Short answer
Use this hub to identify questions and route to official information. It does not determine exemption, permit, licence or engineering status for a particular wall.
The national starting questions
- Where is the property and which local authority applies?
- What are the retained height, length and wall location?
- Is the wall near a boundary, building, driveway, pool, road or service?
- What loads, slopes, water and ground conditions affect it?
- Is the work new, altered, replaced or repaired?
- Who will design, certify, approve and build each part?
Different roles solve different questions
| Role | Possible question |
|---|---|
| Planning or building authority | What pathway, exemption, permit or application applies? |
| Building certifier or surveyor | What approval and inspection evidence is required? |
| Engineer | What design and construction requirements address the loads and site? |
| Geotechnical professional | What ground or groundwater information is needed? |
| Licensed contractor | What work is within scope and how will it be built? |
Use the source date
Regulatory pages record the jurisdiction and review date because rules and regulator guidance change. Recheck the linked official source before relying on a pathway, especially after law, code or planning updates.
Information, not approval advice
Confirm the current property-specific position with the relevant authority and appropriately qualified professionals before work.