No DA needed. Commercial CDC in 5–20 days.
"Our lease started and council told us a DA would take 4–6 months. We were paying rent with no approval to fit out. No1 confirmed our fit-out qualified for a CDC. We had approval in 12 business days and opened on schedule."
A Commercial Complying Development Certificate (CDC) allows eligible commercial works to be approved by a private certifier without a council Development Application. Under the NSW Housing Code and State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), many fit-outs, change-of-use works, and light industrial projects qualify for the CDC pathway.
- No council DA required — dramatically faster approvals
- Covers office fit-outs, retail, light industrial, and more
- BCA and NCC compliance confirmed before works begin
- Lodged via NSW Planning Portal for full transparency
Commercial CDC.
From lodgement to approval.
Commercial CDCs typically issued within 5–20 business days of receiving a complete documentation package.
Day 0
Free Feasibility Check
We assess whether your commercial project qualifies for the CDC pathway and advise on the most efficient approval route.
Days 1–5
Documentation Preparation
Your architect/designer prepares the development application package — plans, specifications, BASIX (if required), and engineer reports.
Days 3–8
Assessment & Lodgement
No1 reviews all documents for BCA and NCC compliance and lodges the CDC application on the NSW Planning Portal.
Days 5–20
CDC Issued
Once all documentation is confirmed compliant, your CDC is issued — legally authorising construction or fit-out to commence.
Have a question about the process? Call us - we're happy to walk you through it.
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Select your project type
See the exact documents needed. No guesswork, no endless lists.
Architectural Drawings
Fitout or new building plans per relevant SEPP
BCA Compliance Report
From a BCA consultant - often required for commercial
Access Report
AS 1428 compliance for public buildings
Fire Engineering
For buildings with specific fire risk profiles
Missing something? Don't worry — we can help source it.
Start your applicationWhere We Provide This Service
No.1 Building Services provides fast, unrestricted certification across the following regions. Explore our interactive coverage map.
Commercial CDC FAQs
Some commercial fit-outs, refurbishments, change-of-use works, warehouse modifications and limited commercial works may qualify if they meet the applicable planning, zoning and CDC requirements.
A CDC is assessed against fixed complying development standards and may be issued by a registered certifier or council. A DA is assessed by council under the standard planning pathway.
You need the required approval before starting fit-out works. This may be CDC, DA/CC, or another approval pathway depending on the scope.
Sometimes. A change of use may qualify for CDC if the new use is permitted and the proposal meets all relevant CDC, NCC and fire-safety requirements.
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Unrestricted certifiers
Your project is reviewed directly by NSW-accredited certifiers - no middlemen.