Western Australia · Planning guide
Height and setback rules in WA
Height, setbacks and open space for houses in WA come from the Residential Design Codes Volume 1. For lots coded R40 and below, Part B sets street setbacks and open space in Table B, lot boundary setbacks in Tables 2a and 2b, and building height in Table 3, where category B applies unless the scheme or a council instrument says otherwise. For medium density lots Part C uses Table C primary controls for site cover, height, street setbacks and lot boundary setbacks. Each is a deemed-to-comply provision, and councils can modify most of them through a local planning policy or local development plan.
Sources read on 9 September 2026. Provisions are quoted word for word from the instrument.
Which part of the R-Codes applies
The R-Codes Volume 1 has two sets of built form controls. Part B applies to single houses in areas coded R40 and below and to grouped and multiple dwellings coded R25 and below. Part C applies to single houses coded R50 and above, grouped dwellings coded R30 and above, and multiple dwellings coded R30 to R60. The density code on your lot comes from the local planning scheme map, so the first step is always to read that code.
Part B includes provisions applicable to single houses in areas coded R40 and below, grouped dwellings and multiple dwellings (including the dwelling component of mixed use development) in areas coded R25 and below. Part C includes provisions applicable to single houses in areas coded R50 and above, R100-SL and R-AC, grouped dwellings in areas coded R30 and above, R100-SL and R-AC; and multiple dwellings (including the dwelling component of mixed use development) in areas coded R30 to R60 inclusive.
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Building height under Part B
Part B clause 5.1.6 sets building height by reference to Table 3, which has three categories. Category B applies unless a scheme, local planning policy, structure plan or local development plan requires category A, which is generally single level, or category C, which is development on three levels, or sets an alternative standard.
Table 3 gives each category a maximum wall height and a maximum total building height, with the total split by roof form. For category B the maximum wall height is 7 metres, the maximum total height is 8 metres for a gable, skillion or concealed roof and 10 metres for a hipped or pitched roof. Category A is 3.5, 5 and 7 metres and category C is 9, 10 and 12 metres on the same columns.
Buildings which comply with Table 3 for category B area buildings, except where stated otherwise in the scheme, the relevant local planning policy, structure plan or local development plan (refer Figure Series 7).
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Category A 3.5 5 7 Category B 7 8 10 Category C 9 10 12 i. Category B will apply unless a scheme, the relevant local planning policy, structure plan or local development plan requires the application of category A (generally single level development) or category C (development on three levels) or an alternative standard.
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Street and lot boundary setbacks under Part B
The primary street setback is set in Table B for each code, with alternatives. The building can instead match the average setback of the existing dwellings on each adjacent property fronting the same street, or the setback can be reduced by up to 50 per cent if an equal area of open space is provided within twice the setback distance.
Table B for single houses reads, for example, R30 and R35 as 45 per cent minimum open space, 24m2 minimum outdoor living area, a 4 metre primary street setback and a 1.5 metre secondary street setback, and R40 as 45 per cent, 20m2, 4 metres and 1 metre. Lower codes have their own rows.
Lot boundary setbacks come from Tables 2a and 2b, which scale the setback with wall height and wall length, with a larger setback for walls with major openings. Carports, patios and verandahs can go to nil to the posts where the structure is not more than 10m long and 2.7m high, sits behind the street setback and keeps eaves and gutters at least 450mm off the boundary.
Boundary walls are allowed behind the street setback within limits. In areas coded R20 and R25 a boundary wall can be up to 3.5m high for the greater of 9m or one third of the boundary behind the front setback, on up to two boundaries. In areas coded R30 to R40 the same 3.5m wall can run two thirds of the boundary behind the front setback.
Buildings, excluding carports, porches, balconies, verandahs, or equivalent, set back from the primary street boundary: i. in accordance with Table B; ii. corresponding to the average of the setback of existing dwellings on each adjacent property fronting the same street; iii. reduced by up to 50 per cent provided that the area of any building, including a garage encroaching into the setback area, is compensated for by at least an equal area of open space that is located between the street setback line and a line drawn parallel to it at twice the setback distance (refer Figure 2a and 2c);
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
R30 Single house 45 24 4 1.5 * R35 Single house 45 24 4 1.5 * R40 Single house 45 20 4 1 * * See Tables 2a and 2b and clause 5.1.3
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
buildings set back from lot boundaries in accordance with Table B and Tables 2a and 2b (refer to Figure Series 3 and 4); ii. for carports, patios, verandahs or equivalent structures, the lot boundary setbacks in Table B and Tables 2a and 2b may be reduced to nil to the posts where the structure*: • is not more than 10m in length and 2.7m in height; • is located behind the primary street setback; and • has eaves, gutters and roofs set back at least 450mm from the lot boundary.
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
in areas coded R20 and R25, walls not higher than 3.5m, up to a maximum length of the greater of 9m or one-third the length of the balance of the site boundary behind the front setback, to up to two site boundaries; or iii. in areas coded R30 to R40, walls not higher than 3.5m for two-thirds the length of the balance of the site boundary behind the front setback, to up to two site boundaries;
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Open space under Part B
Open space is a minimum percentage of the site set in Table B, and each dwelling also needs a minimum outdoor living area. For a grouped dwelling the site includes the area for that dwelling's exclusive use plus its share of common property. Where communal open space exists as common property, a dwelling with direct access to it can reduce its own open space by up to 20 per cent.
Open space provided in accordance with Table B (refer Figure Series 6). The site of the grouped dwelling, for the purpose of calculating the open space requirement, shall include the area allocated for the exclusive use of that dwelling and the proportionate share of any associated common property.
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Part C: site cover, height and setbacks for medium density
Part C replaces open space with a maximum site cover and separate garden requirements. Table 3.1a sets site cover at 60 per cent for R30 and R35, 65 per cent for R40 and R50, and 70 per cent for R60 and R80. Table 3.2a sets height by storeys and metres: two storeys for R30 to R40 with a maximum building height of 8m for a concealed or skillion roof, and a 7m wall and 10m total for a pitched, hipped or gabled roof, three storeys for R50 to R60 at 11m, 10m and 13m, and four storeys for R80 at 14m, 13m and 16m.
Table 3.3a sets street setbacks by code, with a primary street setback of 4m for R30 and R35, 3m for R40 and 2m for R50 to R80, and a secondary street setback of 1.5m for R30 and R35 and 1m for R40 and above. Table 3.4a sets lot boundary setbacks by wall height, 1m up to 3.5m, 1.5m from 3.6m to 7m, and 3m above 7m. Boundary walls up to 3.5m high can run two thirds of the boundary behind the street setback, on up to two boundaries for R30 to R35.
Development on each site does not exceed the maximum site cover percentages of Table 3.1a. R30 R35 R40 R50 R60 R80 60% 60% 65% 65% 70% 70% R80 Code standards apply to single houses and grouped dwellings in areas coded R100, R160 and R-AC.
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Building height complies with Table 3.2a. R30 - 40 2 8m 7m 10m R50 - 60 3 11m 10m 13m R80 4 14m 13m 16m
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Buildings are set back from the street boundary in accordance with Table 3.3a. Primary street 4m 4m 3m 2m 2m 2m Secondary street 1.5m 1.5m 1m 1m 1m 1m
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Buildings are set back from lot boundaries in accordance with Table 3.4a. Up to 3.5m 1m 3.6 – 7m 1.5m 7.1 – 10m 3m 10.1m and above 3m
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
R30 – R35 3.5m Maximum two-thirds the length of the lot boundary the wall abuts, measured from behind the street setback line. Applicable up to two lot boundaries.
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
What councils can change
Height and setback are the provisions councils most often vary. A local planning policy can modify Part B street setbacks, boundary setback clauses C3.2 and C3.3, building height, garage setbacks, fences and outbuildings without WAPC approval, and Part C street setbacks and boundary wall clauses C3.4.4 and C3.4.5. A local development plan can go further and modify all Part B and Part C lot boundary setbacks and Part C solar access and visual privacy. Anything else needs WAPC approval.
Part C 1.2 Trees and landscaping – C1.2.5 1.4 Water management and conservation – all clauses 2.1 Size and layout of dwellings – C2.1.8 2.4 Waste management – all clauses 2.5 Utilities – all clauses 3.3 Street setbacks – all clauses 3.4 Lot boundary setbacks – C3.4.4 and C3.4.5 3.5 Site works and retaining walls – all clauses 3.6 Streetscape – all clauses 3.7 Access – C3.7.1 and C3.7.2 3.8 Retaining existing dwellings – all clauses
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
Primary controls of Table C apply, except where modified by the local planning framework, in which case development complies with the controls set out in the applicable local planning instrument.
Read the source · retrieved 9 September 2026
What changes council by council in Western Australia
The state instruments set the frame. These points are set by each council's own instrument or mapping, so the answer for an address depends on which council it sits in.
- The density code on the lot, which decides whether Part B Table B and Table 3 or Part C Table C apply.
- Whether the scheme, a local planning policy, a structure plan or a local development plan requires Table 3 category A or category C, or an alternative height standard, instead of the default category B.
- Street setbacks, building height, garage setbacks, fences and outbuildings under Part B, and street setbacks and boundary walls under Part C, all of which a local planning policy can modify without WAPC approval.
- Lot boundary setbacks in full, solar access and visual privacy under Part C, which a local development plan can modify without WAPC approval.
- Any other provision, which a council can modify with WAPC approval, after which clause 1B of the deemed provisions makes the council provision the operative standard.
For your address
How the $150 report settles this for one site
A Casa preliminary planning report reads the density code and zone at your parcel, determines whether Part B or Part C of the R-Codes governs, and sets out the height, street setback, lot boundary setback and open space or site cover provisions that apply, together with any mapped overlays and the council instruments that modify those provisions. It presents the deemed-to-comply envelope for that address so a design can be tested against it, not a certified compliance check.
Common questions
How high can I build a house in WA?
Under Part B, Table 3 category B applies unless the scheme or a council instrument says otherwise: a 7 metre wall, with a total height of 8 metres for a gable, skillion or concealed roof or 10 metres for a hipped or pitched roof. Under Part C, R30 to R40 lots are limited to two storeys, 8m for a skillion or concealed roof, or a 7m wall and 10m total for a pitched roof.
What is the front setback for a house in WA?
It depends on the code. Table B gives 4 metres for single houses at R30 to R40, and Part C Table 3.3a gives 4m for R30 and R35, 3m for R40 and 2m for R50 to R80. Part B also lets you match the average of the neighbours' setbacks or reduce the setback by up to 50 per cent with compensating open space.
Can I build on the boundary in WA?
Yes within limits. In areas coded R20 and R25 a wall up to 3.5m high can run the greater of 9m or one third of the boundary behind the front setback, on up to two boundaries. In R30 to R40 the same height can run two thirds of the boundary. Overshadowing limits still apply.
How much open space do I need under the R-Codes?
Part B Table B sets a minimum percentage of the site and a minimum outdoor living area for each code, for example 45 per cent and 24m2 for a single house at R30 or R35. Part C replaces this with a maximum site cover of 60 per cent at R30 and R35 rising to 70 per cent at R60 and R80, plus garden and landscaping elements.
Sources read for this guide
- Residential Design Codes Volume 1 (R-Codes Volume 1), Version 3 published 10 April 2026, Western Australian Planning Commissionread 9 September 2026
- Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015 (WA), official version as at 03 Nov 2024read 9 September 2026
Not covered here
- Table quotes (Table 3, Table B, Tables 3.1a to 3.4b) are reproduced as row text with the column headings stated in the clause field, because the PDF tables do not extract as sentences. Tables 2a and 2b (wall height by wall length) are not reproduced and only their existence is described.
- Table B rows for R2 to R25 are split across lines in the extracted text and are not quoted, so this guide does not state their figures.
- Overshadowing (clause 5.4.2 and Part C 3.9) and visual privacy (5.4.1 and Part C 3.10) provisions were not fetched and are only named.
- R-Codes Volume 1 quotes were taken from Casa's cached copy of the wa.gov.au PDF (sha256 18dfd0c7, fetched 2026-09-08 and re-read 2026-09-09).
More WA guides
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- Subdivision rules in WA
- Fast-track approvals in WA
- Do I need a DA in WA?
Height, setback and site coverage rules in other states
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