A custom shed in Tasmania has to satisfy two separate systems: building approval under the Building Act 2016 and planning approval under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme. The design decisions made before drawings are signed off determine which approval pathway the shed falls into and what additional requirements apply. This blog covers the design factors set out in the Director’s Determination, Categories of Building and Demolition Work. Related: Tasmania shed rules and approvals.
Purpose Determines the Building Class
Under the National Construction Code, the class of a building is determined by the purpose for which it is designed, constructed, or adapted to be used. Most domestic sheds, garages, and carports are Class 10a, defined as a non-habitable building. A farm shed has its own definition under the Director’s Determination: a single storey Class 7, 8 or 10 building on land primarily used for farming, occupied neither frequently nor for extended periods, accommodating no more than two persons at any time.
If the design moves toward habitable use, it no longer fits Class 10a and a different set of requirements applies under the National Construction Code. Related: barndominium Tasmania.
Design Decides the Approval Category
The Director’s Determination categorises building work as Low Risk Building Work (Category 1 or 2), Notifiable Building Work (Category 3), or Permit Building Work (Category 4). Whether a shed qualifies as Low Risk depends on whether it complies with the Standard Limitations and the specific limitations for that work type set out in Schedule 1.
If any Standard Limitation is exceeded, the work is no longer deemed Low Risk and is assessed against the next relevant category. The design therefore needs to be tested against those limitations from the start. Related: shed sizes.
Site Conditions Affect the Build Category
The Director’s Determination sets cut and fill limits as a Standard Limitation for Low Risk Work. For an owner or competent person, the maximum cut or fill within 1.5m of an allotment boundary is 500mm, and more than 1.5m from the boundary is 1.2m. For a licensed builder, the boundary limit is the same and the limit beyond 1.5m increases to 1.8m. Exceeding these limits removes the work from the Low Risk category.
The Determination also identifies hazardous areas: bushfire, landslip, coastal inundation, coastal erosion, and riverine inundation (flood-prone areas). Building work in these areas is categorised as Notifiable Work, provided it has not already been categorised as Permit Work.
Placement Affects the Classification
Schedule 1 of the Director’s Determination lists most outdoor Class 10 structures, including sheds, garages, and carports, with a limitation that they fall outside the listed work types if closer than 6 metres to a habitable building. The Standard Limitations also set separation distances for Class 10a buildings. If a new shed is closer than 1800mm to another habitable building on the same allotment, it must be more than 1800mm from the house. Where Class 10a buildings sit between two Class 1 buildings on the same allotment, separation is at least 1800mm if physically connected, or at least 900mm if not.
A Class 10a carport is subject to those separation distances unless an owner obtains a statement from a building surveyor confirming the work complies with the Fire Safety requirements for Open Carports in Part 3 of the National Construction Code. Where that statement is obtained, it is provided to council as part of a Form 80 notification after completion.
Related: shed height in Tasmania.
Easements, Drains, and Infrastructure
The Determination prohibits building work over an existing drain or within one metre horizontally from the edge of an existing drain unless the owner obtains written consent from the council general manager. Building work is also prohibited within a service easement without consent from the easement holder, over an on-site wastewater management system or its land application area, within 1m of an on-site gas service for a connection, or within a strategic gas pipeline easement.
For TasWater infrastructure, works must be outside TasWater easements as shown on title and not within 2m of TasWater infrastructure, except for services crossing perpendicular within plus or minus 15 degrees.
These constraints sit on the title, not on the design, so they need to be checked before the slab position is finalised.
Engineering and Documentation
For prefabricated framed and clad buildings, “engineer designed” under the Determination means the design has been performed by either a licensed Building Services Provider in Tasmania in the category of Engineer-Civil, or a Civil Engineer with the qualifications to be licensed as Engineer-Civil and holding professional indemnity insurance.
For a Class 10 structure or a 7b farm shed, a site plan may be prepared by a licensed engineer, builder, or any other competent person.
Plumbing and Electrical Sit Outside the Building Category
The Determination is explicit that plumbing work and electrical work are licensed occupations regardless of the building category. Any electrical work associated with a Low Risk shed must be undertaken by a licensed electrician, including electrical work associated with the erection of solar panels. Plumbing work, including stormwater disposal, falls under the Director’s Determination, Categories of Plumbing Work, and is performed by a licensed plumber. Some licensed builders are endorsed for limited roof plumbing on projects they are contracted to build, but that endorsement does not extend to stormwater disposal such as fitting downpipes and drainage.
These items need to be in the design brief because the responsible licensed practitioners do the work, not the shed builder by default.
Planning Approval Is a Separate System
The Director’s Determination states there is no connection between the requirement for planning approval and the category of building work. A requirement for planning approval does not place the work in a higher building category, and a planning permit may be required when a building permit is not, or vice versa.
Owners must ensure that proposed Low Risk Work either does not require Planning Approval, or that Planning Approval has been granted before work starts. Related: shed permits and shed building codes Tasmania.
Working Through a Custom Design
If you want help working through a custom shed design against the Tasmanian framework, fill out a shed enquiry form and we’ll get you matched with the right supplier for your property.
This blog summarises content from the Director’s Determination, Categories of Building and Demolition Work v1.4, the Building Act 2016, and the National Construction Code as at the date of publication. Specific limits and requirements may change. Always confirm current requirements with your council, building surveyor, or builder before finalising a design.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need approval for a custom shed in Tasmania?
Most shed work falls into one of four categories under the Director’s Determination: Low Risk (Category 1 or 2), Notifiable (Category 3), or Permit Work (Category 4). The category depends on the design, the site, and whether Standard Limitations are exceeded. Planning approval is assessed separately.
What is a Class 10a shed?
Under the National Construction Code, Class 10a is a non-habitable building such as a carport or garage. The class is determined by the purpose for which the building is designed, constructed, or adapted to be used.
Can a shed be designed for habitable use?
A shed can be designed for habitable use, but it will not be classified as Class 10a and different requirements apply under the National Construction Code.
How does location on the property affect a shed’s classification?
Schedule 1 sets a 6 metre limitation to a habitable building for many Class 10 structures. Standard Limitations also set minimum separation distances between Class 10a buildings and Class 1 buildings on the same allotment. Easements, drains, and infrastructure carry their own restrictions that must be satisfied before work starts.
Is planning approval the same as building approval?
No. The Director’s Determination states there is no connection between planning approval and the category of building work. A custom shed may need one, both, or neither depending on the design and the property.
