Do You Need Council Approval for a Carport in SA?

26 March 2025

Carports are very popular across South Australia, providing the perfect way of protecting your vehicle from sun, rain, hail, and whatever else Mother Nature throws your way. But, as with any construction project, it's important to make sure you have the right permissions in place before building a carport on your property, especially if you want to avoid running into expensive legal issues later!

To help avoid this problem and to make figuring out whether or not you need council approval to build a carport in South Australia much easier, we've put together this complete guide. You'll find everything you need to know here, explained in a simple way that makes it all much easier to understand.

When Is Council Approval Required?

In most cases, you will need to apply for council approval. This is because a carport has a roof and, in South Australia, any structure that has a roofed area will require development approval. This is particularly true if:

• The carport has a roof area exceeding 15m² (or 10m² if located in a Historic Conservation Zone).

• The carport is taller than 2.5 metres above natural ground level.

• The distance between supporting posts is more than 3 metres.

• The carport is attached to another structure, such as an existing building or fence.

• The location of the carport could impact visibility or traffic safety, especially at road intersections.

• The carport is positioned in a way that affects neighbouring buildings (e.g. it obstructs their view or access to sunlight).

• The property is located within a heritage-listed area, where stricter planning regulations apply.

If your proposed carport meets any of these conditions, you're very likely to need to lodge a development application with your local council before any construction can begin.

When Is Council Approval Not Required?

This is where things can start to get a little confusing. According to the National Construction Code and in line with the regulations set out by some local councils in South Australia, there are some exceptions where you may not need council approval to build your carport, even though it is a roofed structure. To simplify, a carport might not require development approval if:

• The total roofed area is 15m² or less (or 10m² or less in a Historic Conservation Zone).

• It is no taller than 2.5 metres above the natural ground level.

• It is entirely freestanding (e.g. not attached to a house, shed, or any other structure).

• The distance between the support pots does not exceed 3 metres.

• The carport is positioned behind the main face of the house and does not dominate the streetscape.

• It is located at least 900mm away from a secondary street boundary.

• It is at least 6 metres away from a road intersection to avoid blocking visibility for drivers.

Now, even if your carport meets these exemption criteria, you should definitely still check with your local council for any specific regulations or variations to the above. This is because some local councils have additional regulations based on zoning laws, particularly in heritage or conservation areas.

How to Apply for Carport Council Approval in South Australia

So, that's what you need to know about when you might and might not need council approval. But how do you go about applying for it? The application process can feel complicated if you have no experience of it but if you break it down into steps it can feel a lot easier.

Step 1: Check Whether You Need Council Approval

The first thing you need to do is find out if you actually need council approval or not. Remember, the information above are the general rules, but each local council will have its own planning regulations, so make sure you check with your council or use the PlanSA Development Approval Wizard, where you'll get a clear answer about planning consent in your area.

Step 2: Prepare the Required Documents

Assuming you do require council approval for your carport building project, the next step is to prepare certain documents as part of your application. This will usually include a site plan that shows the proposed location of the carport in relation to existing buildings and the property boundary line, floor plan and elevation drawings, and stormwater drainage plans. As expected, each local council will have its own required documents, which you will be made aware of when completing your application.

Step 3: Submit Your Application to the Council

Once you have all of your required documents in place, you'll need to submit them with your application to your local council. This can also be done online using the PlanSA Development Approval Wizard, where you'll also find a list of fees, which will be payable alongside your application. Take the time to make sure everything is completed properly and all your documents are attached before you complete this process, as any missing or incorrect information will only delay the process.

Step 4: Assessment

As soon as your application is submitted, the council will start reviewing your proposal to make sure it meets all the national and local planning and building regulations. During this stage, you may be asked to provide additional information or to make modifications to the design, and if your carport is deemed likely to impact your neighbours, they may be notified and given an opportunity to raise objections.

Step 5: Approval and Construction

If your application is approved, you will receive a "Development Approval Certificate", which is your legal go-ahead to start building your carport, provided it is constructed exactly as specified in the approved plans. The council might also visit your property once construction is complete to carry out a final inspection and verify everything is built as approved. If all looks well, you will be given a Final Certificate and the whole process is complete.

If you don't feel confident with the application process, you can leave it to the expert team at Fair Dinkum Builds. We'll handle all of the paperwork on your behalf and make sure every box is ticked to get your council approval granted as soon as possible.

What Happens if You Build Without Approval?

There's no denying that the council approval process can feel complicated and lengthy, and while skipping it and getting on with building your carport without approval might be tempting, it's really not a good idea!

First of all, failing to follow the correct process can result in fines and enforcement notices, and local councils in South Australia even have the power to issue "stop-work orders" or demand the removal of the structure if it doesn't comply with the local building code, all at your expense.

Then there's the insurance complications to think about. Many home insurance policies simply won't cover damage or liability claims related to structures that were built without approval, which means if your carport is damaged in a storm or collapses due to structural issues, you'll be fully financially liable for repairs.

It's really not worth the risk, so make sure you seek council approval before starting any building work. The best case scenario is that your proposed carport falls into the exemptions list, and you don't need council approval, but if it does, obtaining it will make life much easier further down the line.

Build the carport of your dreams with Fair Dinkum Builds

Nobody wants to deal with council disputes, fines, or expected delays, and the best way to make sure your carport building project runs as smoothly as possible is by following the correct approval processes from day one. This is something Fair Dinkum Builds can handle for you, and with the help of our Shed Designer App, you can spend more time focusing on what your carport will look like rather than filing paperwork! Contact us today to get started, and let us help bring your dream carport to life. Get started with your new carport build here.