How to Subdivide Land in QLD 2026

Can I subdivide my block in Queensland? Possibly. Whether you can subdivide land in Queensland depends on three things: what your council's planning scheme says about your zone and minimum lot size, whether the block has the frontage, access and services that new lots need, and whether any overlay, register or title restriction gets in the way.

Queensland does things differently. The official term for subdivision is reconfiguring a lot (often shortened to ROL), under the Planning Act 2016. There is no single statewide minimum lot size either. Each of Queensland's councils sets its own rules in its planning scheme.

This guide covers who approves a subdivision, the rules that decide whether a block can be split, the process, timeframes, costs and common constraints. Guides for other states are in our guides section.

Who approves a subdivision in Queensland

For a typical residential subdivision, the decision-maker is your local council, acting as the "assessment manager". The Queensland Government notes that the relevant local government is often the assessment manager.

The State gets involved through the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA). Where a proposal touches a state interest, such as a state heritage place, a state transport corridor or the clearing of certain vegetation, the application must be referred to SARA after it is lodged with council. SARA assesses against the State Development Assessment Provisions (SDAP).

The rules sit in the Planning Act 2016, the Planning Regulation 2017 and the Development Assessment Rules, which set the process and timeframes. Disputed decisions go to the Planning and Environment Court.

The rules that decide whether your block can be split

Reconfiguring a lot covers more than splitting one block into two. The City of Gold Coast describes it as subdividing one lot into two or more lots, combining lots, rearranging boundaries, dividing lots into parts by agreement (such as a community titles scheme) and creating an access easement.

Zoning and minimum lot size

In Queensland, minimum lot sizes come from your council's planning scheme, usually in the scheme's reconfiguring a lot (or subdivision) code, organised by zone and sometimes by precinct or overlay. There is no state rule that says "every block over X m² can be split".

Two examples:

Logan City Council (Logan Planning Scheme 2015, version 9.2) lists minimum lot sizes on its reconfiguring a lot page. In the Low density residential zone these include 300 m² (small lot precinct), 400 m² (suburban precinct) and 1,000 m² (large suburban precinct). In the Rural zone the minimum is 100 hectares.
City of Gold Coast says subdivision is code assessable in all zones under City Plan Part 5.6 Tables of Assessment, provided the required lot sizes are met. The minimum depends on the zone and can be changed by three overlays: the ridges and significant hills protection overlay, the residential density overlay and the minimum lot size overlay.

These are examples only, so check your own council's current planning scheme.

What happens below the minimum

In Queensland a minimum lot size is often not an absolute bar. In the Gold Coast and Logan examples above, proposing a lot smaller than the minimum makes the application impact assessable instead of code assessable. That matters:

Code assessable applications are not publicly notified, and submitters cannot appeal the decision.
Impact assessable applications must be publicly notified, and people who make a properly made submission can appeal to the Planning and Environment Court.

Rear lots (battle-axe blocks)

Rear lots, the Queensland version of a battle-axe block, often have their own rules. In Logan's suburban precinct, a proposed rear lot under 500 m² makes the application impact assessable, and some precincts do not permit rear lots at all.

Prohibited development

Some subdivisions cannot be applied for at all. Prohibited development is listed in schedule 10 of the Planning Regulation 2017, and no application can be made for it. For example, in South East Queensland's Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area, the State's ShapingSEQ guidance says reconfiguring a lot is prohibited development unless an exemption applies, such as all lots being at least 100 hectares.

Existing houses, duplexes and titles

An existing house has to fit on its new lot with the setbacks, access and services the scheme requires. Splitting an existing dual occupancy into separate titles is also reconfiguring a lot. A standard format plan defines land using marks on the ground, while a building format plan uses the building's structure, usually with a body corporate.

Step by step: the subdivision process in Queensland

Check feasibility. Find your zone, precinct and overlays in the council's planning scheme, read the minimum lot size rules, and check the title for easements and covenants.
Get professional input. A licensed surveyor or town planner can confirm whether the layout works and which level of assessment applies.
Prepare and lodge the development application. Applications for reconfiguring a lot are made on DA Form 1 (Development application details), which has a dedicated reconfiguring a lot section. Lodge it with council, with any state referral lodged to SARA through its online system, MyDAS2.
Assessment. Council confirms the application is properly made, may ask for more information, and any referral agency assesses it. Impact assessable applications are publicly notified.
Decision. Council decides the application and issues a decision notice with conditions, usually with an infrastructure charges notice.
Operational works. Civil works often need a separate operational works approval; Brisbane City Council's subdivision guidance lists operational works alongside development and building approvals. Then the works are built and the conditions met.
Plan sealing. Your surveyor prepares the survey plan and you lodge it with council for approval, known as plan sealing. Council checks conditions are met and charges, rates and fees are paid.
Register the new titles. The sealed plan is lodged with Titles Queensland under the Land Title Act 1994. Brisbane City Council notes the survey plan must be lodged with Titles Queensland within 6 months, and Sunshine Coast Council says it approves a survey plan for 6 months.

How long an approval lasts: Brisbane City Council states that where a Planning Act approval does not set its own currency period, the default for reconfiguring a lot is 4 years to lodge the subdivision plan with council for plan sealing.

How long it takes

The statutory clock is set by the Development Assessment Rules, where "days" means business days:

Confirmation notice: within 10 business days of lodgement.
Information request: within 10 business days (DA Rules section 12); you then have 3 months to respond (section 13).
Referral agency assessment: 25 business days by default, unless the rules prescribe a different period for that agency.
Public notification (impact assessment only): at least 15 business days, or 30 business days with a variation request (Planning Act 2016 section 53(4)(b)). Days between 20 December and 5 January do not count (section 53(12)).
Decision period: 35 business days, which can be extended by agreement (DA Rules section 22). The decision notice is then given within 5 business days.
Appeals: an applicant has 20 business days from receiving the decision notice to appeal to the Planning and Environment Court.
Plan sealing: council has 20 business days to decide a plan sealing request (Planning Regulation 2017, schedule 18).

These are statutory periods, not a prediction. In practice, the slowest stage is usually after approval: building works, meeting conditions and arranging service connections.

What it costs

There is no statewide fee scale for the council application. Each Queensland council sets its own fees. As one example, Brisbane City Council's Development Assessment and Compliance Fees for the 2026–27 financial year (one fee point = $150) include:

Item (Brisbane, 2026–27)	Fee
Reconfiguring a lot, base fee including up to 2 lots	$4,500 (30 points)
Each additional lot, 3–30 lots	$900 (6 points)
Plan sealing (survey plan endorsement)	$600 per request plus $450 per lot
Planning and development certificate: limited / standard / full	$450 / $1,500 / $7,950

Other councils set their own fees, so check your council's current schedule.

Titles Queensland (FY2026/27 fee schedule). Titles Queensland updates its fees each 1 July, and statutory fees are not subject to GST:

lodging a plan of survey: $496.12 for the plan, plus $36.49 for each lot or interest surveyed or defined
creating an indefeasible title: $94.42 for each new title
a current title search: $25.71.

Contaminated land search. A search of the Environmental Management Register or Contaminated Land Register costs $61.05 per lot (online), from 1 July 2026.

These official figures are current at October 2026 and change annually. The other costs are categories that depend on your site and council:

Infrastructure charges under the council's adopted charges resolution. In Brisbane (Infrastructure Charges Resolution (No. 15) 2026), the charge is payable when council approves the plan of reconfiguration, and Urban Utilities levies separate water and sewerage charges.
Surveying and survey plan preparation.
Town planning and engineering reports, design and any specialist studies.
Operational works application fees, construction, inspections and any bonds.
Water, sewer, electricity and telecommunications connections.
Demolition or relocation of structures, where needed.
SARA referral fees, where a state referral is triggered.

Totals vary widely from one block to another.

Things that can stop or complicate a subdivision

State heritage. The Queensland Heritage Register lists places of cultural heritage significance to Queensland and can be searched online free of charge. Development affecting a state heritage place can trigger a referral to SARA.

Local heritage. Under the Queensland Heritage Act 1992, councils must keep a local heritage register or identify local heritage places in their planning scheme. A clear state search does not clear local heritage, so check the council's overlay too.

Aboriginal cultural heritage. Section 23 of the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 says a person carrying out an activity must take all reasonable and practicable measures to ensure it does not harm Aboriginal cultural heritage. This is the cultural heritage duty of care, with penalties of up to 1,000 penalty units for an individual and 10,000 for a corporation. You can request information from the Cultural Heritage Database and Register online.

Bushfire. Councils map bushfire hazard in a planning scheme overlay. The City of Moreton Bay's information sheet, for example, says its bushfire hazard overlay can affect reconfiguring a lot and sets requirements such as separation from classified vegetation, fire-fighting access and water supply.

Flood. Flood constraints usually come from the council's flood overlay. The State's FloodCheck map shows where flood studies exist but says it should not be used to determine flooding at property level. Some councils offer property flood reports, such as Brisbane's FloodWise Property Report.

Vegetation and environment. The regulated vegetation management map sorts land into categories A, B, C, R and X. Category X is vegetation not mapped in the other categories. A free vegetation management property report, usually sent within 3 business days, also maps regional ecosystems, wetlands, essential habitat and koala habitat.

Contamination. Check whether the land is on the Environmental Management Register or Contaminated Land Register. Online searches are by lot on plan, with results usually emailed within a day.

Easements and services. Easements and the capacity of nearby water and sewer mains can dictate where boundaries and buildings go. Your water and sewerage provider can confirm connection requirements.

Covenants. Under the Land Title Act 1994, statutory covenants can be registered in favour of the State or a council. They can restrict how a lot or building is used or protect vegetation and natural features. A title search shows any covenant on your block.

Existing approvals and strata. A block in a community titles scheme, or with earlier approvals, needs extra checks. A council planning and development certificate helps: on the Gold Coast, only a full certificate states whether each condition of an approval has been fulfilled.

A quick checklist for your block

What zone and precinct is my block in, and which council planning scheme applies?
What minimum lot size and frontage does the reconfiguring a lot code set for that zone?
Would every proposed lot meet the minimum, keeping the application code assessable?
Is my block in South East Queensland's Regional Landscape and Rural Production Area?
Would a rear (battle-axe) lot be allowed, and is there room for its access?
Do any heritage, flood, bushfire, vegetation or other overlays apply?
Does the title show easements, covenants or a community titles scheme?
Are water, sewer and power available at the street with enough capacity?
Does the existing house fit on its new lot with the required setbacks?
What infrastructure charges would my council apply to a new lot?

Where a Subdivision Checker report fits

A Subdivision Checker report brings together the planning rules, mapping and records for one address in Queensland in one professional report: planning and zoning, including the minimum lot size rules that apply, heritage, environment, bushfire, flood, servicing, contamination and title, plus indicative costs. It is a starting point that helps you understand your block and know what to ask a licensed surveyor or town planner. It is not a substitute for their advice. Order a report for your address.

Frequently asked questions

What is reconfiguring a lot in Queensland?

Reconfiguring a lot is the official Queensland term for subdivision under the Planning Act 2016. It covers subdividing one lot into two or more, amalgamating lots, rearranging boundaries, dividing land into parts by agreement such as a community titles scheme, and creating an access easement. Most residential applications are decided by the local council as assessment manager, using its own planning scheme.

What is the minimum lot size for subdivision in Queensland?

There is no single statewide minimum. Each council sets minimum lot sizes in its planning scheme, usually by zone and precinct. In Logan, for example, the council lists 400 m² for the suburban precinct of the Low density residential zone and 300 m² for the small lot precinct. Check your council's planning scheme for the zone and any overlays that apply to your block.

How long does a subdivision take in Queensland?

Under the Development Assessment Rules a council has a decision period of 35 business days, which can be extended by agreement. Information requests, state referrals and public notification for impact assessable applications add time. After approval, completing works and conditions usually takes longest, then council has 20 business days to decide a plan sealing request before the plan goes to Titles Queensland.

Can a lot below the minimum size still be approved in Queensland?

Sometimes. In councils such as the Gold Coast and Logan, a lot below the minimum does not stop an application being made, but it changes the level of assessment from code to impact assessment. Impact assessable applications must be publicly notified for at least 15 business days, and submitters can appeal the decision, so the process is longer and less certain.

How much does it cost to subdivide in Queensland?

Costs vary widely by council and site. Official fees include the council application fee, plan sealing fee and Titles Queensland registration fees. Brisbane's 2026–27 fee for reconfiguring a lot is $4,500 for up to two lots. The larger costs are usually infrastructure charges, surveying, design, operational works and service connections, which depend on your block and council.

Sources

This guide is general information only, current at October 2026. Rules, fees and maps change, and every block is different. Speak to a licensed surveyor or town planner about your property.

How to subdivide land in Queensland