How to make a building regulations application

New building regulations fees

A revised fee scheme came into effect on April 1, 2013. We have managed to restrict any increases to less than inflation and this is the first occasion that charges have been revised since 2011.
Building regulations fee sheet (pdf, 79 KB) (opens new window).

We are also pleased to offer the facility to pay fees via the phone, on 0117 922 3298, as well as online and by cheque.

Please note that this line is for payments only, and not for any other type of enquiry.

We are always happy to discuss and offer pre application advice, free of charge. Please contact us on 0117 922 3000 with your details and a surveyor will phone you back shortly afterwards.

Application types

There are two ways in which you can give the required notice that you are going to carry out building work.

• The first is the deposit of detailed plans, specifications for the work and the appropriate fee; this is known as Full Plans. The plans are checked in detail and if found to be satisfactory, an approval notice is issued.
• The second is known as the Building Notice procedure and simply involves completing the Building Notice application form and paying the appropriate fee.

See related documents to download the form or complete the online Building Control full plans and building notice application form.

Full plans application

Must include:

• The completed application form
• Estimated cost of work (where applicable)
• The appropriate plan fee which can be sent by post (cheques/postal orders made payable to Bristol City Council) or you can pay online. The second part of the total fee is payable after the first visit to site. Where applicable the applicant/owner will be sent an invoice for the inspection fee at this stage, see how you can pay an inspection fee invoice (pdf, 42 KB) (opens new window). There will be no further fee payable for any further inspections.
• Two copies of the detailed drawings of the proposed building work are required. The plans should be drawn to a scale of not less than 1:100.
• Two copies of a site or location plan drawn to a scale of not less that 1:1250 which shows the proposal and site boundaries.
• Two copies of any specification that accompanies the drawings.
• Two copies of structural design and calculations (where applicable).

Please note: unlike the building notice, full plans applications are checked in detail and a formal decision notice is issued. Because of the additional information that is almost always required in the case of lofts, we would advise applicants to submit a full plans application.

Building notice submission

Must include:

• A completed building notice application form
• If the proposal is for a new building or extension, a location plan to a scale of not less than 1:1250 showing the location and the boundaries of the site
• Estimated cost of work (where applicable)
• The appropriate fee which can be sent by post (cheques/postal orders made payable to Bristol City Council) or you can pay online.

Please note:

A building notice may not be used for any building subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. i.e. most commercial, industrial and retail premises and flat developments with common parts.

Building notices are most suited to small domestic works but can be used for new houses or extensions. No formal decision notices are issued but your building notice will be acknowledged.

When a building notice has been submitted, the Building Control section may ask for as necessary, any plans of the work or calculations.

Delays will occur with either kind of application if the forms are not completed, the required information including the correct fee is not submitted

Submit applications online

You can either:

• Complete our online application form available from the apply for it section
• Complete our downloadable application form also available from the apply for it section
• Submit your application using the Submit-a-Plan website.

You can then:

• pay your fee online
• pay by telephoning 0117 9223298 - please have your credit or debit card ready. If you choose to pay by credit card, an additional charge of 1.8% will be added to your payment. No extra charge is made for using a debit card.
• pay by post (cheques/postal orders made payable to Bristol City Council).

Please note that if you intend to pay by telephone:

• you must know the amount to be paid before calling.
• payment times are between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday to Thursday, Fridays between 8:30 and 4:30.
• the payment line is just for payments and not for any other type of enquiry.

You can send your documents in the following formats:

• Microsoft Word (.doc)
• Adobe Acrobat PDF (.pdf)
• Microsoft Excel (.xls)