Sheds & Garages rules in Perth
Building a shed or garage in Perth? City of Perth applies the Western Australia planning framework. Here's what that means locally — plus the overlays worth checking on your specific block.
Often no planning approval; a building permit for most sheds
A single prefabricated shed of 10 m² or less and up to 2.4 m high needs no building permit. Bigger outbuildings need a building permit, but avoid planning (development) approval if they meet the R-Codes 'deemed-to-comply' outbuilding rules — behind the street setback and within the size, wall-height and setback limits.
Key rules at a glance
| Max area (no building permit) | 10 m² prefabricated shed, ≤2.4 m high |
| Max aggregate area (R-Codes deemed-to-comply) | 60 m² or 10% of the site, whichever is less |
| Max wall height | 2.4 m |
| Max ridge height | 4.2 m |
| Boundary setback | ≥1 m (≥1.5 m for longer walls); no more than two walls within 600 mm of a boundary |
| Position on lot | Behind the street (front) setback line |
Heritage, flood and bushfire controls on your specific lot can remove the fast-track and require a full application — even when the general rules say you're fine.
How often this applies in Perth
These are the overlays that can remove the fast-track, measured across every parcel in Perth from the same data behind our zoning map. They describe the council, not your block, and they are counted separately — one parcel can carry more than one, so they cannot be added together.
| Overlay | Share of parcels | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Heritage | Not mapped | No heritage mapping is published for Perth, so it cannot be ruled out here. That is not the same as the land being clear. |
| Flood | Not mapped | No flood mapping is published for Perth, so it cannot be ruled out here. That is not the same as the land being clear. |
| Bushfire | 3.48% | 252 parcels flagged. The rest are mapped and sit outside it. |
The most common zone in Perth is City centre, covering 33.0% of its 7,232 parcels. What you can build is decided by your own lot's zone, not the council's most common one.
Measured from our mapped parcel data, snapshot taken 2026-09-06. Overlays are checked live for a specific address on the address tool.
Shed or garages in Perth
City of Perth is the authority for Perth in Perth. The statewide Western Australia rules above set the baseline; the council can apply extra local controls, and heritage, flood or bushfire overlays on your lot can change what's allowed.
Visit City of Perth ↗ Full Western Australia rules →
See the Perth zoning map → — every parcel in Perth by zone, lot size and mapped constraints.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need council approval for a shed or garage in Perth?
Usually yes. In Western Australia, a shed or garage generally needs an application, and City of Perth is the authority that assesses it. See the full state rules for the pathway and what's required.
Which council approves a shed or garage in Perth?
City of Perth is the consent authority for Perth (Perth). You can review local planning controls on the council website and lodge through your state planning portal.
Do I need a permit for a shed in WA?
A prefabricated shed of 10 m² or less and up to 2.4 m high needs no building permit. Bigger sheds need a building permit, and need planning approval only if they exceed the R-Codes outbuilding limits.
Sources
- Outbuildings fact sheet — Government of Western Australia ↗
- Residential Design Codes Volume 1 (R-Codes) — Government of Western Australia ↗
Related building rules
General guidance only — not professional planning advice. Local requirements in Perth can differ from the statewide summary and change over time; always confirm with City of Perth before starting work. Last reviewed: July 2026.
Talk to a town planner in Perth
This page covers the general rules. A qualified town planner can tell you what applies to your actual block — the zone, the overlays and the approval path — before you spend money on drawings.
- Qualified, practising town planners
- Advice on your property, not a generic rule
- No cost, no obligation