Building or renovating without the right approvals can cost you far more than it saves.

It can be tempting to skip approvals to save time or money — but unapproved work can create serious legal, financial and safety problems that far outweigh any upfront saving. This page explains what counts as unapproved work, what Council can do about it, and the penalties that apply.

It applies to all building, demolition and plumbing work in the Huon Valley — including coastal protection works, sheds and outbuildings, extensions, garage conversions, and decks.

What are unapproved works?

Unapproved works are any building, demolition, plumbing or development activities carried out without the planning and/or building approvals required under Tasmanian law. Some minor projects are exempt, but many common improvements are not — for example, converting a garage or storage area into a habitable room requires approval.

If you’re not sure whether your project needs approval, check before you start. Council’s planning and building teams can help, and the AI Planning Assistant can give you an initial steer.

What Council can do

Under the Building Act 2016, Huon Valley Council is the Permit Authority and has a statutory obligation to act where building work has been carried out without the required approvals.

Council can:

  • Issue a Building Notice requiring the owner to show cause why a Building Order should not be made
  • Issue a Building Order requiring works to be altered, demolished, or otherwise brought into compliance
  • Pursue penalty proceedings through the Magistrates Court
  • Issue on-the-spot fines

Both property owners and builders or contractors can be issued with notices for unauthorised work — responsibility is not limited to the owner.

Penalties

Penalties under the Building Act 2016 are significant:

  • Up to 100 penalty units for individuals
  • Up to 500 penalty units for body corporates

(Penalty unit values are set by the State Government and change periodically. Check the current value at [legislation.tas.gov.au] before relying on a dollar figure.)

The wider risks

Beyond enforcement, unapproved work creates problems that often surface at the worst possible time — usually when you try to sell or make an insurance claim:

  • More complex and costly approval processes later, to bring work into compliance retrospectively
  • Rectification or demolition orders, in some cases
  • Insurance claims may be refused
  • Property sales may be delayed or terminated when issues are uncovered during due diligence
  • Work that appears to add value — such as an extra “bedroom” — may not be legally recognised as habitable space, so it adds no recognised value at all

The bottom line: work done without proper approvals today can become a costly problem tomorrow.

Protect yourself

  • Check whether your work needs planning approval, building or plumbing approval, or both — before you start
  • Engage licensed tradespeople where required
  • Keep your approval documentation; you’ll need it if you sell
  • Seek advice from Council, a building surveyor, or another licensed professional if you’re unsure
Need help?

Council’s planning and building teams can help you understand what approvals your project needs.

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