Consent Use application in Johannesburg.
A consent use is permission to carry on one specific additional activity on a property without changing its underlying zoning. The land use scheme itself lists the activity as something the municipality may allow in that zone at its discretion - a guest house, a place of instruction, a home enterprise - and the application asks the municipality to exercise that discretion for your property.
City of Johannesburg - Development Planning · Section 16(2) - Consent / special consent in terms of the zoning scheme
In Johannesburg
How a consent use application runs under Johannesburg's planning by-law
A consent use in Johannesburg is applied for under section 19 of the City of Johannesburg Municipal Planning By-law, 2024. It asks the City to allow a use that the City of Johannesburg Land Use Scheme, 2018 lists as possible in your zone only with the City's consent.
The notice route is lighter than a rezoning: section 19 works through a notice on the property and letters to neighbours. The steps below come from the by-law, with the section number for each.
| Step | What the by-law requires | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Who applies | The owner of the land, or someone acting for the owner. | s 19(1) |
| Site notice | Displayed on the property within 7 days of the City acknowledging a complete application, and kept legible for at least 21 days. | s 19(2)(b), (e) |
| Neighbours | A letter to the owners and occupiers of adjoining erven, including those across a street or lane, within 7 days of the site notice going up. | s 19(2)(i) |
| Objections | 28 days from the date the notice is first displayed on the property. | s 19(2)(h) |
| Proof of notice | An affidavit confirming the notices, lodged within 14 days after the objection period ends. | s 19(3) |
| Decision if nobody objects | Decided by the authorised official within 60 days after the administrative phase ends. | s 19(6) |
| Decision if there are objections | The applicant has 14 days to respond to an objection, and the City refers the application to the Municipal Planning Tribunal. | s 19(4) |
| Conditions and lapsing | A consent can be granted with conditions, including that it lapses if the use is not started, or is stopped, within a stated period. | s 19(7) |
Who applies
The owner of the land, or someone acting for the owner.
s 19(1)
Site notice
Displayed on the property within 7 days of the City acknowledging a complete application, and kept legible for at least 21 days.
s 19(2)(b), (e)
Neighbours
A letter to the owners and occupiers of adjoining erven, including those across a street or lane, within 7 days of the site notice going up.
s 19(2)(i)
Objections
28 days from the date the notice is first displayed on the property.
s 19(2)(h)
Proof of notice
An affidavit confirming the notices, lodged within 14 days after the objection period ends.
s 19(3)
Decision if nobody objects
Decided by the authorised official within 60 days after the administrative phase ends.
s 19(6)
Decision if there are objections
The applicant has 14 days to respond to an objection, and the City refers the application to the Municipal Planning Tribunal.
s 19(4)
Conditions and lapsing
A consent can be granted with conditions, including that it lapses if the use is not started, or is stopped, within a stated period.
s 19(7)
Watch out for
- The 28 days run from the day the notice goes up on the property, so a late or illegible site notice can restart the clock.
- A consent is tied to its conditions. If a condition says the use must start within a set period and it does not, the consent falls away.
- If the use you want is not listed as a consent use in your zone, a consent application cannot fix that. It needs a rezoning.
Source: City of Johannesburg Municipal Planning By-law, 2024 (Provincial Gazette 117, 3 April 2024). Checked against the by-law text on 11 October 2026. This is a summary, not legal advice. Your planner confirms the current requirements before lodgement.
What it is
Understanding a consent use
Land use schemes distinguish between uses that are permitted as of right in a zone, uses that are permitted only with the municipality's consent, and uses that are prohibited outright. A consent use application deals only with the middle category. The zoning does not change; a right to conduct the named activity is granted on top of it, usually subject to conditions covering hours, intensity, parking, signage and neighbour impact.
Typical cases are a guest house or short-stay accommodation in a residential zone, a crèche or place of instruction, a place of worship, a home office or home enterprise, or a small shop in a residential area. The threshold question is always the same: does the scheme list this use as a consent use in this zone? If it does not, no consent application is possible and the route is a rezoning.
The consent right is generally narrower and more conditional than a zoning right. It can lapse if the use is not commenced within a stated period or if it stops, it can be tied to the applicant rather than running freely with the land in some schemes, and it can be withdrawn where conditions are breached. That is the trade-off for a process that is usually faster and materially cheaper than a rezoning.
The Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act 16 of 2013 (SPLUMA) is the national framework: it requires every municipality to adopt its own land use scheme and municipal planning by-law, and it makes the municipality - not the province - the authority of first instance on land development applications. Consent uses are granted under the scheme provisions of the municipal planning by-law. Public notice to affected neighbours is still normally required, and objections must be considered before a decision.
Consent use vs rezoning vs departure
Three different things are at stake. A consent use adds a permitted activity inside the existing zone. A rezoning changes the zone. A departure changes neither the zone nor the use - it relaxes a single development rule such as a building line or coverage. If your problem is 'the scheme does not allow what I want to do here', you need a consent use or a rezoning; if your problem is 'the use is fine but the building does not fit the rules', you need a departure.
Legal basisThe consent-use provisions of the applicable land use scheme, adopted under the municipal planning by-law in terms of SPLUMA (Act 16 of 2013).
Pricing
Consent Use in Johannesburg
What's included
Planner intake, SPLUMA-aligned motivational report, full document pack, municipal liaison and lodgement with City of Johannesburg - Development Planning.
Landlodz fee
from R 25 800
Landlodz preparation and lodgement. The City of Johannesburg - Development Planning application fee is charged separately per its gazetted tariff schedule. Landlodz is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added.
Statutory municipal fee - Johannesburg
R2,000
2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026). Source: City of Johannesburg, Development Planning Fees Schedule 2026/2027 (joburg.org.za). This is a council fee payable to the municipality, not a Landlodz fee, and not a professional fee. Compare municipal fees
Local detail
What's specific to Johannesburg
- Johannesburg levies development contributions separately from the application fee, calculated on the additional impact a development generates rather than as a flat charge.
- Notice of an application is published in the Provincial Gazette; that publication is charged on top of the lodgement fee.
- The Municipal Planning Tribunal sits on a scheduled cycle - missing a cycle, rather than the assessment itself, is frequently what extends a Johannesburg timeline.
Who it's for
Built for serious applicants
Owners running a guest house or short-stay accommodation from a residential property
Schools, crèches, and places of worship in residential areas
Home-based professional offices and small enterprises
How it works
From search to municipal submission
01
Planner intake
Our planner confirms this on the intake call: Confirm the property's zoning supports the use as a consent right.
02
Submit intake
Describe the proposed use, hours, intensity, parking, and impact.
03
Feasibility review
Our planner reviews the proposal against SPLUMA and the local by-law and flags risks before drafting.
04
Pay & generate
Receive your motivational report and consent application pack.
05
Planner review & submit
A registered planner finalises and lodges the application.
Submission pack
Documents for a consent use in Johannesburg
Taken from the City of Johannesburg Municipal Planning By-law, 2016 form set published by City of Johannesburg (last checked 2025-04-01). Our assigned planner confirms the final pack against the municipality's current application form before lodgement.
Cost breakdown
Consent Use cost in Johannesburg
What you pay for a consent use lodged with City of Johannesburg - Development Planning, split between the statutory municipal fee and the Landlodz preparation fee.
Municipal application fee (City of Johannesburg - Development Planning)
R2,000
Published tariff for the 2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026), charged directly by the municipality. Source: City of Johannesburg, Development Planning Fees Schedule 2026/2027 (joburg.org.za).
Landlodz preparation & lodgement
from R 25 800
Fixed fee covering intake, SPLUMA-aligned motivational report, document pack and municipal liaison.
Payable to Landlodz
from R 25 800
Landlodz is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added. The municipal fee is billed separately at cost once confirmed.
Municipal figure transcribed from City of Johannesburg, Development Planning Fees Schedule 2026/2027 (joburg.org.za), 2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026). It is a council fee, not a professional fee, and is payable to the municipality rather than to Landlodz.
Landlodz fee
from R 25 800
Landlodz preparation and lodgement only. The City of Johannesburg - Development Planning application fee is charged separately per its gazetted tariff schedule and confirmed by our planner before lodgement.
Phase-by-phase
Consent Use timeline in Johannesburg
Typical decision: 120-240 days from acceptance.
PHASE 01
Intake & feasibility
5-10 working days
Planner intake call, official zoning certificate and title deed review, and feasibility assessment.
PHASE 02
Drafting & pack
7-10 working days
SPLUMA-aligned motivational report, supporting plans and full submission pack.
PHASE 03
Lodgement & public participation
21-30 days statutory comment
Lodged with City of Johannesburg - Development Planning; statutory notice and neighbour consultation runs in parallel.
PHASE 04
Decision
60-120 days from acceptance to decision
City of Johannesburg - Development Planning circulates internally, considers comments, then issues the decision.
Indicative ranges based on SPLUMA statutory clocks and typical City of Johannesburg - Development Planning processing patterns. Actual timing varies with public participation outcomes and council workload.
Why Johannesburg is different
Johannesburg applications fall under the City of Johannesburg Municipal Planning By-Law, 2024, which commenced on 3 April 2024 and repromulgated the 2016 by-law, read with the City of Johannesburg Land Use Scheme, 2018 and SPLUMA.
FAQ
Common questions
How long does the objection period last for a consent use in Johannesburg?
28 days from the date the notice is first displayed on the property, under section 19(2)(h) of the City of Johannesburg Municipal Planning By-law, 2024.
How quickly is an unopposed consent use decided in Johannesburg?
The by-law gives the authorised official 60 days after the administrative phase ends to decide an unopposed, complete application (section 19(6)). Objections send the application to the Municipal Planning Tribunal instead.
Can a consent use lapse in Johannesburg?
Yes. Under section 19(7) the City may attach conditions under which the consent lapses, for example if the use is not started or is discontinued within the period the condition states.
Do I need a registered town planner for a consent use?
Most South African municipalities - including Johannesburg - require land use applications to be lodged by a SACPLAN-registered town planner. Landlodz works with registered and verified town planners, and every application is reviewed and submitted by a registered planner before it reaches the municipality.
How much does a consent use application cost in Johannesburg?
The Landlodz preparation and lodgement fee starts from R 25 800. The statutory City of Johannesburg - Development Planning application fee is R2,000 for the 2026/27 financial year (tariffs approved May–July 2026), per City of Johannesburg, Development Planning Fees Schedule 2026/2027 (joburg.org.za), and is charged directly by the municipality.
Are the Johannesburg consent use fees fixed?
Gauteng metros publish their own fee schedules and tend to charge premium rates for higher-density rezonings and township establishments. Landlodz shows the current published tariff for City of Johannesburg - Development Planning only where we hold a verified figure; otherwise our assigned planner confirms it directly with the municipality before lodgement.
Is VAT charged on the consent use fee?
Landlodz is not VAT-registered, so no VAT is added to the preparation fee. Statutory municipal fees are charged directly by City of Johannesburg - Development Planning. Your itemised invoice shows every line before you pay.
What about hidden costs?
Additional costs may include surveyor, conveyancer, traffic impact, or environmental specialist input depending on the proposal. Our planner flags these in the feasibility review before you commit.
How long does a consent use take in Johannesburg?
Typical decision: 120-240 days from acceptance. The clock starts the day our planner accepts your application as complete.
What causes delays in Johannesburg consent use applications?
Gauteng tribunals (MPT) sit on fixed cycles; missing a cycle can add 4-6 weeks to a decision. The most common avoidable delay is incomplete documentation that triggers a request for resubmission.
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Related
Before you lodge a consent use in Johannesburg
Zoning certificates
Start your consent use application in Johannesburg
Book a free consult. A SACPLAN-registered town planner checks the zoning of your Johannesburg property with the municipality and sends you a fixed quote before you commit.