UK Planning Application Fees: How Much They Cost and When You Pay Them
Quick Answer: UK planning application fees in England (2026) are set by The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended). Common 2026 fees: householder application £206, full application for a single dwelling £578, change of use application £578, prior approval (larger home extension) £120, lawful development certificate (existing) £258, lawful development certificate (proposed) £129. The fee is paid at the point of submission and is non-refundable except in specific circumstances. Fee scales differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — check the relevant national authority for current rates.
Summary
Planning application fees in England are set by national regulations and apply uniformly to local planning authorities — the same £206 householder fee applies in Cornwall, Camden and Cumbria. The fees are increased periodically (most recently a significant increase in December 2023, and again in April 2025), so always check the gov.uk fee calculator or the local authority website at the date of submission.
For tradespeople, the practical relevance is that planning application fees are part of the project budget that customers often forget. A £45,000 extension build needs a £206–£578 planning fee plus a £450–£1,200 architect or designer's fee for drawings plus the Building Regs application fee (separate — typically £400–£1,200), plus other application fees (highways, listed building consent, conservation area consent) where applicable.
The other practical reality is the difference between full planning permission, prior approval, lawful development certificate and Building Regs. These are separate processes with separate fees, and customers regularly conflate them. A clear quote separates application fees as a transparent cost line, and identifies which applications the project triggers.
Key Facts (England — 2026)
- Householder application — £206 (extensions, alterations, garages within curtilage of dwelling)
- Outline application — £578 per 0.1 hectare for residential; £606 per 0.1 hectare for general
- Full application — single new dwelling — £578
- Full application — multiple new dwellings — £606 per dwelling up to 50; reduced rate above
- Full application — change of use — £578 (most uses); £606 for additional residential
- Full application — non-residential floor space — £606 per 0.1 hectare for under 2,500m²; tiered above
- Prior approval — larger home extension — £120 (single-storey rear extension up to 6m semi/8m detached)
- Prior approval — change of use (Class O, MA, etc.) — £125–£334 depending on type
- Prior approval — agricultural to residential — £334
- Lawful development certificate (existing) — £258 (proves existing use lawful)
- Lawful development certificate (proposed) — £129 (confirms proposed work won't need permission)
- Listed building consent — no fee (free to apply)
- Conservation area consent — no fee (free to apply)
- Tree preservation order (TPO) consent — no fee
- Advert consent — £132 per application
- Reserved matters — same fee as outline (£578+)
- Discharge of conditions — £43 per request (householder); £145 (other)
- Approval of details — £145 per request (other)
- S73 minor amendment — £258 per application
- Pre-application advice — varies by authority; £100–£900+ typical for residential
- Decision time — 8 weeks for householder/minor; 13 weeks for major
Quick Reference Table — Fee by Application Type
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Try squote free →| Application | Fee (2026) | Typical processing time |
|---|---|---|
| Householder (extension, alteration) | £206 | 8 weeks |
| Full — single dwelling | £578 | 8 weeks |
| Full — change of use | £578 | 8 weeks |
| Full — multiple new homes | £606/unit (up to 50) | 13 weeks |
| Full — major commercial | £606 per 0.1ha | 13 weeks |
| Prior approval — larger extension | £120 | 6 weeks (42 days) |
| Prior approval — change of use | £125–£334 | 8 weeks |
| Lawful dev. cert. (existing) | £258 | 8 weeks |
| Lawful dev. cert. (proposed) | £129 | 8 weeks |
| Listed building consent | Free | 8 weeks |
| Discharge of condition (householder) | £43 | 8 weeks |
| Discharge of condition (other) | £145 | 8 weeks |
| Tree preservation order consent | Free | 8 weeks |
| Pre-application advice | £100–£900+ | 4–6 weeks |
Detailed Guidance
Permitted development vs full planning — when no fee applies
Many domestic alterations don't need any planning application because they fall under Permitted Development Rights (PDR), set out in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015. Fee: £0.
Common PDR for domestic:
- Single-storey rear extension: up to 4m projection (detached) or 3m (semi/terrace), max 4m height
- Two-storey rear extension: up to 3m projection, set back from boundary
- Loft conversion: up to 50m³ (detached/semi) or 40m³ (terrace), no roof extension to front
- Front porch: up to 3m² floor area, 3m height
- Outbuilding: up to 50% of curtilage, max 4m height (dual pitch) or 2.5m within 2m of boundary
PDR doesn't apply if:
- Property is in Conservation Area, AONB, National Park (Article 4 areas)
- Listed Building (any work needs listed building consent)
- PDR has been removed by Article 4 Direction
- Already exhausted PDR allowance
A Lawful Development Certificate (£129) is the prudent way to confirm a project falls under PDR — gives the customer documentary proof for resale.
Householder vs full planning — choosing the right route
The £372 difference between Householder (£206) and Full (£578) drives the route taken:
- Householder — single dwelling owner, alterations or extensions to an existing single-family home in its curtilage
- Full — anything that creates a new dwelling, changes use, or affects multiple properties
Examples:
- Loft conversion staying as part of single-family home: Householder (£206)
- Loft conversion creating self-contained flat: Full (£578)
- Garage conversion for own use: Householder (£206)
- Garage conversion creating flat for letting: Full (£578)
- Single-storey rear extension within PDR: Permitted Development (free, no application required)
- Same extension exceeding PDR: Householder (£206)
Prior approval — the middle route
Prior approval applies to specific extension or change-of-use scenarios where the principle is permitted but specific impacts must be approved by the local authority:
- Larger home extensions — single-storey rear up to 6m (semi) or 8m (detached), £120
- Change of use Class MA (commercial to residential) — £125
- Class O (office to residential) — £125
- Class Q (agricultural to residential) — £334
- Telecommunications equipment — varies
Prior approval is faster (6 weeks) and cheaper than full planning, with a binary "approve or refuse" decision based on specific criteria (typically transport, contamination, flooding, design impact).
Building Regulations vs planning — separate fees
Critical to understand: planning permission and Building Regulations are separate applications with separate fees.
- Planning fee — £206 (householder) for the planning application
- Building Regs application fee — typically £400–£1,200 depending on project value, separate fee
A typical extension project pays both: £206 for planning + £900 for Building Regs = £1,106 in application fees alone.
Listed buildings and Conservation Areas — additional applications
Properties in protected designations may need additional consents, all free of fee:
- Listed Building Consent — required for any work to a Listed Building, internal or external
- Conservation Area Consent — required for demolition in conservation area
- Scheduled Monument Consent — required for work to scheduled archaeological remains
- Tree Preservation Order Consent — required for work to protected trees
These are free but the application requires drawings, heritage statements, and tree reports — design and consultancy costs of £600–£3,000+ typical.
Pre-application advice — when worth paying for
Most local authorities offer paid pre-application advice. Cost varies significantly:
- Small householder advice: £100–£250
- Medium project (extension, conversion): £250–£700
- Large project (multi-dwelling, commercial): £700–£3,000+
Pre-app advice is worth it when:
- The proposal is borderline or unusual
- Site is sensitive (heritage, ecology, drainage)
- Project value justifies the de-risking
- Customer wants documented LPA position before committing to full design
Refunds and re-submissions
- Withdrawal before validation — full refund minus admin fee
- Withdrawal after validation — no refund typically
- Refusal — no refund; one free re-submission within 12 months for same site/proposal
- S73 minor amendment — £258 to vary an existing approval
- Appeal — no fee to lodge planning appeal to PINS (Planning Inspectorate)
Devolved nations — Wales, Scotland, NI
Planning fees in the devolved nations are set differently:
- Wales — Planning Fees (Wales) Regulations 2015 (as amended); similar but separate fee schedule
- Scotland — Planning Etc. (Scotland) Act 2006; Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Regulations
- Northern Ireland — Planning (Fees) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
Always check the relevant national authority before quoting application fees on cross-border projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a planning application for a typical extension?
Householder fee £206 + design fees £600–£1,800 + Building Regs application £400–£1,200 + survey/reports if needed (£200–£800) = total application stage cost typically £1,400–£4,000 before construction.
Can I claim back the planning fee if my application is refused?
No. Planning fees are non-refundable on refusal. You do, however, get one free re-submission within 12 months for substantially the same proposal on the same site.
Do I need to pay a planning fee for permitted development?
No. Permitted development is, by definition, work that doesn't need a planning application — therefore no fee. A Lawful Development Certificate (£129) is optional but recommended for documentary proof.
How long does a planning application take?
8 weeks for householder and minor applications. 13 weeks for major. Both can extend with extension agreement (often required if neighbouring objections need consultation). Listed building applications: 8 weeks but often slip to 12+.
Are planning fees the same across England?
Yes — set by national regulation. Local authorities cannot vary the standard fee. They can charge for additional discretionary services (pre-app advice, fast-track) at varying rates.
Regulations & Standards
The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended) — England fee schedule
The Town and Country Planning Act 1990 — primary UK planning legislation
The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 — application procedures
The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 — PDR rights
The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 — heritage consent regime
The Building Act 1984 — primary Building Regulations legislation (separate from planning)
The Building Regulations 2010 — Building Regs (England)
NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) — government planning policy
Planning Portal — Application Fees — current fee schedule
GOV.UK — Apply for planning permission — official guidance
The Planning Inspectorate — appeals authority
Planning Aid England — free advice service
LGA Planning Advisory Service — local authority resource