Working on a Class 2 Building in NSW: What You Need to Know

In New South Wales, any work on a Class 2 building – such as apartment buildings or multi-storey residential dwellings with two or more units – must comply with the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (DBP Act).

At Engage Construction, we’re fully registered to deliver compliant work on Class 2 buildings and can manage the entire process for you, from pre-construction planning to final declarations.

Pre-Construction Compliance Checklist for Class 2 Buildings

Before any building work can start on a Class 2 building in NSW, there are strict compliance steps that must be completed under the Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020 (DBP Act). These steps ensure that all work is properly designed, declared, and approved before construction begins.

Here’s what must happen before any physical work starts on site:

1. Engage Registered Practitioners

• You must appoint:

  • Registered Design Practitioners to prepare regulated designs (e.g. structural, waterproofing, fire safety)

  • A Registered Building Practitioner (like Engage Construction) to carry out the building work

These practitioners must be registered under the DBP Act through NSW Fair Trading.

2. Prepare and Declare All Regulated Designs

• Each regulated element (e.g. structure, façade, fire systems) must have a design prepared and signed off by a Registered Design Practitioner.

• Each designer must complete a Design Compliance Declaration, confirming that their design complies with the Building Code of Australia (BCA) and all relevant standards.

3. Lodge Designs on the NSW Planning Portal

• All declared designs and declarations must be uploaded to the NSW Planning Portal before construction can start.

• These lodgements become part of the permanent project record and are reviewed by NSW Fair Trading.

4. Builder Reviews and Declares Compliance

• The Registered Building Practitioner (Engage Construction) must:

  • Review all lodged designs

  • Submit a Building Compliance Declaration on the Planning Portal

  • Confirm that we will build strictly in accordance with the declared designs

5. Certifier and Approvals (if applicable)

• If an Occupation Certificate (OC) will be needed, you may also need to:

  • Appoint a Registered Certifier

  • Obtain a Construction Certificate (CC) or Complying Development Certificate (CDC)

  • Provide all documentation for pre-commencement approval

Only After All of the Above Are Completed:

• Design declarations are submitted

• Building declaration is lodged

• All designs are on the NSW Planning Portal

• (If required) Approvals and certificates are issued by your certifier

Then and only then can physical building works legally begin.

Why This Process Exists

These steps were introduced to:

• Prevent poor-quality construction

• Improve safety and accountability

• Ensure projects are legally compliant from day one

At Engage Construction, we manage this entire process for you – coordinating designers, declarations, and lodgements to keep your project compliant and on track.