Does My Project Qualify for VicSmart?

VicSmart is a streamlined planning permit assessment pathway in Victoria for straightforward, low-impact proposals. It has a 10-business-day statutory decision timeframe and set application requirements — you submit exactly what the scheme lists for your project class. Not every project qualifies; use the free checker above to see if yours likely does.

VicSmart covers prescribed classes including: small lot dwellings, extensions/alterations, domestic outbuildings, front fences, tree removal/lopping, two-lot subdivisions, business signs, and car parking reductions. However, if your land is covered by a Heritage, Flood, Bushfire, Significant Landscape, or Environmental overlay, VicSmart usually does not apply.

Councils have 10 business days to decide a VicSmart application (vs 60 days for a standard permit). Because the application requirements are set in the scheme, there is usually no Request for Further Information — provided your application is complete.

Usually not — VicSmart applications have prescribed information requirements, and a full town planning report may not be needed. However, a clean, scheme-accurate application is still essential. If your project does not qualify for VicSmart, a town planning report is the key document for a standard application.