Rules · 6 of 7
The timeline.
12–18 months is the honest planning horizon for a Brisbane 2-lot subdivision from "let's do it" to title registration. Clean code-assessable projects finish closer to 9–12. Impact-assessable or overlay-affected projects routinely take 24+.
A realistic month-by-month
| Month | Stage |
|---|---|
| 0–1 | Engage planner and surveyor. Boundary survey, desktop assessment, configuration confirmed. |
| 1–2 | (Optional) Pre-lodgement meeting with BCC. Specialist reports commissioned if overlays apply. |
| 2–3 | DA package drafted, peer-reviewed, lodged. |
| 3–6 | Council assessment (code-assessable). Typically one information request — clock stops 4–8 weeks while you respond. |
| 6 | Decision Notice issued. 20-business-day appeal window. |
| 6–8 | Civil engineer drafts Operational Works package. OW lodged. |
| 8–9 | OW approval issued (20 business days from a complete lodgement). |
| 9–13 | Civil construction. Driveway, services, stormwater, retaining. Inspections at each stage. |
| 13–14 | Surveyor pegs new boundaries, drafts plan of subdivision. As-constructed plans delivered. |
| 14–15 | Plan sealing lodged. BCC and Urban Utilities sign-offs. Pay infrastructure charges. |
| 15–16 | Council seals plan (20 business days). Surveyor lodges with Titles QLD. |
| 16 | New title registered. |
What pushes it out
- Impact-assessable adds the 15-business-day public notification period and a longer Council decision window — typically pushes total to 18–24 months.
- Information requests with substantial new reports or redesigns can add 2–4 months each. Two IRs on a complex impact application can land you at 24+.
- Civil construction delays — contractor availability, wet weather, supply lead times. Brisbane civil contractors run busy queues.
- Plan sealing chase-ups — outstanding conditions, an Urban Utilities certificate held up, a final inspection failure. Plan on 8 weeks for plan sealing, not 4.
What can speed it up
- A well-prepared DA package with all overlay reports included up front — reduces or eliminates IRs.
- RiskSMART eligibility for code-assessable applications — fast-tracked Council assessment for fully compliant proposals.
- Booking the civil contractor before the OW approval lands, so construction starts within days.
- A surveyor who runs plan sealing in-house and handles the BCC chase-ups directly.
What this page doesn't tell you
Every project varies. A clean code-assessable side-by-side on a flat block in an unencumbered LDR suburb is a 10-month job. A battle-axe on a flood overlay near a character precinct with a tricky neighbour can be a 30-month project. The 12–18 month range describes the typical middle, not your specific block.
Sources
- Brisbane City Council. Development assessment process.
- Brisbane City Council. Operational works application.
- Brisbane City Council. Plan sealing requests.