Short answer: if you’re putting a shed, garage or carport close to a boundary in Geelong, a land surveyor can confirm where the title boundary really is with a re-establishment survey, map levels and nearby features for your designer, and set out the building so it lands exactly where the plans say. Even a small shed that doesn’t need a building permit still has to sit within strict height limits near a boundary, so knowing the true boundary line matters before the slab goes in.
Sheds and garages are some of the most common projects on Geelong blocks, from a garden shed in Belmont to a double garage in Lara or a large machinery shed on a lifestyle property near Drysdale. Because they’re often pushed into a back corner or along a side fence to save space, they’re also one of the most common sources of boundary questions with neighbours. This guide explains when a survey helps, what the main Victorian rules say, and how to plan the job without surprises.
Do you need a building permit for a shed in Victoria?
Under Schedule 3 of the Building Regulations 2018, a freestanding shed, garage or carport (a Class 10a building) can be exempt from needing a building permit, but only if it meets every one of these conditions:
- its floor area is no more than 10 square metres;
- it is no more than 3 metres high, or no more than 2.4 metres high if it’s within 1 metre of a boundary;
- if it goes with a house or other building on the same lot, it sits no further forward than the front wall of that building;
- if it doesn’t go with another building, it’s the only Class 10a building on the lot and is set back at least 9 metres from the front street alignment and at least 2 metres from any side street alignment; and
- it isn’t built of masonry.
Anything bigger or taller, such as most garages and larger sheds, needs a building permit. The Victorian Building Authority also notes that a planning permit may still be needed even when a building permit isn’t, depending on the zone and any overlays on your land. Your registered building surveyor decides whether a building permit applies, and the City of Greater Geelong (or your local council) can tell you about planning requirements.
Why the boundary line matters
Heights and setbacks are measured from the title boundary
The 1 metre distance in the permit exemption, and the siting rules in Part 5 of the Building Regulations 2018 for larger buildings, are all worked out from the title boundary, not from the fence. In many older parts of Geelong, such as Newtown, East Geelong and Belmont, fences were built decades ago and don’t always follow the title line. A shed placed “just inside the fence” can end up closer to the boundary, or even over it, than you think.
Walls on or near the boundary
Garages are often built right up to a side boundary to make the most of the block. Part 5 of the Building Regulations 2018 controls how high and how long a wall on or near a boundary can be, and how much it can overshadow a neighbour. Your building surveyor checks those rules, but they can only be applied properly if the boundary position on your plans is accurate.
Easements
Many Geelong lots have a sewerage or drainage easement along the rear or side boundary, and the back corner is exactly where people like to put a shed. Building over an easement generally needs consent from the authority that owns it, such as Barwon Water, and may not be allowed at all. Our guide to easement surveys in Geelong explains how easements are shown on your title and located on site.
Surveys that help with a shed or garage
Re-establishment survey
A re-establishment survey confirms where your title boundaries are on the ground, using the title plan, survey marks and evidence from earlier surveys. Only a licensed land surveyor under the Surveying Act 2004 can define title boundaries in Victoria. It’s the survey to get when the shed will be within a metre or two of a boundary, the fence looks crooked or old, or a neighbour has raised a concern.
Feature and level survey
For a garage, a large shed or anything that needs a building permit, a feature and level survey gives your designer an accurate base plan. It shows the slope of the land, existing buildings, trees, driveways, pits and neighbouring windows, with levels that let the designer work out slab heights, drainage and wall heights above natural ground. On sloping blocks in Highton, Ocean Grove or the Surf Coast, a small change in ground level can make a real difference to whether a boundary wall complies.
Building set-out
Once the design is approved, a building set-out survey marks the corners or offsets of the shed or garage on site, so the slab or footings go in exactly where the permit plans show. This is especially useful when the building is close to a boundary, where a mistake of a few hundred millimetres could breach a height or setback rule.
Common problems we see
- Fence not on the boundary. The shed is measured from the fence, then the owner finds the fence is out and the shed is closer than allowed.
- Shed over an easement. A shed placed over a sewer easement can cause problems with the water authority later, or when the property is sold.
- Height worked out from the wrong level. On a sloping block, the wall ends up taller above natural ground than expected.
- Disputes with neighbours. A new boundary wall or tall shed can upset a neighbour, and a clear survey plan helps everyone discuss the facts. See our guide to fence boundary surveys if a fence is also being replaced.
- Retaining walls. Cutting into a slope for a shed pad often needs retaining near the boundary. Our retaining wall survey guide covers what to check.
How to plan your shed or garage project
- Check your title. Look at the title plan for easements and lot dimensions, and get a planning property report from VicPlan to see your zone and overlays.
- Decide on size and position. Work out whether the shed fits within the permit exemption or will need a building permit.
- Get the boundary confirmed. If the building will be close to a boundary, book a re-establishment survey before you finalise the position.
- Design with accurate levels. For larger sheds and garages, give your designer a feature and level survey.
- Get approvals. Your building surveyor issues the building permit where needed; check with council about any planning permit.
- Set it out. Have the shed or garage set out on site before the builder starts.
Areas we cover
Geelong Land Surveyors works across Geelong and the region, including Belmont, Highton, Lara, Corio, Leopold, Drysdale, Ocean Grove, Torquay, the Surf Coast and the Bellarine. As local licensed land surveyors, we know the older subdivisions where fences commonly drift from the title line, and the newer estates where easements run along most rear boundaries.
Pools close to a fence or easement raise many of the same boundary questions as sheds — see our guide to swimming pool surveys in Geelong.
Planning a shed, garage or carport near a boundary? Request a quote online or call us on 0412 722 261 and tell us your address and what you want to build. We’ll recommend the right survey so you can build with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a survey to put a shed near my boundary?
It isn’t always required by law, but it’s strongly recommended when the shed will be within a metre or two of a boundary. Height limits and siting rules are measured from the title boundary, and fences often don’t follow it, so a re-establishment survey confirms the true line before you build.
What size shed can I build without a building permit in Victoria?
A freestanding shed can be exempt if its floor area is no more than 10 square metres, it’s no more than 3 metres high (or 2.4 metres if within 1 metre of a boundary), it isn’t masonry and it meets the location conditions in Schedule 3 of the Building Regulations 2018. A planning permit may still be needed, so check with council.
Can I build a shed over an easement?
Generally only with consent from the authority that owns the easement, such as Barwon Water for a sewer easement, and sometimes not at all. A land surveyor can show exactly where the easement sits on your block so you can position the shed clear of it.
Who checks the siting rules for a garage?
Your registered building surveyor checks the siting rules in Part 5 of the Building Regulations 2018 when issuing the building permit. A land surveyor provides the accurate boundary and level information those checks rely on, and can set the garage out on site.