One of the most common questions we get asked before starting a decking or pergola job is simple: “Do I need a permit for this?” The honest answer is: it depends — mostly on height, size, and how close the structure sits to your boundary.
What usually needs a permit
In general, a building permit is more likely to be required if your deck is elevated more than a metre off the ground, if a pergola or carport is enclosed rather than open, or if the structure sits close to a boundary or an easement. Retaining walls and structural framing built alongside a deck can also change the picture, particularly on sloped blocks common around Pakenham, Officer and Beaconsfield.
What's often exempt
Smaller, low-set decks and simple open-roofed pergolas away from boundaries are often exempt from a permit — but “often” is doing a lot of work in that sentence, and every block is different. This is exactly the kind of detail worth checking before materials are ordered, not after.
Where to check for your specific block
For the official position, the Victorian Building Authority explains what counts as domestic building work, and Cardinia Shire Council publishes local guidance specifically on when a building permit is required for structures like decks, pergolas and carports. Both are worth a read before you start planning.