Document - Section 10.7 Certificate – Understanding the planning controls that shape your development
What is a Section 10.7 Certificate (Planning Certificate)?
Before you buy a property or start designing a home, you need to know the "rules of the game" for that specific piece of land.
In NSW, these rules are contained in the Section 10.7 Certificate. It is the official "identity card" for your property, issued by the local Council. It tells you exactly what you can build, what you can’t, and what hidden risks might exist on the land.
A Section 10.7 Planning Certificate is a legal document issued under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.
It confirms the Zoning of the land (e.g., Low Density Residential) and lists all the relevant State and Local planning controls that affect the property.
Why do you need it for a DA or CDC?
This document is the "Gateway Check." It determines which approval pathway you can take.
CDC Feasibility:
The certificate confirms if your land is eligible for Complying Development (CDC). If your certificate lists the land as "Heritage Conservation Area" or "Environmentally Sensitive Land," you generally cannot do a CDC and must lodge a full Development Application (DA).
Zoning Permissibility: It lists exactly what is permitted (e.g., Dwelling Houses, Dual Occupancies) and what is prohibited (e.g., Boarding Houses, Commercial premises) in your zone.
Constraint Identification: It flags the "triggers" for other consultants. If the certificate says "Bushfire Prone Land," we know immediately that we need to hire a Bushfire Consultant.
What information is included?
The certificate is packed with critical data:
Zoning: (e.g., Zone R2 Low Density Residential).
Minimum Land Dimensions: Rules for subdivision.
Hazards: Whether the land is affected by Bushfire, Flooding, Landslide, or Soil Contamination.
Heritage: Whether the house is a Heritage Item or falls within a Heritage Conservation Area.
Road Widening: Whether the government plans to acquire a strip of your front yard to widen the road.
The Two Types: 10.7(2) vs. 10.7(5)
When ordering, you will see two options:
Section 10.7(2): The standard certificate. It contains the mandatory information needed for a property sale or a DA.
Section 10.7(5): The "Full" certificate. It includes everything in part (2) plus "additional advice" the Council might have, such as loose-fill asbestos registers or detailed noise exposure forecasts.
Common Pitfalls & Tips
The biggest mistake is assuming "Residential" means you can build anything. Check for "Complying Development" Exclusions. Just because you are in a residential zone doesn't mean you can bypass Council. Check the certificate, if it says "Complying Development may NOT be carried out," you are locked into the longer DA process. At OAK Architecture and Design, we review this line specifically during our first consultation to give you a realistic timeline for your approval.
How to obtain a Section 10.7 Certificate
You can order this directly from your local Council’s website or the NSW Planning Portal. It usually costs roughly $60-$150 and takes 2-5 days to issue. If you don't have one (or if yours is old), we can order it on your behalf. We then check the certificate, ensuring we don't design a house that violates a zoning rule or sits in a road-widening corridor.
Know the rules before you break ground.
A Section 10.7 Certificate can save you from buying a property you can't build on. If you need a team that understands how to interpret planning laws and maximize your site's potential, contact OAK Architecture and Design today.
