What Does STCA Mean in Real Estate? STCA, POA, EOI, U/C and Other Listing Terms Explained
By Tim AllenBuyer’s Agent and Director, IPS Buyer’s Agents
What does STCA mean in real estate? It stands for “subject to council approval”. In a listing, it flags something the property might allow, such as a subdivision, a second home or a bigger build, that the council has not approved. Under Queensland’s planning system, each council’s planning scheme decides which development needs an approval and what it is assessed against.[1] STCA tells you that approval hasn’t been given, and the chance that it never will be passes to whoever buys.
This guide shows you how to check an STCA claim before you sign, in Brisbane and the City of Moreton Bay. It then decodes the other terms Queensland buyers meet in listings and contracts: DA approved, POA, offers over, auction, EOI, tender, under offer, U/C, BC, CMS and lot on plan.
Key takeaways
- STCA means subject to council approval: the development or use the listing mentions has not been approved.[1]
- Check the zone, overlays and minimum lot size yourself, in City Plan online in Brisbane or My property look up in Moreton Bay.[2][3]
- Search Development.i for past and current applications on the site, including plans and conditions of approval.[4]
- A price guide is illegal for a Queensland auction property, and an agent can’t give one when the seller has said not to disclose a price.[5][6]
- U/C means a contract is signed, but it may still be conditional or inside the 5-business-day cooling-off period.[7]
What STCA means in a real estate listing
STCA turns up beside claims about what a property could become: “subdivide STCA”, “dual living STCA”, “room for a second home STCA”, “development potential STCA”. Each one describes development that needs the council’s approval before it can happen.
In Queensland, development falls into one of four categories: prohibited, accepted, code assessable or impact assessable. Accepted development needs no approval. For everything assessable, a development application has to be lodged, assessed and approved before work starts.[1] The council’s planning scheme decides which category a proposal falls into.[1]
The category shapes your risk. Impact assessable applications go on public notification, so neighbours can formally comment,[2] and anyone who made a properly made submission can appeal the decision. The decision rules for code and impact assessable development also differ.[1]
Agents still have to be honest about what land can be used for. The Australian Consumer Law bans false or misleading representations, in trade or commerce, about the characteristics of land and the use it is capable of being put to or may lawfully be put to.[8] STCA is the agent telling you the approval part is still open.
How to check an STCA claim before you buy
Do these checks before you sign. If you need more time, ask your solicitor about a condition, because conditions only bind if they are written into the contract.[7]
- Find the zone and overlays. In Brisbane, use City Plan online to find the property’s zone, overlays, lot size and neighbourhood plan.[2] In the City of Moreton Bay, My property look up shows a property’s zones, the types of development allowed, building heights and issues such as acid sulfate soils and bushfire.[3]
- Check the minimum lot size. For a subdivision claim, Brisbane City Council says to identify the zone first, then check the minimum lot sizes and frontages that apply to it.[2]
- Search past applications. Brisbane’s Development.i shows current and past development applications, including plans and conditions of approval, which can reveal restrictions on a property.[4] Applications lodged before 1 January 2004 generally aren’t on it; the council can do a historical records search instead.[4]
- Get a planning and development certificate. It gives written information about a property’s development approvals, infrastructure charges and planning scheme provisions. Only a full certificate says whether approval conditions have been met.[4]
- Read the seller disclosure statement. It must include the lot’s zoning, but it doesn’t have to include previous building or development approvals.[9]
- Ask a professional. To subdivide in Brisbane you will need a surveyor, and a town planning consultant can prepare the application.[2] Their view is worth far more before you sign than after settlement.
Then weigh time and cost. Brisbane City Council says a code assessable subdivision application can take 3 to 4 months if it aligns with City Plan, and longer if it is impact assessable or the council needs more information. Those timeframes don’t include building approval or the works themselves.[2] Costs can include application fees, infrastructure charges and plan sealing fees, and a new lot must be created and its title registered before it can be sold.[2]
If the property also sits under a flood overlay, our guide to checking a Brisbane flood zone covers the council flood reports.
DA approved is the opposite claim to STCA: a development approval exists. Read it closely. A preliminary approval approves a development but doesn’t authorise it to go ahead, while a development permit lets it proceed, with or without conditions.[1]
Every approval has a currency period, and it can lapse if the development hasn’t started within it, although an extension can be requested.[1] Ask the agent for the decision notice and approved plans, and check the conditions on Development.i.[4] Don’t expect the disclosure statement to mention the approval: previous development approvals don’t have to be included.[9]
Queensland restricts what an agent can say about price, which is why so many listings show no figure at all.
- Auction. For a property going to auction, the agent must not disclose the reserve price, a price they think is likely to win, or a price guide; the maximum penalty is 540 penalty units.[6] The Office of Fair Trading puts it plainly: giving you a price guide for an auction property is illegal.[5]
- Price search results. A listing site may show an auction property when you search by price. That placement is only for the search, it is not a price guide, and the site should give you a statement explaining this.[5][6]
- POA, price on application or contact agent. For a sale that isn’t by auction, if the seller has told the agent not to disclose a price, the agent can’t give you a price guide or a price they think would succeed.[6]
- Offers over. “Offers over” a figure invites offers from that amount up. It doesn’t oblige the seller to accept one: nothing binds either side until you have both signed the contract.[7]
Without a price, your best guide is recent sales of similar homes and an independent valuation. For the suburb picture, start with our Brisbane suburb reports or Moreton Bay suburb reports. Our guide on how to make an offer on a house in QLD covers what to put in an offer, and the auction day itself, including vendor bids, has its own guide.
- Private treaty. The most common method. The seller advertises, invites offers, negotiates with a buyer (usually through an agent) and signs a written contract.[10]
- Tender. Buyers submit an offer, the tender, by a closing date. The seller then considers them all and picks the best one or rejects every offer.[10]
- EOI (expressions of interest). Instead of a price, the listing invites you to contact the agent and discuss the price and terms you would offer on. The Real Estate Institute of Western Australia describes it as a way for a seller to test what buyers will pay, and stresses that an expression of interest is not a legally binding offer.[11] In Queensland, a contract binds only when you and the seller have both signed it.[7]
If the owner is selling without an agent, see our guide to buying a house privately in QLD.
- Under offer. The seller is negotiating with a buyer or has accepted an offer in principle. Until both sides sign a contract, nothing is binding, so another buyer can still step in.[7]
- U/C (under contract). A contract is signed, but the sale can still fall over. It may depend on finance, a building and pest inspection or the buyer selling their own home, and residential contracts carry a 5-business-day cooling-off period, with a 0.25% termination penalty for a buyer who ends it during that time.[7] If you missed out, ask the agent to call you if it comes back.
- Unconditional. Every condition has been met or waived, and the contract heads to settlement. Our unconditional contract guide explains what changes for you.
- Passed in. The auction didn’t reach the reserve. You can negotiate with the seller afterwards, but a registered bidder who signs within 2 business days of the auction gets no cooling-off period.[5]
For how cooling-off works in practice, see our cooling-off period guide.
- BC (body corporate). Every owner of a lot in the scheme. You become a member automatically when you buy, and you can’t opt out.[12]
- Levies. Owners pay regular levies towards running costs. The body corporate certificate shows what you will pay. Amounts depend on the age and condition of the common property, late payment can attract interest of up to 30% a year, and as the new owner you may be liable for levies the seller hasn’t paid.[12]
- CMS (community management statement). Recorded with Titles Queensland, it sets out the lot entitlements used to calculate levies, the by-laws, any proposed development of the scheme and the regulation module that applies. You get a copy before you sign.[12]
- Lot on plan. The property’s legal description, such as Lot 1 on SP217659. Queensland Globe finds the boundary from it, and plan numbers can start with RP, SP, BUP or GTP.[13]
| Term | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| STCA (subject to council approval) | The development or use mentioned has not been approved[1] |
| DA approved (development approval) | Check the type of approval, its conditions and its currency period[1] |
| POA (price on application) | No price shown; if the seller has said not to disclose one, the agent can’t give a price guide[6] |
| Auction | No price guide allowed, and no cooling-off for the winning bidder[5] |
| EOI (expressions of interest) | You discuss price and terms with the agent; it is not a binding offer[11] |
| Tender | Offers close on a set date; the seller picks one or rejects them all[10] |
| U/C (under contract) | Signed, but may be conditional or in the cooling-off period[7] |
| BC (body corporate) | All the lot owners in a scheme; membership is automatic[12] |
| CMS (community management statement) | Lot entitlements, by-laws and any proposed development[12] |
| Lot on plan (e.g. Lot 1 on SP217659) | The legal description; use it to find the boundary in Queensland Globe[13] |
| OFI (open for inspection) | A set time when anyone can view the property |
If an STCA claim is part of why a property appeals, check the zone, overlays and lot size, search the application history and get a town planner’s view before you sign. IPS Buyer’s Agents works only for buyers. We attend inspections, negotiate the price and conditions, and work with your broker, building and pest inspector and solicitor through to settlement. See our buyer’s agent services, or our local Moreton Bay buyer’s agent page if you are buying north of Brisbane. For finance terms such as LMI and LVR, see our key terms every property investor should know.
- STCA. Not approved yet: check the zone, overlays, lot size and past applications.[2][4]
- DA approved. Check whether it is a permit or a preliminary approval, its conditions and its currency period.[1]
- No price. Auction properties can’t have a price guide, and POA can mean the seller has told the agent not to disclose one.[6]
- EOI and tender. Offers are collected, often by a deadline, and nothing binds until both sides sign.[10][7]
- U/C. Signed, but it can still fall through on a condition or in cooling-off.[7]
This article is general information only, current at November 2026. It is not legal, planning or financial advice and does not consider your circumstances. Check the planning controls, approvals and contract for your purchase with council, a town planner and your solicitor or conveyancer before you act.
If a listing’s STCA claim is part of your plan for a property, book a time with Tim Allen to talk it through.
- Queensland Government (Department of State Development, Infrastructure and Planning) — What is development assessment? (last updated 4 December 2025)
- Brisbane City Council — Subdividing land (read 8 November 2026)
- City of Moreton Bay — My property look up (read 8 November 2026)
- Brisbane City Council — Find development applications (read 8 November 2026)
- Queensland Government (Office of Fair Trading) — Buying property at auction (last updated 14 October 2024)
- Property Occupations Act 2014 (Qld) — Section 216, Real estate agent not to disclose reserve or other price (reprint current from 1 August 2025)
- Queensland Government (Office of Fair Trading) — Contract of sale for buying a home (last updated 23 July 2025)
- Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Schedule 2 (Australian Consumer Law) — Section 30, False or misleading representations about sale etc. of land (Compilation No. 167, 16 September 2026)
- Queensland Government — Seller disclosure scheme (last updated 21 July 2025)
- Queensland Government (Office of Fair Trading) — Selling by treaty or tender (last updated 13 April 2026)
- Real Estate Institute of Western Australia — What does it mean when a property listing asks for ‘offers’ or ‘expressions of interest’ (read 8 November 2026)
- Queensland Government — Buying a body corporate property (last updated 18 May 2026)
- Queensland Government — Queensland Globe help: Search options (read 8 November 2026)
What does STCA mean in real estate?
STCA stands for subject to council approval. In a listing, it means the development or use mentioned, such as a subdivision, a second home or an extension, has not been approved by the council. In Queensland, each council’s planning scheme decides what needs approval, so check the zone, overlays and lot size, and search past applications, before you rely on the claim.
Does STCA mean the council will approve it?
No. STCA means approval has not been given, and it may never be. Impact assessable applications go on public notification and submitters can appeal the decision, and even a code assessable subdivision in Brisbane can take 3 to 4 months. If the price you are paying depends on an approval, get a town planner’s advice and talk to your solicitor before you sign.
What does POA mean in real estate?
POA means price on application: the listing shows no price. In Queensland, if the seller has told the agent not to disclose a price, the agent can’t give you a price guide or a figure they think would succeed. Base your offer on recent sales of similar homes and, where the amount matters, an independent valuation.
What does U/C mean on a property listing?
U/C means under contract: the buyer and seller have both signed. The sale can still fall through if a finance or building and pest condition isn’t met, or if the buyer ends the contract during the 5-business-day cooling-off period and pays the 0.25% termination penalty. If you missed out, ask the agent to tell you if it comes back.
Why don’t Queensland auction listings show a price?
Because it is illegal. For a property going to auction, the agent must not disclose the reserve price, a price likely to win or a price guide. A listing site may still show the property when you search by price, but that placement is only for the search, it is not a price guide, and the site should say so.
What is the difference between an EOI and a tender?
In a tender, buyers submit an offer by a closing date, and the seller then picks the best one or rejects them all. An expression of interest is looser: you contact the agent to discuss the price and terms you would offer on, and it is not a binding offer. In Queensland, nothing binds until both parties have signed the contract.