Most people asking this expect a single number. The honest answer is that the planning application fee is usually the smallest part of the total, and the figures that surprise people are everything around it: the drawings, the surveys, building regulations, party wall agreements, and the per-condition fees that appear later.
This guide sets out the full cost of getting a typical home project approved in England, organised by cost type, with current figures. The aim is that nothing on your final bill is a surprise. If you would rather follow the costs through the project as they arise, step by step, our build process guide walks the same ground in order.
This guide covers England only. Fees and rules differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The big misconception
"Planning permission costs £548" is the figure most people find first, and it is true as far as it goes: £548 is the standard householder application fee in England. But it is the council's charge for deciding your application. It does not include the drawings the application requires, the structural calculations, building regulations approval, or any party wall agreement. Those are separate, and together they usually come to several times the application fee.
For most householder projects, budget roughly £2,000 to £5,000 in professional and statutory fees, on top of the construction cost itself. Here is where that goes.
The planning application fee
This is the statutory fee paid to the council, set nationally, the same wherever you are in England.
- A householder application (an extension, loft conversion, or other alteration to a single house) costs £548.
- Smaller works within your boundary that still need permission, such as gates, fences or some outbuildings, cost £272.
- A retrospective application (applying after the work is done) costs the same as applying in advance. If an application is refused, you can usually submit one free resubmission of a similar scheme within 12 months.
You only pay this if your project actually needs permission. A great deal of work is permitted development and needs no application at all, in which case there is no application fee, though you may still choose to pay for a Lawful Development Certificate as proof (below).
The Planning Portal charge. Most applications are submitted through the Planning Portal, which adds a service charge of £75.83 plus VAT (about £91 including VAT) on any application with a fee over £100. You can often avoid it by paying the council directly where they accept it, and many do.
The Lawful Development Certificate
If your project is permitted development, you do not have to apply for permission, but a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) gives you formal proof that it was lawful. It is optional, but it removes the risk that you have misjudged a limit, and it is the document a buyer's solicitor will ask for when you sell.
An LDC is not a flat fee. It is charged as a proportion of the equivalent planning fee:
- For proposed work, it is half the equivalent fee (so about £274 for typical householder work).
- For existing work (confirming something already built is lawful), it is the full equivalent fee.
For anything beyond the obviously trivial, it is cheap insurance.
Prior approval
Some larger permitted-development projects do not need a full planning application but do need prior approval, a lighter route where the council checks specific points (such as the effect on neighbours) before you build. Two common householder examples are a Larger Home Extension (a bigger single-storey rear extension) and adding a storey to your house. Each costs £249, well below the £548 full application fee. As with permitted development generally, the right to use these routes can be removed in some areas, so confirm it applies to your property first.
Pre-application advice
Paying the council for informal written feedback before you submit, an officer's view on whether your proposal is likely to be approved and what they would want changed. Typically £100 to £600 for householder work, varying by council (some are cheaper, a few offer it free). It is not binding and not a guarantee, but for anything contentious, or in a conservation area, it can steer you away from a refusal that would cost far more in fees, drawings and delay.
Professional fees (where most of the money goes)
These are the costs that dwarf the application fee, and they are genuine ranges, not fixed amounts.
Architect or designer. For anything beyond the simplest work you will need professional drawings for planning, for building regulations, and for your builder to price from. Roughly:
- An architectural designer (unregulated title, quality varies): about £1,000 to £3,000 for a straightforward extension.
- An architectural technologist (CIAT): about £1,500 to £4,000.
- A chartered architect (RIBA): £2,000 to £6,000 or more.
What drives the figure: the complexity of the project, how far the designer takes it (concept only, through to planning, or all the way to building regulations and builder tender), and your location. Always agree a fixed fee and a clear scope in writing.
Structural engineer. For calculations on beams, steels or foundations, needed for almost any wall removal or extension: roughly £300 to £800.
Specialist surveys (heritage, trees, ecology, flood risk) are triggered only by specific property constraints. You pay for the ones your property actually requires, which is exactly why knowing your constraints early stops them becoming a mid-project surprise.
Building Regulations (a separate cost people forget)
Distinct from planning permission, and required for almost all structural work, even when planning permission is not. A Full Plans application for a householder extension typically costs £400 to £900 in fees, varying by council or private provider. Our building regulations guide explains the routes and why the completion certificate at the end matters when you sell. The thing to remember on cost: budget for this as well as planning, not instead of it.
Party wall costs (a common large surprise)
If your work affects a shared wall, the boundary line, or involves digging near a neighbour's building, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, and the cost catches people out:
- If your neighbour consents in writing: minimal, just serving notice properly.
- Agreed surveyor (one acting for both of you): typically £1,000 to £1,500.
- Separate surveyors (one each): typically £2,000 to £3,000 or more.
- Complex cases (basements, multiple neighbours): higher again.
The sting: you pay your neighbour's surveyor fees as well as your own. The way to avoid the cost entirely is to talk to neighbours before serving formal notices, since written consent removes the need for surveyors altogether.
Discharging conditions (the per-request fee)
Planning permission usually comes with conditions, and some must be formally cleared before or during the build. Each request to the council to discharge conditions costs £89 for householder development, and a single request can cover more than one condition. It is a small figure, but people do not expect it, and pre-commencement conditions have to be discharged before work starts.
Other costs to be aware of
- Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Some councils charge this on new floor area, generally above 100 square metres, so it affects larger projects. There is a self-build exemption for extensions to your own home, but you must claim it before starting work or you lose it.
- The construction cost itself. This is excluded from every figure above and varies enormously by size, specification, ground conditions and region. Anyone quoting a single "cost per square metre" without seeing your project is guessing, so this guide does not put a number on it.
Costs at a glance
Statutory fees (England, as at June 2026. These took effect on 1 April 2026 and are uprated each April, so check the current figure before you apply.)
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Householder planning application | £548 |
| Works within the curtilage (gates, fences, some outbuildings) | £272 |
| Prior approval (Larger Home Extension; additional storey) | £249 |
| Planning Portal service charge (applications over £100) | £75.83 + VAT (~£91 inc VAT) |
| Lawful Development Certificate, proposed work | Half the equivalent fee (~£274 for householder work) |
| Lawful Development Certificate, existing work | Full equivalent fee |
| Discharge of conditions (householder) | £89 per request |
| Listed Building Consent | No fee |
| Works to protected trees / conservation area demolition | No fee |
Professional and variable costs (genuine ranges, not fixed):
| Cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Pre-application advice | £100 to £600 |
| Architect / designer | £1,000 to £6,000+ |
| Structural engineer | £300 to £800 |
| Building Regulations (Full Plans) | £400 to £900 |
| Party wall (agreed single surveyor) | £1,000 to £1,500 |
| Party wall (separate surveyors) | £2,000 to £3,000+ |
The statutory fees are fixed amounts set by government. The ranges are typical estimates that vary by project, professional and location, not quotes.
The points that catch most people out
- The application fee is the small part. £548 is the council's charge, not the cost of the project. The drawings and surveys are where the money goes.
- Building Regulations is a separate cost. Needed even when planning permission is not, and easy to forget when budgeting.
- Party wall fees come out of your pocket, including your neighbour's surveyor. Budget for it, or get written consent to avoid it.
- The per-condition discharge fee is a real cost. £89 a request, and pre-commencement conditions must be cleared before you start.
- The Portal charge is on top. A small extra most people do not expect, avoidable by paying the council directly.
- "No planning fee" does not mean "no cost". Permitted development saves the application fee, but you may still want an LDC, and you will still likely need Building Regulations.
Frequently asked questions
How much does planning permission cost?
The householder application fee in England is £548, plus a Planning Portal service charge of £75.83 + VAT (about £91) if you submit online. But the application fee is the smallest part. With drawings, surveys and building regulations, most homeowners spend £2,000 to £5,000 in fees before any building begins.
Is the planning application fee the only cost?
No. It only covers the council deciding your application. The drawings it requires, structural calculations, building regulations approval, and any party wall agreement are all separate, and usually total several times the application fee.
How much does an architect cost for an extension?
Roughly £1,000 to £6,000 or more, depending on whether you use an architectural designer, a technologist or a chartered architect, and on the complexity of the project and how far they take it.
Do I have to pay for Building Regulations as well?
Yes. Building Regulations are separate from planning permission and carry their own fee, typically £400 to £900 for a householder extension. Most building work needs them even when planning permission is not required.
How much does a party wall surveyor cost?
Around £1,000 to £1,500 for a single agreed surveyor acting for both parties, or £2,000 to £3,000 or more if each side appoints their own. You pay your neighbour's reasonable fees too.
Are there costs even if I do not need planning permission?
Often, yes. You save the application fee, but you may still want a Lawful Development Certificate as proof (about £274 for proposed householder work), and you will usually still need Building Regulations approval.
In short
Planning permission costs far more than the headline fee, but almost none of it is hidden once you know the categories: the application fee, the drawings, building regulations, party wall, and the per-condition fees. The £548 is real, but it is the small part. Budget £2,000 to £5,000 in fees on top of the build, more if your property triggers specialist surveys.
The statutory fees here apply to everyone. The costs that vary, the surveys and statements your specific property does or does not need, are the ones worth pinning down before you commit, because they are the difference between a reliable budget and a run of surprises. A property check shows what applies to your address, so you can budget for what you will actually face. Check your property →
Find out where your property stands
Planiverse generates a property-specific report: what's been approved and refused on streets like yours, what constraints apply to your specific property, and what the data suggests about your chances. It's not a substitute for an architect or a planning consultant; it's the intelligence step that comes before you spend money on either.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: June 2026. Statutory fees are uprated every April, so this block and the "Costs at a glance" table are the page's review surface. The links below are the authoritative current sources; always check the current figure before applying.
- Fees for planning applications (MHCLG guidance), GOV.UK: gov.uk/guidance/fees-for-planning-applications
- What it costs, and the fee calculator (Planning Portal): planningportal.co.uk
- Community Infrastructure Levy and the self-build exemption, GOV.UK: gov.uk/guidance/community-infrastructure-levy
Planning fees in England are set nationally and change each April. Always confirm the current figure on the Planning Portal or GOV.UK before relying on it.
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal, financial or professional planning advice. Statutory fees were verified against the official schedule as at the review date but change over time and should be confirmed before applying. Professional fee ranges are typical estimates, not quotes, and individual projects vary widely. Prepared by Planiverse, planiverse.uk
Related guides
- The planning and build process — what to expect from first idea to finished work.
- Permitted development rights — what you can build without a full planning application.
- Do I need planning permission? — when permission is required, and when it isn't.
- Building regulations — how a project is signed off as safe, and the certificate you'll need when you sell.
- Working with a builder — choosing, managing and protecting yourself on a build.