Approvals guide

Do bollards need council approval in Australia?

Short answer: Generally yes if the bollard goes on council land: the footpath, nature strip, road reserve or vehicle crossing. On your own private land, such as a forecourt or driveway, you usually don't need council consent, but strata common property needs owners corporation approval and a landlord may have a say. Rules vary by council, so check yours before you order, and lodge a Before You Dig Australia enquiry before anything is drilled.

Figures: SafeWise product data. Standards are quoted as commonly cited guidance, so check the current edition. How we check

Approval depends on who owns the ground, not on the bollard. Here is how to tell, who to ask and what to send.

Updated 28 October 2026

On this page: Approval by location · Council land · In Victoria · Private, strata and leased land · What to send the council · Before you dig · Step by step · FAQs

Fixed safety bollard in safety yellow installed on concrete

The rule of thumb

Ask who owns the ground, not what the bollard is

A council doesn't approve a bollard in the abstract. It decides what happens on land it manages. So three questions settle most cases: who owns the ground, who else has rights over it (a landlord, an owners corporation, a neighbour with a right-of-way), and what is underneath it.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Rules vary by council and state, and a planning overlay can affect even private land. Ask the body that owns the land before you order, and keep the answer in writing.

By location

Who to ask, by where the bollard goes

A general starting point. Your council and owners corporation have the final say.

Who decides and what you generally need, by where the bollard goes
Where it goesWho decidesWhat you generally need
Footpath, nature strip or road reserveCouncilCouncil consent or a permit before you order
Vehicle crossing (kerb to boundary)Usually councilAsk council first; this is usually council land
Outdoor dining area on a footpathCouncilCheck the dining permit conditions, including what may be fixed down
Your own forecourt, driveway or yard (no strata)YouUsually no council consent; check for a planning overlay and any shared access
Strata common property, including paving at the front of a lotOwners corporationWritten approval through the committee or manager before drilling
Your own car space in a strata schemeOwners corporationCheck the scheme rules; the space or the ground around it may be common property
Leased premisesLandlordWritten consent, because a lease commonly restricts changes to the frontage

Council land

Footpath, nature strip and road reserve

Works on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve generally need council consent, because the land is the council's even when it sits in front of your property. Ask the council that owns the land before you order, and ask what its process is rather than assuming one: many have their own application steps and conditions.

Expect questions about position. Council guidance commonly asks for bollards at least 500mm off the edge of a path (Sunshine Coast Council, for example, references the Austroads Guide to Road Design Part 6A), but there is no single figure for every kerb. Clear width for people matters too: see the bollard spacing guide for gaps and setbacks.

A bollard on your own land can't fix parking on the road: a car parked across your entrance on a public street is a matter for your local council or the police.

Victoria

In Victoria

What the council pages we read say, and who to ask in Melbourne. This is not legal advice, and none of these pages mentions bollards by name, so ask before you order.

Victorian councils publish their own permit rules for work on footpaths, nature strips and roads, and the names differ. The pages we read say much the same thing in general terms:

  • City of Melbourne. Its listing for approval for works within road reserves says you may need approval to conduct works in a road reserve, which includes roadways, freeways, verges and footpaths. It says to contact the relevant coordinating road authority before any work, and that the authority varies depending on whether the road reserve is controlled by local, state or federal government. See the City of Melbourne listing on ABLIS.
  • Whitehorse. Its asset protection page says that for all works in the road reserve you need to apply for the relevant permits and approvals before starting, and that you may need a permit before any works or alterations outside a private property boundary. See Whitehorse City Council asset protection.
  • Boroondara. Its page lists a road opening permit, a vehicle crossing permit and an asset protection permit, which protects footpaths, nature strips, kerbs, roads and laneways during building works, and says you cannot start works before you receive the permit. See Boroondara council asset protection.

So in practice the local council usually controls works on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve through its permits and local laws. A state-managed road has a different road authority: the City of Melbourne listing links a map of roads managed by the Department of Transport and Planning, so check who manages the road before you ask. If you cannot find a page for your council, check your council's local law and ask before you order.

Whatever the permit, lodge a Before You Dig Australia enquiry before anything is drilled.

Who to ask in Melbourne

Private land

Private property, strata and leased premises

Your own freehold land

A bollard wholly on your own property usually doesn't need council consent, but check for any planning overlay and for shared access or a right-of-way. Don't block emergency vehicles. If vehicles sometimes need through, a removable bollard lifts out; see the driveway bollards guide.

Strata and owners corporation

Work on common property generally needs owners corporation approval, through your committee or manager. Driveways, car parks and paving at the front of a lot are often common property, so get written approval before drilling, even for your own car space. The car park safety checklist covers approvals and key control for strata and property managers.

Landlords and tenants

A lease commonly restricts changes to the frontage, and a tenant usually needs the owner's written consent first. For a shop, the shopfront bollards guide covers landlord, insurer and outdoor dining approvals together.

Pricing a job like this? Send sizes, quantities and your postcode.

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The application

What to send the council

Councils set their own requirements, so treat this as a starting list and ask what else yours needs.

  • A location plan. A simple site plan or marked-up photo showing the boundary, kerb, footpath and driveway, with each bollard position and its distances marked.
  • Bollard details. The spec sheet for the model you chose, from our spec sheets, and whether it is fixed or removable.
  • Spacing and clearances. How many bollards, the clear gap between bollard edges (about 1000–1200mm is a common starting point, with 1200mm commonly cited for a wheelchair user) and the setback from the path edge. Work these out with the spacing guide.
  • The reason. One plain sentence on the job: keeping cars off the path, marking an edge or holding a bay.
  • Consent from the owner. A landlord's or owners corporation's written consent if you are not the owner.
  • How it will be fixed and by whom. Fixed or removable, and who your installer is.
  • Service plans. Your Before You Dig Australia results, once you have them.

Before you dig

Locate services first

Footpaths, nature strips and driveways commonly sit over stormwater, power, water and communications lines. Lodge a Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) enquiry at byda.com.au before any drilling, and use a scanner where in doubt.

Fixed bollards use M10 concrete anchors, typically 100–150mm long. A removable bollard needs a core-drilled hole or a socket cast into wet concrete. SafeWise supplies product only, so your installer does this work: see how to install fixed and removable bollards.

What the approver may ask about the bollard

Approval is about location, but expect to be asked what the product is. SafeWise bollards are powder-coated carbon steel with a 3mm wall. Be accurate about them:

Safety and delineation bollards: not impact-tested or certified to hostile-vehicle standards such as PAS 68 or IWA 14. They mark, delineate and keep cars at parking speed off an area. Don't describe them as crash protection in an application.

Step by step

Approval first, order second, drill last

  1. 1. Work out who owns the ground

    Council, you, an owners corporation or a landlord. Use the table above.

  2. 2. Ask in writing

    Send the checklist items above and keep the reply.

  3. 3. Get a written quote

    Bollards are pre-order on the next container, so the quote gives the expected landing date.

  4. 4. Lodge a BYDA enquiry, then install

    Share the results with your installer, and tell the approver if the plan changes.

FAQs

Questions about bollard approvals

Do I need council approval to put bollards on the footpath outside my shop?

Generally yes. Works on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve generally need council consent because that land is the council's, so ask your council before you order SafeWise bollards. On your own private forecourt you usually don't need council consent, but your landlord or owners corporation may need to approve.

Do I need council approval for bollards on my own driveway or private land?

Usually not for a bollard wholly on your own property, but check for any planning overlay and for shared access or a right-of-way. A removable SafeWise bollard suits a driveway you still need to drive through, and rules vary by council.

Do I need owners corporation approval for bollards in a strata car park?

Yes, in general. Work on strata common property needs owners corporation approval through the committee or manager, so get it in writing before any drilling. That can apply even to your own car space, because the space or the ground around it may be common property.

Can I put bollards on the nature strip to stop people parking on it?

Not without asking the council first. The nature strip is generally council land, so bollards there generally need council consent. A bollard on your own land also can't solve parking on a public road, which is a matter for your council or the police.

Do I need a permit for a bollard in Victoria?

Generally, if the bollard goes on a footpath, nature strip or road reserve. The Victorian council pages we read say works in the road reserve need the relevant permits or approvals before starting, and the local council usually controls them. A state-managed road has a different road authority. None of those pages mentions bollards by name, so check your council's local law and ask before you order. On your own private land you usually don't need a council permit.

Does SafeWise lodge council applications or install the bollards?

No. SafeWise Australia supplies bollards only, with no installation, and doesn't lodge applications. We can send a written quote and the spec sheet for the model you choose to attach to your application, and nothing is committed until you confirm the quote.

Do I need to check for underground services before installing a bollard?

Yes. Lodge a Before You Dig Australia (BYDA) enquiry before any drilling for SafeWise fixed or removable bollards, and use a scanner where in doubt. Footpaths, nature strips and driveways commonly sit over stormwater, power, water and communications lines.

Related products

Bollards for the job

Bollards are pre-order on the next container: factory production typically takes 15–20 days, plus sea freight and customs. Storage holders are in stock now. Prices as at October 2026.

Need a quote to go with your application?

Send us the bollard type, quantity and delivery postcode. We aim to reply within one business day with a written quote.

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