The Property Developers Act 2024 (ACT)
A practical guide to the Property Developers Act 2024 (ACT), outlining licensing requirements, compliance obligations, and how developers can demonstrate governance, communication and oversight.
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Updated 30 September 2026
From 1 October 2026, new licensing requirements take effect for property developers in the ACT under the Property Developers Act 2024.
For developers, there are two things to check: when your projects need a licence, and whether your team’s processes support the requirements for communication, record keeping and project oversight.
Here’s what is changing, what to review and where Settld can help.
The ACT is introducing mandatory licensing for developers working on certain residential projects. The scheme is designed to protect buyers and hold developers accountable for the homes they deliver.
It includes checks on developers’ ability to deliver projects, rules for how they operate and powers for the regulator to address serious building defects. Read the ACT Government’s overview.
The requirements start in stages:
The delay for off-the-plan sales does not delay the October requirements for approvals.
Developers should also check what applies when starting building work or obtaining a certificate of occupancy. The Property Council’s commencement update notes that a proposed change to remove the building commencement notice trigger had not yet passed.
The September 2026 commencement notice confirms the updated dates.
The scheme generally applies to residential projects involving three or more dwellings. Single homes and dual occupancies are excluded.
Who needs the licence depends on who owns the land, who is arranging the work and which activity is being undertaken. Check each project, including those already underway.
Applicants need an approved rating report. Government guidance currently specifies a standard iCIRT assessment from Equifax.
Once licensed, developers must report certain changes and events to the regulator within 14 days of becoming aware of them. These include changes to key people or application details, and certain approval applications and off-the-plan contracts.
The ACT Government’s licensing guide explains applications, reporting requirements and how the rules apply to existing projects.
Some dates on that page still reflect the earlier timetable. Use the September 2026 commencement notice linked above for the revised start dates.
The scheme’s Code of Practice starts on 1 October 2026. It sets expectations for how developers run their projects and deal with purchasers and other people involved.
Among its requirements, developers must:
These are selected requirements, not the full list. The delay to off-the-plan licensing does not automatically delay the Code for developers it applies to. Read the Code of Practice.
List upcoming applications, building milestones and sales activity. Ask your legal adviser and certifier when a licence is needed and who must hold it. Include projects already in progress. An earlier approval may affect which rules apply.
Assign responsibility for checking what needs to be reported to the regulator, meeting deadlines and keeping a record of submissions. Make sure the person responsible hears about relevant changes across the business.
Decide who approves updates, who sends them and where they are recorded. If a project timeframe changes, your team should know how to update buyers and keep information consistent across channels.
Your team should know who handles an enquiry, when to escalate it and where to record the response. For complaints, keep a clear record of the concern, the decision and what was communicated.
Confirm what needs to be kept, for how long and who can access it. Think beyond project completion. Records may still be needed after staff leave or your business changes software.
Settld helps developers manage purchaser communication and property settlement information from exchange through to handover.
Settld keeps a record of all communications through the platform, giving teams a clear history to refer to when answering questions, reviewing updates or responding to concerns.
Structured updates and the purchaser app help teams keep buyers informed as their project moves towards settlement.
All communications through Settld are recorded. Your team can refer back to what was communicated and when, helping them answer questions consistently and establish a clear history if a concern arises.
Settld keeps a record of all communications through the platform and provides long-term storage for documents, sales contracts and other uploaded files.
This gives teams an accessible history of the property settlement journey. When a purchaser asks a question or raises a concern, staff can refer to the relevant communications and documents to understand what happened and prepare an informed response.
Dashboards and reporting give managers visibility of settlement progress, outstanding actions and emerging risks. This helps teams identify follow-up work and understand where a purchaser may need more support.
When a purchaser raises a concern, Settld’s communication record helps your team review the exchanges and understand what happened.
For example, if a buyer questions when they were told about a revised settlement timeframe, the team can refer to the recorded update.
These records can support complaint handling. The developer still needs a process for investigating the complaint, recording its decision and communicating the outcome.
Settld integrates with Procore, allowing defects logged by the site team during pre-settlement inspections to flow into Settld.
Photos, defect details and current status are carried across and made visible in the purchaser app. Construction and settlement teams can work from a shared record, and buyers can check progress without having to chase an update.
This supports clearer communication about defects and reduces the need to copy inspection information between systems.
Developers remain responsible for licence applications, iCIRT assessments and reporting required changes to the regulator. Settld does not carry out those assessments, obtain licences or submit regulatory notifications.
Settld supports that wider compliance effort by recording communications, storing documents, showing settlement progress, and sharing defect information through its Procore integration.
Developers are responsible for acting on that information: keeping updates accurate, addressing complaints, overseeing defect resolution and meeting their legal obligations.
Choose a recent purchaser enquiry. Can your team quickly find the relevant update, see what happened next and identify anything still outstanding?
Making that process easier helps your team respond clearly and gives buyers a more consistent experience.
As the ACT’s licensing requirements take effect, it is a useful time to review how your business manages both its obligations and the purchaser journey.
Book a Settld demonstration to see how clearer communication and organised settlement information can support your team.
This article provides general information as at 30 September 2026. Check the requirements for your projects with your legal adviser and certifier.
