Pergola permits

What counts as a pergola?

For permit purposes, a pergola is an open frame of posts and beams with no roof covering. It may have open rafters or battens for climbing plants, but rain falls through it. That is what separates it from a verandah or patio.

When a pergola can be exempt

In Victoria, Schedule 3 of the Building Regulations 2018 exempts an open pergola within limits on height and floor area, and only if it sits no further forward than set distances from the front of the house. Outside those limits, it needs a building permit like any other structure. See permits in Victoria.

In Queensland, only small, low class 10 structures are accepted building work that doesn't need approval. A larger pergola, or one in a cyclone area, generally needs building approval. Your certifier confirms where your design sits. See approvals in Queensland.

Exempt or not, the pergola still has to be safely built and meet the siting rules.

Adding a roof changes things

This is the most common surprise. The moment you add a waterproof covering, such as Colorbond, polycarbonate, glass, a retractable canopy or opening louvres, the structure is generally treated as a verandah or patio cover, and it needs a permit whatever its size. Our pergola vs verandah guide explains why.

If you're planning to add a roof in a year or two, it is worth designing and permitting the structure as a roofed one from the start. It avoids a second round of approvals and makes sure the posts, footings and engineering are right for the roof.

Problems we see most often

In front of the house. Pergolas over a front porch or entry can fall outside the exemption because of how far forward they sit.

Louvre roofs. Opening louvre systems are popular, and they are generally treated as a roof, so the structure needs a permit.

Attached to the house. Fixing a pergola to the house affects the structure and the drainage, and adding a roof later turns it into a verandah.

Heritage areas. In a heritage or character overlay, even an open pergola visible from the street can need planning approval.

Before you buy a pergola

• Decide now whether it will ever have a roof. If there is any chance of a roof later, plan and permit for it now.
• Check the exemption limits. Compare the height, area and position against the official limits for your state, or run the free check.
• Measure to the fences. Even an exempt pergola has to meet the siting rules.
• Ask about the footings. Posts and footings sized for an open pergola may not be enough for a roof later.
• Check overlays. Heritage and character overlays can apply even to open structures at the front of a house.

What to send us

The plans or quote, photos of where the pergola will go, the site address and any engineering from your supplier, especially if you are adding a roof.

Already built without a permit?

It happens more often than people think, usually because the installer or the owner assumed a pergola didn't need one. It is worth sorting out, because unapproved work can cause problems when you sell, insure or extend. The options depend on your state and the structure. Read building without a permit for the usual paths, or call us to talk it through.

How we help

Run the free check on your address to see whether your pergola is likely to be exempt. If it needs a permit, or you're adding a roof, we prepare the site plan, use your supplier's engineering and lodge the application with a licensed building surveyor or certifier. You pay only when your permit is ready to issue.