A range of planning exemptions have been introduced to make it easier for people to start new businesses and undertake small improvements to their homes or businesses, getting more people back to work and boosting local economies.
The key planning exemptions that are available for small businesses and for small projects are outlined below. While you may not need planning approval it’s important to remember that you may still need Building and Health approvals from the City.
Some small residential or non-residential projects may not require planning approval. You can check these planning exemptions below, but please note that these do not apply to heritage-protected places.
Your proposed works may still need Building Approval. To confirm, give our Building team call on 9273 6000 or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
The State Government and the City are removing unnecessary red tape by expanding the range and types of businesses that don’t need planning approval and don’t need to provide parking. This includes shops, restaurants, cafes, offices, consulting rooms, small bars and private recreation facilities.
To find out whether your business is exempt from needing planning approval there are three things that you need to know:
To check this please refer to the common land uses listed below. This is where you can find out whether your business is exempt from needing planning approval and what Health and/or Building approvals are required before you begin operating.
These exemptions only apply where there are no changes to the building, such as an increase in floor area or noticeable changes to the front of the building.
Restaurant & café
A Restaurant or Café is any business mainly used to prepare, sell and serve food and drinks for consumption on the premises by seated customers.
You don’t need planning approval for your Restaurant or Café if:
- It is located in a Local Centre, District Centre, Regional Centre or Commercial zone.
To check your properties zoning, open our Online Maps. Then search your property address at the bottom of the page and refer to the “LPS2 Zone” of your property at the top right of the page.
- It is located in a Local Centre zone, it does not have a floor area more than 300 square metres.
If your Restaurant or Café does not meet these conditions then it needs planning approval. To check what you need to do to get planning approval see here.
If your Restaurant or Café does meet these conditions then it doesn’t need planning approval.
Whether you need planning approval or not, you may still need the following approvals:
Building permit approval
Building permits are generally required for all works involving alterations and additions to premises or food business fit outs, including installation of cool rooms and exhaust hoods. In most cases, proposed partitioning works for food business fit outs will affect the way the building complies with an applicable Building Standard and will require a building permit.
Building permits are not needed where a simple fit out is proposed, and only movable furniture is being replaced or painting and decorating is being carried out.
For information on the building permit process please visit the following webpages:
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Building Services Information
Building Application Forms
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Health approval
A restaurant or café is classed as a food business under the Food Act 2008 and must be registered with the City.
The Department of Local Government, Sporting & Cultural Industries (Liquor Licensing Directorate) is responsible for issuing liquor licences. They may ask the City if there are any objections to issuing a permit, or request a ‘section 39’ certificate to check Health and Building compliance. For more information visit their website here.
For more information on registering your restaurant or café, health approval requirements and to download an application form please click the following links:
Food Businesses
Liqour Applications (Section 39)
Any Restaurant or Café which requires health assessment or approval will require an Environmental Health Officer to come out to the property and complete a final inspection before your business can open. This will ensure the premises complies with the relevant health laws. If all requirements are met, then a certificate or letter will be issued.
Have any questions? Give our Health team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Occupancy permit approval
An occupancy permit must be obtained from the City before a commercial tenancy or building can be occupied. This is required to change the use or classification of a building.
An occupancy permit relates to the building, and not to the owner or occupier. This means that subsequent tenants may do renovation, fit out or minor works that do not involve a change of use or classification without needing to obtain a new occupancy permit.
A copy or details of the occupancy permit must be displayed at or near the principal entrance to the building so that it is clearly visible to occupiers and other people using the building.
For more information on occupancy permits please visit the following webpages:
Occupancy Permits
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Once you have got the required approvals then you can open your Restaurant or Café and start operating.
Some other information which may be useful is available here:
Office
An Office is a premise that is used for administration, clerical, technical, professional or similar business activities.
You don’t need planning approval for your Office if:
- It is located in a Mixed Use, Local Centre, District Centre, Regional Centre or Commercial zone.
To check your properties zoning, open our Online Maps. Then search your property address at the bottom of the page and refer to the “LPS2 Zone” of your property at the top right of the page.
- It is not located on the ground floor of a building, unless it’s in a Commercial zone.
If your Office does not meet these conditions then it needs planning approval. To check what you need to do to get planning approval see here.
If your Office does meet these conditions then it doesn’t need planning approval.
It may still need the following approvals:
Building permit approval
Building permits are generally required for all works involving alterations and additions to premises.
Building permits are not needed where a simple fit out is proposed, and only movable furniture is being replaced or painting and decorating is being carried out.
In most cases, proposed partitioning works for office fit outs will affect the way the building complies with an applicable Building Standard and will require a building permit.
For example, including but not limited to:
- Fit out changes that affect the existing path of travel to a required exit will affect the way the building complies with the egress provisions of the Building Code.
- Changes to access requirements (accessible paths of travel, corridor widths, door widths and doorways etc.)
- Internal and/or external alterations resulting in the relocation of, changes to, existing services (sprinkler systems, fire hydrant coverage, smoke detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting and exit signs, mechanical ventilation systems etc.)
For information on the building permit process please visit the following webpages:
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Building Services Information
Building Application Forms
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Health approval
Health approval is not required if you are not selling food or alcohol.
Have any questions? Give our Health team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Occupancy permit approval
An occupancy permit must be obtained from the City before a commercial tenancy or building can be occupied. This is required to change the use or classification of a building.
An occupancy permit relates to the building, and not to the owner or occupier. This means that subsequent tenants may do renovation, fit out or minor works that do not involve a change of use or classification without needing to obtain a new occupancy permit.
A copy or details of the occupancy permit must be displayed at or near the principal entrance to the building so that it is clearly visible to occupiers and other people using the building.
For more information on occupancy permits please visit the following webpages:
Occupancy Permits
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Once you have got the required approvals then you can open your Office and start operating!
Some other information which may be useful is available here:
Shop
Supermarkets, Book Store or Hairdresser
Shop is a broad reference to premises where retail goods are sold or available for hire, such as supermarkets, newsagents and stores selling clothes, books or the like. It also includes premises where personal services are provided such as hairdressers, tattoo studios and beauty therapy.
Shop doesn’t include the selling of liquor, which would be considered as a liquor store.
You don’t need planning approval for your Shop if:
- It is located in a Mixed Use, Local Centre, District Centre, Regional Centre or Commercial zone. To check your properties zoning, open our Online Maps. Then search your property address at the bottom of the page and refer to the “LPS2 Zone” of your property at the top right of the page.
- It is located in a Mixed Use zone, it does not have a floor area more than 300 square metres.
If your Shop does not meet these conditions then it needs planning approval. To check what you need to do to get planning approval see here.
If your Shop does meet these conditions then it doesn’t need planning approval.
Whether you need planning approval or not, you may still need the following approvals:
Building permit approval
Generally, all works involving alterations and additions will require a building permit. Where a simple fit out is proposed, and only movable furniture is being replaced or painting and decorating is being carried out, a building permit will generally not be required.
In most cases, proposed partitioning works for shop, office and warehouse fit outs will affect the way the building complies with an applicable Building Standard and will require a building permit.
For example, including but not limited to:
- Fit out changes that affect the existing path of travel to a required exit will affect the way the building complies with the egress provisions of the Building Code.
- Changes to access requirements (accessible paths of travel, corridor widths, door widths and doorways etc.)
- Internal and/or external alterations resulting in the relocation of, changes to, existing services (sprinkler systems, fire hydrant coverage, smoke detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting and exit signs, mechanical ventilation systems etc.)
For information on the building permit process please visit the following webpages:
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Building Services Information
Building Application Forms
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Health approval
Food Business
Selling food? Any retail food shop is classed as a food business under the Food Act 2008 and must be registered with the City.
For more information on the registration process, approval requirements and to download an application form please click the following link:
Food Businesses
Any retail food shop which requires health assessment or approval will require an Environmental Health Officer to come out to the property and complete a final inspection before your business can open. This will ensure the premises complies with the relevant health laws. If all requirements are met, then a certificate or letter will be issued.
HAIRDRESSING & BEAUTY THERAPY
If you are considering opening a hairdressing or beauty therapy shop then a health assessment is required. The City must ensure any skin penetration procedure provided (see definition below) is carried out in a safe and hygienic manner as required under the Health (Skin Penetration Procedure) Regulations 1998 and its Code of Practice.
A skin penetration procedure means a procedure in which the skin is cut, punctured, torn or shaved; or a mucous membrane is cut, punctured or torn. This definition includes a variety of body treatments such as tattooing, body piercing and modifications; and beauty therapy treatments such as waxing, threading and shaving.
The skin penetration law doesn’t apply to medical practitioners, dentists, a person under the supervision of a medical practitioner, podiatrists, nurses, any other person registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (external site).
For more information on the City’s assessment process, requirements and to download the Hairdressing & Skin Penetration Procedure notification form please click the following link:
Skin Penetration, Beauty Therapy, Hairdressers & Body Art
Have any questions? Give our Health team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Occupancy permit approval
An occupancy permit must be obtained from the City before a commercial tenancy or building can be occupied. This is required to change the use or classification of a building.
An occupancy permit relates to the building, and not to the owner or occupier. This means that subsequent tenants may do renovation, fit out or minor works that does not involve a change of use or classification without needing to obtain a new occupancy permit.
A copy or details of the occupancy permit must be displayed at or near the principal entrance to the building so that it is clearly visible to occupiers and other people using the building.
For more information on occupancy permits please visit the following webpages:
Occupancy Permits
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Once you have got the required approvals then you can open your Shop and start operating!
Some other information which may be useful is available here:
Small bar
A Small Bar is any business which is subject to a small bar liquor licence under the Liquor Control Act 1988.
You don’t need planning approval for your Small Bar if:
- It is located in a District Centre or Regional Centre zone.
- The lot where it is located does not directly adjoin a Residential Zone. This includes lots which are separated from a Residential Zone by a laneway, right-of-way or street, as shown in the diagram below.
To check the zoning of your property and neighbouring properties, open our Online Maps. Then search your property address at the bottom of the page, click on the neighbouring properties and refer to the “LPS2 Zone” of these properties at the top right of the page.
If your Small Bar does not meet these conditions then it needs planning approval. To check what you need to do to get planning approval see here.
If your Small Bar does meet these conditions then it doesn’t need planning approval.
Whether you need planning approval or not, you may still need the following approvals:
Building permit approval
Building permits are generally required for all works involving alterations and additions to premises or food business fit outs, including installation of cool rooms and exhaust hoods. In most cases, proposed partitioning works for food business fit outs will affect the way the building complies with an applicable Building Standard and will require a building permit.
Building permits are not needed where a simple fit out is proposed, and only movable furniture is being replaced or painting and decorating is being carried out.
For information on the building permit process please visit the following webpages:
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Building Services Information
Building Application Forms
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Health approval
A Small Bar is considered a public building and is permitted to hold up to 120 persons under the Liquor Control Act 1988. Food may also be served.
Public buildings require approval to ensure they are safe and suitable for the public to occupy, as a requirement under the Health (Public Buildings) Regulations 1992.
A Small Bar selling, serving and/or making food is also classed as a food business under the Food Act 2008 and must be registered with the City.
The Department of Local Government, Sporting & Cultural Industries (Liquor Licensing Directorate) is responsible for issuing liquor licences. They may ask the City if there are any objections to issuing a permit, or request a ‘section 39’ certificate to check Health and Building compliance. For more information visit their website here.
For more information on registering your Small Bar, health approval requirements and to download the food and public building application forms please click the following links:
Food Businesses
Public Buildings
Liqour Applications (Section 39)
Any Small Bar which requires health assessment or approval will require an Environmental Health Officer to come out to the property and complete a final inspection before your business can open. This will ensure the premises complies with the relevant health laws. If all requirements are met, then a certificate or letter will be issued.
Have any questions? Give our Health team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Occupancy permit approval
An occupancy permit must be obtained from the City before a commercial tenancy or building can be occupied. This is required to change the use or classification of a building.
An occupancy permit relates to the building, and not to the owner or occupier. This means that subsequent tenants may do renovation, fit out or minor works that do not involve a change of use or classification without needing to obtain a new occupancy permit.
A copy or details of the occupancy permit must be displayed at or near the principal entrance to the building so that it is clearly visible to occupiers and other people using the building.
For more information on occupancy permits please visit the following webpages:
Occupancy Permits
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Once you have got the required approvals then you can open your Small Bar and start operating!
Some other information which may be useful is available here:
Consulting rooms
Doctors Practice, Physio or Dentist
Consulting Rooms is a broad reference to premises which are used by no more than two health practitioners at the same time for the purpose of investigating or treating human injuries or ailments and for general outpatient care. Examples include a doctor, dentist, chiropractor or psychology practice.
You don’t need planning approval for your Consulting Rooms if:
- It is located in a Local Centre, District Centre, Regional Centre or Commercial zone.
To check your properties zoning, open our Online Maps. Then search your property address at the bottom of the page and refer to the “LPS2 Zone” of your property at the top right of the page.
- The premise is used by no more than two health practitioners at the same time. The premise could still have three consulting rooms, as long as they aren’t all used by health practitioners at the same time.
- It is located in a District Centre or Regional Centre zone, then no more than 60% of any ground floor window is obscured glass.
If your Consulting Rooms does not meet these conditions then it needs planning approval. To check what you need to do to get planning approval see here.
If your Consulting Rooms does meet these conditions then it doesn’t need planning approval.
It may also need the following approvals:
Building permit approval
Generally, all works involving alterations and additions will require a building permit. Where a simple fit out is proposed, and only movable furniture is being replaced or painting and decorating is being carried out, a building permit will generally not be required.
In most cases, proposed partitioning works for consulting rooms, office and warehouse fit outs will affect the way the building complies with an applicable Building Standard and will require a building permit.
For example, including but not limited to:
- Fit out changes that affect the existing path of travel to a required exit will affect the way the building complies with the egress provisions of the Building Code.
- Changes to access requirements (accessible paths of travel, corridor widths, door widths and doorways etc.)
- Internal and/or external alterations resulting in the relocation of, changes to, existing services (sprinkler systems, fire hydrant coverage, smoke detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting and exit signs, mechanical ventilation systems etc.)
For information on the building permit process please visit the following webpages:
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Building Services Information
Building Application Forms
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Health approval
If you are considering opening a Consulting Rooms business then a health assessment may be required. The City must ensure any skin penetration procedure provided (see definition below) is carried out in a safe and hygienic manner as required under the Health (Skin Penetration Procedure) Regulations 1998 and its Code of Practice.
A skin penetration procedure means a procedure in which the skin is cut, punctured, torn or shaved; or a mucous membrane is cut, punctured or torn. This definition includes a variety of body treatments such as tattooing, body piercing and modifications; and beauty therapy treatments such as waxing, threading and shaving.
The skin penetration law doesn’t apply to medical practitioners, dentists, a person under the supervision of a medical practitioner, podiatrists, nurses, any other person registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (external site).
For more information on the City’s assessment process, requirements and to download the Hairdressing & Skin Penetration Procedure notification form please click the following link:
Skin Penetration, Beauty Therapy, Hairdressers & Body Art
Have any questions? Give our Health team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Occupancy permit approval
An occupancy permit must be obtained from the City before a commercial tenancy or building can be occupied. This is required to change the use or classification of a building.
An occupancy permit relates to the building, and not to the owner or occupier. This means that subsequent tenants may do renovation, fit out or minor works that does not involve a change of use or classification without needing to obtain a new occupancy permit.
A copy or details of the occupancy permit must be displayed at or near the principal entrance to the building so that it is clearly visible to occupiers and other people using the building.
For more information on occupancy permits please visit the following webpages:
Occupancy Permits
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Once you have got the required approvals then you can open your Consulting Rooms and start operating!
Some other information which may be useful is available here:
Private recreation facilities
Gyms or yoga studios
A Private Recreation Facility is a broad reference to premises which are used for indoor or outdoor leisure, recreation or sport; and are not usually open to the public without charge.
Examples include a gym, yoga, pilates studio or a dance studio.
You don’t need planning approval for your Private Recreation Facility if:
- It is located in a Mixed Use, Local Centre, District Centre, Regional Centre or Commercial zone.
To check your properties zoning, open our Online Maps. Then search your property address at the bottom of the page and refer to the “LPS2 Zone” of your property at the top right of the page.
- It does not have a floor area more than 300 square metres.
- No more than 60% of any ground floor window is obscured glass.
If your Private Recreation Facility does not meet these conditions then it needs planning approval. To check what you need to do to get planning approval see here.
If your Private Recreation Facility does meet these conditions then it doesn’t need planning approval.
Whether you need planning approval or not, you may still need the following approvals:
Building permit approval
Generally, all works involving alterations and additions will require a building permit. Where a simple fit out is proposed, and only movable furniture is being replaced or painting and decorating is being carried out, a building permit will generally not be required.
In most cases, proposed partitioning works for private recreation facility, office and warehouse fit outs will affect the way the building complies with an applicable Building Standard and will require a building permit.
For example, including but not limited to:
- Fit out changes that affect the existing path of travel to a required exit will affect the way the building complies with the egress provisions of the Building Code.
- Changes to access requirements (accessible paths of travel, corridor widths, door widths and doorways etc.)
- Internal and/or external alterations resulting in the relocation of, changes to, existing services (sprinkler systems, fire hydrant coverage, smoke detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting and exit signs, mechanical ventilation systems etc.)
For information on the building permit process please visit the following webpages:
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Building Services Information
Building Application Forms
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Health approval
A private recreation facility can be considered a public building. Public buildings require approval to ensure they are safe and suitable for the public to occupy, as a requirement under the Health (Public Buildings) Regulations 1992.
A Private Recreation Facility selling, serving and/or making food is also classed as a food business under the Food Act 2008 and must be registered with the City.
For more information on registering your Private Recreation Facility, health approval requirements and to download the food and public building application forms please click the following links:
Food Businesses
Public Buildings
Any Private Recreation Facility which requires health assessment or approval will require an Environmental Health Officer to come out to the property and complete a final inspection before your business can open. This will ensure the premises complies with the relevant health laws. If all requirements are met, then a certificate or letter will be issued.
Have any questions? Give our Health team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Occupancy permit approval
An occupancy permit must be obtained from the City before a commercial tenancy or building can be occupied. This is required to change the use or classification of a building.
An occupancy permit relates to the building, and not to the owner or occupier. This means that subsequent tenants may do renovation, fit out or minor works that do not involve a change of use or classification without needing to obtain a new occupancy permit.
A copy or details of the occupancy permit must be displayed at or near the principal entrance to the building so that it is clearly visible to occupiers and other people using the building.
For more information on occupancy permits please visit the following webpages:
Occupancy Permits
Building & Occupancy Permits for Commercial Fitouts
Have any questions? Give our Building team a call on 9273 6000 between 8.30am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday or email us at mail@vincent.wa.gov.au.
Once you have got the required approvals then you can open your Private Recreation Facility and start operating!
Some other information which may be useful is available here: