ACT developer licensing: what developers need to know

The Property Developers Act 2024 introduces a licensing system designed to strengthen accountability and give buyers greater confidence in the people delivering their homes.

For developers, the first step is to check how the requirements apply to each project. Beyond that, the scheme places ongoing responsibilities on how developers oversee their work, communicate with buyers and keep records.

What changes on 1 October?

The scheme generally covers residential projects with three or more dwellings, from townhouse developments to apartment buildings. Single homes and dual occupancies generally fall outside its scope. ACT Government scheme guidance

There are two key dates:

• 1 October 2026: key licensing requirements linked to development and building approvals begin.
• 1 April 2027: the off-the-plan provisions begin, following a delay confirmed in the latest commencement notice. Property Developers Commencement Notice 2026

For each project, developers should check when their next application or approval is due and whether a licence is needed at that point. This includes checking the requirements for a certificate of occupancy. Projects already underway may also be affected, depending on their approval history and the rules for moving into the new system.

Further changes are still before the Legislative Assembly as at 30 September 2026. These include a proposal to remove the building commencement notice as a point at which a licence is required. Until those changes pass, developers should plan around the requirements currently in place. Amendment bill status

What comes with holding a licence?

The scheme’s Code of Practice sets out how licensed developers are expected to work. It covers managing quality and risk, overseeing the project, providing accurate information, handling complaints and keeping records.

It also requires developers to manage conflicts of interest and disclose any benefits they receive through the appointment of a strata manager. Property Developers Code of Practice

In everyday terms, developers need clear responsibilities, reliable information and a record of important decisions. These help the project team work consistently and respond when buyers, consultants or regulators ask questions.

Make sure everyone knows who is responsible

A development can involve several companies, consultants and contractors. Developers should confirm with their legal advisers who needs to hold a licence and when.

The same clarity is useful when planning how the completed building will run.

For example, apartments, shops and a hotel might share a basement or equipment room. Someone needs to establish who can access it, who maintains the equipment and how the costs are divided.

Settling those questions during design gives the project team time to resolve gaps. Recording the answers gives future owners and managers a clear starting point.

Keep buyer information in step with the project

Decisions about amenities, services and staging affect the cost of running a building. When those decisions change, budgets and information provided to buyers may also need to change.

Consider a development built in several stages. The first residents may use shared facilities before later stages are completed. Who pays the running costs during that period? Will the first owners’ levies change when the next stage opens?

Working through these questions early helps the developer prepare realistic budgets and explain the assumptions behind them. The legal and sales teams can then use that information when preparing contracts and communicating with buyers.

This supports the Code’s expectations around accurate information and keeping purchasers informed.

Plan the handover well before completion

A useful handover gives the incoming manager the information needed to operate and maintain the building.

That includes equipment lists, maintenance schedules, warranties, operating manuals and drawings showing what was built. Asking for these documents early gives the builder and project team time to prepare them and check that they are complete.

The developer also needs to consider its own records. The Code requires certain records to be kept for 10 years. Passing documents to an owners corporation should therefore be supported by a clear arrangement for what the developer keeps and how it can access that information later.

Good preparation makes it easier to answer questions, arrange maintenance and investigate problems after residents move in.

Have a clear process for issues after occupation

Once a building is occupied, owners may report defects, raise maintenance concerns or ask questions about shared facilities and charges.

A clear process helps each issue reach the right person. Recording what was reported, what was investigated and what action followed helps everyone understand the position and avoid repeating work.

For example, if water enters an apartment, drawings, maintenance records and a history of earlier reports can help the relevant specialists investigate. Clear communication then helps keep owners informed as the matter progresses.

A strata manager can provide continuity in this process while acting for the owners corporation. The developer remains responsible for its own obligations, with technical advice provided by the appropriate specialists.

Bring building management experience into the project early

The people managing completed buildings see the lasting effects of development decisions. Unclear maintenance responsibilities, missing documents and budgets that overlook running costs can create problems for owners and developers alike.

That experience can help project teams ask useful questions before construction is complete.

At Vantage Strata in Canberra, we contribute this practical perspective through advice on how a development will be managed, how shared costs will be allocated, what owners’ budgets should allow for and what information will be needed at handover. We work alongside the developer’s legal and technical advisers.

As the licensing requirements begin, developers have a clear reason to review how their projects are organised and documented. Including the future operation of the building in that review can help identify issues early and support a smoother transition from construction to occupation.