House-to-Medical Clinic Conversions in Melbourne: Permits, Costs & Compliance Guide

20 August 2025by Soulmed

House-to-Medical Clinic Conversions in Melbourne: Permits, Costs & Compliance Guide

Thinking about turning a house into your new clinic? Smart move. Converted dwellings can be cost-effective, community-friendly, and quick to bring online—if you navigate planning, building, and health regulations the right way. Here’s a Melbourne-specific, step-by-step guide you can use as a blueprint.

1) First, check planning rules (before you sign a lease)

Zoning & “medical centre” use. In Victoria, a clinic typically falls under the land-use term Medical centre, which many councils treat as a type of Office and assess under their planning scheme. Whether you need a planning permit depends on your site’s zone and any overlays. For example, using a house in a General Residential Zone (GRZ) as a medical centre generally requires a planning permit (see GRZ Clause 32.08-2 examples). basscoast.vic.gov.au

Parking triggers. Even if “use” is allowed, car-parking can trigger a permit. Victoria’s Clause 52.06 sets the baseline parking rates and the rules to reduce/waive them; Column B (reduced rates) may apply if you’re within 400 m of the Principal Public Transport Network (PPTN). Planning+1

How many spaces do clinics need? Many councils apply the VPP table that requires 5 spaces for the first practitioner + 3 for each additional practitioner (unless a Parking Overlay varies it). Always verify your local scheme’s rate and overlays. Wyndham City Planning

Signs. External signage often needs a permit under Clause 52.05 (Signs)—especially anything illuminated or electronic, and particularly near main roads where the Department of Transport and Planning may be a referral authority. Victorian Government

Tip: A short planning due-diligence memo should confirm zoning/overlays, car-parking, likely permit pathway, and any heritage or vegetation triggers. It’s the cheapest way to de-risk your timeline.

2) Know your building classification (NCC): Class 5 vs Class 9a

Why it matters: Your classification dictates fire safety, accessibility, essential safety measures (ESMs), sanitary fixture counts, and more.

Class 5 (office/professional rooms): Common for GP/specialist consulting where patients remain conscious and ambulant. National Construction Code
Class 9a (health-care building): Required where patients may need physical assistance to evacuate or become unconscious (e.g., day surgery, sedation suites). National Construction Code

Your building surveyor determines the classification when issuing the building permit for a change of use and any building work. Victorian Building Authority

3) Accessibility & patient experience (DDA + NCC)

Converting a house means bringing access up to current standards for the new work and affected paths of travel.

Premises Standards 2010 (under the Disability Discrimination Act) apply to new/altered public building work; they reference NCC access provisions (Part D4) and standards like AS 1428.1 (design for access/mobility). A 2024 update now references the 2021 edition of AS 1428.1. Australian Human Rights Commission Federal Register of Legislation DDA Consultants Australia
What this means on the ground: compliant step-free entry (ramps/thresholds), door widths and circulation spaces, tactile signage and TGSI where required, and accessible sanitary facilities. National Construction Code
Accessible toilets & fixture counts: The NCC (Part F4) sets minimum numbers of sanitary facilities based on occupant load; accessible unisex facilities can sometimes count toward totals. Final numbers depend on classification and occupant calculations. Australian Building Codes Board National Construction Code

4) Car parking & traffic (what councils look for)

Baseline rates & reductions: Use Clause 52.06 to calculate spaces and check for PPTN reductions or Parking Overlays with local rates. A reduction/waiver usually requires a traffic assessment and justification (on-street availability, demand management, scheduling). Planning+2Planning+2
Accessible bays: Where bays are required, provide them to AS 2890.6 and NCC Part D4 (location, gradients, shared zones). National Construction Code

5) Services, health-specific compliance & fitout details

Electrical in patient areas: Many consulting/treatment rooms become “patient areas”—wiring and outlets must comply with AS/NZS 3003:2018 (clearances, RCDs, equipotential bonding, medical IT systems as applicable). Coordinate early with your engineer. Standards Global

Infection control (all clinics): Australia has updated guidance for reprocessing reusable devices—AS 5369:2023 supersedes AS/NZS 4815 for office-based health care. Design for clean/dirty flows, compliant sinks, storage, and equipment. electricaltestingcompany.com.au

Dental & imaging extras (if relevant):

X-ray licensing: In Victoria you’ll need a radiation management licence (practice/possession) and use licences for operators (e.g., dentists for intra-oral/panoramic/CBCT). Also follow ARPANSA RPS C-5 (medical exposure). Health Victoria+1 ARPANSA
Trade waste & amalgam: Dental practices should have a Trade Waste agreement with the local water retailer (South East Water, Yarra Valley Water, etc.) and manage amalgam waste via separators/recyclers per local requirements. southeastwater.com.au Yarra Valley Water

6) Fire safety & Essential Safety Measures (ESMs)

A change of use introduces ESM obligations (exit signs, emergency lighting, fire equipment, mechanical ventilation, etc.). The building surveyor’s maintenance determination sets what must be inspected and how often; the owner is responsible for maintaining ESMs and issuing an Annual ESM Report. AustLII Victorian Building Authority

7) Approvals pathway & typical timeline

Feasibility & due diligence (1–3 weeks): Planning checks (zoning, overlays, parking, signage), building classification strategy, high-level cost plan.
Town planning permit (if required) (6–12+ weeks): Application, plans, parking assessment, possible advertising and conditions. Burke Lawyers
Detailed design & building permit (3–6 weeks): Access compliance, services, fire, ESM schedule; building surveyor issues building permit. Victorian Building Authority
Fitout construction (4–12 weeks): Staging to keep neighbours happy; ESMs installed and commissioned.
Occupancy Permit/Final: Building surveyor confirms compliance and issues an Occupancy Permit (or Certificate of Final Inspection) before you open. Victorian Building Authority

8) Budget snapshot (Melbourne dwellings → clinics)

Every site is different, but for a single-storey house conversion to a small GP/specialist clinic (2–4 consult rooms), allow for:

Planning, design & permits: town planning (if needed), survey/traffic/access reports, building surveyor fees.
Base building upgrades: access works (ramp/doorways), sanitary upgrades (including accessible), fire/ESMs, acoustic separation, electrical upgrades to AS/NZS 3003 in patient areas, mechanical ventilation adjustments. Standards Global
Clinical fitout: joinery, flooring/walls (washable), handbasins, reprocessing area (if needed), IT/AV/security, signage (permit). Victorian Government

Cost levers: classification (Class 5 vs 9a), extent of structural changes, parking works, and whether dental/imaging services are included (radiation shielding, plumbing to chairs, trade waste).

9) Common pitfalls (and how to dodge them)

Assuming “no permit needed” because it’s small. Change-of-use and parking almost always need a check; GRZ-based conversions usually need a planning permit. basscoast.vic.gov.au
Under-allowing parking or not justifying a waiver against Clause 52.06—get a traffic engineer to support demand management and scheduling. Planning
Forgetting accessibility early—retrofitting ramps, doors, and sanitary facilities late is expensive; design to Premises Standards/NCC D4 from day one. National Construction Code
Missing ESM obligations after handover—owners must maintain and report annually. Victorian Building Authority
Imaging/dental compliance—sort radiation licences and trade waste early; build in shielding, room sizes, and clearances to standard. Health Victoria ARPANSA southeastwater.com.au

10) Fast checklist you can copy

Zoning/overlays confirmed; medical centre use permissibility checked
Parking counted (Clause 52.06) + PPTN/overlay reductions tested; accessible bay to AS 2890.6 located Planning+1
Access strategy to Premises Standards/NCC D4 (entry, paths, doors, amenities, signage) National Construction Code
Building classification agreed (Class 5 vs 9a) with your building surveyor National Construction Code
Services: AS/NZS 3003 for patient areas; HVAC, hot water, acoustics Standards Global
Health-specific: infection control (AS 5369), dental/imaging licences, trade waste electricaltestingcompany.com.au Health Victoria southeastwater.com.au
ESMs defined; maintenance responsibilities documented; Annual ESM Report process set up AustLII Victorian Building Authority
Signage permit under Clause 52.05 (if needed) Victorian Government
Occupancy Permit issued before opening Victorian Building Authority

Where SoulMed fits in

We handle the lot—planning due diligence, clinic design, permit documentation, services engineering, and the full fitout—with Melbourne-specific know-how (parking, access, ESMs, and health regulations) baked in from the start. If you want, I can turn this into a tailored feasibility for your exact property (address, specialty mix, practitioner numbers) and map the parking, access and budget impacts in one go.

Contact SoulMED today.