What is a site plan? What council expects to see on one

A site plan is a scaled, top-down drawing of a property. It shows the lot boundaries with their lengths, everything already built on the lot, and the structure you want to build, usually in red, with its size and its distance to each boundary written on.

To check a particular 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.

What has to be on a site plan?

• Lot boundaries with lengths, plus the lot and plan number
• Existing buildings: the house, sheds, driveways, pools
• The proposed structure, dimensioned, with setbacks to each boundary
• North arrow, scale (1:100 to 1:500 is typical) and street name
• Site coverage: how much of the lot is built on, before and after
• A title block with the owner, address, date and drawing number

Why does council care about the site plan?

The assessing officer or private certifier uses this one sheet to check your boundary setbacks, your site coverage, and whether the build clashes with an easement or a service. A complete, clear sheet lets them get on with the assessment. A sheet with a missing distance or no scale usually brings a request for information, and everything stops while you fix it.

Who can draw a site plan?

Usually anyone. In most councils there is no rule that a site plan has to come from a draftsperson. It has to be accurate and follow the conventions above, and if your council or certifier asks for something specific, that request wins.

What only your address can answer

The list above is the same everywhere. What the numbers on it have to be depends on the block: where its boundaries run, any easement across it, the overlays your council has mapped over it, and the setbacks and site cover the rules set for a lot of its size and zone.

RapidSiteplan reads your own 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.

The post on getting your house plans from council covers the records council keeps.

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

What is a site plan? A site plan, which some people call a plot plan, is a scaled bird’s-eye drawing of a property. It shows the lot boundaries, the existing buildings, and the proposed structure with its measurements and its distances to each boundary. Victoria’s building regulations call it an allotment plan.

Do I need a site plan for a patio or shed? Almost always. Building applications and private certification across Australia ask for a site plan showing where the structure sits on the lot and how far it is from the boundaries. Even where a small structure can go ahead without building approval, the site plan is your record that it meets the siting rules.

Can I draw my own site plan? Usually, yes. Councils and certifiers generally accept a clearly drawn, to-scale site plan whoever drew it. What matters is that the boundaries, dimensions, setbacks and labels are correct and easy to read.

General information only, not building or legal advice, requirements vary by council and change over time; always confirm with your council or certifier.