Building regulations and planning permission

This content applies to Scotland only.

Housing laws vary between Scotland and England. This page applies to Scotland only. Get advice relating to England

If you are carrying out repairs or improvements to your home, you may need to get a building warrant and/or planning permission before you can start work. Even if you believe that the kind of work you are doing does not require permission, it's best to check with the council's building standards department and planning authority. Carrying out work without the relevant permits is an offence and you may be fined.

Planning building work

This page lists the processes you should go through before carrying out repairs, alterations or improvements to your home. Before you start work, you need to be sure that you have all the relevant permissions and that there are no other restrictions in place. Read more 

Finding a builder

Some people find the idea of employing a builder stressful, so here are some tips to make the process easier. If you hire an architect or surveyor, they can help you find a builder, and can supervise the ongoing work. Read more 

Building regulations

If you want to carry out repairs or improvements to your home, you may need to get a building warrant from the council's building standards department, to show that the work you're planning complies with the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. This section looks at the kind of work that requires a warrant and how you can go about getting one. Read more 

Planning permission

If you want to extend or alter your home in some way, you may need to apply for planning permission. This page looks at the kinds of work which require planning permission, how to apply and what to do if permission is refused. Read more 

Other restrictions

You may need additional consent to carry out building work if you live in a listed building or conservation area, or if you want to carry out work to trees on your land or have bats roosting in your home. This is in addition to, not instead of, getting planning permission and/or a building warrant. Read more