Next step
Compliance first, aesthetics second
Get the cost range, confirm the approval stack for your state, then shortlist builders with real clinical references.
GP clinics, dental surgeries, allied health, pharmacies — medical tenancies carry standards general shopfitters rarely meet: clinical zoning, sterilisation rooms, accessibility, drug storage and infection control. Here's the full picture, state by state.
A clinic is a small hospital: zoning, hygiene surfaces, services redundancy and access standards all apply.
Clean/dirty flow separation: reception → consult → treatment → sterilisation → waste. RACGP and dental board guidance expect logical patient and instrument flows.
Dental and surgical tenancies need dedicated sterilisation rooms: bench-mounted autoclaves with clearance, dirty-to-clean bench flow, dedicated hand basins, compliant ventilation.
Seamless vinyl coved at walls, washable ceilings in clinical rooms, non-porous benchtops. Every junction detail is an infection-control decision.
Accessible entry, path of travel, consultation rooms, ambulant and accessible WCs. Healthcare premises are public buildings — access compliance is assessed at approval and again at registration.
Drugs of dependence safes (anchored, alarmed per state pharmacy/poisons rules), secure vaccine refrigeration with monitoring, controlled-substance storage signing-off with the state authority.
Medical gas rough-ins where applicable, redundant power considerations, X-ray shielding (with radiology approvals), increased ventilation, and close-out: certificate + practice registration.
| Item | Approval | Who signs off |
|---|---|---|
| Change of use (retail/office → medical) | Required | Development consent + building approval — car parking rates rise sharply for medical use |
| Building work | Required | Certifier; licensed/registered builder in every state |
| Wet areas & plumbing | Required | Plumbing permit + waterproofing certification |
| Dental radiation (X-ray) | Required | State radiation authority — shielding design + registration of the unit |
| Drugs of dependence storage | Required | State pharmacy/poisons authority — safe specs, alarms, permits |
| Practice accreditation fit-out evidence | Depends | RACGP/ADA accreditation bodies check the finished premises against standards |
| Signage | Depends | Council consent for illuminated/projecting signs |
| Cosmetic reception refresh | Usually exempt | Landlord consent only — clinical rooms untouched |
Full 14-item matrix in the approvals guide.
Indicative, excluding GST. Sterilisation scope, shielding and services upgrades drive the spread.
| Type | $/m² | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Allied health (physio, psych, consult rooms) | $1,400–2,200 | Consult rooms, accessible amenities, modest services. |
| GP clinic | $1,800–3,000 | Treatment rooms, infection-control surfaces, vaccine storage, access compliance. |
| Dental surgery | $2,500–4,000+ | Sterilisation suite, chair plumbing rough-ins, X-ray shielding, compressor rooms. |
| Day surgery / specialist | $4,000+ | Licensing-grade clinical fit-out, medical gases, theatre-grade ventilation. |
State multipliers apply — the calculator covers office-grade baselines; clinical scope needs a medical-experienced shopfitter's estimate.
Radiation, drugs and health facility rules differ in every state. NSW first — the deepest medical tenancy market.
Building Commission NSW licence for the build. NSW Health / EPA license radiation apparatus; pharmacy safes per NSW Poisons regulations. Council DAs for medical use watch car parking demand closely.
BPC registration. Victorian radiation licensing (DHS) for X-ray; Pharmacy Board/poisons rules for drug safes. Planning permits assess medical use impacts in activity centres.
QBCC licensing. Radiation Safety Act approvals for X-ray; QLD Health drugs licensing for controlled storage. Health facility DAs add parking and access assessment.
Building and Energy registration. Radiological Council licenses X-ray units; WA pharmacy rules govern safes. Public building approvals can apply to larger clinic venues.
CBS licensing. SA radiation protection licenses apparatus; SA Health drugs branch controls storage permits.
CBOS licensing. Tasmanian radiation regulations for X-ray; poisons rules for drug storage.
Access Canberra licensing. ACT radiation council approvals; calibre of access compliance scrutiny is high — AS 1428 details reviewed at approval.
BPB registration. NT radiation protection controls X-ray; remote clinics add logistics premiums.
Medical fit-outs demand proven clinical experience — browse licensed shopfitters with medical references, state by state.
Get the cost range, confirm the approval stack for your state, then shortlist builders with real clinical references.