Do you need to apply for building regulations approval?

Before making an application, please check whether your work is exempt from Building Regulations by visiting our exemptions guidance. Once you have confirmed that an application is required, please continue below for guidance on the different types of Building Control applications.

Types of applications

We offer four types of building control applications: Building Notice (for simple projects without detailed plans), Full Plans (for complex work needing plan approval), Regularisation (for retrospective unauthorised work), and Reversion (when transferring from a private building control body to the Local Authority – us).

Building Notice application

Ideal for straightforward domestic projects, such as home alterations and extensions, where the work does not involve complex structural designs, fire safety systems, or drainage complications. You may submit a Building Notice application giving brief details of your proposal, with measurements, drawings/plans (see plans checklist for more information).

Your application, fee, and any required block plan must be submitted at least 48 hours before work begins. You must also notify us a minimum of 48 hours after submitting a valid application. Failure to do so may result in the work being classed as unauthorised. You may at the same time, submit a commencement notice.

Important: Building Notice is not suitable for the following types of projects:

Any building work to which the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 applies (includes commercial buildings or developments and communal areas of flats);
Work near or over a public sewer;
New buildings that front onto a private street; or
Works that are exempt from the Building Regulations.

If your project falls into any of these categories, you must submit one of the following:

if work has not commenced, a Building Regulations Approval Application with Full Plans
if work has already commenced/completed without prior approval, a Regularisation application
if an Initial Notice Cancellation in place by a previous Building Control body, a Reversion Application

Building Regulations approval application with full plans

Where any of the following types of building work are to be undertaken, the submission must be in the form of a Building Regulations Approval application:

where the building use is either designated under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and where the proposed work would adversely affect provisions for means of escape and/or access and facilities for the fire service.
work which includes the erection of a building fronting on to a private street.
a new building or extension or underpinning of a building over or near public sewer (or any drain/sewer shown on the sewage undertakers map of sewers).

In order to obtain formal approval before the work begins, you can submit a Building Regulations Approval application. Decisions can take up to 5 weeks but are usually given much sooner and an extension of time may be agreed. Full details covering all aspects of your proposals should be submitted for approval by way of plans (see plans checklist for more information).

Your application, fee and any block plan must all be submitted at least 48 hours before the work begins.

When making a Building Regulations Approval application you should enclose the Site location/block plan, proposed and existing plans, proposed and existing elevations, specification, structural calculations and other supporting documents related to your project.

We aim to acknowledge your application within 5 days, letting you know if for any reason it is incomplete. Once processed, a Registered Building Inspector will be allocated to your project.

If your application has contraventions of the Building Regulations, we may reject it. However, we will approve it whenever possible, potentially with conditions requiring additional information or minor changes. If you or your agent disagrees with our decision you have the right to appeal.

Regularisation application

You can apply for a Regularisation Certificate in accordance with Regulation 18 for retrospective approval of unauthorised building work from a Local Authority Building Control Body.

Important: We’ll look at each application on its own and arrange inspections as soon as we can. There’s no set timeline, and decisions may take 12 months or more. We’re experiencing high volumes of work, but we’ll do our best to keep things moving.

Reversion application

What happens when an Initial Notice from a Registered Building Control Approver (RBCA) or formerly an Approved Inspectors (AI) is no longer in force?

You can apply for a Reversion Certificate when an Initial Notice from a Registered Building Control Approver (or previously known as Approved Inspector) is no longer in force, and the Local Authority takes over the building control process.

Important: We’ll look at each application on its own and arrange inspections as soon as we can. There’s no set timeline, and decisions may take 12 months or more. We’re experiencing high volumes of work, but we’ll do our best to keep things moving.

Supporting documents

When submitting your application, please provide digital copies of plans and supporting documents. Any posted items will be scanned and securely destroyed. We use Windows systems only and cannot open Mac-only file types. Please submit files in PDF, JPG or PNG format.

For larger projects with a high volume of plans or supporting documents, please request an upload link when submitting your application, as we cannot access third-party cloud platforms.

Fee

Once we have processed your application, we will provide you with a fee.

Once payment is made, your application will become valid, and you can start to book inspections- except for Regularisation and Reversion applications. For Regularisation and Reversion applications, once the application/fee is processed and fee received, our Registered Building Inspector will review the case and contact the applicant to arrange an inspection.

Notifications, site conditions and variations

A person who proposes to carry out building work shall not start that work unless that person has given the relevant Building Control body notice of intention to start work and at least 2 days have elapsed since the end of the day on which the notice was given (see Regulation 16).

This notification allows Building Control to schedule and conduct the necessary inspections to ensure compliance with building standards. If you have started work without this notice of intention to start work, then you must apply for a Regularisation Certificate with Local Authority ONLY.

The Notice of Commencement is an additional stage where Building Control must be notified, known as the deemed commenced stage. According to Regulation 16 (3C) of the Building Regulations 2010, it is a legal requirement to notify Building Control within five days after the work has commenced.

With both types of application, particularly for Building Notices, there may be occasions where site conditions reveal unforeseen factors which may lead to additional expenditure. It is advisable to make allowance for this in setting a budget for the project. However, for straight forward construction works necessary to satisfy Building Regulations should already have been taken account of by the builder and should not generally be subject to additional cost.

Existing applications

If you have already made a Building Control application with Milton Keynes City Council Building Control and your project has not been signed off:

Where no inspections or required information have been provided for 3 years or more, the application may be treated as inactive.
A fee will be required to reopen the application before inspections can continue.

If your application is over 3 years old and work has not started, it has lapsed under Section 32 of the Building Act 1984 and a new application is required. If you're unsure, please check the public register and contact us.

Data Protection

Persons submitting information for Building Regulations and allied purposes are advised that information you give us will be held on computer or manual record, which you have a right to see and check. The information is used by the council to fulfil its statutory obligations, may occasionally be used to obtain feedback on the building control service, and in connection with the prevention and detection of crime and fraud. The council also retain and archive a copy of the information submitted. Such archives are made available for inspection by persons with bona fide reasons, such as building owners and prospective purchasers. All legal obligations regarding copyright and so forth are observed.

Subject to the above exceptions, information is not passed to other persons or organisations. The council's obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 are explained in the leaflet "How to see your records - Your rights under the Data Protection Act 1998" available from this office and from Libraries.

Building Control

01908 252721 (Office Hours Monday to Friday 09:00 – 17:15) and 01908 226699 (out of hours)
Email

building.control@milton-keynes.gov.uk
To book an inspection click here

Civic, 1 Saxon Gate East, Milton Keynes MK9 3EJ

How to make a Building Regulation application