How consent use differs from rezoning
Rezoning changes the zoning category. Consent use leaves the zoning unchanged but adds permission for a specific listed use. Consent use is faster and cheaper but limited to uses already listed in the zoning scheme.
Typical timeline and cost
Most consent use applications take 4–8 months. The Landlodz fee is from R25 800. The municipal fee is extra: in 2026/27 it is R2,000 in Johannesburg, R3,267 in eThekwini (with a lower rate for a home business, tuckshop, tavern or spaza shop) and R963.26 residential / R1,526.83 non-residential in Ekurhuleni.
Required documents
Application form, motivation, site plan, locality plan, surveyor general diagram, title deed, neighbour notification proof, council fee receipt.
Public notice
Neighbours are always told, but how depends on the municipality. In Johannesburg a consent use is advertised with a notice on the property and letters to the owners and occupiers of adjoining erven, and objections close 28 days after the site notice goes up (Municipal Planning By-law, 2024, section 19(2)). In eThekwini a special consent is advertised in two local newspapers, on site and to neighbours, with 30 days for objections (sections 32 to 36).
Common consent uses
Second dwelling / granny flat. Guest house. Bed and breakfast. Home enterprise / home occupation. Place of instruction. Place of religious worship. Place of public assembly. Spaza shop / tuck shop. Short-term letting. Group housing.
Most common consent use categories in South Africa
Guest houses and B&Bs on Single Residential 1 - the single highest-volume consent in every metro. Capped at 8 rooms in most schemes, with parking and signage controls.
Second dwelling / granny flat - required where the unit exceeds the primary-right threshold (Cape Town 120 m², Joburg 100 m²) or where the scheme treats second dwellings as a consent only.
Home enterprise / home occupation - running a small business from your home (office, beauty salon, tutoring, online retail). Allowed by consent in most residential zones with floor-area and staff limits.
Spaza shop / convenience shop - a small retail store on a Single Residential erf, usually capped at 30-50 m².
Place of instruction - pre-school, nursery, tutoring centre. Conditions usually limit hours, learner numbers and traffic generation.
Place of worship - church, mosque, synagogue, temple on a residential erf. Conditions cover hours, parking and amplified sound.
Boarding house / student accommodation - increasingly common around universities.
Consent use cost and timeline - 2026
The Landlodz consent use from-price is published on the Landlodz pricing page and covers planner drafting, motivational report, neighbour notice and response to objections. The municipal lodgement fee is charged separately by the council.
Timeline: 4-8 months. Faster than rezoning because there is no MPT hearing in most cases - many consents are decided by a delegated authority.
Best practice: secure neighbour pre-approval in writing before lodging. Unobjected consents are routinely decided in 60-90 days.
Municipality-specific notes
Cape Town
City of Cape Town uses the Municipal Planning By-Law (MPBL, 2015) and the Development Management Scheme (DMS). Applications run through the eDevelopment Application Management System (eDAMS).
Johannesburg
City of Johannesburg operates under the Municipal Planning By-Law (2016) and the Joburg Town Planning Scheme. Applications lodge via the JoziPlan online portal.
Tshwane (Pretoria)
City of Tshwane uses the Tshwane Town-planning Scheme (2008) under the Land Use Management By-Law. The Spatial Planning division handles intake.
eThekwini (Durban)
eThekwini uses the eThekwini Town Planning Scheme administered under the KwaZulu-Natal Planning and Development Act and SPLUMA.
Frequently asked questions
Is consent use the same as a variance?+
No. Variance is American terminology. The closest South African equivalent to a variance is a departure - a relaxation of a development parameter, not a permission for an additional use.
How long does consent use approval last?+
It depends on the municipality and the conditions of approval. In Johannesburg the City can attach conditions under which the consent lapses, for example if the use is not started or stops (Municipal Planning By-law, 2024, section 19(7)). In Cape Town the City can grant a consent use permanently or for a fixed period, and it lapses after five years if the use has not started (Municipal Planning By-law, 2015, sections 46 and 47).
Can I run a business from home without a consent use?+
Some scheme rules allow incidental home offices (e.g. one professional working alone) as a primary right. Anything with employees, walk-in clients or a sign on the gate triggers a consent use application. Confirm against the relevant scheme schedule before assuming.
What happens if my consent is approved with conditions I can't meet?+
You can apply for a variation of conditions, lodge a SPLUMA appeal within 21 days, or decline to act on the consent. Doing nothing means the consent lapses after the prescribed period (usually 2 years).
Keep reading
Read time- Guide 01
Rezoning Applications in South Africa: The Complete 2026 Guide
Rezoning is the most powerful land use application route. Here is every step, from feasibility to gazette notice to final approval.
12 min - Guide 02
Departure Applications in South Africa
When you need to relax a coverage, height, FAR or building line constraint, a departure is the right route. Here is how it works.
8 min - Guide 03
How to Build a Granny Flat in South Africa (2026 Guide)
Granny flats - or second dwellings - are one of the most popular property upgrades in South Africa. Here is exactly how to get one approved.
12 min
Book a free consult. A SACPLAN-registered town planner confirms the route for your erf and sends you a fixed quote before you commit.