Legislation & Regulations


The two documents which provide the legislative framework establishing the planning and development system and informing its detailed operation are the Development Act 1993 and the associated Development Regulations.

The Development Act 1993 is the core legislation enacted by the South Australian State Parliament to establish the planning and development system framework and many of the procedures required to be followed within that framework. The Act came into effect on 15 January 1994 but has been amended on several occasions since then.

The Development Regulations provide more of the detail to fill out the framework and are updated from time to time by the Governor (on the advice of the Minister for Urban Development and Planning). The current Regulations are the Development Regulations 2008 (operational from 1 September 2008).

Legislation online 

Up to date versions of the Development Act and Development Regulations can be found online on the SA Legislation website:

The Development Act 1993 consists of 13 Parts. The key Parts are:

  • Part 2 - establishes statutory bodies the Development Policy Advisory Committee (DPAC) and the Development Assessment Commission (DAC)
  • Part 3 - establishes the need for the Planning Strategy (Section 22) and local area Development Plans (Section 23), and the processes for amending (Sections 24-29) and reviewing (Section 30) planning policy.
  • Part 4 - lays out development assessment processes (Sections 32-56A), including major developments (Section 46)
  • Part 6 - lays out the law surrounding the regulation of building work, and
  • Part 11 - lays out processes for enforcement, disputes and appeals. 

Other legislation administered by Planning SA includes:

  • Architects Act 1939
  • Swimming Pool (Safety) Act 1972

Related legislation administered by other Agencies includes:

  • Environment, Resources and Development Court Act 1993
  • Environment Protection Act 1993
  • Heritage Act 1993
  • Water Resources Act 1997
  • Native Vegetation Act 1991
  • River Murray Act 2003
  • Natural Resource Management Act 2004
  • Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005

Recent or forthcoming amendments

For information about recent, forthcoming or proposed changes to the legislation and regulations please view our Practitioner Information page.

Planning SA role 

Planning SA's System Improvement Branch has a role to:

  • facilitate improvements to the overall planning and development system 
  • advise on and coordinate legislative and procedural initiatives relating to development legislation and other legislation administered by Planning SA
  • facilitate the review and amendment of development legislation, and
  • advise on the legislative proposals of other State agencies and/or the Commonwealth insofar as they relate to development legislation.