Construction hours
Council restrictions on building work hours
A development consent or complying development certificate will include a specific condition which specifies that the demolition, building and construction works can only be carried out during specified hours and days of the week.
Hours vary depending on the type of work
The specific permitted working hours however vary slightly, depending on the type of approval and determining authority. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the specific conditions of approval to identify the specific permitted working hours for any development.
The following limitations generally apply:
Development consent issued by Council
| Days of the week | Permitted working hours | Additional matters |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday (inclusive), with no work permitted on Sundays or public holidays | 7.00am to 5.00pm |
|
Complying Development Certificate
| Days of the week | Permitted working hours | Additional matters |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday (inclusive), with no work permitted on Sundays or public holidays |
|
|
Note: The above information is general in nature and Council should be contacted to obtain site specific information.
Penalties for non-compliance
If a builder, developer or owner-builder fails to comply with their conditions of consent or a complying development certificate and carries out work outside of the permitted hours, Council's regulatory officers may issue a penalty notice (on-the-spot fine) ranging from $1500 to $6,000 depending on the type of development.
Limited work outside standard hours
In exceptional circumstances, an application may be made to Council's Manager Health, Building & Regulatory Services to carry out specified limited work outside of the hours specified in a development consent. If you make a Request to carry out building work outside standard hours PDF, 175.42 KB you must include specific information and details of the exceptional circumstances and be made at least 10 days in advance of the proposed date.
Certain work may also be carried out outside of the standard permitted hours, if approval has been granted by the NSW Police, Roads and Maritime Services or other Authority e.g. to transport of oversized vehicles or equipment to a construction site.
Restrictions don't apply to exempt development
The conditions and restriction on working hours do not apply to minor building, renovation and maintenance work which is classed as exempt development and does not require an approval from Council. However, certain restrictions still apply to the use of power tools and other equipment under the Noise Control Regulations. Further information can be found under the Domestic Noise section on our Noise Pollution page.
More information
Further information may be obtained from Council's Customer Service Centre or by telephoning Council's Health, Building & Regulatory Services on 1300 722 542.