Is a body corporate the same as an owners corporation?

They do the same job under different names. Queensland says body corporate. Victoria's Consumer Affairs Victoria notes that an owners corporation was formerly called a body corporate, and NSW strata schemes use owners corporation. The rules, voting thresholds and fees differ by state, so one state's figures should not be applied to another.

Do all Queensland townhouses have a body corporate?

No. A townhouse has one only if its lot is part of a community titles scheme. The CMS and survey plan show this, and Titles Queensland can confirm it. A townhouse on its own freehold title with no scheme has no body corporate.

Can a body corporate raise levies without a vote?

Mostly no. Owners set annual levies by ordinary resolution at the AGM, and a special contribution for unexpected costs also needs an ordinary resolution. The one limited exception is an interim contribution, which the committee can fix to cover the gap between one financial year and the next, based on the previous year's levies.

What happens if levies are paid late?

If the body corporate has resolved to charge a penalty, interest of up to 2.5% a month can apply. It can also start debt recovery through QCAT as a minor civil dispute or through the courts. An overdue debt of two years must be taken to recovery within two months.

Does a body corporate have to have a manager?

No. Queensland bodies corporate can run through a committee of owners. A manager is engaged by ordinary resolution at a general meeting, with an engagement of no more than three years. Where a scheme has no committee, the engagement needs a special resolution by secret ballot.

What is a body corporate, and what does it do?

A body corporate is the legal entity that manages the shared property of a community titles scheme, and in Queensland every lot owner becomes a member automatically when they buy. As at October 2026 the Queensland Government describes its job as looking after common property and assets for the benefit of all owners, deciding what owners pay, making by-laws and arranging insurance.

The term is mainly a Queensland one. Victoria and NSW strata schemes call the same kind of group an owners corporation, and what each state calls it is covered in a separate guide.

Buying a lot in a Queensland community titles scheme makes you a member of the body corporate automatically, and you cannot opt out.

Checked October 2026. Rules, rates and prices change, so confirm anything that matters with the source linked below.

How a body corporate comes to exist

A body corporate is created when land is subdivided and registered under the Land Title Act 1994 to establish a community titles scheme. The Queensland Government defines a scheme as at least two lots, common property, a single body corporate and a single community management statement (CMS) registered with Titles Queensland.

That covers duplexes, unit blocks, shopping centres and townhouse complexes. A larger plan can mix townhouses and freestanding houses. Whether a particular townhouse is in a scheme at all depends on how it is titled, which is explained in strata versus Torrens title.

Most Queensland bodies corporate are regulated by the Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 (the BCCM Act). Schemes with no CMS registered fall under older Acts, such as the Building Units and Group Titles Act 1980. Titles Queensland can say which Act applies.

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What a body corporate does

According to the Queensland Government, a body corporate:

maintains, manages and controls the common property on behalf of owners
decides the amounts owners pay so it can operate
makes and enforces by-laws, which set out what owners and occupiers can and cannot do
takes out insurance, including public risk insurance over common property and building insurance
manages and controls body corporate assets
keeps records such as meeting minutes, owner details, financial accounts and asset registers

Who makes the decisions

Decisions are made at general meetings and through a committee. The committee handles day-to-day running and puts lawful body corporate decisions into effect.

For most schemes the committee has at least three members, up to seven if the scheme has seven or more lots. Schemes under the Small Schemes Module (six lots or fewer) have a committee of up to two. Schemes under the Specified Two-lot Schemes Module have no committee.

Apart from fixing a temporary interim contribution, the committee cannot set or change a levy, so that decision sits with owners at a general meeting. A body corporate manager is optional. The Queensland Government's page (last updated September 2024) says managers do not need to be licensed and have no formal training requirement.

What owners vote on

Queensland uses several types of resolution at general meetings. The Queensland Government explains them as follows.

Resolution	What it takes	Examples it gives
Ordinary	More votes for than against; one vote per lot	Adopting budgets, setting annual contributions
Special	At least two-thirds of votes cast in favour, and votes against no more than 25% of lots and no more than 25% of lot entitlements	New by-laws (other than exclusive use), body corporate improvements to common property costing more than $2,000 per lot
Without dissent	No votes against	Selling part of common property, exclusive use by-laws

What it costs owners

Owners pay levies, usually in instalments. At the annual general meeting the body corporate approves two budgets by ordinary resolution: an administrative fund for everyday costs such as insurance and regular maintenance, and a sinking fund for larger or one-off items such as painting or replacing fences. The sinking fund budget must look ahead at least nine years beyond the current financial year.

Each owner's share is worked out from the contribution schedule lot entitlements recorded in the CMS. If a lot has 3 entitlements out of a scheme total of 30, it carries 3 / 30 = 10% of the costs. Building insurance is split differently.

Under the Standard Module regulation, which the Queensland Government describes as suitable for all schemes, owners must get written notice at least 30 days before a contribution is due. A body corporate can resolve to give a discount of up to 20% for on-time payment, and to charge simple interest of not more than 2.5% a month on late payments. A new owner may also become liable for levies the previous owner left unpaid.

What buyers receive before signing

The seller provides a body corporate certificate (BCCM form 33, or form 34 for specified two-lot schemes), the by-laws and the CMS. The Queensland Government lists the fee for a body corporate certificate at $86.95 as at 1 July 2026. Its seller disclosure scheme applies from 1 August 2025.

A townhouse complex is a common example of a scheme registered under a standard format plan. For those schemes the Queensland Government says owners generally maintain their own building, including exterior walls and roof, while the body corporate looks after common property such as roads and gardens. Buyers browsing new townhouses in Brisbane can request the proposed levies for any project.

Common questions

Is a body corporate the same as an owners corporation?: They do the same job under different names. Queensland says body corporate. Victoria's Consumer Affairs Victoria notes that an owners corporation was formerly called a body corporate, and NSW strata schemes use owners corporation. The rules, voting thresholds and fees differ by state, so one state's figures should not be applied to another.
Do all Queensland townhouses have a body corporate?: No. A townhouse has one only if its lot is part of a community titles scheme. The CMS and survey plan show this, and Titles Queensland can confirm it. A townhouse on its own freehold title with no scheme has no body corporate.
Can a body corporate raise levies without a vote?: Mostly no. Owners set annual levies by ordinary resolution at the AGM, and a special contribution for unexpected costs also needs an ordinary resolution. The one limited exception is an interim contribution, which the committee can fix to cover the gap between one financial year and the next, based on the previous year's levies.
What happens if levies are paid late?: If the body corporate has resolved to charge a penalty, interest of up to 2.5% a month can apply. It can also start debt recovery through QCAT as a minor civil dispute or through the courts. An overdue debt of two years must be taken to recovery within two months.
Does a body corporate have to have a manager?: No. Queensland bodies corporate can run through a committee of owners. A manager is engaged by ordinary resolution at a general meeting, with an engagement of no more than three years. Where a scheme has no committee, the engagement needs a special resolution by secret ballot.

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Sources

This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Get advice that suits your situation before you buy.