General information only, not advice. Confirm with your council or a QBCC-licensed or qualified professional before you act.

Deck approval in Queensland: when you need it

What can change the answer

  • Roofed, or >1 m above natural ground → not accepted work.
  • Fall of 1 m or more → balustrade ≥1 m (865 mm on stairs) and no 125 mm sphere passing through.
  • Fall >4 m → no climbable elements between 150 and 760 mm.

Start the free screener

Councils

General information only, not advice. ClearDA kits and the screener give general information drawn from official sources. They are not legal, planning, building, engineering or financial advice, and they are not a council's or building certifier's decision. Rules change, and council requirements, planning scheme overlays (such as flood, bushfire or heritage overlays) and site conditions vary from property to property. Each kit shows the date its sources were last checked, and doesn't cover changes after that date. Before you act, always confirm with your local council, a building certifier or another QBCC-licensed or suitably qualified professional, and use a licensed tradesperson where the law requires one.