About Building Regulations

If you're building something new, making changes to an existing building or commercial premises you may need building regulation approval.

We make sure the work meets health and safety standards and energy and accessibility standards and gives you the certificates of compliance you need when you want to sell your home or building.

You should apply for building regulation approval before you start work. It's illegal not to tell us about your building work and you might have to correct the work, or pay a fine, if you do not tell us about it.

Do I need Building Regulations? 

You must check if you need approval before you construct or change buildings in certain ways. Building regulations approval is different from planning permission, you may need both.

Some building works are considered exempt from building regulations. You can find out more information about building regulations and exemptions on the Planning Portal.

Decide what type of application you need

• Full Plans - This is the most thorough option. You can expect a decision within 5 weeks – 9 weeks with your consent. You'll get a completion certificate within 8 weeks of completion of the building work, providing it complies. 
• Building Notice - This type of application is only for minor domestic projects. You can start work 2 days after your notice has been submitted. You do not get formal approval on any plans or information submitted like you do with full plans.
• Reversion - This type of application relates to projects previously undertaken under an Initial Notice with an Approved Inspector, where the Initial Notice has been cancelled or the Approved Inspector has ceased to trade.
• Regularisation - You can apply for 'retrospective approval for work already carried out without consent (this type of application is not available to historic Building Control Applications that were never completed by the applicant/owner).
• Reactivation - You can pay a charge to reactive a previous building regulations application that is over three years since the last inspection, but no older than 15 years since the last inspection).

Useful building control resources

For more information on building control services and requirements, please see the links below.

Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Front Door

Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Front Door is an independent, easy to use website run by the LABC which offers homeowners advice and practical guidance about home improvements and the building control technical requirements, and how your Local Authority Building Control Team can help with your project. It covers a range of common home improvement projects including loft conversions, garage conversions, bathrooms, extensions, insulation and solar panels.

The LABC is a not-for-profit organization representing local authority building control teams in England and Wales.

Planning Portal

Planning Portal provides services and information for everyone involved in planning and building control.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Visit the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website for workplace health and safety.

GOV.UK - Building Regulations

Visit the GOV.UK Building Regulations pages - Building regulations are the minimum standards for the design, construction and alterations to buildings and are needed to make sure buildings are safe. The regulations are developed by the UK government and approved by Parliament.

Building Safety Regulator (BSR)

The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is part of the HSE and was set-up under the Building Safety Act 2022. The BSR sets out rules to protect the design and construction of higher-risk, and aims to protect residents, improve building safety and enforce compliancy with safety regulations.

Trustmark

The Trustmark scheme is a UK government endorsed quality scheme helping homeowners to find skilled, trained and competent tradesperson for work carried out in and around the home.

Accessible building design - National Register of Access Consultants

Further information about professionals who work in access consultancy can also be found via the National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) website - this website will provide you with a register of all accredited access consultants.