You can submit a building notice application if you are carrying out minor, non-complex building work to an existing residential home.
A building notice is a simpler process than a full plans application because you do not need to prepare and submit detailed architectural drawings or technical specifications in advance.
Advice on preparing your application
Under Part 2A of the Building Regulations, you (the client) have a legal duty to ensure that anyone you appoint to design or build your project has the appropriate competence (skills, knowledge, experience, and training) to comply with building regulations.
A building notice is a simplified application process for carrying out minor alterations to an existing home.
You do not need to prepare and submit detailed architectural drawings or technical specifications in advance. You or your builder must explain the construction methods and materials you propose to use directly to the surveyor during site inspections.
Documents you must provide
When you apply online for a building notice, you must provide:
- Location plan: for any work that extends a property or alters a footprint, you must provide a location plan (usually 1:1250 or 1:500) clearly showing the boundary of your site outlined with a continuous red line. Surrounding roads and adjacent properties must be clearly labelled.
- Basic sketches: while formal drawings are not required, providing basic sketches or layout plans with your application helps our surveyors understand your proposal before they visit the site.
Read the building notice guidance for information on eligibility criteria, location plan requirements, and rules for minor domestic alterations.
When you cannot use a building notice
You cannot use a building notice for complex or commercial works. You cannot submit a building notice if your project involves:
- Work to commercial or non-domestic buildings
- Holiday accommodation
- Flats with shared communal areas, or dividing a house into separate flats
- Building over or within 3 metres of a public sewer
- Buildings covered by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (under Regulation 14 of the Building Regulations 2010)
- New-build homes or housing developments
For these projects, you must submit a full plans building control application.
Application fees
Building notice fees
Building notice fees are usually higher than full plans fees. This is because our building control surveyors have not checked detailed drawings in advance, meaning they must spend more time inspecting, assessing, and verifying construction work directly on site.
Building control fees are due when you apply:
- Building notice applications: check our fees to understand the single full fee due for your project; this is invoiced 7 days after submission and must be paid within 30 days.