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).

Accessible building design

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.