Council Approval for Business & Office Premises
Offices and business premises in commercial and business zones can often fit out with minor internal works under exempt or complying development, provided the use itself does not change. What needs a fresh look is a change between commercial categories - a shop becoming an office, or an office moving to a use with heavier floor space or parking demand - which is assessed separately. Accessibility under the Building Code of Australia and the Premises Standards, and car parking rates, both vary by council DCP, so EHUP checks your specific tenancy against the applicable controls before you commit to a fitout.
Free consultation
- 1-3 weeks for a straightforward fitout; longer where use changes
- From $1,900 + GST
- Quoted fixed after a free scope check
Fitout versus a genuine change of use
Most office and business premises enquiries are fitout jobs where the use stays the same, and these can often move through an exempt or complying development pathway quickly. The exception is where the proposed use sits in a different commercial category under the zone and LEP - that shift is assessed as a change of use, not a cosmetic fitout.
Parking and accessibility are the recurring issues
Two things come up more than anything else on business and office fitouts: whether the existing car parking provision still satisfies the DCP rate for the proposed use, and whether accessibility works are triggered by the scope of the fitout. Both depend on your specific council area, so we check them early rather than late.
How it works
Tenancy and use check
24-48 hours
Confirm the zone, the existing approved use, and whether your proposed use matches it.
Pathway selection
2-4 days
Exempt, complying development, or change of use / DA, based on the check.
Documentation
3-7 days
Fitout plans and any accessibility or parking information the pathway requires.
Approval and sign-off
1-2 weeks
Certification or consent issued, with conditions explained before fitout begins.
What we take off your hands
What EHUP handles
- Checking whether your office or business fitout qualifies as exempt or CDC
- Identifying whether your proposed use is a genuine change of commercial category
- Coordinating change of use applications where the category shifts
- Accessibility compliance review against the BCA and Premises Standards
- Car parking rate assessment against the applicable council DCP
- Managing the certifier or council process through to sign-off
What you don't have to deal with
- Fitting out under the assumption the use is unchanged when the LEP says otherwise
- Discovering an accessibility or parking shortfall after the fitout is built
Frequently asked questions
Does an office fitout always need a DA?
No. Where the fitout is internal and the use is unchanged, exempt or complying development pathways commonly apply. A DA becomes relevant where the works are substantial, the building's classification is affected, or the use itself changes.
What counts as a change between commercial categories?
It depends on how your council's LEP defines commercial uses. A shift from general retail to an office, or between different classes of business premises, can be treated as a change of use even where the physical fitout looks similar.
Do accessibility requirements apply to a fitout of an existing office?
Often yes, particularly where the fitout involves significant works or a change in classification. We check the current Building Code of Australia and Premises Standards requirements against your specific fitout scope.
How much parking will my business premises need?
Parking rates for commercial and office uses are set by the applicable council DCP and vary by location and use type. We check the specific rate that applies to your site rather than assuming a standard figure.
Related services
Commercial & Industrial Approval
Commercial and light industrial projects span a wide range - from a cafe fitout that can be certified in two to three weeks, to a warehouse development where the capital at risk makes feasibility the first priority, not documentation.
Change of Use
A change of use application is needed when the building stays the same but what happens inside it changes - retail to cafe, warehouse to gym, office to medical suite.
CDC - Retail & Office
Retail and office fitouts, and many changes of use within commercial premises, can be certified as complying development in two to three weeks where the premises satisfies the Codes SEPP.
Why clients choose EHUP
- 10+
- 250+
- 14
- 1
Not sure which approval you need?
Tell us the address and what you want to do. We'll help identify the appropriate planning pathway, whether it is exempt development, complying development or a full DA. Your first conversation is free.