Getting building control approval

When you need building control approval

Most building work in England requires building control approval. This includes new buildings, extensions, structural alterations, loft conversions, installation of controlled services (electrical, gas, plumbing, heating), and renovations that trigger Building Regulations requirements.

Building control checks that your work complies with the Building Regulations 2010. Without approval, you may face enforcement action, difficulty selling or remortgaging your property, and the risk that the work does not meet safety standards.

There are two main routes to building control approval, and a third option for certain types of work that can be self-certified by qualified installers.

Choosing your approval route

Local Authority Building Control (LABC)

Your local council's building control team is the public-sector route. LABC is available for all building work and is the only option for higher-risk buildings. Key advantages include local knowledge of ground conditions and planning history, continuity of inspections throughout the project, and a statutory duty to keep records for at least 15 years.

Registered Building Control Approver

From October 2024, the former Approved Inspector role has been replaced by Registered Building Control Approvers. These are private-sector building control bodies registered with the Building Safety Regulator under the Building (Registered Building Control Approvers etc.) (England) Regulations 2024.

You can choose a Registered Building Control Approver for most building work. However, higher-risk buildings (7 or more storeys or 18 metres and above) must use Local Authority Building Control. This restriction was introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022 and applies to all new higher-risk building work and certain refurbishments.

Application types

Whether you use LABC or a Registered Building Control Approver, you submit your application in one of two ways:

• Full plans application - you submit detailed plans and specifications. Building control checks the plans against the Building Regulations before work starts and issues a decision (approval, approval with conditions, or rejection) within 5 weeks (extendable to 8 weeks by agreement). This is the recommended route for most projects, as it gives you certainty that your design complies before you start building.
• Building notice - you notify building control at least 48 hours before starting work. No plans are submitted in advance. The building control body inspects the work during construction and tells you if anything does not comply. This route is faster to start but carries more risk, as you may need to alter or remove work that fails inspection. Building notices are not available for work on higher-risk buildings.

Competent person scheme self-certification

Using a competent person scheme member is often the simplest compliance route for routine building work. If you use a Gas Safe registered engineer for a boiler replacement, a FENSA installer for replacement windows, or a NICEIC electrician for electrical work, the installer handles the building control notification and provides a compliance certificate. You do not need a separate building control application.

However, if the installer is not a member of the relevant competent person scheme, you must apply to building control before the work starts.

Regularisation for unauthorised work

If building work has been carried out without building control approval, you can apply for retrospective regularisation. This is a formal process where the local authority building control body assesses the work that has been done and determines whether it complies with the Building Regulations that were in force at the time the work was carried out.

Key points about regularisation:

• Only the local authority can process regularisation applications (not Registered Building Control Approvers)
• The fee is typically 150% of the standard building control application fee
• The local authority may require you to open up completed work for inspection, which can be disruptive and costly
• There is no time limit for applying for regularisation, but older work may be harder to assess
• If the work does not comply, you will need to carry out remedial work to bring it up to standard
• Regularisation certificates are often needed when selling a property, as solicitors routinely check for evidence of building control sign-off

Completion certificates and record retention

When your building work passes its final inspection, the building control body issues a completion certificate. This is your formal evidence that the work complies with the Building Regulations.

• Keep your completion certificate - you will need it when selling, letting, or remortgaging the property. Solicitors and mortgage lenders routinely ask for completion certificates.
• Records are kept for at least 15 years by the building control body. If you lose your certificate, you may be able to obtain a copy or confirmation from the local authority.
• Competent person scheme certificates serve a similar purpose. The scheme operator notifies the local authority and issues a certificate to the building owner. These are also recorded by the local authority.

Fees and timelines

Building control fees vary by local authority and project type. Most authorities publish their fee schedules online. As a rough guide:

• Small domestic works (single-storey extension, loft conversion) - typically 400 to 1,200 pounds including plan check and site inspections
• Larger domestic works (two-storey extension, new dwelling) - typically 800 to 2,500 pounds
• Non-domestic works - fee based on estimated cost of work; larger projects attract higher fees
• Regularisation - typically 150% of the equivalent standard application fee

Timeline for a full plans application: the building control body must issue a decision within 5 weeks of receiving a valid application. This can be extended to 8 weeks by mutual agreement. If approved, work can proceed. During construction, you must notify building control at key stages (commencement, foundations, damp-proof course, drainage, occupation) for inspection.