Council Approvals for Tiny Homes & Granny Flats
Council approval is the first thing almost everyone asks us about, and it's where most websites make it sound harder than it is. Here's the honest version: a tiny home on wheels is a registrable caravan, and in New South Wales, that means you can usually put one in the backyard of a home you already own without prior council building approval. No DA, no CDC, no months of waiting. That's the single biggest reason people choose one of our tiny homes over building a traditional granny flat.
After more than ten years and 130-plus homes delivered across NSW, we've been through this more times than we can count. Tell us your address and how you want to use the home, and we'll tell you exactly where your block stands before you commit to anything.
Here's how it works.
After more than ten years and 130-plus homes delivered across NSW, we've been through this more times than we can count. Tell us your address and how you want to use the home, and we'll tell you exactly where your block stands before you commit to anything.
Here's how it works.
Our tiny homes are council-friendly
Our homes are built on a towable chassis and are registrable as a caravan. In planning terms, that makes them a moveable dwelling (not a building), so they sidestep the approval process a fixed structure has to go through.
In NSW, the relevant rule is clause 77 of the Moveable Dwellings Regulation 2021. In plain terms, one caravan can be installed and lived in permanently on a property that already has a home — no council building approval required — as long as the person living in it is a member of the owner's household and it's kept in safe, healthy condition.
It works the same way right across our range, whether you're looking at a portable granny flat, a container home, or a fold-out home.
In NSW, the relevant rule is clause 77 of the Moveable Dwellings Regulation 2021. In plain terms, one caravan can be installed and lived in permanently on a property that already has a home — no council building approval required — as long as the person living in it is a member of the owner's household and it's kept in safe, healthy condition.
It works the same way right across our range, whether you're looking at a portable granny flat, a container home, or a fold-out home.
Wheels vs fixed — and why it changes everything
Almost every tiny home falls into one of two camps, and which one yours is decides how simple the path is:
- A tiny home on wheels — one that stays registrable and mobile — is treated as a caravan. In NSW, it can go in your backyard without council building approval, it can sit on flood- or bushfire-prone land that would complicate a fixed build, and if you ever move, it can come with you.
- A fixed tiny home — set on a slab and locked to the land — is treated as a building, which means it goes through the full council process (a DA or CDC). That's exactly the red tape the wheeled option is designed to avoid.
Most of our customers choose the wheeled option for precisely that reason; it's comfortable to live in year-round, and the path to getting it on site is the clearest there is. We'll help you weigh it up for your situation.
Because these rules are applied locally and are currently under review by the NSW Government, it's always worth a quick check before you commit — and that's something we'll happily do with you up front.
When you do still need approval
We'd always rather be straight with you than have a surprise turn up later. There are two common situations where the exemption doesn't apply:
Send us your address, and we'll tell you up front which of these you're in, so there are no surprises.
- Renting it out or running it as an Airbnb. If the person living in the home isn't a member of your household, you'll need to go through council. Happy to talk you through what that involves.
- A vacant block with no existing home. To put a dwelling on bare land, you'll need council approval — the backyard exemption relies on there already being a home on the property.
Send us your address, and we'll tell you up front which of these you're in, so there are no surprises.
Buying from outside NSW?
We deliver right across the country. NSW is currently the only state with a blanket caravan exemption, but the principle is the same everywhere — a fixed home is a building, a home on wheels is usually a caravan. Most councils outside NSW allow a caravan to be used for accommodation with a permit, and some have adopted the same exemption as NSW.
Wherever you are, your local council is the final word — and we're happy to point you to the right starting point. We deliver to Sydney, the Central Coast, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Wherever you are, your local council is the final word — and we're happy to point you to the right starting point. We deliver to Sydney, the Central Coast, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.
Here on the Central Coast
This is our backyard. Our showroom is in West Gosford and a big chunk of our work is right here on the Central Coast. Because our homes are registrable caravans, a lot of the usual hurdles simply fall away — including the flood and bushfire mapping that can make a fixed build complicated in parts of the Coast. We know the local quirks, we'll look at your address up front, and we'll tell you plainly which path you're on.
How we help
You don't have to work this out on your own. Send us your address and we'll tell you, free and with no obligation, exactly where your block stands, before you spend a cent. We'll look at your zoning and how you want to use the home, explain what applies, and point you to the right council contact if you need one.
If you need finance, we've got a team who can talk through your options — see our finance page.
The easiest next step is to come and see us: visit the showroom in West Gosford, call us on 02 7232 0245, or get in touch through the site, and we'll talk it through.
If you need finance, we've got a team who can talk through your options — see our finance page.
The easiest next step is to come and see us: visit the showroom in West Gosford, call us on 02 7232 0245, or get in touch through the site, and we'll talk it through.
This page is a general guide to help you get your bearings, not formal planning advice — rules change and every block is different. Always confirm the details for your property with your local council or a qualified certifier.
Frequently asked questions
For a tiny home on wheels in the backyard of a home you already own in NSW, generally no — it's a registrable caravan and exempt from council building approval, as long as a member of your household lives in it. A fixed granny flat is treated as a building and does need approval. Tell us your situation and we'll tell you which one applies to you.
Yes. NSW law allows a caravan to be used as a permanent home for a member of the owner's household — so it's a proper, self-contained place they can live in full-time, insulated, plumbed and comfortable year-round.
That changes things. If the person living in it isn't part of your household, the backyard exemption doesn't apply and you'll need council approval. It's still very doable — we're happy to walk you through what's involved.
Bare land with no existing home needs council approval to add a dwelling. If there's already a home on the property, the caravan exemption usually applies. We'll check your specific block for you.
We check that before we promise anything — access, slope, trees and side gates all get looked at up front, so there are no surprises on delivery day.
That depends on your circumstances, so it's worth a quick word with Centrelink or your accountant. We're happy to point you in the right direction, but we won't guess with your pension.