The short answer: it depends on what you are building and whether you want to skip council approval. A garden shed built without any approval has to sit at least 900 mm from the side and rear boundaries in a NSW residential zone, at least 1 m in Western Australia and generally 1.5 m in Queensland. A granny flat built under the NSW fast-track route needs 3 m at the rear and 0.9 m at the sides.
Those figures are the settings for the no-approval or fast-track routes. Building closer is often possible, but it usually means applying for an approval and having the design assessed. This guide sets out the figures each state publishes, what they are measured from, and what to do if your plans need to go closer.
Sheds and garages
These are the figures for a shed or garage built without a planning or building approval. Each state also limits the size and height of a shed that qualifies, and those limits are on the linked rules page.
| NSW | At least 900 mm from boundaries in residential zones, and at least 5 m from every boundary in rural zones. |
| Victoria | Siting is set by your zone and ResCode. Within 1 m of a boundary, keeping the shed at or under 2.4 m high avoids extra siting and consent requirements under the Building Regulations. |
| Queensland | Generally 1.5 m from side and rear boundaries under the Queensland Development Code (MP1.1 and MP1.2), varying with wall height and length. Building inside that setback needs a siting variation, which council assesses. |
| South Australia | On a corner site, at least 900 mm from the secondary street boundary. Other setbacks for outbuildings are set by your zone in the Planning and Design Code. |
| Western Australia | At least 1 m from the boundary (1.5 m for longer walls), with no more than two walls within 600 mm of a boundary, under the R-Codes deemed-to-comply provisions. |
| Tasmania | A shed classed as low risk does not need a building permit, but the planning setbacks in your zone still apply. |
| ACT | Within 1.5 m of a boundary, the combined wall cross-section must be 30 m² or less to stay exempt. |
| Northern Territory | Setbacks follow your zone in the NT Planning Scheme. Building Note 114 sets the size and height limits for a shed that needs no permit. |
Granny flats
NSW is the only state that publishes a single set of granny flat setbacks for the whole state. Everywhere else, the setbacks come from your zone or your council’s planning scheme.
| NSW | Rear 3 m and side 0.9 m under the complying development (fast-track) route. |
| Victoria | Set by the Building Regulations and the Clause 54 siting standards. |
| Queensland | Set by your council’s planning scheme. |
| Western Australia | Set by the local planning scheme, including its setback and open space rules. |
| SA, Tasmania, ACT, NT | Set by the development standards for your zone. |
Decks and pergolas
| NSW | At least 900 mm from side and rear boundaries and behind the front building line, for a deck built without approval. In rural zones (RU1 to RU6 and R5) it is 5 m from each boundary. |
| Queensland | Typically 6 m from the front and 1.5 m from side and rear boundaries on lots of 450 m² or more, under the Queensland Development Code siting rules. |
| Western Australia | Commonly around 1 m from side and rear boundaries, depending on the R-Code. |
| ACT | A pergola needs to be more than 1.5 m from side and rear boundaries. |
| Other states | Set by your zone, and in Victoria by the Building Regulations. See the deck rules by state. |
Fences sit on the boundary, so height is what counts
A dividing fence has no setback. What the rules control is its height, and the front fence usually has a lower limit than the side and rear fences.
| NSW | 1.2 m forward of the building line, 1.8 m behind it, without approval. |
| Victoria | 1.5 m within 3 m of the street, and 2 m at the sides and rear. |
| Queensland | 2 m without building approval, counting any retaining wall underneath. On a corner lot, 1 m in the 6 m by 6 m sight triangle. |
| South Australia | 2.1 m, measured from the lower of the two ground levels, and 1 m within 6 m of a corner. |
| Western Australia | Front fences are typically solid to 1.2 m with see-through infill above. Dividing fences are set by your council’s fencing local law. |
| Tasmania | 1.2 m solid within 4.5 m of a frontage, and 2.1 m at the sides and rear as low-risk work in materials other than masonry or concrete. |
| ACT | Street-facing front fences generally need a development application. Side and rear fences can be 2.3 m behind the front building line. |
| Northern Territory | No fixed territory-wide height. Check your zone and council. |
What a setback is measured from
A setback is the distance from the boundary to the building. The boundary is the surveyed title boundary, which is not always where the fence is. On older blocks the fence can be well off the true line, so if you are building close to it, a surveyor’s set-out is cheap insurance.
The codes differ on what part of the building counts. Some measure to the wall and allow eaves and gutters to sit a little closer, others measure to the outermost part. Check how your state’s code measures it before you set out the slab, because getting this wrong is a common reason for a building to need retrospective approval.
If you need to build closer
Most states let you build closer to a boundary than the standard allows, but not without an approval. In NSW that usually means a development application instead of the fast-track route. In Queensland it is a siting variation assessed by council. In Victoria, building within the standard setbacks can need council consent under the Building Regulations. The assessor will look at overshadowing, privacy, drainage and the effect on your neighbour.
Two other things often decide how close you can go:
- Fire safety. Separately from planning, the building code can require fire-resisting construction for a wall close to a boundary. Your builder or building surveyor will confirm what applies.
- Easements and sewers. Building over or near an easement or a sewer main needs consent from whoever owns the asset, usually the water authority or council, even where planning allows the building.
Frequently asked questions
How close to the boundary can I build a shed in NSW?
Without any approval, at least 900 mm from the boundaries in a residential zone and at least 5 m from every boundary in a rural zone. The shed also has to meet the size and height limits for exempt development. Closer than that needs an approval.
Do eaves and gutters count in the setback?
It depends on the code. Some measure the setback to the wall and let eaves and gutters project a little closer, others measure to the outermost part of the building. Check the code for your state before you set out the building.
Can I build right on the boundary?
Sometimes, with an approval. Whether your zone allows a wall on the boundary is a planning question, and a wall on or close to a boundary usually needs fire-resisting construction under the building code. A town planner or building surveyor can tell you what applies to your block.
Is the fence the boundary?
Not always. The boundary is the surveyed line on your title, and fences on older blocks can be off it. If you are building close to the boundary, have a surveyor mark it first.
Check your own property
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