Granny Flat Brisbane: 2026 Rules, the 80m² Limit and Approvals
Last updated: 15 September 2026
Most Brisbane homeowners do not need Council approval to build a granny flat.
A secondary dwelling up to 80m² is accepted development in most residential zones, meaning no planning application is required as long as it meets the City Plan requirements. You will still need building approval from a private certifier. Since September 2022, you can also rent it to anyone — not just family.
Below is what applies to your property, what is changing in 2026, and how to work out where your block sits.
Quick answer
Council planning approval needed? Usually no, if you meet the accepted development criteria.
Maximum size without a DA 80m² gross floor area.
Distance from main house Attached, or within 20 metres.
Building approval needed? Yes, always, via a private certifier.
Can you rent it out? Yes, to anyone, since 26 September 2022.
Maximum site cover 50% on lots over 450m².
Parking One space for the granny flat, one for the main house.
What's changed in 2026
Two things have moved this year, and neither has landed in Brisbane yet.
The Queensland Housing Code commenced on 1 September 2026. It sets a state-level standard of 50m² internal floor area for a secondary dwelling, or 60m² on lots of 1,000m² or larger. Importantly, it sits in the building framework and adoption by councils is voluntary across a three-year transition period. Until Brisbane City Council adopts it, the City Plan's 80m² figure is what governs your design.
Brisbane City Council is progressing Major Amendment Package L. It proposes tying the size of a secondary dwelling to the size of the block, capping total site cover at 50%, and limiting secondary dwellings to a single storey — with two storeys allowed only where the dwelling is attached to a two-storey house. Consultation closed in December 2025. Council's published timeline anticipates adoption and effect in City Plan in mid to late 2026.
What this means in practice: if you own a standard suburban block in Brisbane, what you are permitted to build today is likely more generous than what will be permitted once both of these settle.
Step one: check your zone
The Brisbane City Plan sets the requirements for secondary dwellings. Before anything else, use the Brisbane City Plan Interactive Map to find:
Your zone
Any overlays on your property (character, heritage, flood, environmental)
Whether you fall inside a Neighbourhood Plan area
Overlays are the most common reason an otherwise straightforward granny flat suddenly requires a development application.
Do you need Council approval for a granny flat in Brisbane?
In most cases, no. Building a secondary dwelling is accepted development in the following zones:
Emerging community zone
Low density residential zone
Low-medium density residential zone
Medium density residential zone
Character residential zone
Environmental management zone
Rural zone
Rural residential zone
Township zone
Accepted development means no planning application and nothing in writing from Council, provided you meet every relevant requirement. You do need to self-assess against the Dwelling House Code, plus any Zone Code or Neighbourhood Plan Code that applies to your site.
You will still need building approval. That comes from a licensed private building certifier, not from Council, and it is required regardless of the planning pathway.
The requirements your granny flat must meet
Size
To qualify as accepted development, the secondary dwelling can be no more than 80m² gross floor area.
It must be attached to the primary dwelling, or located within 20 metres of the main house.
Most of our designs are built to sit comfortably under this threshold, including the Olive 60 two-bedroom granny flat, the Valencia 60 and the Amber 60. At the upper end, the Amber 80 three-bedroom secondary dwelling sits right at the 80m² limit.
Setbacks
A setback is the distance a building must be set back from the street.
For lots over 450m², or rear lots over 600m² excluding the accessway, the required setback is 6 metres.
For smaller lots:
6m where adjoining houses have a setback of 6m or more
Match the adjoining setback where the neighbouring house is under 6m, but never less than 3m
3m where there is no adjoining house
Site coverage
Site coverage is the proportion of your block that buildings can occupy. In Brisbane this includes the main house, the granny flat, and any structure attached to either, including carports. It excludes gazebos and shade structures.
Small lots (under 450m², or under 600m² for a rear lot):
400m² or more — 50% site cover
300 to 400m² — 60%
200 to 300m² — 70%
Under 200m² — 80%
Larger lots (over 450m², or over 600m² for a rear lot): a maximum of 50%. On a 500m² block, that caps all buildings and structures at 250m².
If site cover is tight, a smaller footprint with a generous deck often solves it. The Seville 40 one-bedroom granny flat and Seville 50 are designed for exactly this situation.
Height
In most zones where secondary dwellings are accepted development, you can build to 9.5 metres or two storeys.
In a Medium Density Residential Zone or Low-medium Density Residential Zone, this rises to 11.5 metres or three storeys.
Note that Package L proposes restricting secondary dwellings to a single storey in most cases. Every design in our range is single storey, using raked ceilings rather than height to create volume.
Parking
One parking space for the granny flat, and one for the main house
Can you rent out a granny flat in Brisbane?
Yes, to anyone. Since 26 September 2022, an amendment to the Planning Regulation 2017 removed the restriction limiting occupancy of a secondary dwelling to members of the primary household. A lot of information still online predates that change.
Three things to be aware of: the dwelling stays on the same title and cannot be sold separately; tenanting can trigger additional fire separation and sound transmission requirements under the building code, so raise it with your certifier; and an older approval carrying occupancy conditions may need a change application before you rent.
Full detail on the statewide position is in our Queensland granny flat rules guide.
Secondary dwelling vs dual occupancy
These are not the same thing, and the distinction matters.
A secondary dwelling is subordinate to the main house — smaller, on the same lot, on the same title. This is the accepted development pathway described above.
A dual occupancy is two dwellings of comparable standing on one lot. It is assessed differently, usually requires a planning application, and is code assessable only in certain zones including the Medium Density Residential Zone, the Low-medium Density Residential Zone, and parts of the Character Residential Zone.
You do not need a dual occupancy approval simply because you intend to rent your granny flat out. That was the position before September 2022. It is not the position now.
What if my plans don't meet these requirements?
You can usually still build. You will just need Council approval first, via a development application.
The most common triggers are:
A dwelling over 80m²
Siting more than 20m from the main house
An overlay on the property requiring assessment
Setback, site cover or height non-compliance
A zone where secondary dwellings are not accepted development
A development application adds time, consultant involvement and cost, but it is a normal process and plenty of projects go through it successfully. Our approval and build process covers both pathways.
Frequently asked questions
How big can a granny flat be in Brisbane? Up to 80m² gross floor area as accepted development. Larger is possible with a development application. The new Queensland Housing Code sets a state-level figure of 50m², but Brisbane has not adopted it and the City Plan figure applies until it does.
Do I need Council approval for a granny flat in Brisbane? Usually not, if it is under 80m², within 20m of the main house, in an eligible zone, and compliant with the City Plan. Building approval from a private certifier is always required.
Can I rent my granny flat to a tenant? Yes. Since 26 September 2022 there is no requirement for the occupant to be related to the household in the main house.
Can I put a granny flat on Airbnb? Short-term accommodation is regulated separately from long-term renting, and Brisbane City Council has been progressing a Short Stay Accommodation Local Law covering stays under 90 days. Check the current position with Council before assuming short-stay use is permitted.
Can a granny flat be sold separately from the house? No. A secondary dwelling is subordinate to the main dwelling and remains on the same title.
How far from the main house can it be? Attached, or within 20 metres.
How long does the approval process take? Where no development application is needed, a building approval typically runs five to six weeks once drawings, engineering, soil testing and energy compliance are complete.
How Compact Homes can help
Brisbane is where most of our work is. We design the home, manage the approval end to end, and hand over to a builder from our network who has built across the city.
Our approval package is $12,500 and covers architectural drawings, soil testing, engineering, surveying, certifier fees, energy efficiency compliance, and full management of the approval through to a building approval for your block.
See our granny flat designs and floor plans, or talk to us about your block.
Guides for other Southeast Queensland councils
We know the development requirements around secondary dwellings well, but we are not town planners. If you need formal planning advice, let us know and we can point you to someone. Rules change — always confirm the current position with Brisbane City Council before relying on this guide.