- After you lodge, the certifier reviews the application on the Planning Portal and either accepts, declines or returns it.
- Accepted means assessment starts. Declined means that certifier won't assess it. Returned means fix it and resubmit.
- The "as little as 20 days" timeframe is for a complete, accepted application. Missing documents mean the clock hasn't really started.
The three outcomes
| Outcome | Status you'll see | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Accept | Under Assessment | The certifier has taken the job on and is now checking your plans against the standards. |
| Decline | Declined | The certifier won't assess it. You'll get an email with their reason. You'll need to fix the problem or go to a different certifier or pathway. |
| Return | Returned | It comes back to you to fix and resubmit. It keeps the same reference number and shows as "Resubmitted" when you send it back. |
What the certifier checks before accepting
The Planning Portal guide for certifiers says that before accepting an application they should confirm two things: that there's a contract for the certification work, and that the fees have been paid. They'll also look for obvious gaps in the documents.
Common reasons an application bounces at this stage:
- no signed contract with the certifier, or fees not paid
- missing documents: BASIX certificate, survey, site plan, elevations, stormwater plan, waste management plan
- plans that don't show the dimensions needed to check the standards (heights, setbacks, landscaped area)
- land that can't use complying development at all (see the land exclusions checklist)
Why "20 days" can turn into 40
Complying development can be approved in as little as 20 days. That figure assumes the application is complete. Some councils say plainly that their 20 days runs from when the application is accepted.
If the certifier asks for more information, that's time you're waiting, not time they're assessing. One regional council, for example, gives applicants 14 days to provide requested information before it returns the application.
And remember the neighbour notice. In metropolitan areas, neighbours within 20 m must be told at least 14 days before the certificate can be issued. See neighbour rights under a CDC.
How to get accepted first time
- Sign the certifier's contract and pay before you lodge, or at the same time. It's the first thing they check.
- Use the certifier's document checklist. Every certifier and council has one. Tick it off line by line.
- Make the numbers easy to find. Label the building height, each setback and the landscaped area calculation on the drawings.
- Pre-check the standards yourself. A design that fails a standard will be refused later anyway. Find out before you pay.
- Answer requests fast. Reply to "more information" requests within days, not weeks.
After it's accepted
The certifier assesses the plans, notifies the neighbours, and then either issues the CDC (with conditions) or refuses it. Once you have the certificate, there's one more notice: you must tell neighbours before work starts (at least 7 days in metropolitan areas), and appoint a principal certifier for the inspections.
Check your design in a minute
Enter your lot size and building dimensions. The free quick check tests height, storeys, setbacks and landscaped area against the Housing Code, clause by clause. No account needed.
Sources
- NSW Planning Portal support hub, Review, accept, decline or return a complying development certificate application (August 2026).
- City of Coffs Harbour, Complying development certificates (assessment in as little as 20 days of the application being accepted; 14 days to provide requested information).
- NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Complying development (as little as 20 days; 14 days' neighbour notice).
- NSW Planning Portal, What to tell your neighbours.
General information only, current at 9 October 2026. It is not legal, planning or certifier advice. Confirm with a registered certifier or your council.