For a home project in England, budget planning permission and building-control approval as separate costs. Planning fees follow the application category set in national regulations; building-control charges depend on the work and the inspecting body. There is no reliable single percentage of your construction budget that covers compliance.
Start by identifying the exact planning route, checking the fee in force on the day you submit, and obtaining an itemised building-control quote. Then reserve an allowance for condition-discharge or amendment applications and check whether a special regime, such as higher-risk building control or the Building Safety Levy, applies.
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First, separate planning permission from building regulations
Planning permission deals mainly with whether development is acceptable in its location and its effect on neighbours, streetscape, use and the environment. Building regulations deal with how the work is designed and constructed so it meets technical standards for structure, fire safety, energy, access, drainage and other matters.
They are separate legal processes. A planning approval does not approve the construction details, and building-regulations approval does not grant planning permission. Depending on the project, you may need one, both, or neither, but you should confirm the position with the relevant local authority or building-control body rather than infer it from a general rule.
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Keep the two lines separate in your budget:
- Planning: a category-based application fee, plus any later applications such as discharge of conditions.
- Building control: a project-specific charge for plan assessment, inspections and completion documentation.
- Compliance contingencies: charges caused by changes, repeat submissions, specialist regimes or corrective work.
These figures do not include design fees, surveys, structural engineering, warranties or construction work unless a provider’s quotation expressly combines them. A designer may prepare drawings for both processes, but that does not turn the applications into one approval or one fee.
How to identify the planning fee
In England, planning fees are linked to the type of application. The same physical project can have a different fee if it is submitted under a different route, such as a full householder application, prior approval or a condition-discharge request. Describe the work accurately before selecting a fee category.
Use the local planning authority’s instructions and, where appropriate, the Planning Portal route to identify the application type. A label such as “extension” is not enough: an ordinary householder enlargement, a larger rear extension using permitted-development prior approval, an upward extension, a change of use or work involving several dwellings can all sit in different categories.
2026 examples for common householder routes
| Application category | Fee effective from 1 April 2026 | What the figure means |
|---|---|---|
| Enlarge, improve or otherwise alter one existing dwellinghouse | £548 | Indexed English fee for the specified householder category; it is not a complete project cost. |
| Enlarge, improve or otherwise alter two or more existing dwellinghouses | £1,083 | Indexed English fee for that category where the application concerns at least two existing dwellinghouses. |
| Prior approval for a larger rear extension or building upwards to extend a dwellinghouse | £249 | Applies only to the specified prior-approval route, not to every extension. |
| Householder discharge of a planning condition | £89 | Listed fee in the schedule applying from 1 April 2026; a later request to revise details can attract another fee. |
The £548 and £1,083 figures are examples of category fees, not a universal “planning percentage”. If your proposal involves a new dwelling, a change of use, commercial elements, listed-building consent, advertisements or another route, use the fee category that actually describes that application. Check whether parallel consents are needed rather than assuming one application covers everything.
Check the submission date, not an old quotation
English planning fees are indexed each 1 April using the previous September’s Consumer Prices Index, with the annual increase capped at 10%. A fee quoted before the April change can therefore be out of date when the application is submitted. Recheck the current schedule and your local authority’s instructions immediately before payment.
Government reform material published in 2026 discusses a national default schedule and local fee-setting powers under the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025. A proposed or default figure is not automatically the amount charged for every application today. Treat the indexed fee currently in force and any later implementation notice as separate questions. Keep a dated copy or screenshot of the schedule used, especially if a project will be submitted near an annual change.
Do not overlook follow-on planning charges
Permission may create conditions requiring materials, landscaping, drainage, access or other details to be approved before work starts. A householder discharge-of-condition request is listed at £89 in the schedule applying from 1 April 2026. One request can cover one or more conditions, but if the applicant later makes another request to amend or revise details to comply, a fee is payable each time as though it were the first request.
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This is why the initial application fee is not necessarily the complete planning allowance. Read the decision notice and list every pre-commencement condition that could require a separate submission. If a condition asks for several related details, ask the authority whether they can be presented in one request; do not assume that combining documents eliminates a fee where the authority treats the request as a separate application.
Why building-control costs cannot be reduced to one number
There is no official single building-control price for a generic home extension or renovation. Local authorities set charges on a cost basis. As the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government guidance puts it: “Local authorities base their fees on their costs.” Private registered building-control approvers negotiate their fees directly.
Official guidance identifies the main variables as the type of work, the inspections required, the number of dwellings and the floor area. A small internal alteration and a multi-storey extension can therefore have very different charges even when both are described casually as a “renovation”. The scope should say what is being removed, built or structurally altered, not just the project name.
Ask for a quote that states whether it is based on a full-plans application, a building notice or another route. If the provider has assumed a particular floor area, dwelling count or construction sequence, record that assumption. A later change in scope can alter both the assessment and the number of inspections.
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What to ask for in an itemised quote
| Quote item | Why it changes your allowance | Question to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Application and plan assessment | The provider must classify the work and review the submitted information. | Which route and scope has been priced, and are plan checks included? |
| Site inspections | Inspection count and timing depend on the work and its stages. | How many inspections are included, and at which construction stages? |
| Follow-up or additional visits | Extra visits may be needed after missed inspections, defects or changed work. | What is the charge for each additional inspection or return visit? |
| Completion documentation | You may need a completion certificate for records and a future sale. | Is the completion certificate included, and what must be supplied before it is issued? |
| Changes during construction | Revised drawings or work outside the original scope can require further review. | How are design changes, site instructions and amended plans charged? |
| Response arrangements | Two providers may quote for different service levels or inspection availability. | Who will inspect, how are visits booked, and what response time is expected? |
Obtain comparable written quotes from the local council and, where suitable, a private registered approver. Make sure both providers have the same drawings, floor areas, number of dwellings and description of work; otherwise a lower quote may simply cover less. Ask whether VAT or third-party costs are included, and ask the provider to list exclusions rather than leaving them implicit.
Inspection timing matters as much as the headline fee. Confirm who must notify the inspector before each stage, what happens if a stage is covered before inspection, and whether a return visit is charged. Retain the inspection records and completion certificate with the project documents.
Choose the appropriate building-regulations route
Full plans
A full-plans application is the more thorough route. Plans and supporting information are assessed before or as the work proceeds, giving you a formal decision on the submitted design. It is often useful where the project is structurally complex, involves an extension, or needs certainty before construction. Ask whether the quote includes checking revised drawings if the assessor requests further information.
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Building notice
A building notice is intended for smaller, straightforward non-higher-risk projects. It does not provide formal approval in the same way as a full-plans application, even though the work remains subject to the building regulations. The ability to start under a notice does not remove the duty to build compliantly or to arrange required inspections. Before choosing it, ask the building-control body whether the scope is suitable and what information the inspector will need on site.
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If work was completed without the required building-control process, a regularisation application is retrospective and is available only through a local-authority building-control body. The authority may require opening-up, testing or corrective construction before issuing a certificate. Budget for that possibility rather than assuming a certificate will be issued from paperwork alone. A regularisation route also does not erase separate planning issues that may exist.
Build a project-specific compliance budget
Use the following sequence before signing a construction contract. Put each confirmed fee, quotation, assumption and possible extra in a simple schedule so the builder’s price is not mistaken for the authority’s charge.
- Confirm jurisdiction. This guide covers England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different systems and should not be assigned these figures.
- Describe the physical work. Record whether you are altering one dwelling, several dwellings, creating floorspace, changing use, building upwards, making a larger rear extension or dealing with an existing unauthorised alteration.
- Identify the planning route. Ask the local planning authority whether the proposal needs a householder application, prior approval, listed-building consent, a condition-discharge application or another category.
- Check the current fee date. Use the schedule in force on the planned submission date, particularly around 1 April when indexation changes can take effect.
- List conditions and later submissions. Read any permission or certificate for pre-commencement conditions and allow for each likely discharge or amendment request.
- Select the building-control route. For non-higher-risk work, compare a local-authority building-control service with a private registered approver where both can lawfully handle the project.
- Send identical information for quotes. Provide drawings, floor areas, dwelling count, structural scope and the intended construction sequence so quotes can be compared fairly.
- Check inclusions in writing. Confirm plan review, inspections, follow-up visits, changes and completion certification. Record every excluded charge.
- Check special regimes. Ask whether the Building Safety Regulator or another specialist process applies before relying on an ordinary domestic quote.
- Keep a contingency line. Reserve money for revised details, repeat condition requests, extra inspections and corrective work if site conditions differ from the drawings.
Review the schedule when the design changes. Moving a wall may alter structural information; adding a dwelling or changing use can alter the planning category; and a different construction sequence can affect inspection requirements. Updating the compliance budget at each design stage is safer than treating it as a one-off allowance.
Higher-risk buildings and the Building Safety Levy
Higher-risk building control is handled through the Building Safety Regulator under the England guidance. It is a specialist route and should not be treated as the ordinary price for a single-home extension.
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| Higher-risk service | Listed charge |
|---|---|
| Approval application | £195 |
| Change control | £195 |
| Full or partial completion certificate | £234 |
| Regulator staff work | £156 per hour |
Relevant third-party costs can also be charged. These amounts apply to the specialist regulator service, not to ordinary local-authority or private-approver work. Confirm which service is being priced and whether staff time or external costs are additional.
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Government guidance says applications and initial notices for certain residential buildings may be subject to the Building Safety Levy from 1 October 2026. The higher-risk service describes major residential development for levy purposes as creating at least 10 residential units or 30 new purpose-built student-accommodation bedspaces. That threshold is not a blanket rule for every project, and a typical single-home extension should not be assumed to attract the levy. Check the current rules with the collecting authority before finalising the budget; the levy is paid to the local council or other collecting authority before a completion certificate where it applies.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common budgeting mistakes and how to correct them
Using a percentage of the build cost
A percentage cannot reflect the difference between planning categories or the inspection effort for different work. Replace it with the actual planning category fee plus a written building-control quote.
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Treating planning approval as building approval
Planning permission does not confirm structural, fire, energy or other technical compliance. Apply through the appropriate building-control route and retain the completion documentation.
Comparing quotes with different scopes
A quote that excludes inspections, plan review or completion certification is not cheaper on a like-for-like basis. Send the same project information to each provider and ask for exclusions in writing.
Forgetting conditions
A decision notice can create work and fees after the principal permission. Make a condition schedule and identify which details need approval before construction starts.
Relying on an old fee sheet
Recheck the fee immediately before submission, especially near the 1 April indexation date. Keep a dated copy of the schedule used for your budget.
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Unauthorised work can require regularisation, opening-up and corrective construction. If work has already started, contact the relevant building-control body promptly rather than waiting until sale or completion.
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Practical pre-application checklist
- ☐ Confirm that the project is in England and identify the responsible local authority.
- ☐ Write a precise scope, including number of dwellings, new or altered floor area and any change of use.
- ☐ Confirm the planning category and the fee effective on the submission date.
- ☐ Check whether prior approval, listed-building consent or another parallel permission is needed.
- ☐ Read existing or proposed conditions and allow for discharge or amendment applications.
- ☐ Decide between full plans, building notice or another appropriate building-regulations route.
- ☐ Obtain an itemised quote from the local authority or a private registered approver.
- ☐ Confirm included inspections, follow-up visits, plan review, change handling and completion certification.
- ☐ Ask whether higher-risk building control or the Building Safety Levy could apply.
- ☐ Keep a contingency for repeat submissions, extra inspections and corrective work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much are planning permission and building-control fees for an extension?
For one existing dwellinghouse, the indexed English householder planning fee is £548 from 1 April 2026. A specified prior-approval route for a larger rear extension or building upwards is £249. Building-control charges have no universal figure: the local authority bases its fee on costs and the provider considers work type, inspections, dwelling count and floor area. Obtain an itemised project quote.
Do I need to budget separately for planning permission and building regulations?
Yes. They are separate legal processes with different routes and charging bodies. Planning uses the application category; building control covers plan assessment, inspections and completion documentation. One approval does not replace the other.
Can one planning-condition request cover several conditions?
A householder discharge request can cover one or more conditions. The listed fee is £89 in the schedule applying from 1 April 2026. If you later submit another request to amend or revise details to comply, a fee is payable again as if it were the first request.
Should I choose the council or a private registered building-control approver?
For non-higher-risk work, compare both where each can lawfully handle the project. Send identical drawings and scope, then compare inspections, plan review, follow-up visits, change handling, completion certification, response arrangements and exclusions. Private fees are negotiated directly.
What if work has already been completed without building-control approval?
A regularisation application is retrospective and is available only through a local-authority building-control body. Opening-up, testing or corrective construction may be required before a certificate is issued, so allow for those costs.
Could the Building Safety Levy apply to my home project?
The levy may apply from 1 October 2026 to certain residential applications. The specialist guidance describes major residential development as creating at least 10 residential units or 30 purpose-built student-accommodation bedspaces. Do not assume it applies to a typical single-home extension; verify the current scope with the collecting authority.
The Bottom Line
For an England home project, budget the planning fee by application category, obtain a separate building-control quote based on the actual scope, and reserve for conditions, changes and any special regime. Check every figure against the official schedule and your submission date.
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