Granny Flat Check
Victoria · small second dwellings

The granny flat rules, in short

Up to 60 m², no planning permit in most cases, building permit always.

What you can build

  • Up to 60 m², on the same lot as an existing house.
  • Its own kitchen, bathroom and toilet.
  • No mains gas. Induction and a heat pump do the job.
  • No extra car space. Rent it to anyone.
  • Can’t be subdivided or sold on its own.

When you’ll still need a permit

  • Building permit: always, plus an occupancy permit before move-in.
  • Planning permit: if an overlay applies (heritage, flood, bushfire, vegetation and others).
  • Lots under 300 m²: fast-track VicSmart permit.
  • Garden area (General and Neighbourhood Residential Zones): keep 25% for 400–500 m² lots, 30% for 500–650 m², 35% above.

What it costs

Turnkey 60 m² two-bedroom in Melbourne: about $190k–$255k incl. GST. Kits start near $68k, but the slab, trades and fit-out are extra.

Quotes usually blow out on the site, not the building: reactive clay, long sewer runs, tight access, a separate meter. Get these priced up front.

How our check works

We take the lot boundary from Vicmap, keep 2 m off streets and 1 m off fences, stay out of easements and keep your chosen gap from the house. Then we find the biggest flat that fits behind it.

Your house outline is an estimate until you line it up with the photo.

Questions

Do I need a planning permit?

Usually not, if it’s 60 m² or less, there’s an existing house and no overlay applies. You always need a building permit.

Can I rent it out?

Yes, to anyone. Normal rental minimum standards apply, including smoke alarms.

Can it have gas?

Not on the no-permit pathway.

Can I sell it separately?

No. It stays part of the main property.

How accurate is the check?

Lot, zone, overlays and easements come straight from the Victorian Government’s land data. Setbacks are simplified. Treat it as a first look, not approval.

Does it work outside Victoria?

Not yet.

Check your block

Free, about ten seconds.

Start the check