APN Codex · Planning Rules
Tasmania — Northern Midlands
The Rules That Govern Property in Northern Midlands
Instruments
27
Local Plan
1
Regional
1
TAS
25
As At
17 Sep 2026
1Overview
The use, development, sale, lease and taxation of land in Northern Midlands are governed by the 27 instruments listed here: 1 local planning instrument, 1 regional plan or strategy and 25 Tasmanian Acts, regulations and State planning instruments. Each entry records the version in force, a plain-English description and a link to the official text.
Commonwealth laws that apply across Australia, including the Building Code and foreign investment rules, are listed on the national page →
Every instrument is checked against its official publisher each month, and a new version is recorded when it takes effect. Descriptions are APN’s own and are not legal advice; the official version of each instrument prevails.
2The Local Plan
Tasmanian Planning Scheme – Northern Midlands · In force from 8 July 2026
Applies the State Planning Provisions to the Northern Midlands municipal area through its local zone and overlay maps, including the priority vegetation area, airport noise exposure, airport obstacle limitation and archaeological potential overlays. It also contains specific area plans such as the Translink plan, site-specific qualifications and a list of local heritage places.
A Local Provisions Schedule applies with the State Planning Provisions, and together they form the Tasmanian Planning Scheme for the area. Zone and overlay maps are not listed here; the Tasmanian planning scheme website shows the controls that apply to a particular property.
3Latest Versions
4 of the 27 instruments have a version that took effect in the 90 days to 17 September 2026. They are:
- 7 September 2026: Tasmanian Planning Scheme – State Planning Provisions. Official →
- 2 September 2026: Threatened Species Protection Act 1995. Official →
- 1 September 2026: Local Government Act 1993. Official →
- 8 July 2026: Tasmanian Planning Scheme – Northern Midlands. Official →
4Planning and Development
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Tasmania Regional Land Use StrategyServes as the statutory regional plan for all land in Northern Tasmania, providing the strategic and policy basis for managing change, growth and development over the longer term. It guides decisions on land use, development and infrastructure by State and local government and major infrastructure providers, and municipal planning schemes and policy decisions in the region are expected to give effect to its vision, directions and objectives. | Regional | Regional Land Use Strategy | 23 Jun 2021 | Official → |
| Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993Establishes Tasmania's framework for land use planning and development approvals. It provides for the Tasmanian Planning Scheme, including its State Planning Provisions and Local Provisions Schedules, the Tasmanian Planning Policies, regional land use strategies and the functions of the Tasmanian Planning Commission, along with planning agreements, authorised officers and appeals to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal. | TAS | Act | 16 Jun 2025 | Official → |
| Local Government Act 1993Provides for local government in Tasmania and establishes councils to plan, develop and manage municipal areas for their communities. It deals with municipal areas and electoral districts, the constitution, role, powers and committees of councils, and the functions of mayors, deputy mayors and councillors. | TAS | Act | 1 Sep 2026 | Official → |
| State Policies and Projects Act 1993Provides for Tasmanian Sustainable Development Policies, the integrated assessment of projects of State significance and State of the Environment reporting. It governs how State Policies are drafted, opened to representations and made, and their binding effect on the Crown and councils, and sets eligibility attributes and guidelines for assessing projects of State significance against environmental, social, economic and community issues. | TAS | Act | 31 Aug 2023 | Official → |
| Tasmanian Planning Commission Act 1997Establishes the Tasmanian Planning Commission as a statutory body and makes provision for matters connected with it. It also provides for regulations, consequential amendments to other legislation, and savings and transitional arrangements. | TAS | Act | 17 Dec 2018 | Official → |
| Land Use Planning and Approvals (Application of Act) Regulations 2024Prescribes classes of work that are excluded from the meaning of development under Tasmania's Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993. The exclusions cover laying telecommunications conduits, cables and associated pits and equipment alongside a pipeline built under a permit, and building a gas supply pipeline close beside a transmission pipeline built under a permit, with pipeline terms taking their meaning from the Gas Safety Act 2019. | TAS | Regulation | 24 Dec 2024 | Official → |
| Land Use Planning and Approvals Regulations 2024Prescribes how notices and advertisements required under Tasmania's Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993 are to be given. It covers notice that a Local Provisions Schedule or an amendment to one has been approved, notice of permit applications, and the advertising of draft planning scheme amendments and their approval under provisions of the former Act that remain in force. Notices generally go in a daily newspaper for the relevant area and on display at the planning authority's office, stating the content, affected land and effective date where required. | TAS | Regulation | 24 Dec 2024 | Official → |
| Tasmanian Planning Scheme – State Planning ProvisionsSets out the State-level provisions of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme, published by the Tasmanian Planning Commission. They cover exemptions for use and development such as road works and electricity infrastructure, definitions and operational requirements for uses, subdivision of lots lying in more than one zone, permit requirements, and hazard codes for coastal erosion, coastal inundation and landslip. | TAS | State Planning Provisions | 7 Sep 2026 | Official → |
| State Policy on the Protection of Agricultural Land 2009Establishes a State policy to conserve and protect Tasmania's agricultural land so it stays available for sustainable agricultural development, giving particular weight to prime agricultural land. Its objectives and principles, given effect through planning schemes and other planning instruments, aim to limit conflict with other land uses and to restrict non-agricultural use or development that would prevent land returning to agriculture. | TAS | State Policy | Current edition | Official → |
| Tasmanian State Coastal Policy 1996Sets out the State policy for Tasmania's coastal zone, with definitions, objectives, principles and outcomes. Its outcomes address protection of natural and cultural values, including natural resources and ecosystems, cultural and historic resources, heritage and coastal hazards, and the sustainable development of coastal areas and resources such as coastal uses and development and marine farming. | TAS | State Policy | Current edition | Official → |
5Building and Construction
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Building Act 2016Regulates the building, maintenance and demolition of structures in Tasmania, along with plumbing matters, and establishes the Director of Building Control. Its objects are that such work meets or exceeds national construction standards and does not endanger health and safety, and that buildings are accessible to people with disabilities and efficient in their use of energy and water. | TAS | Act | 5 Jun 2026 | Official → |
| Local Government (Building and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1993Provides for building-related and miscellaneous local government matters in Tasmania, including the subdivision of land. It sets out the process for plans of subdivision, council approval or refusal, security for payment, the lodgment, approval, correction, amendment and cancellation of final plans, and the effect of sealed plans. | TAS | Act | 1 Dec 2022 | Official → |
| Building Regulations 2016Sets out detailed requirements supporting the Building Act 2016 in Tasmania. It deals with temporary structures, prescribed time periods, guidelines and determinations of the Director of Building Control, reporting and function control authorities, and the performance of work, including alterations, demolition, protection work, mandatory notification stages, inspections, defective work, high risk building products and on-site wastewater systems. | TAS | Regulation | 1 Oct 2024 | Official → |
6Buying, Selling and Title
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conveyancing and Law of Property Act 1884Simplifies and improves conveyancing practice in Tasmania and amends aspects of property law. It confers on trustees, mortgagees and others a range of powers that would otherwise need to be written into settlements, mortgages, wills and similar instruments, and provides statutory forms for mortgages, transfers and reconveyances. | TAS | Act | 1 Jan 2022 | Official → |
| Land Titles Act 1980Consolidates and amends Tasmanian law on registering title to land, easements and possessory titles. It provides for the Recorder of Titles and the Register, the process for bringing land under the Act, and the registration of dealings, including electronic dealings, caveats and priority notices. | TAS | Act | 13 Jun 2023 | Official → |
7Renting and Residential Communities
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residential Tenancy Act 1997Regulates residential tenancies in Tasmania. It establishes the Residential Tenancy Commissioner and sets rules for the form, expiry, extension, renewal and variation of residential tenancy agreements and residential management agreements, including rent, other payments and the advertising of rental properties at a fixed price. | TAS | Act | 20 Mar 2026 | Official → |
8Strata and Community Title
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strata Titles Act 1998Provides for the subdivision and development of land through strata schemes and community development schemes in Tasmania. It sets requirements for preparing and registering strata plans, defines and governs common property, and deals with easements, covenants, unit entitlements and the amendment of registered plans. | TAS | Act | 5 Nov 2021 | Official → |
9Land Tax, Duties and Valuation
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duties Act 2001Creates and charges a range of state duties in Tasmania, operating together with the Taxation Administration Act 1997. It imposes duty on transfers of dutiable property and on other dutiable transactions, and sets out when liability arises, who must pay, and the requirements for lodging written instruments or statements with the Commissioner. | TAS | Act | 5 Jun 2026 | Official → |
| Land Tax Act 2000Imposes land tax on land in Tasmania and sets out how liability is determined and assessed. It classifies land as principal residence, primary production or general land, provides for payment by instalments and for the treatment of joint owners, trustees and agents, and applies a foreign investor land tax. | TAS | Act | 5 Jun 2026 | Official → |
10Heritage and Environment
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994Provides for the management of Tasmania's environment and the control of pollution, replacing earlier environment protection and ozone-depleting substances legislation. It establishes the Environment Protection Authority and its Board, and deals with environmental harm, responsibility for pollution, best practice environmental management, environmental audits and finfish farming. | TAS | Act | 14 Dec 2022 | Official → |
| Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995Provides for identifying, assessing, protecting and conserving places of historic cultural heritage significance in Tasmania, and establishes the Tasmanian Heritage Council. It sets up the Heritage Fund and the Tasmanian Heritage Register, including provisional and permanent entry of places with objection and submission procedures, and controls works affecting registered places, backed by stop-work orders. | TAS | Act | 1 Jan 2025 | Official → |
| Nature Conservation Act 2002Provides for conserving and protecting Tasmania's fauna, flora and geological diversity, and for declaring national parks and other reserved land. It covers the reservation and acquisition of Crown, private and public authority land, classes of reserved land, the appointment of rangers, and controls on taking and possessing wildlife and plants. | TAS | Act | 27 Nov 2023 | Official → |
| Threatened Species Protection Act 1995Provides for the protection and management of Tasmania's threatened native flora and fauna. It establishes a Scientific Advisory Committee and a Community Review Committee, requires a threatened species strategy prepared with public consultation, and sets a process for nominating, assessing and listing threatened species and preparing listing statements. | TAS | Act | 2 Sep 2026 | Official → |
| State Policy on Water Quality Management 1997Establishes a State policy framework for managing the quality of Tasmania's surface waters, groundwaters and coastal waters. It provides for protected environmental values and water quality objectives, and sets measures for controlling point and diffuse source pollution, including emission limits for discharges, groundwater contamination controls, shared monitoring responsibilities and integrated catchment management. | TAS | State Policy | Current edition | Official → |
11Natural Hazards and Fire
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fire Service Act 1979Amalgamates Tasmania's fire services and consolidates the law on preventing and extinguishing fires and protecting life and property from fire. It establishes the Tasmania Fire Service, the State Fire Commission and the State Fire Management Council, provides for fire management areas and their committees, and regulates the establishment of brigades. | TAS | Act | 1 Jul 2025 | Official → |
12Real Estate Agents
| Instrument | Level | Type | In Force From | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property Agents and Land Transactions Act 2016Regulates property agents and certain auction and real estate practices in Tasmania, replacing earlier legislation on the same subject. It continues the Property Agents Board, sets out its functions, finances and reporting, and provides for licensing property agents, including suitability, licence conditions, continuing professional development and financial capacity. | TAS | Act | 1 Jul 2025 | Official → |
Links lead to each instrument's official publisher.
