How close to the boundary you can build a house depends on which boundary it is, how high the wall is and the rules of your state and zone, so there is no single national distance. Side and rear setbacks usually grow with the height of the wall, the front setback usually follows the street, and a wall can stand on the boundary itself only where the rules for the lot allow a boundary wall.
What is a setback? It is that distance, the setback, measured square-on from the boundary to the outermost part of the building, and it is one of the most checked numbers on a residential application.
To check one block, type its address into RapidSiteplan: it reads the lot and the rules that apply there and checks the structure you place against them, in minutes.
How close to the boundary can I build in each state?
The shape of the rule is the same everywhere, a distance for each boundary that grows with the height of the wall, but each state names it and sets it in its own place, and each has its own way of deciding a building that comes closer.
| State | What the rule is called, and where it is set | Building closer |
|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Boundary clearance, set by the state’s siting rules unless the council’s planning scheme sets its own | A siting variation the council decides before the certifier gives the building approval |
| New South Wales | Setbacks, set by the state’s codes for exempt and complying development, or by the council’s own plan for a development application | A development application to the council, because the codes are pass or fail |
| Victoria | Siting rules in the state’s building regulations, with the planning scheme adding its own where a planning permit is needed | The council’s report and consent, which the building surveyor asks for before issuing the permit |
| South Australia | Setbacks in the state’s planning code | Assessed on its merits as part of the development application |
| Western Australia | Lot boundary setbacks in the state’s residential design codes | Assessed by the council against the codes’ design principles |
| Tasmania | A building envelope in the planning scheme | A discretionary planning application to the council |
| ACT | Setbacks in the territory plan | A development application, or an exemption declaration for a small departure |
| Northern Territory | Setbacks in the territory’s planning scheme | An application for a development permit |
The council pages for every state show which rules we hold for each council.
How close can you build to a boundary?
Each boundary gets its own distance. The front is often tied to the established building line of the street rather than a fixed figure, so what the neighbours did matters, and the post on carports in front of the house covers the street setback for a carport. Side boundaries are usually the tightest and often change with wall height, and the rear is usually the most generous, which is why backyard structures mostly live there. A shed or a patio is read against the same boundaries as the house, sometimes with distances of its own.
Setback meaning: what is a setback?
The distance from the structure to a property boundary, measured square-on to the boundary, not on the diagonal and not to the nearest fence post. Each boundary gets its own figure, and each figure has to appear on the site plan where the assessor can read it without working anything out.
What is the setback measured to?
For a roofed structure it is normally the outermost part: the roof edge or gutter line, not the post centre. A patio drawn to the post centre can meet the setback on paper and miss it on the ground, and that gap is what an assessor is looking for.
What is a zero lot boundary?
A wall built on or right beside a side boundary, often called a zero lot line, the way many townhouses and small lot homes are built. It is allowed only where the rules for the lot permit it, and the wall then has to meet the limits for a boundary wall on height, length and fire separation. The post on a neighbour building on the boundary covers the question from the other side of the fence.
Can you build closer than the setback?
Sometimes. Building closer than the rules allow is not automatically refused; it usually stops being a building-approval-only job and becomes a decision for council, which takes longer and costs more. Knowing that before the design settles is usually worth more than the extra space. Where the drawn boundary and the fence on the ground disagree, that is surveyor territory.
Why do setbacks get knocked back?
Three things, over and over: a missing dimension on one boundary, a figure measured to the wrong point, and a drawing that is not to scale so nothing can be checked. All three are cheap to fix before lodgement and expensive to fix after.
What only your address can answer
- the setbacks that apply to your lot, boundary by boundary
- whether the lot falls under small-lot or corner-lot rules
- where the neighbours' houses sit, if the street setback follows them
- whether the lot has a second street frontage
RapidSiteplan reads your block from its address: the boundaries, the buildings already on it, the rules that apply there and any overlay or easement, and checks what you plan to build against them on a scaled site plan.
Search your address to start. Site plans and assessments in minutes.
Sources: the siting rules a site plan is read against, by state, all read in September 2026: Queensland Housing Code (Qld); State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (NSW); Building Regulations 2018 (Vic); Planning and Design Code (SA); Residential Design Codes Volume 1 (WA); Tasmanian Planning Scheme, State Planning Provisions (Tas); Planning (Exempt Development) Regulation 2023 (ACT); NT Planning Scheme 2020 (NT).
Common questions
How close to the boundary can I build a house? It depends on your state, your zone, the boundary in question and the height of the wall, so there is no single national answer. The siting rules for your state and your planning scheme set the distance, and your certifier confirms which one applies to your lot.
How close can you build to a boundary? For a house, a shed or a patio the answer comes from the same rules: each boundary gets its own distance, measured square-on from the boundary to the outermost part of the structure. Some structures may stand on the boundary itself when the wall meets the height and fire conditions for a boundary wall.
What is a setback? The distance between your structure and the property boundary, measured square-on to that boundary. The siting rules set a minimum for each boundary, and your site plan has to show the distance you are relying on.
What is a zero lot boundary? A wall built on or right beside a side boundary, often called a zero lot line, as many townhouses and small lot homes are. It is allowed only where the rules for the lot permit it, and the wall then has to meet the height, length and fire separation limits for a boundary wall.
What is a setback measured to? Usually the outermost part of the structure, which for a roofed structure means the edge of the roof or gutter rather than the post centre. Measuring to the wrong point is one of the most common reasons a plan comes back.
Read next
What is site coverage?How site coverage is worked out, and what counts Do I need council approval for a shed?What decides whether a shed needs building approval What size deck needs council approval?Height, floor area and the boundary decide a deckGeneral information only, not building or legal advice, requirements vary by council and change over time; always confirm with your council or certifier.