installed to the manufacturer's specifications, which usually means proper anchoring. That matters on this coast, where a southerly can lift a lightly-fixed frame. If you're tempted by a kit to avoid approval, check it against the table above first.
When you need a CDC
A Complying Development Certificate is the faster approval for a carport that misses an exempt rule but still meets the Housing Code. It's a combined planning and building approval, issued by council or an accredited private certifier. Wollongong City Council is an accredited certifier as well.
For a detached carport, the Housing Code sets its own rules, including:
- ✓Parking spaces and vehicle access designed to Australian Standard AS/NZS 2890.1.
- ✓A front setback that depends on the house: if the house is less than 4.5 m from the street, the carport must be at least 5.5 m back; if the house is 4.5 m or more back, the carport must sit at least 1 m behind the house's building line.
- ✓Rear setbacks that grow with lot size: 900 mm on lots of 200–900 m², 1.5 m on lots over 900 m² up to 1,500 m², and 2.5 m on larger lots.
- ✓On a lot less than 8 m wide at the building line, a carport only if the vehicle access is from a secondary road, a parallel road or a lane.
- ✓On a battle-axe lot, vehicles must be able to leave in a forward direction.
Some land can't use complying development at all, including land affected by a coastline or coastal hazard, Class 1 or 2 acid sulfate soils, land in a foreshore area, and land rated BAL-40 or Flame Zone for bush fire. Flood-affected lots can sometimes use it, with extra conditions, depending on how the lot is affected. Your planning certificate will tell you which of these apply.
When you need a DA
If a carport fits neither the exempt rules nor the Housing Code, it needs a development application to council. The most common reasons we see:
- →It sits in front of the house. Neither shortcut allows a carport forward of the building line.
- →It's on a heritage-listed property, where both shortcuts are restricted.
- →The land is excluded from complying development, such as a foreshore or coastal hazard lot.
- →It's unusually large or tall, or it's closer to a boundary than the Housing Code allows.
A DA isn't a refusal. Council assesses it against its local environmental plan and development control plan, and plenty of carports are approved this way. It takes longer and needs fuller drawings, so we tell you at the design meeting if your carport is heading that way and whether a design change would avoid it.
Carports in Wollongong and Shellharbour
Dapto, Horsley and the rest of the Wollongong area are in Wollongong City Council. Albion Park, Albion Park Rail, Shellharbour and Warilla are in Shellharbour City Council. Wollongong's carport page points straight back to the state rules above, and Shellharbour's planning pages do the same for minor works. The exempt limits come from the state codes, so they're the same in both council areas.
What does change from street to street is the land itself. Wollongong City Council warns that if your home is "heritage listed, in an environmentally sensitive area, or in a high risk bushfire area, different rules can apply and it's likely you will need to submit a development application." Around the Illawarra, the ones we check most are:
- ✓Bush fire prone land on blocks backing onto the escarpment and bushland. An exempt carport within 5 m of the house must be non-combustible.
- ✓Flood-affected lots near Mullet Creek, Lake Illawarra and other creeks. There's no flood rule in the exempt carport standards, but complying development on a flood-affected lot comes with extra conditions, or may not be available.
- ✓Heritage conservation areas, where an exempt carport can only go in the rear yard.
- ✓Coastal and foreshore land, which is excluded from the exempt carport rules (foreshore) and from complying development (coastal hazard).
- ✓Estate covenants in newer subdivisions. They aren't council rules, but they can still limit where a carport goes and what it looks like.
How to check your property
- Find your lot size and zone. Your rates notice or the NSW Planning Portal shows both. They decide your floor-area limit and boundary setbacks.
- Measure from the front wall of the house. The carport has to finish at least 1 m behind it to be exempt.
- Measure to the side boundary. You need 900 mm to the posts and 500 mm to the edge of the roof.
- Check the maps. Bush fire prone land, heritage and flood affectation all show on a section 10.7 planning certificate from council.
- Work out the size in square metres. Then compare it with the table above.
- Or ask us. We do these checks at the free design meeting and tell you which route your carport needs before you commit to anything.
This guide is general information, not legal advice, and the rules change from time to time. We confirm the rules for your property before we quote. Read our general council approval guide for decks, patios and pergolas.
questions, answered
Carport approval — FAQs
Do I need council approval for a carport in NSW?+
Not if it meets every exempt development rule in the Codes SEPP: a floor area within 20 m², 25 m² or 50 m² depending on your lot, no more than 3 m high, at least 1 m behind the front building line, at least 900 mm from each boundary, and at least two sides open, among others. If it misses any rule, it needs a Complying Development Certificate or a development application.
What is the largest carport I can build without approval?+
20 m² on a lot of 300 m² or less, 25 m² on a larger lot in a residential or other non-rural zone, and 50 m² on a larger lot in a rural zone or Zone R5.
Can I build a double carport without council approval?+
Usually not on a suburban block. A typical double carport is around 6 m by 6 m, about 36 m², which is over the 20 m² and 25 m² limits. It can still be approved through a Complying Development Certificate or a development application.
Do you need council approval for a temporary carport?+
The NSW codes don't have a separate category for temporary or portable carports. A roofed structure for cars with at least two sides open is a carport, and the same size, height and setback rules apply. It must also be installed to the manufacturer's specifications.
How close to my boundary can I build a carport?+
For an exempt carport, at least 900 mm from each lot boundary (5 m in rural and R5 zones), with the roof at least 500 mm from each boundary. Under complying development, rear setbacks depend on lot size.
Can I build a carport in front of my house?+
Not as exempt development, which needs the carport at least 1 m behind the front building line. The Housing Code's street setbacks also keep a carport behind the house, so a carport forward of the house needs a development application.
Who issues a Complying Development Certificate?+
Council or an accredited private certifier. Wollongong City Council is an accredited certifier, and Shellharbour City Council can also determine complying development.
Can I enclose my carport to make a garage?+
A carport must have two or more sides open and at least one-third of its perimeter open. Enclose it beyond that and it's no longer a carport, so it's assessed as a garage instead.
Does Wollongong City Council have its own carport rules?+
Its carport page says most carports can be built as exempt development and points to the NSW rules. Local factors such as heritage, bush fire prone land and environmentally sensitive land can still push a carport to a development application.
keep reading
Related pages.
Sources
- State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008: clauses 1.5 (definition of carport), 1.16, 1.19, 1.19A, 2.19, 2.20 and 3.23. legislation.nsw.gov.au, in-force version read 8 October 2026.
- NSW Planning Portal, "Carports" (exempt development). planningportal.nsw.gov.au, read 8 October 2026.
- Wollongong City Council, "Decks, driveways and more". wollongong.nsw.gov.au, read 8 October 2026.
- Shellharbour City Council, "Do I need a development application?". shellharbour.nsw.gov.au, read 8 October 2026.
- NSW Department of Planning, "Carports and garages: rules for exempt and complying development" (fact sheet, January 2022). planning.nsw.gov.au.
Not sure which route your carport needs?
Book a free design meeting. We check the rules for your block before we quote.