NSW Planning Portal Lodgements Made Easy

Lodging and managing a Development Application (DA), Subdivision Works Certificate (SWC), Construction Certificate (CC) or Complying Development Certificate (CDC) through the NSW Planning Portal can feel overwhelming, especially for first-timers.

At WAD, I manage the entire process for you, from preparing the required documentation to lodging your application, tracking its progress, and responding to Council requests.

Below is the step-by-step guide to help you understand the process:

About the NSW Planning Portal

The NSW Planning Portal is the State Government’s central online platform for lodging, managing and tracking Development Applications (DA) and building approvals (Construction Certificates [CC}, Subdivision Works Certificates [SWC} and Complying Development Certificates [CDC]. It was introduced as part of the NSW Government’s broader planning system digitisation reforms, designed to modernise how planning services are delivered across the state.

When Was It Introduced?

Although the NSW Planning Portal began as an online planning information tool several years earlier, the major shift toward mandatory digital lodgement occurred between 2020 and 2021. Key milestones included:

2019-2020

• The NSW Government began rolling out reforms to transition councils and applicants to online lodgement systems.

• Pilot councils adopted digital submission, with the platform refined based on industry feedback.

1 July 2020

• Online lodgement became mandatory for Complying Development Certificates (CDC).

1 January 2021

• Online lodgement became mandatory for:

  • Development Applications (DAs)

  • Construction Certificates (CCs)

  • Occupation Certificates (OCs)

1 July 2021

• The requirement was expanded to all certificates and applications (including Subdivision Works Certificates [SWCs]), meaning every council in NSW must accept and process development-related applications exclusively through the NSW Planning Portal.

  Today

• The NSW Planning Portal is also used to lodge many other requests, including:

  • Conduct BASIX Assessments and generate certificates.

  • Section 138 (for works within council reserves, typically new road openings [driveways])

  • Section 68 (any plumbing work, including septic tanks and new bathroom renovations)

These changes were driven and approved under the leadership of the Minister of Planning at the time, Rob Stokes, who oversaw significant modernisation of the NSW planning system. As part of the broader planning system reforms overseen by the Minister of Planning (Rob Stokes), the NSW Government undertook a consolidation of multiple State Environmental Planning Policies (SEPPs) between 2020 and 2022. This reform replaced dozens of individual SEPPs with a smaller number of consolidated instruments (such as those now dealing with transport, resilience and hazards, design quality, housing, and infrastructure), structured through chapters and subheadings rather than standalone policies.

While the intent of this reform was to simplify and modernise the planning framework, it also resulted in a system where provisions are now spread across multiple chapters within fewer instruments, requiring a more detailed and careful approach to locating and interpreting relevant controls. For example, the former SEPP No. 55 - Remediation of Land was previously a standalone policy that was easy to locate on the NSW Legislation website. It has since been consolidated into Chapter 4 or SEPP (Resilience and Hazards) 2021. This change is not immediately obvious to the public and requires planners to take greater care in identifying the relevant provisions and clearly explaining these changes to applicants and the broader community.

Legislative Basis

The authority for digital lodgement and use of electronic systems comes from the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act). The relevant provisions are found in:

EP&A Act: Division 2.7 & EP&A Regulation: Division 4 - Use of the NSW Planning Portal

This section enables:

• Electronic submission of applications

• Digital signatures

• Online payment systems

• Electronic services of notices and documents

• Integration with council assessment systems

This legislative framework ensures that the NSW Planning Portal is not optional - it is a statutory requirement for planning and building approvals in NSW.

Why Was the NSW Planning Portal Created?

Before the NSW Planning Portal, lodgement processes varied significantly between councils. The NSW Planning Portal ensures a consistent, streamlined lodgement process across the entire state. Applicants, councils and certifiers can track applications in real time, reducing uncertainty and improving communication. The move to digital aligns with broader government reforms aimed at reducing paperwork and improving accessibility of planning information. The NSW Planning Portal guides applicants through the forms and required attachments, resulting in higher-quality submissions and fewer delays. All planning and assessment activities are logged, improving data accuracy and long-term strategic planning capability across NSW.