Property flood level certificate
Flooding information
An official flood level certificate is required for certain planning and land development applications, including some council planning permits. It is also included in the ‘Section 32’ statement for property sales.
A flood level certificate states the estimated maximum floodwater height for a property, known as the flood level. This height is measured in metres to Australian Height Datum (AHD), which represents metres above sea level.
The flood level shown is an estimate for a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year (known as a 1% Annual Exceedance Probability, or AEP).
Flood level certificates are valid for three months, as the data they are based on can change.
When do I need a certificate?
If your property has a flooding overlay, you’ll need a flood level certificate when developing, renovating or selling it. Flooding overlays define areas with specific characteristics that must be considered when developing land.
To determine if your property is affected by a flooding overlay, consult the Department of Transport and Planning’s online map, VicPlan. Please note that VicPlan is a guide only.
Developing or renovating property
You’ll need a flood level certificate when applying for a council planning permit. This provides evidence that your plans meet criteria for flood safety, set out in the Victorian Government’s guidelines:
A flood level certificate does not constitute approval for your development. You must still submit a permit application to your council, who will then forward it to us for review.
Determining freeboard and floor levels
To protect your property, councils work with Melbourne Water to set a minimum floor level. This is calculated by adding a freeboard height (typically 300-600mm) to the flood level shown on your Flood Level Certificate (i.e. the 1% AEP, measured in AHD).
For freeboard specifications, consult Section 9: Flood damage of the guidelines (2.45 MB, PDF). Your council or building surveyor can also provide assistance.
Selling property
When selling a property, you’ll need to provide flood information in your vendor statement (also called a ‘Section 32’). You can provide this in the form of a flood level certificate, or as part of a property information certificate.
In addition to flood levels, property information certificates contain details from other authorities, such as title information and rates.
We do not provide property information certificates. They are available from:
Apply for a certificate
Submit an application for a flood level certificate online:
Apply for a flood level certificate
You can also get a certificate from LANDATA and Dye & Durham.
Timeframes
It can take up to 14 days for us to process your application and email you a written response.
Incomplete applications may be delayed or returned with a request for more information.
Fees
There is a $53.92 charge for this service.
Contact us
If you need help completing this application, contact us on 131 722.