Victoria · City of Melbourne
Your Melbourne CBD + inner-city council approval guide
The City of Melbourne covers the CBD plus Docklands, Southbank, Carlton, Parkville, North Melbourne, West Melbourne, East Melbourne and parts of South Yarra + Kensington. Almost every project sits inside the Capital City Zone, which triggers a planning permit for external works, alterations, and demolition. Sites listed on the Victorian Heritage Register may require a separate permit under the Heritage Act 1995 via Heritage Council Victoria.
Capital City Zone
Nearly all City of Melbourne land is Capital City Zone. Planning permits are required for construction, alterations, external works, and most signage.
Victorian Heritage Register
Sites on the Register need a separate permit under the Heritage Act 1995 via Heritage Council Victoria, in addition to the council planning permit.
Height + built-form controls
Discretionary height limits are prescribed in the Melbourne Planning Scheme for most CBD blocks. Design & Development Overlays (DDO) apply in Docklands, Southbank and precincts like Carlton's Lygon Street.
Victoria separates planning permits (about land use, from your council) and building permits (about construction methods, from a Relevant Building Surveyor). You usually need the planning permit FIRST, then the building permit.
Check zoning + overlays
Use VicPlan (planning-schemes.app.planning.vic.gov.au) or your council's interactive map to identify the zone, any heritage overlay, character area, environmental overlay or growth area zone that applies to your block.
Planning permit (if required)
If your project needs a planning permit (most heritage / character-area / larger developments do), lodge with your council. VicSmart is a fast-tracked pathway available for some minor applications.
Appoint a Relevant Building Surveyor (RBS)
The RBS must be appointed by the OWNER (not the builder). Choose either a municipal or private building surveyor. This is a legal requirement in VIC.
Building Permit Number (BPN) via BAMS
Your RBS applies for a 13-digit BPN through the Building Activity Management System (BAMS). Since 26 November 2025 a new formula for the Calculated Cost of Works (CoW) applies. New BAMS reporting fields (including mandatory architect status) took effect 20 March 2026.
Building Permit Levy
Required for works costing over $10,000. Rate: 0.00064 general levy + 0.00064 DBDRV levy of the CoW. Pay via the BPC secure portal (BPAY or card). Your RBS cannot issue the permit until the BPN is received.
Construction, inspections + occupancy
Build proceeds under RBS inspection at prescribed stages. On completion, the RBS issues an Occupancy Permit (or Certificate of Final Inspection for extensions).
These are STATE fees, identical across every Melbourne council. Your council may charge additional planning-permit application fees on top, see per-council notes below.
Almost always yes. Nearly every block in the City of Melbourne sits inside the Capital City Zone, and that zone triggers a planning permit for construction, external alterations and even a lot of internal work that changes floor plate layouts. The exception is minor internal shopfit work that does not change use. Owners commonly get caught out at the tenancy stage: their builder is ready to start but the fit-out drawings sit at council for six to ten weeks. Book a pre-application chat with a Melbourne planner before you sign a lease if timing matters.
Yes. Heritage Register listings sit above local heritage overlays. You will need a permit from Heritage Council Victoria under the Heritage Act 1995, plus a City of Melbourne planning permit, plus the usual building permit through a Relevant Building Surveyor. The Heritage Council permit is the one that most often causes surprises. Their assessment can take three to six months and they will push back hard on anything that alters visible fabric. Get a heritage consultant involved before you commission architectural drawings.
Both cap how tall you can go, but they answer different questions. A mandatory height limit in the Melbourne Planning Scheme means council cannot approve anything taller, full stop. A discretionary height under a Design and Development Overlay means council can approve taller if the design justifies it, though it opens the door to notification, objections and sometimes VCAT. Docklands and parts of Southbank run on DDO controls that most owners assume are hard caps but actually are not.
We use cookies to improve your experience. Cookies on. Learn more