How much does a building permit cost in Victoria?
What a building permit for a pool or spa costs in Victoria in 2026–27: three councils’ published fees as building surveyor for the plan check, inspection stages and certificate of final inspection, read at each council on 20 October 2026, plus the fee-unit lodgement, levy and report-and-consent charges (barrier siting, flood, easement) from the Building Regulations 2018, worked on a $65,000 pool, before registration and compliance fees.
A building permit for a $65,000 pool in Victoria costs $773.20–$1,625.30 with the council as building surveyor, on three councils’ 2026–27 schedules. That is the surveyor’s fee of $690–$1,400, a $142.10 lodgement fee where charged and the $83.20 state levy. Report-and-consent fees of $244.70–$474.10 apply only on some sites.
The short answer
- $773.20–$1,625.30 for a permit on a $65,000 in-ground pool at three Victorian councils acting as building surveyor, 2026–27 schedules read 20 October 2026.
- The surveyor’s fee is the big line and it is not set by the State: $1,400 at Knox, $1,150 at Wangaratta and $690 at Glenelg for an in-ground pool. Private surveyors quote their own.
- The lodgement fee is 8.23 fee units, $142.10 at $17.27 a fee unit in 2026–27 (Building Regulations 2018 reg 45), charged whoever the surveyor is.
- The levy is 0.128% of the cost of works over $10,000: $83.20 on a $65,000 pool.
- Some sites add report-and-consent fees, capped in fee units: $474.10 for a siting variation, $338.70 for flood-prone land, $244.70 for a stormwater discharge report.
| Who issues the permit | Surveyor’s permit fee | Lodgement fee | Building permit levy | Permit cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox City Council as surveyor, in-ground pool | $1,400.00 | $142.10 | $83.20 | $1,625.30 | Above-ground pool $975.00. In-ground spas share the $1,400 line. Including GST; non-statutory fees may be varied up to 20% |
| Rural City of Wangaratta as surveyor, in-ground pool | $1,150.00 | $142.10 | $83.20 | $1,375.30 | Above-ground pool $811.90. Including GST; above-ground fee includes 2 inspections |
| Glenelg Shire Council as surveyor, in-ground pool | $690.00 | Not listed for its own permits | $83.20 | $773.20 | Above-ground pool $540.00. GST treatment not stated for pool fees; a $477 lodgement deposit comes off the total |
| Private building surveyor | Quoted; no published schedule | $142.10 (8.23 fee units, reg 45) | $83.20 | Their fee + $225.30 | The lodgement fee and levy are the same whichever surveyor you use |
| Only if the site needs it: report and consent | — | — | — | +$244.70 to $474.10 each | Fee-unit caps: 14.17 to 27.45 fee units at $17.27 |
How much does a building permit cost in Victoria for a pool?
A Victorian building permit has three cost lines, and only one of them is large. The building surveyor’s fee covers assessing the plans, the mandatory inspections and the certificate of final inspection, and it is not set by the State. Councils that act as surveyor publish theirs. In 2026–27 an in-ground pool costs $1,400 at Knox, $1,150 at Wangaratta and $690 at Glenelg in the south-west. That is a 2-fold spread for the same permit under the same regulations.
The other two lines are statutory. The lodgement fee for the permit documents is 8.23 fee units under reg 45 of the Building Regulations 2018, $142.13 at the 2026–27 fee unit of $17.27, which all three councils print as $142.10. Knox lists it among its residential permit fees and Wangaratta charges it on all building applications. Glenelg lists it only for private surveyors’ lodgements. The building permit levy is the cost of works × 0.00128 over $10,000, which is $83.20 on a $65,000 pool. Its workings are on the Victorian building permit levy.
The Victorian permit sum: surveyor’s fee + $142.10 lodgement + 0.128% levy. On a $65,000 pool that is $773.20 at Glenelg, $1,375.30 at Wangaratta and $1,625.30 at Knox. The surveyor’s fee is the only line worth shopping around.
The fee-unit charges some pool permits add
Some sites need a report and consent from the council before the surveyor can issue the permit, and each one is a separate fee. The Building Regulations 2018 cap them in fee units, so the cap rises every 1 July with the fee unit. The Department of Treasury and Finance sets the 2026–27 value at $17.27, up from $16.81. We read version 031 of the regulations, in force from 1 September 2026, and the three councils’ schedules print the same figures:
| Fee | Building Regulations 2018 | Fee units | Cap at $17.27 (2026–27) | Printed by councils |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodgement of permit documents with council | reg 45(1) | 8.23 | $142.13 | $142.10 |
| Report and consent: siting variation (Part 5), e.g. a barrier fence over 2 m near a boundary | reg 36(2A) | 27.45 | $474.06 | $474.10 |
| Report and consent: flood-prone land, designated land, septic, over a public facility (Part 10, regs 132, 134) | reg 36(2) | 19.61 | $338.66 | $338.70 |
| Report and consent: protection of the public (hoarding), reg 116(4) | reg 36(3) | 19.9 | $343.67 | $343.70 |
| Council report on the legal point of stormwater discharge, reg 133(2) | reg 36(4) | 14.17 | $244.72 | $244.70 |
| Property information request, reg 51 | reg 52 | 3.19 | $55.09 | $55.10 |
For a pool, the common triggers are a barrier fence that breaks a fence siting rule in Part 5, for example one over 2 metres high on or near a side boundary; land liable to flooding; and pool works that include a stormwater drainage system, where the council must report the legal point of discharge. Building over an easement needs the consent of the authority that owns the easement, and Knox prices that consent at $385. The quotable version: each report and consent a Victorian pool permit needs adds $244.70 to $474.10 in 2026–27, set in fee units, not by the council.
Council or private building surveyor: what changes the price
You can appoint the council’s municipal building surveyor or a private building surveyor. The levy and the $142.10 lodgement fee are the same either way. Only the surveyor’s own fee differs, and private surveyors do not publish schedules, so the council figures above are the only published prices to test a quote against. One council caveat: Knox says its non-statutory fees may be varied by up to 20%. Above-ground pools cost less to permit at all three councils: $975 at Knox, $811.90 at Wangaratta (above-ground pools and spas, two inspections included) and $540 at Glenelg.
What the surveyor does for that fee, and when they inspect, is set out in what a building surveyor does on a pool build and the Victorian pool inspection stages. When a permit is needed at all, and what the application must include, is on pool building permits in Victoria.
What comes after the building permit
The permit is not the last fee. Once the certificate of final inspection issues, the pool must be registered with the council: $37.10 plus $23.80 to lodge the barrier certificate, $60.90 in all, with a $449 lodgement if the barrier fails. Those fees, and the four-yearly barrier inspection, are on pool permit and registration fees by state and what a pool inspection costs in Victoria; this page does not repeat them.
The permit, levy and registration together are a small share of the build: on a $65,000 pool, $834.10 to $1,686.20 with the $60.90 registration. What an inground pool costs in Victoria sets that against the price bands, deposit cap and Home Warranty rules. Ask each pool quote whether the surveyor’s fee, lodgement fee and levy are included and who the surveyor is, then compare free pool quotes on the same inclusions. Builders are listed for Knox, Wangaratta, Melbourne and Geelong.
Common questions
How much does a building permit cost in Victoria for a pool?
What is the lodgement fee for a building permit in Victoria?
How much is a fee unit in Victoria in 2026–27?
Do private building surveyors cost less than council?
What is report and consent and does my pool need it?
Sources
- Victorian Building Regulations 2018, version 031 (in force 1 September 2026), authorised Word copy: regs 36, 45, 52
- Victorian Legislation, Building Regulations 2018 version history (031 in force), read 20 October 2026
- Department of Treasury and Finance Victoria, indexation of fees and penalties: fee unit $17.27 for 2026–27
- Knox City Council, building fees 2026–27: in-ground pool $1,400, lodgement $142.10, report and consent
- Rural City of Wangaratta, 2026/27 schedule of fees and charges, building: new in-ground pool $1,150
- Glenelg Shire Council, building fees 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027: in-ground pool or spa $690
- Warrnambool City Council, building fees from 1 July 2026: fee units printed beside each statutory fee
General information only, current at 2026-10-20. Pool rules differ by state and by council, and penalty amounts are updated regularly. Confirm your own obligations with your council or a registered inspector before acting.
Thinking about a pool?
Compare quotes from builders who work in your postcode. One form, no obligation.
Get my quotes