Greater Sydney

All work, including prescribed work (renovations, repairs, maintenance and cleaning), is allowed to commence or continue provided you follow the rules.

Location Greater Sydney including the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Central Coast, and Shellharbour local government areas (outside of the local government areas of concern).
Work that is allowed

Any work, including prescribed work at a home where people are living.
Who can do the work

Any workers who live in or are temporarily staying in Greater Sydney (except workers who live in or are temporarily staying in a local government area of concern).

Any workers from Regional NSW including Newcastle and the Hunter.
Rules and restrictions

Follow the face mask rules.

If you are doing prescribed work, you must follow the capacity limits.
Capacity limits

If you are doing prescribed work at a home, you must ensure that

  • no more than 2 people are working in an indoor area at the same time;
  • a resident must stay in a separate indoor area to where the work is being carried out
  • no more than 5 people are working in an outdoor area at the same time.

Newcastle and the Hunter

Until 11:59 pm on Thursday 12 August 2021, all work, including prescribed work (renovations, repairs, maintenance and cleaning), is allowed to commence or continue provided you follow the rules.

Location Newcastle and the Hunter, including Newcastle, Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Port Stephens, and Singleton local government areas.
Work that is allowed

Any work, including prescribed work at a home where people are living.
Who can do the work

Any workers who live in or are temporarily staying in Greater Sydney (except workers who live in or are temporarily staying in a local government area of concern).

Any workers from Regional NSW including Newcastle and the Hunter. 
Rules and restrictions

Follow the face mask rules.

If you are doing prescribed work, you must follow the capacity limits.
Capacity limits

If you are doing prescribed work at a home, you must ensure that

  • no more than 2 people are working in an indoor area of the home at the same time;
  • a resident must stay in a separate indoor area to where the work is being carried out
  • no more than 5 people are working in an outdoor area at the same time.

Local government areas of concern

Only prescribed work that is necessary can be undertaken.

Location Local government areas of concern: Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool and Parramatta.
Work that is allowed

Only prescribed work that is necessary at a home where people are living.
Who can do the work

If you live in the local government areas of concern, you can only work in the local government area you live in.

Workers who are from Greater Sydney but not from a local government area of concern outside the location of the home.

Workers who are from Newcastle and the Hunter. 

You can only leave your local government area for work if you are an authorised worker.
Rules and restrictions

Follow the face mask rules.

If you are doing prescribed work that is necessary, it is recommended that you follow the capacity limits.
Capacity limits

If you are doing prescribed work that is necessary at a home, it is strongly recommended that 

  • no more than 2 people are working in an indoor area at the same time
  • a resident must stay in a separate indoor area to where the work is being carried out
  • no more than 5 people are working in an outdoor area at the same time.
 
Prescribed work

Prescribed work is renovation (alterations or additions), repair, maintenance or cleaning work.

You do not need an exemption or confirmation from the NSW Government to do prescribed work or other work that is allowed.

Prescribed work does not include renovations at unoccupied homes. The rules for construction applies to renovations at unoccupied homes.

All work – including prescribed work – does not need to be necessary to be undertaken in Regional NSW, Newcastle and the Hunter or in Greater Sydney (excluding the local government areas of concern).

Prescribed work that is necessary

For local government areas of concern, prescribed work will be necessary if it is:

  • urgent to ensure the health, safety, or security of the premises or household
  • an emergency
  • for the installation, maintenance and repairs of essential utilities, including a water, gas, electricity, internet, television or telecommunications service
  • for fire protection and safety.

Prescribed work is necessary if it is repairs, maintenance or cleaning to prepare an unoccupied place of residence for sale or lease.

You do not need an exemption or confirmation from the NSW Government to do prescribed work that is necessary.

    Examples of prescribed work that is necessary

    Examples of prescribed work that is necessary for homes located in local government areas of concern: Blacktown, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool and Parramatta.


    Allowed in your home  


    Completing work commenced
    • Completing a bathroom renovation that commenced before Saturday 17 July 2021 where there is no other bathroom in the home.

    Safety and security
    • Making a site safe and secure.
    • Installing temporary fences to secure an unfenced swimming pool.
    • Installing temporary coverings over homes to secure the safety of the household where roofs require repair or a roof replacement had commenced but is not completed.
    • Conducting fire checks on buildings, stair lights and fire doors if it cannot be delayed due to safety reasons.
    • Emergency window replacements if urgently needed for the safety and security of the home.
    • Materials or partially completed works can be covered up to avoid degradation.

    Plumbing and flooding
    • Plumbing repair for an unexpected issue such as a burst pipe or a leaking toilet necessary for the household to have access to water and plumbing.
    • Fixing blocked drains if urgently needed for the health of the persons at the place of residence.
    • Attending to flooding premises.

    Heating and cooling
    • Repair or maintenance of air conditioning to provide heating or cooling for the household.

    Communication
    • Television and internet repairs or maintenance.

    Vehicles
    • Emergency car repairs and breakdown services.

    Cleaning and waste
    • Cleaning services as part of care services for people with a disability or the elderly.
    • Waste disposal can be carried out on common property.

     

    Not allowed in your home

    This list is not exhaustive.


    Renovations including kitchens and bathrooms
    • Home renovations (such as kitchen renovations) are not allowed other than to make the site safe and secure.
    • Bathroom renovations must not proceed unless the work commenced prior to Saturday 17 July 2021 and there is no other functioning bathroom in the home.
    • Replacement of carpet and painting and other decorative work is not allowed whether your home is occupied or unoccupied and you wish to move into it yourself as the owner.
    • Resumption of roof replacements is not allowed.

    Cleaning, maintenance and repairs
    • General cleaning or gardening services for the household is not allowed.
    • Maintenance or repair work is not allowed unless it is urgent.

    Heating and cooling
    • Installation of air conditioning and ventilation is not allowed unless it is urgently required for the health and safety of a person in the home.

    Swimming pool
    • Pool installations are not allowed unless the work is urgently needed to secure the safety and security of the site.

    Regional and rural NSW

    All work can continue or commence at your home.

    Location

    Regional NSW excluding:

    • Greater Sydney (includes the Blue Mountains, Wollongong, Central Coast, and Shellharbour local government areas) and
    • Newcastle and the Hunter (includes Newcastle, Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Muswellbrook, Port Stephens and Singleton local government areas). 
    Work that is allowed All work – including prescribed work – at a home where people are living.
    Who can do the work All workers except for workers who live in or are temporarily staying in the local government areas of concern.
    Rules and restrictions

    Follow the face mask rules.

    For Greater Sydney workers, follow the
    Capacity limits There are no capacity limits in Regional NSW.

     

    Face masks

    Follow the face mask rules. NSW Health strongly recommends people performing repairs, maintenance, or cleaning at a place of residence wear a face mask.

    If you work in an indoor area of common property in a residential building that is strata titled, community titled or company titled, you must wear a face mask in

    • a shared foyer or lobby of an apartment block
    • lifts, stairwells and corridors
    • shared laundry facilities.

    Wearing a face mask in these areas applies to anyone in these indoor areas

    • managers, cleaners, and residents
    • people providing goods and services including tradespeople and contractors
    • people delivering food, mail and parcels
    • tradespeople performing work that is urgently required to ensure the health, safety, and security of the place of residence, in an emergency, to install essential services, or for fire protection.

    There are some exemptions to wearing a face mask including where it may present a work, health and safety risk. For more information go to face mask rules.