Do Relocatable and Transportable Homes Need BASIX in NSW?
Whether a transportable, prefabricated or modular home needs a BASIX Certificate in New South Wales depends on how the dwelling is legally classified and how it will be installed—not simply on the name used by the supplier.
Under current NSW planning guidance, a dwelling that qualifies as a relocatable home is treated differently from a flat-pack kit home erected as a building. A relocatable home generally does not require a BASIX Certificate, while a flat-pack dwelling requiring a development application or complying development certificate generally does.
The approval pathway still needs to be confirmed with the relevant council or certifier before documentation is prepared. A project can require council approval even where BASIX does not apply.
In Brief
Does a Relocatable Home Need a BASIX Certificate?
A dwelling that meets the NSW legal definition of a relocatable home does not generally require a BASIX Certificate because it is not treated as a building under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. A flat-pack kit home is treated differently: where its erection requires a DA or CDC, the application generally needs to be accompanied by a BASIX Certificate. Supplier terms such as modular, prefab, portable and transportable are not enough on their own to determine which pathway applies.
Relocatable and Flat-Pack Homes at a Glance
| Consideration | Relocatable Home | Flat-Pack Kit Home |
|---|---|---|
| Construction form | Manufactured as at least one substantially completed major section. | Delivered as prefabricated components that are erected or assembled as a building. |
| EP&A classification | Excluded from the definition of a building under the relevant NSW framework. | Considered a building for planning and approval purposes. |
| BASIX | A BASIX Certificate is not generally required. | A BASIX Certificate is generally required where a DA or CDC is needed. |
| Typical approval pathway | Section 68 approval is generally required outside a caravan park or manufactured home estate, unless a local exemption applies. Development consent may also be required for the proposed land use. | The normal DA and construction certificate pathway, or a CDC where complying development is available. |
| What determines the category? | The legal definition, manufacturing method, major sections and installation process. | The dwelling is erected from components rather than installed as one or more qualifying major sections. |
Important Distinction
“Transportable” Is Not a Defined Approval Category
Transportable, prefab, modular, portable and manufactured are commonly used as sales or construction terms. They do not, by themselves, determine whether the proposal is legally a relocatable home, a building erected from a flat-pack system or another form of residential development. The physical construction and installation method must be examined against the relevant NSW definitions.
What Is a Relocatable Home in NSW?
The NSW Local Government regulatory framework defines a relocatable home as a manufactured home or another moveable dwelling, other than a tent, caravan, campervan or registrable vehicle, that contains at least one major section.
A major section is more than a bundle of framing, wall panels or roof components. It is a substantial portion of the home containing the major components of that part of the dwelling. These may include:
- the chassis or structural frame
- external and internal walls
- the roof and ceilings
- floors
- windows and doors
- internal plumbing and wiring
- bathroom, kitchen and laundry fittings
- built-in cupboards and cabinetry
Installation generally involves connecting the major sections, attaching the home to its footings and connecting services such as electricity, water, sewerage and drainage.
A home can therefore be substantial, permanently serviced and attached to footings while still being treated as a relocatable home. The ability to move the dwelling later is not the only consideration.
Why Relocatable Homes Do Not Generally Require BASIX
BASIX applies to specified residential development involving a BASIX building. The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act excludes manufactured homes, moveable dwellings and their associated structures from its definition of a building.
A dwelling that genuinely qualifies as a relocatable home is therefore not treated as the erection of a BASIX building. Under NSW Planning Circular PS 21-016, a BASIX Certificate is not required for that type of home.
This remains the case even where development consent is required for the use of the land. Development consent and BASIX are related parts of the wider approval environment, but one does not automatically trigger the other for a legally defined relocatable home.
No BASIX Does Not Mean No Approval
The absence of a BASIX requirement should not be interpreted as permission to install a dwelling without council involvement.
For land outside a caravan park or manufactured home estate, installation of a relocatable home or associated structure generally requires approval under section 68 of the Local Government Act 1993, unless the council has provided an exemption through its local approvals policy.
The project may also require:
- development consent for the proposed use of the land
- structural engineering certification
- plans and installation specifications
- compliance plates
- water, sewerage and stormwater approvals
- bushfire, flood or site-specific planning information
- approval for associated structures or site works
The local council should confirm the required application pathway for the particular property. Zoning, environmental constraints and local approval policies can affect what is required even where the proposed dwelling is a relocatable home.
What Is a Flat-Pack Kit Home?
A flat-pack kit home is delivered as prefabricated parts that are assembled or erected on the site. The kit may contain factory-produced frames, wall panels, roof components, floors and other materials, with some construction work completed after delivery.
The important distinction is that the home has not been manufactured as one or more substantially completed major sections. It is erected from components in a way that is treated as building work under the Environmental Planning and Assessment framework.
The fact that much of the system was designed or fabricated in a factory does not, on its own, make the completed dwelling a relocatable home.
Do Flat-Pack Kit Homes Need BASIX?
A flat-pack kit home is considered a building under current NSW planning guidance. Where the dwelling requires a development application or complying development certificate, the application generally needs to be accompanied by a BASIX Certificate.
The approval pathway may involve:
- a development application and construction certificate
- a complying development certificate where the proposal satisfies the applicable controls
- a BASIX Certificate prepared for the proposed dwelling
- appointment of the appropriate certifying authority
- required inspections during construction
- an occupation certificate before occupation, subject to the applicable requirements
For BASIX purposes, the dwelling is assessed as proposed residential construction. Factory fabrication does not remove the need to coordinate the certificate with the site plan, orientation, glazing, insulation, services and approval drawings.
How Are Modular and Prefabricated Homes Classified?
Modular and prefabricated homes can fall into different approval categories. Some are transported as substantially completed modules containing major building components. Others arrive as panels, frames and materials requiring significant erection and completion on site.
The classification should be based on the actual design and delivery method rather than the marketing description.
Potential Relocatable Classification
Completed Major Sections
The dwelling is manufactured as one or more substantial modules containing the main structural, internal and service components before being transported and installed.
Potential Building Classification
Parts Assembled On Site
The dwelling arrives as frames, panels, roof systems or other components and is erected as a building through substantial on-site assembly and construction.
Confirmation Required
Hybrid Construction
Some projects combine completed modules with extensive site-built areas. The council or certifier should confirm how the complete proposal will be classified and approved.
What If an Existing Conventional House Is Relocated?
Moving an existing conventional dwelling from one property to another is not necessarily the same as purchasing a newly manufactured relocatable home.
Current NSW planning guidance states that relocation of a BASIX-affected building from one site to another is exempt from the requirement for a new BASIX Certificate. This is a specific relocation provision and should not be interpreted as a general exemption for extensions, reconstruction or new site-built residential work.
The relocation can still require planning approval, engineering, transport coordination, new footings, service connections and other site-specific documentation. Any substantial additions or separately proposed new residential construction may need to be considered independently.
Questions to Confirm Before Ordering the Home
Before relying on a supplier’s statement that a BASIX Certificate is or is not required, ask for enough information to confirm the approval pathway.
How is the dwelling transported?
Establish whether it arrives as one or more substantially completed modules or as parts that require erection on the site.
What does each transported section contain?
Ask whether the sections contain the frame, walls, roof, floors, windows, doors, plumbing, wiring and internal fittings required by the major-section definition.
What work will occur on site?
Connecting modules and services is different from constructing the primary walls, floors and roof from delivered components.
Which application does the council require?
Confirm whether the proposal needs a section 68 application, development consent, a construction certificate, a CDC or a combination of approvals.
Has the BASIX classification been confirmed in writing?
Where the construction method is unusual or hybrid, written confirmation from the relevant approval authority can reduce the risk of preparing the wrong assessment documents.
Are other buildings included?
Garages, studios, site-built additions, verandahs and other associated work may follow a different approval pathway from the transported dwelling itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Relocatable Homes and BASIX
Do all transportable homes avoid BASIX?
No. Transportable is a general industry term rather than a defined approval category. A home erected from flat-pack components may require BASIX even though the supplier describes it as transportable.
Does a modular home need a BASIX Certificate?
It depends on whether the modular dwelling meets the legal definition of a relocatable home. The number and completeness of the transported sections, the work undertaken on site and the relevant approval pathway should be confirmed.
Does a flat-pack house need BASIX in NSW?
Where a flat-pack kit home requires a development application or complying development certificate, the application generally needs to include a BASIX Certificate because the dwelling is treated as a building.
Does a manufactured home require council approval?
A relocatable or manufactured home installed outside a caravan park or manufactured home estate will generally require section 68 approval unless a local exemption applies. Development consent for use of the land may also be required.
Can a relocatable home require a DA but not BASIX?
Yes. Development consent may be required for the proposed use of the land even though the dwelling is not treated as a BASIX building. The approval requirements need to be considered separately.
Does putting the home on permanent footings make BASIX mandatory?
Not by itself. Installation of a relocatable home can include attaching its major sections to footings and connecting permanent services. The complete construction and legal classification remain the determining factors.
Who decides whether the dwelling is relocatable or flat-pack?
The relevant council or certifying authority should confirm the approval classification based on the proposed dwelling, installation method and application pathway. The supplier’s marketing description should not be relied upon as the only evidence.
Official Guidance and Related Knowledge
Continue Reviewing the Approval Pathway
General information: This article explains the distinction contained in current NSW planning guidance and does not constitute legal or planning advice. Classification can depend on the specific dwelling, site and construction method. Confirm the required approval pathway with the relevant council or certifying authority before ordering, installing or lodging documentation for a transportable home.
Last reviewed: July 2026.
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