Do I need a building permit for a verandah or pergola in Victoria?

Updated 28 October 20266 min readBy the Backyard Mate team

BeforeInsulated Roof Patio

Yes, in Victoria a verandah or roofed patio attached to your house always needs a building permit, whatever its size. Only an open, unroofed pergola can skip it. It must be 20 m² or less, no more than 3.6 m high and no more than 2.5 m forward of the front wall.

Rules checked October 2026. Confirm the details for your address with a registered building surveyor or your council before you build.

Victoria has two separate permits. A building permit covers the structure and is issued by a building surveyor. A planning permit covers land use and overlays and comes from your council. Many verandahs need only the first.

When you do not need a building permit

The Victorian building practice note BP 01 sets out the pergola exemption. A pergola is exempt only if it meets all of these:

• It is an open structure with no roof (an open weave permeable cover is allowed)
• It is no more than 3.6 m high
• It has a floor area of 20 m² or less
• It sits no more than 2.5 m forward of the front wall of the house
• It is designed and built to resist the loads on it, without harming the building it is fixed to

A timber pergola or a fixed slat pergola without a solid roof is the type most likely to fit. For a planning permit, councils generally say none is needed where the land has no overlays and the structure is under 3 m high. That depends on your local planning scheme, so check it.

When you do need a building permit

• Any verandah attached to a house, whatever its size.
• Any deck attached to a house, and detached decks too, according to BP 01.
• A pergola over 20 m², over 3.6 m high, or more than 2.5 m forward of the front wall.
• A pergola with a solid roof, because the exemption only covers unroofed pergolas. Ask your building surveyor how an opening louvre roof is classed for your design.

So a typical attached insulated patio or Colorbond verandah in Melbourne needs a building permit.

When you also need a planning permit

A planning permit is needed if your land has certain overlays. The Heritage Overlay is the most common. Councils also list others, such as Neighbourhood Character, Special Building, Land Subject to Inundation, Design and Development and Environmental Significance overlays.

Some councils add triggers in residential zones based on lot size, height and floor height. Boroondara and Stonnington both list them, including structures more than 3 m high. Check your council's verandah page or ask its planning team.

If you need a planning permit, you must get it before the building permit can be issued. Eligible applications may use VicSmart, which the City of Stonnington describes as a 10 day process.

Who issues it and what they need

A registered building surveyor issues the building permit. You can choose a municipal (council) building surveyor or a private one. As the owner, you appoint the surveyor before applying, even if your installer recommends one and prepares the paperwork.

The building permit application usually includes:

• The completed application form.
• At least three copies of the drawings, specifications and allotment plan.
• The cost of the building work.
• Engineering or manufacturer details, as the surveyor requires.

A planning permit application usually needs a copy of the title and plans at 1:100 or 1:200.

BeforeInsulated Roof Patio

Special cases in Victoria

• Heritage: a Heritage Overlay means a planning permit. Places on the Victorian Heritage Register may also need Heritage Victoria approval.
• Bushfire: a Bushfire Management Overlay or bushfire prone area can add planning and construction requirements. Check with your building surveyor.
• Easements and authority assets: building over an easement or near authority assets may need consent from that authority.
• Units and townhouses: owners corporation consent may be needed.

What it adds to cost and time

A state building permit levy applies to work costing over $10,000, paid before the permit number is issued. The Victorian Building Authority is now the Building and Plumbing Commission. Building surveyor fees are set by each surveyor, so ask for them to be listed separately on your quote.

For context, an attached 6 × 4.5 m insulated verandah in Victoria is about $15,500 to $18,500 installed, as an indicative range. Timeframes vary by surveyor and council, and a planning permit adds the most time. Our guide on how long it takes to build a patio covers the full timeline.

How installers usually handle it

Most Victorian patio and verandah installers prepare the drawings, organise engineering and work with a building surveyor they know. You still sign the appointment, so read it and keep a copy of the permit. If a planning permit is needed, ask who is lodging it and when.

Compare local prices on our Melbourne patios and Melbourne pergolas pages, or see other states in our national approval guide.

Keep reading

Do I need council approval for a patio or pergola in Australia?Do you need council approval for a patio or pergola in Australia? Exemption limits by state, what triggers approval, who lodges it and the documents needed.

Verandah vs patio: what's the difference, and what does a verandah cost?Verandah vs patio in Australia: what a verandah is, how it differs from a patio, 2026 indicative verandah costs by state, and which one suits your home.

How long does it take to build a patio? (2026 timeline from quote to finish)How long it takes to build a patio in Australia: typical timeline from quote to finish, install days by style, council approval times and what slows it down.