Architectural drawings in Australia

"Architectural drawings" is the everyday name for the set of plans that describe a building: site plans, floor plans, elevations, sections, details and schedules. They are drawn at different stages for different purposes, from early concept sketches to the plans lodged with council and the construction drawings a builder works from. This page explains the types of drawing, the stages, common scales and what councils typically ask for. It also explains who can prepare them: "architect" is a protected title in every state and territory, and building designers and drafters are regulated differently from state to state. It links to each architects registration board and to the building designer regulators where they exist.

This is general information only, not legal, planning or building advice. It is a free, non-commercial reference page and sells nothing. It does not offer architectural, design or drafting services of any kind, and nobody connected with it is presented as an architect. The domain name describes the topic only. The page is not affiliated with any board, regulator, council or industry body listed, and listing is not an endorsement. It does not list individual firms, architects or designers. Council requirements and licensing rules differ between states, territories and councils and change over time, so check current requirements with your council and the relevant regulator before you engage anyone.

The guide

What the main drawing types are, how drawings change from concept to construction, common scales, what councils typically ask for, and who can prepare them in each state and territory.

What "architectural drawings" means

The phrase is used loosely for the drawings that describe a building's layout, appearance and construction. It does not mean the drawings were prepared by an architect. The same set of drawings might be prepared by a registered architect, a building designer, a drafter, or for some small projects the owner, depending on the project and the state or territory. Who is allowed to prepare them, and who may call themselves an architect, are separate questions covered below.

Site plan

A site plan shows the whole block from above: the boundaries and their dimensions, existing buildings, trees and structures, and where the proposed work sits, including setbacks from the boundaries. PlanSA's guide to preparing a development application says applications should include a site plan showing the location of the proposed development and its surrounds, and may show boundary setbacks, existing buildings, trees and retaining walls, driveway levels and car parking, and existing and proposed ground and floor levels.

Floor plans

A floor plan is a horizontal cut through the building, usually about a metre above the floor, looking down. It shows walls, rooms, doors, windows and key dimensions, one plan per level. City of Newcastle's standard DA lodgement requirements, as an example, ask for dimensioned plans of each floor with rooms, doors and windows identified, finished floor levels and a table of gross floor area.

Elevations

An elevation is a flat view of one face of the building, normally one for each side (north, south, east and west, or front, rear and sides). Elevations show heights, the roof profile, external doors and windows and, often, external materials. Newcastle's requirements ask for all elevations of existing and proposed buildings with dimensioned heights.

Sections

A section is a vertical cut through the building, showing floor and ceiling heights, the roof structure and how the building meets the ground. Councils use sections to check heights and how the building sits on a sloping site. Newcastle's requirements ask sections to show finished floor levels, natural and finished ground levels to Australian Height Datum (AHD), and floor-to-ceiling heights.

Details and schedules

Details are enlarged drawings of particular junctions, such as a wall meeting a roof, a stair or a window head, showing exactly how they are built. Schedules are tables that list items such as doors, windows, finishes or fixtures, each with a reference code that appears on the plans. Details and schedules belong mainly to construction drawings rather than to planning applications.

Concept drawings

Concept or sketch design drawings explore layout, size and appearance early in a project, before anything is lodged. They are usually simple and may not be fully to scale. Their job is to test ideas and give a basis for cost estimates and discussion; they are not normally detailed enough for council or a builder.

Planning (development application) drawings

Planning drawings are lodged with a planning application, often called a development application (DA). Their job is to show council what is proposed and how it fits the site and the planning rules: the site plan, floor plans, elevations and often sections, plus any other plans council needs. They show the design, not every construction detail. Each state uses its own terms and lodgement system; in South Australia applications go through PlanSA, and in NSW the NSW Government says DAs must be submitted online through the NSW Planning Portal.

Construction (working) drawings

Construction or working drawings carry the full technical detail a builder needs: dimensioned plans, sections, details, schedules and specifications, usually coordinated with engineering drawings. Many projects need both a planning approval and a separate building approval, which checks the technical design; the names and steps differ between states. Construction drawings are typically prepared after planning approval and often form part of the building contract.

Scales

Drawings are drawn to a ratio scale: at 1:100, one millimetre on paper is 100 millimetres on site. Newcastle's requirements say plans must be drawn to scale with the scale shown, generally 1:100, 1:200 or 1:500, with a north point, and with a title block giving the drawer's details, the address, the date, sheet number and version. The City of Onkaparinga gives 1:100 and 1:200 as examples for site plans. Details are usually drawn at larger scales, so small parts can be shown clearly.

What councils typically ask for

Requirements vary by council and by the type of work, so the council's own checklist is the guide. As a general pattern, councils ask for a site plan, floor plans and elevations, and often sections; for some proposals they also ask for a survey, shadow diagrams, a demolition plan, a landscape plan, a schedule of colours or specialist reports. Newcastle, for example, asks for shadow diagrams at 9am, noon and 3pm on 21 June for buildings over one storey. PlanSA notes a floor plan, elevation drawing, schedule of colours or noise report may be needed depending on the proposal. The NSW Government says the applicant is responsible for providing all the required information.

"Architect" is a protected title

In every Australian state and territory, an Architects Act limits who may use the title "architect". The NSW Architects Registration Board says an individual may only use the title if they are on the NSW Register of Architects, and that it is an offence to represent a person or business as an architect when they are not. The Queensland Board says only practising architects may offer or provide architectural services. The ACT says you need registration to legally advertise your services and call yourself an architect. Before engaging anyone who calls themselves an architect, check the register in the state or territory where the work is.

Architects, building designers and drafters

A registered architect has met the qualification, experience and examination requirements of an architects board, and appears on its register. A building designer designs and documents buildings without being a registered architect, and in some states must hold a licence or registration to do so. A drafter (or draftsperson) prepares technical drawings, often working from someone else's design. The NSW Board notes that the protection is on the title: it says only registered individuals may use the title "architect", while describing architects as able to provide a higher level of service than other types of building designers. Whether a building designer or drafter needs a licence depends on the state or territory and the type of building.

Queensland: building design licences

The Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) says individuals and companies need a QBCC licence for building design work of any value, in the categories building design low rise, medium rise and open. The medium rise licence covers preparing plans and specifications for buildings up to three storeys above a car parking storey, within stated limits. Architects are registered separately by the Board of Architects of Queensland; whether architects also need a QBCC licence was not confirmed for this page.

Victoria: registered building practitioners

Consumer Affairs Victoria says you must register with the Building and Plumbing Commission (BPC) if you work in domestic building in Victoria, and lists draftspersons (building design: architectural, interior and services) among the categories of building practitioner. Architects are registered separately by the Architects Registration Board of Victoria (ARBV). The BPC's find and check a practitioner page lets you search registered practitioners.

New South Wales: regulated buildings

Under the NSW Design and Building Practitioners scheme, class 2, 3 and 9c buildings (which include apartment buildings) and mixed-use buildings with those parts are regulated, and design practitioners must be registered to prepare regulated designs and design compliance declarations. The list of regulated classes does not include class 1 buildings such as houses. Architects are registered separately by the NSW Architects Registration Board.

Tasmania: building services provider licences

Tasmania licenses building services providers under the Occupational Licensing Act 2005, administered by Consumer, Building and Occupational Services (CBOS). The licence types include architect, building designer and building services designer. The Board of Architects of Tasmania registers architects under the Architects Act 1929.

South Australia, Western Australia, the ACT and the Northern Territory

In these jurisdictions this page confirmed only the architect registration bodies: the Architectural Practice Board of South Australia (Architectural Practice Act 2009), the Architects Board of Western Australia (Architects Act 2004), the ACT Architects Board through Access Canberra (Architects Act 2004) and the Northern Territory Architects Board (Architects Act 1963). Whether building designers need a licence in these places was not confirmed on a regulator page, so check with the state or territory building regulator before engaging anyone.

Directory

The architects registration board in each state and territory, building designer regulators where they apply, two planning lodgement guides, and the two national industry bodies. Individual firms, architects and designers are not listed.

What is listed. Only boards, regulators and bodies with an official web page are listed. Some boards' own websites could not be fetched for this page; where so, the link comes from the Australian Government's ABLIS licence finder and is noted. Individual firms are not listed, because whether a registration or licence is current can only be confirmed on the register at the time you check.

Not an endorsement. Listing is not a recommendation, and this page is not affiliated with any board, regulator or industry body below. Industry body membership is voluntary and is not a registration or a licence.

Inclusion in this directory is not an endorsement. Links are to official websites as published at the time of checking.

Questions to ask before engaging someone to draw plans

Plain questions worth asking an architect, building designer or drafter, and checking yourself, before you sign or pay anything.

Are you a registered architect, a licensed building designer, or neither?

If they use the title "architect", search the architects register in the state or territory where the work is. If they are a building designer, ask which licence or registration applies there, if any, and check it with the regulator.

Are you licensed or registered for this type and size of building?

Some licences are limited by building height or class. In Queensland, for example, building design licences are split into low rise, medium rise and open; in NSW, apartment buildings fall under a separate design practitioner scheme.

Which drawings will you prepare, and to what stage?

Ask whether the fee covers concept drawings only, planning (DA) drawings, construction drawings, or all three, and whether it includes specifications, schedules and details.

Will the drawings meet my council's lodgement checklist?

Get your council's checklist first and ask who will prepare any extra items, such as a site survey, shadow diagrams, a landscape plan or specialist reports, and who pays for them.

Who will lodge the application and respond to council's requests?

Ask whether they will lodge through the state planning portal and deal with requests for more information, or whether that is left to you.

What will it cost in total, and how many revisions are included?

Ask for the fee, what triggers extra charges, and how changes after council feedback are billed. Get the scope and every cost in a written agreement before work starts.

Do you hold professional indemnity insurance, and who owns the drawings?

Ask for evidence of insurance, and ask whether you can use the drawings with another builder or designer later. Get independent advice if anything in the agreement is unclear.

About this page

architecturaldrawing.com.au is a free, non-commercial reference page published by Radiant Life Distributors Pty Ltd, Adelaide. It does not provide architectural, design or drafting services, and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, any board, regulator, council or industry body listed. Inclusion is not an endorsement, and individual firms are not listed. Information was checked against official websites in October 2026; registration, licensing and council requirements change, so confirm current details with the bodies linked above.