Search Request Form

Every Queensland council must keep a land record for each parcel of rateable land, showing the owner's name and postal address, the land's description, valuation and the rates and charges levied, including any overdue amounts and interest (Local Government Regulation 2012 s 154). Overdue rates and charges are a charge on the land (Local Government Act 2009 s 95), which is why a buyer checks the rates position before settlement. Council's rates page says anyone can apply on this form for basic property details, rates and charges and existing building permits. The 2026/2027 form covers rate searches (standard, urgent, limited, transaction and rates book), special water meter reads and all services searches (council water, sewerage and stormwater), trade waste compliance inspections, copies of building files, certificates of classification and building plans, plumbing plans and re-issued certificates, limited, standard and full planning and development certificates, headworks searches and building records plus compliance searches. Planning and development certificates are issued under section 265 of the Planning Act 2016: a limited certificate within 5 business days, a standard within 10 and a full within 30, with the content set by schedule 23 of the Planning Regulation 2017. Health and local law searches use a separate council form.

When you need it

• You are buying in the Whitsunday region and need a rate search and a special water meter read for settlement.
• You need copies of a building file, a certificate of classification or building plans for a house.
• You need the house drainage plan or council sewerage plan, or a re-issued plumbing permit or certificate.
• You are buying a business connected to sewer and need a trade waste compliance inspection, or need a planning certificate or headworks search.

1. 1

   Section 1 - details

   In block letters give your reference, the date, applicant, postal address, phones and email, the vendor and purchaser, property address, lot and plan numbers, nature of premises, description of buildings, settlement date and the water meter read date. Write n/a where a question does not apply.

2. 2

   Choose searches

   Tick each search on pages 2 and 3. Planning certificates and headworks searches are charged per lot. Building plan copies are only available for class 1 and 10 residential structures.

3. 3

   Consent form

   Complete the Search Application and Consent Form (pages 5 to 7) when you want information about a business operating in the region or a site compliance inspection. The current proprietor signs to consent to access and release of information.

4. 4

   Payment details

   Give a contact name and phone if you want council to call for a credit card payment, or enclose a cheque payable to Whitsunday Regional Council.

• Send the form to the Chief Executive Officer, Whitsunday Regional Council, PO Box 104, Proserpine QLD 4800, or email info@whitsundayrc.qld.gov.au. Phone 1300 972 753.
• Payment: at any customer contact centre, by cheque, or by credit card over the phone. A 0.5% surcharge applies to Visa and MasterCard payments.
• Results are emailed unless you ask otherwise, and are not released until payment is receipted.
• Times on the form include 5 business days for a rate search (urgent within 2 working days), and 10 business days for a building records and compliance search (urgent 5).
• Refunds are only given where no work has started, less a deduction. Fees are on the 2026/2027 form; check the current version.

• Use council's form rather than a letter. The form warns that other formats may lead to the wrong search or delays.
• Copy of building file fees relate to time spent, not results supplied, so you pay even if little is found.
• For a business connected to sewer, check with council's plumbing and trade waste team whether a trade waste search is needed.