Type of application required

If you are planning to carry out building work that needs to be checked by a building control body you can choose either of the following routes:

1. submit an application for building control approval with full plans (described in Regulation 14 of the Building Regulations 2010).
2. submit a building notice, which contains less information than full plans (see Regulation 13 of the Building Regulations 2010).

It is necessary to deposit an application for building control approval with plans instead of a building notice if any of the following work is proposed:

• building work in relation to a building to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies or will apply after building work is complete – examples of such buildings include:
  • hotels and boarding houses
  • offices, shops and factories
  • flats – if there is more than one flat and the work affects the common parts (areas shared with other flats, for example, entrance corridors, hallways or stairs)
• building work that includes erecting a building that fronts a private street
• building work that involves building over or otherwise interfering with an existing shared drain, sewer or disposal main shown on a map of sewers

A reversion application should be used where an initial notice from a Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA) – formerly know as an Approved Inspector – is no longer in force and the application is to ‘revert’ back to the local authority.

When you can start building works (not including higher-risk building projects)

Once you have submitted a Building Notice application or Full Plans application, work can start on site 48 hours (2 working days) after notice has been given to us of your intention to start building.

Please remember that you must tell us when inspection stages are reached so that a surveyor can inspect the works as they go along. Please see our Inspections page for further details of when inspections are required and for information on how to request an inspection.

When works complete

If your application was submitted/validated after 1 October 2023, there is a new requirement that you must send us a completion notice before we will carry out a final inspection which confirms that to the best of your (owner and contractors) knowledge, the works are complete and comply with the building regulations.

When you and your agent/builder/contractor have notified us that the work is completed, and a satisfactory final inspection has been made, we will issue a formal Certificate of Completion This demonstrates that so far as we have been able to ascertain the relevant requirements of Schedule 1 of the Building Regulations are satisfied. This certificate shall be evidence (but not conclusive evidence) that the relevant requirements specified in the certificate have been complied with.

This can be particularly useful if the building is subsequently sold or if you are securing additional funds.

When submitted plans are approved and after completion of work on-site, we will send you a Customer Satisfaction Form inviting you to comment on the service provided.

The project client changes after the application has been submitted

Since 1 October 2023, there is a requirement for the new client to give notice of the changes to us. Please complete and return the notification of change of dutyholder form (pdf, 5 page(s), 248.15 KB) to us.

Building work carried out without an application

If work is carried out without a building regulations application, enforcement action could be taken and this could also prejudice a future sale of the property.

A retrospective application may be made for unauthorised building works carried out since 11 November 1985. Applications for Regularisation Certificates may be submitted with the appropriate fee.

The submission of an application does not guarantee that a certificate will be issued. Parts of the works may need to be opened up and inspected to determine if they are adequate and remedial works may be required before a regularisation certificate can be issued.

Further guidance

More information is available from our other pages:

• building regulations and inspections
• dangerous structures
• demolition notices

A wide range of advice about common building works projects, building regulations, and your responsibilities when carrying out building works is available from the Planning Portal.