Pergola or roof?
The regulations treat any pergola as minor building work, and a pergola needs neither plans nor an application. A pergola is open: slats or beams, no solid covering.
Once it has a solid roof (sheeting, polycarbonate, glass, tiles) and is attached to the house, it is an extension of the building. It is counted in your coverage, it has to respect the building lines, it loads the existing structure and it changes how rainwater runs off. That needs plans.
In Gauteng
Johannesburg lists pergolas on its minor works exemption list (by motivation letter) but roofed extensions go through the normal plan process. Enclosing the sides later turns the patio into a room, which also needs plans.
Questions people ask
Does a polycarbonate patio roof need plans?
Normally yes. A solid or translucent covering fixed to the house makes it an extension, not a pergola.
Sources
- SANS 10400-A:2010, Regulations A1 and A2 (minor building work)
- City of Johannesburg CPMS submission checklists (minor works list)
Checked October 2026. Councils change their tariffs every July, so confirm fees before you pay.