Office Fitout Permits and Approvals in Melbourne: Your Complete Compliance Checklist

If you are wondering whether your office fitout requires a permit, in nearly all cases the answer is yes.

If you reside in Melbourne, office refurbishment, warehouse conversions and commercial office fitouts require a Building Permit. This is because each project needs to be built in compliance with the Australian Building Code, Australian Standards and other relevant regulations.

The Impact of Building Permits on Your Fitout

To ensure your office fitout is compliant, you will need to make the following changes:

• In regard to fire services such as smoke detectors, EWIS speakers and sprinklers, these must be relocated, or you might to increase the number of them.
• Relocation and addition of Mechanical HVAC to supply fresh air to each space.
• Lighting sources increased or relocated.
• Use of only registered and licensed practitioners in Electrical, Plumbing, Fire Services and Mechanical during the fitout. They must be able to provide a certificate for their completed works.
• If the headcount at your business has increased, additional toilets may be required.

Who Applies for the Building Permit?

Depending on what you prefer, the business owner can apply for a Building Permit, or the fitout company can apply on your behalf. To do this, all the necessary information must be gathered and submitted to a surveyor for approval.

To submit an application for a Building Permit, you will need a letter of consent from the landlord or building owner to confirm that the fitout works are approved. You will also need a detailed set of construction plans marked and stamped with the registered builders’ license number.

Once they have received the application, the building surveyor will review it and either grant a permit, ask for more information or ask for changes to the plan. Once they are happy, the permit will be granted.

Finally, at the end of the project, the surveyor will carry out an onsite inspection to certify that construction was undertaken in accordance with the permit.

Once this has been done, all of the necessary certificates from each trade must be compiled to submit with the final inspection to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy.

What is the Cost of a Building Permit?

Depending on the size of the project, a Building Permit can cost between $3000 and $8000 in Melbourne as of late 2025. This cost is likely insignificant in relation to the overall project value.

You may also need additional services such as an Access Consultant, Services Engineer or Town Planner. If you use a fitout professional, they will guide you through the process.

How Long Does a Building Permit Take?

In Melbourne, you can expect a standard Building Permit to arrive within 2-3 weeks.

What Happens if I Don’t Obtain a Building Permit?

Failure to obtain a permit before undertaking an office fitout means you are violating the National Construction Code 2022. You may incur fines of more than $75,000 depending on the size of the structure. You may also face legal consequences or even be ordered to remove, demolish or rectify the works that you have undertaken at your own expense.

Do I Need a Building Permit for a Newly Built Property?

Yes, even if the building is brand new and has not been previously occupied. This is because the building will be built to a set occupancy headcount, and this will be altered when you undertake your fitout.

Your office fitout can only be certified when the building has a Certificate of Occupancy from when it was built. You can only occupy the building with a valid Certificate of Occupancy.

Looking for a Professional Fitout Company?

Ultimate Fitouts can help you at every stage of your fitout, from planning and applying for permits to executing the construction work.

Get in touch by filling in the form on our Contact Us page, calling 03 9504 4036 or emailing info@ultimatefitouts.com.au.