Launching your own business in Joondalup is an exciting opportunity.
Steps for starting a business
Follow these five essential steps to ensure a successful start and sustainable growth:
Effective planning and market research are the cornerstones of a successful business. Understanding the requirements for setting up your business, such as determining the appropriate business structure, obtaining an ABN, and registering for taxes is also essential.
- City resources: The City provides information to assist with market research:
- Visit the Community demographics page to access a range of statistical data.
- Visit the Investment section to learn about opportunities.
- Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) resources: SBDC provides a wealth of information, advice, templates, tools, guides, and training for business startups. Visit the How to Start a Business website.
Choosing the right location is crucial. Depending on the nature of your business, options include running your business from home, commercial premises, coworking spaces, startup hubs, and pop-up shops.
Note that every property in the City is zoned with specific land uses associated with each zone. Changes to land use will require planning approval.
To find out more visit our Finding a Business Location page.
Depending on your business type and location, you may need planning approvals, building permits, and environmental health approvals.
Visit the Business approvals and permits section or call the City to discuss your specific needs.
Also, consider other State and Commonwealth government licences and permits. More information is available on the SBDC website.
The City offers convenient online lodgement and tracking services for submitting your approval applications. It's important to allow sufficient time for these applications to be assessed.
To ensure you understand each part of this process, refer to our Business Approvals Roadmap for detailed guidance.
With the groundwork laid, it's time to launch your business and focus on growth.
Business approval types
Most businesses, even home-based ones, require some type of approval to legally operate within the City of Joondalup. The common approvals needed include:
Development (planning) approval is essential for ensuring your business operations align with local zoning and planning regulations. It is generally required for:
- new commercial buildings or major renovations
- changes in land use (for example, converting an office to a retail shop)
- external signage and minor building modifications
- establishing alfresco dining areas
- setting up home businesses and bed-and-breakfast operations.
Why it’s needed: To prevent conflicting land uses that might negatively impact the community and to ensure that all developments contribute positively to the area's overall planning strategy.
Building permits are necessary for:
- construction of new buildings
- significant modifications to existing buildings
- installing new fit-outs in commercial spaces
- constructing miscellaneous structures like patios or pergolas.
You may also require an Occupancy Permit once construction is complete to confirm that the premises meet all building and safety codes and are suitable for use.
Why it’s needed: To ensure all structures are safe for use and comply with building regulations and construction standards.
This approval is required for operations that could affect public health, including:
- Food businesses
- Hairdressing salons
- Skin penetration businesses (for example, beauty salons and tattooing)
- Businesses requiring liquor licenses.
Why it’s needed: To maintain public health standards and ensure businesses adhere to sanitary regulations. Compliance with health regulations is critical, particularly for industries handling food, providing personal care services, or those involving skin penetration to prevent health risks.
Guides and checklists
Depending on your business type and location, you might require planning approvals, building permits, and environmental health approvals.
Visit the Business approval guides and checklists page to for detailed advice.
The business approval roadmap can also be downloaded below.
Frequently asked questions
In most cases, even for a home business, some type of approval will be required to run a business in the City of Joondalup.
It is not unusual for a business owner to commence operating without the correct approvals in place and this can often be a costly mistake. It is critical to ensure that all approvals are provided prior to signing up to any lease or purchasing a commercial property. The City of Joondalup encourages businesses to seek independent legal advice before signing anything.
The three main types of approvals needed to start a business are:
- Development (Planning) Approval is usually required to ensure that the business use is consistent with the planning frameworks and zonings in place for the location to avoid any conflicting uses. For example, a vehicle panel beating/spray painting business may only be in specific areas and would require planning approval.
- Building Approval in most instances a building permit will be required on commercial properties when a new building is being constructed; there are alterations and/or additions to existing buildings (includes modifications to existing dwellings to fit a home business); new fit-outs to existing buildings and miscellaneous structures such as patios, pergolas, signs etc. occur on site.
- Environmental Health Approval may be required depending on the nature of your business. Health approvals are required for businesses that will incorporate any of the following activities:
Most forms of commercial development require development approval prior to commencing works or operating a new land use from a building. This includes:
- all new commercial buildings
- external signage and building modifications, including structures such as outbuildings, patios, pergolas and retaining walls
- increases to floor areas
- changes from one land use to another (for example, from an office to a shop), or where the land uses are not permitted (“P”) uses under the City’s Local Planning Scheme
- alfresco activities (dining)
- home business
- bed and breakfast.
A change of use relates to any change made to an existing use of land and usually refers to business activities of a retail, commercial or industrial nature. You may be affected if you are setting up a new business in the City of Joondalup or moving from old premises within the area.
It is important to check with the City of Joondalup beforehand to ensure that your proposed business is suited to a property. If a property has previously been used for a different use, it may be necessary for you to lodge a development application for a change of use.
A development application for change of use is generally required if:
- The premises you want to establish within has previously been approved for a business which is different to your proposed business (e.g. an office to be used as a shop; a warehouse to be used for manufacturing);
- You have different staff and/or car parking needs.
Planning provisions generally work to separate businesses from residential areas to prevent problems associated with noise, smell, traffic and the like. However, the City’s Local Planning Scheme allows for small business operations to be run from a residential home.
Home Businesses are intended to accommodate appropriately scaled small businesses within a residential home (eg hair dressing, beauty therapy etc.). They provide an opportunity for people to establish a small business initially with limited cost outlay and then move into a dedicated commercial premise once the business grows beyond a small scale.
What sort of activity can cause problems?
The City often receives complaints from residents about small scale businesses being run from homes that:
- create repeated, prolonged or loud noise
- increase traffic in the street by delivery vehicles or the parking of customer or client cars
- produce smoke, smells, fumes, dust, light, vibration, electrical interferences, waste products and the like
- are carried out at times outside of normal working hours.
Please note: mechanical repairs, panel beating, spray painting and activities involving noisy machinery do not fit the definition of home business. If you cannot comply with the guidelines for a home business, you will need to look at industrial or commercial premises to set up your business.
Find out more about Home-based businesses.
Development approval will be required for an alfresco dining proposal where it does not comply with the City’s Alfresco Local Planning Policy.
An Outdoor Eating Permit (Environmental Health requirement) is also required to operate an outdoor eating area that is located on public land, such as footpaths. Outdoor Eating Permits are required to be issued annually.
Business support
The City is committed to supporting new and existing businesses to grow and thrive in the region. All businesses located in the City can contact the Economic Development Team for advice, services and programs to help them start, connect and grow their business.
For more information contact business@joondalup.wa.gov.au.
While the City’s Local Planning Scheme permits small business operations within residential homes, they must adhere to standards that prevent disturbances such as noise, traffic, and odors. Home businesses should not involve heavy machinery or cause significant environmental nuisances. Find out more about Home-based businesses.
More information and contact
The process of obtaining the correct approvals can be detailed and complex. The City of Joondalup encourages all potential business owners to contact the City's Economic Development Team for support throughout the approval process via business@joondalup.wa.gov.au or call 9400 4000.