Apply for building regulations approval

You must formally notify us of your building work, either through a full plans application, or by submitting a building notice. If you have carried out work without getting building regulations approval, you can apply for regularisation.

If you are building a new dwelling you must inform us of any accessibility requirements that are included in your planning permission conditions.

Building control approval with full plans

This type of application is for more major works, such as non-standard construction buildings, dwellings, extensions or if your building use is changing. You'll need to include detailed scaled plans and supporting construction specifications of the work you're doing. If you don't supply these plans, your application will not be valid. Building Control will examine the plans before any work has started and advise you of any changes required in order to meet building regulations.

You must pay the relevant plan assessment charge fee when you submit your application. You can pay the inspection fee when work starts on site. You should get a decision notice on the plan within 5 weeks, but this may be extended by agreement. You can start work once you receive the decision notice, but you'll need to tell us at least two working days before the work starts.

Building notice

This type of application is generally aimed at domestic building works of a minor nature that do not require a plan, such as garage conversions. A building notice cannot be submitted for the following:

• work to commercial or industrial buildings
• dwellings such as flats or apartments, which share a common circulation space or stairs.
• where a new building will front onto a private street
• if you have a known public sewer within the curtilage of the building or within 3m of a relevant boundary of your property - you must submit a BCAFP application.

You must pay the relevant building notice fee when you submit your application. You can start work immediately but you'll need to tell us at least two working days before the work starts.

Regularisation

You can apply for regularisation - retrospective approval for work already carried out without consent. Only work carried out after 11 November 1985 can be approved in this way, and after we have assessed the work you might need to make alterations to demonstrate compliance. You must pay the relevant regularisation fee when you submit your application. We would try to inspect the work within two working days of processing your application.

Fees

You must pay the appropriate fee when you submit your application. Please refer to the building regulation fees before you start your application.

Invoices

• Where invoices are issued we expect payment within 28 days.
• If debt recovery exceeds 60 days a default charge for recovery of £125 will be applied in addition to the outstanding amount.

Withdrawing an application

If you decide to withdraw an application you will be charged for the administrative work that has been done, together with any site visits. This will be deducted from the fee that has been paid, and the balance will then be refunded.

How to apply

Apply and pay online. Before you apply, please make sure you have made a note of the application fees.

Apply online

Read our privacy notice which tells you how we use your data.

If you wish to make your payment over the phone, call 0151 233 3021, quoting your online application reference number.

What happens next?

The approval is valid for three years. Work can begin as soon as two days after you've submitted your application, but you cannot be certain that any work carried out before you have got formal approval complies with building regulations. If you also need planning permission, do not start work until you've got this.

After you've submitted your application, you must let us know when the building work starts. We'll come to inspect the work at the start, end and at various stages to make sure it meets the building regulations standards.