Australia dwelling approvals
Building approvals, Australia · Australian Bureau of Statistics · September 2026
Australia dwelling approvals 18,318 in September 2026, down 1.7% over the year.
Next release · Tue 1 Dec 2026, 11:30 AEDT · Building approvals
What the numbers say
The number of dwelling units approved in Australia was 18,318 in September 2026, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, compared with 17,174 in August 2026. The figure was down 1.7% over the year from September 2025, down 6.5% over 5 years from September 2021 and down 8.7% over 10 years from September 2016. It stood 25.9% below the peak of 24,724 in March 2021, the highest since the series began in July 1983. The low was 7,431 in January 2009, the lowest since the series began in July 1983.
How many new homes were approved in Australia?
There were 18,318 dwelling units approved in Australia in September 2026, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That compares with 17,174 in August 2026.
Are dwelling approvals in Australia rising or falling?
Dwelling units approved in Australia were 18,318 in September 2026, down 1.7% over the year. They were also down 6.5% over 5 years and down 8.7% over 10 years.
How much have dwelling approvals in Australia changed over the year?
Dwelling units approved in Australia were down 1.7% over the year from September 2025 to September 2026. The September 2026 figure was 18,318.
What was the highest monthly number of dwelling approvals in Australia since the series began in 1983?
The highest monthly number of dwelling units approved in Australia was 24,724 in March 2021, the highest since the series began in July 1983. The September 2026 figure of 18,318 was 25.9% below the peak.
Written from the figures on this page · updated 2 November 2026
Recent months
| Month | Value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | 18,318 | final |
| August 2026 | 17,174 | final |
| July 2026 | 19,295 | final |
| June 2026 | 19,106 | final |
| May 2026 | 17,245 | final |
| April 2026 | 17,651 | final |
| March 2026 | 18,150 | final |
| February 2026 | 19,243 | final |
Full series · 519 months · CSV · JSON
This series counts the number of dwelling units approved for construction in Australia, published monthly by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The monthly record runs from July 1983 to September 2026, with the latest reading at 18,318. An approval is a consent granted by a building authority; it is not a record of work actually commenced or completed.
The headline count sits alongside two related members of the same family: houses approved, and dwellings excluding houses approved, which together break the total down by building type. All series on this page are released under CC BY 4.0.
Also in this family
Related
Source
- α
- Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS earnings, building and population (market panel), retrieved 2 November 2026. CC BY 4.0.
- γ
- Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS earnings, building and population (market panel), retrieved 1 October 2026. CC BY 4.0.
- β
- Computed by Numbra from α.