How to apply for a street number

A fee applies to street number applications of more than three addresses.

Applications will be checked by Council after lodgement and if required you will be asked a follow up question to clarify details you provided. This follow up question will be sent to your nominated email address.

Not responding to follow up question will result in a delay of your application.

Lodge an application

Lodge a street number application

Tips for how to lodge an application

To create a new “Street Numbering” application via Council's Self-Service Portal:

1. Sign in as a Registered User using "Enter as a Registered User" or "Register for the first time"
2. Go to the "Enquiries" function (type “Enquiries” in the “Enterprise Search” field)
3. Go to "Public Development Assessment "and click on "Start" located on the right
4. In “Type of Development Application” under “Select from list” choose Street Numbering
5. In “Where”:
   • Using “By address” type in the street number of your existing property, or
   • Using “By land parcel” type in the legal description (Lot x DP xxxx or Lot x SP xxxx) – when successful you should see an aerial imagery showing your property and properties surrounding it
6. Press "Next" in the upper right corner
7. In “Street Number Application Details” under “Reason for Address Change” use “Subdivision”, if you would like to subdivide your property and you require Street Numbers for the new properties, “Consolidation” if you would like to merge 2 or more properties into 1 property, “Strata” if you request a Street Number Change for a Multi-unit property and “Granny flat” if you require a Street Number for a Granny flat
8. Under “Proposed Street Numbers” type in the Numbers you would like the new properties to have. Please note that the Street Numbers have to comply with the NSW Addressing policy. See the “Street Number Application information support” document for further details.
9. Under “Are you the owner or acting behalf of the owner” if you select “No” please provide under “If you are acting on behalf of” in which form you are representing the owner (Developer, Body Corporate, Surveyor, Lawyer). Please don’t type in your phone number in this field.
10. In “Type of Address Enquiry” specify if you would like to change an existing address or create a new address.
11. In “Street Number of Existing Building” please type in your Lot Number, DP or SP Number, Street Number, Street Name and Suburb.
12. Press "Next"
13. Press "Lodge"
14. Enter/select all the mandatory information and click on "Pay Now". Wait for payment approval.
15. Press "Lodge" to finish.

Street numbering conditions

Inner West Council is the only designated authority for determining appropriate street numbering to be used. Inner West Council endeavours to maintain accurate address data to ensure that the requirements of Emergency Service Responders and other service providers are met.

Council's local street addressing policy is based on the Australian/New Zealand Standard Geographic Information – Rural and Urban Addressing (AS/NZS 4819:2011) and NSW 2015 Address Policy.

Council's responsibilities include confirming street numbers for new subdivisions, and advising landowners, authorities, and service providers of any changes to existing street numbers.

1. Street addressing for subdivisions and developments

An application for property numbering must be lodged with Council for approval, property numbering must be lodged with Council for approval prior to the issue of an Occupation Certificate or Subdivision Certificate, whichever occurs first.

2. Request a change to or additional allocation of a street number

Requests to change a street number generally require payment of an application fee (charged as one hour of written planning advice as per Planning Services Schedule of Fees and Charges). Requests need to be made in writing by the property owner and need to include appropriate justification. Requests based on luck, religion, feng shui, or the effect on property values will not be considered. Council is able to request the owners to change the address of a property where the existing numbering is inappropriate or confusing. This may also be in order to make sufficient provision for new development between existing addresses. This is enforceable by the issue of an order.

3. Determining the street address

The main pedestrian access from a road to a property (i.e. front door) determines the correct street address. Properties must have the street number clearly displayed and visible from the road. The letterbox must be located on the front boundary of the property, close to the main access with the allocated street number clearly displayed. Numbers are to be clearly displayed and visible and legible from the road. Large reflective numbers are recommended. Council have the rights to request the street name to be displayed on the building together with the street number.

4. Landowner responsibility

Council advises the following service providers of any changes:

• Ausgrid
• Australia Post
• Police
• Sydney Water
• Telstra
• Energy Australia
• Jemena
• Department of Fire and Emergency Services
• Australian Electoral Commission
• Land Registry Services
• Valuation Services

Whilst Council will advise the above list of services, Council is unable to inform other agencies, organisations or personal contacts of the change of address due to the Privacy Act 1988. Therefore, landowners and/or developers are responsible for informing all other agencies or organisations, business contacts, family, friends and acquaintances and amendments to business and personal stationary, of changes to the street address.

It is the landowners' responsibility to ensure the correct street number is appropriately displayed within the time frame allocated by Council (generally 30 days). Failure to display the correct street number could result in Council serving a non-compliance notice. Failure to comply with a notice carries a maximum penalty of $5000 and if the offence continues a maximum daily penalty of $500 per day for each day the offence continues. All costs associated with changes to street numbering shall be met by the property owner or the developer. This includes the replacement or relocation of letterboxes, cost of new numbers or amendments to numbers on buildings.

5. Street addressing patterns

1. Street addresses will be consecutive and where a street address has been allocated to a property, then that address must be used.
2. Odd and even numbers cannot be used on the same side of a road.
3. Odd numbers will generally be allocated to the left-hand side of a road, and even numbers to the right-hand side, commencing from the start point.
4. Every lot will be allocated a street address, including reserves, schools, public utilities, drainage reserves and the like.Usually one street address will be allocated per lot but in case of the granny flats the additional numbers will be set aside
5. Ranged addresses e.g. 1-9 Smith Street, are not permitted according to the NSW Addressing User Manual. These addresses will be reviewed as applications for addressing approval are received, and single unique numbers will be allocated e.g. 1 Smith Street.
6. Addressing for lots in Strata plans of up to two levels will be addressed as U 1, U 2, U 3 etc. Please fill in the addressing template spreadsheet.
7. Multi-level properties of two levels or more must be addressed in the “hotel style”, e.g. G01, G02, U 101, U 102, U 201, U 202 etc. with the first part being the floor/level number and the last two digits being the unit numbers. Omission of “4”, “13” or other numbers for religious/feng shui reasons are unacceptable.
8. Duplication of addressing in Strata lots is not permitted. Units, offices, shops and suites must all be uniquely numbered e.g. G01, Shop G02, Suite G0.
9. Where there is no provision for the addition of addresses for a new development between existing street numbers, suffixes can be used e.g. existing properties are 1 and 3 Smith Street with a new development between, means the new development can be addressed 1A Smith Street. Suffixes shall start at ‘A’ and will not exceed ‘E’, sequentially in the same direction as the numbering of addresses. Please indicate whether the unit is residential or commercial, where commercial properties will be named as “Shop” or “Suite”.

Note for dual and multiple occupancy street numbering applications

A dual occupancy is defined as two separate dwellings on one allotment of land. A multiple occupancy is where there are more than two separate dwellings on the one allotment of land.

When requesting additional street numbering or garbage services for dual/multiple occupancies properties Council will investigate whether there is development approval and will also apply to the NSW Valuer General for a separate valuation. This may result in additional Council rates assessments and may have tax implications for the property owner.