How Much Does a Planning Permission Application Cost?

The planning application fee itself is set according to a national fee schedule that varies by application type (a householder extension costs a different fee from a new dwelling or a change of use), and these fees are periodically reviewed and updated — so always check the current fee on the Planning Portal or your local council's website rather than relying on a figure that may be out of date by the time you read this. But the application fee is usually only part of the real total cost of getting through the planning process.

What the total cost typically includes

• The application fee itself, paid to the local planning authority, set nationally and varying by project type and scale.
• Drawings and plans. Unless you're drawing them yourself, an architect, architectural technologist, or draughtsperson will typically charge for existing and proposed plans, elevations and site plans to the standard required for a valid application.
• Pre-application advice, if you choose to use it — many councils charge a fee for this optional but often valuable service.
• Specialist reports, where required — for example a heritage statement for a listed building or conservation area, an ecology survey, a flood risk assessment, or a tree survey, depending on the specifics of your site and project.
• Planning consultant fees, if you engage one for a more complex or contentious application.

For a typical straightforward householder extension, the application fee itself is usually a modest part of the overall cost once drawings are included — the bigger cost driver for most homeowners is professional drawing and design fees, not the council's fee.

Do you need to pay again if you're refused and reapply?

Generally, if you resubmit a revised application for essentially the same development within a set period after a refusal (a "free go"), many councils don't charge a second fee — but the specific conditions and time limits for this vary, so check with your council rather than assuming it applies automatically. An appeal, by contrast, generally has no separate fee itself (see our guide to the appeal process), though you may still incur professional costs pursuing it.

Are there ways to reduce the cost?

• Check permitted development first. If your project genuinely falls within permitted development rights, you may not need a full application at all — though for certainty, a Certificate of Lawfulness (a smaller fee than full planning permission) can confirm this in writing.
• Get the application right first time. A well-prepared, complete application reduces the risk of delays, requests for further information, or a refusal that then requires a further application or appeal — all of which add cost.
• Compare quotes for drawings. Fees for architectural drawings vary between practices, and for a straightforward domestic extension it's reasonable to get more than one quote.

Budgeting realistically

When planning your overall renovation budget, treat the planning process as a genuine line item alongside construction costs, not an afterthought — factor in the application fee, drawings, and a contingency for the possibility of needing to resubmit or appeal. See our guide to how long planning permission takes for the timeline side of this alongside the cost.

VAT and other tax considerations

Planning application fees themselves aren't VAT-rated, but professional fees for drawings, planning consultants and specialist reports typically are, which is worth factoring into your budget comparisons between quotes. Separately, VAT treatment of the renovation work itself is a different question entirely (covered in more detail in our dedicated VAT guide) and isn't affected by whether the project needed planning permission or fell under permitted development.

Community Infrastructure Levy

For larger projects — typically new dwellings or extensions above a certain floor area threshold — some councils charge a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) in addition to the planning application fee, which can be a much larger sum than the application fee itself. CIL doesn't apply to most modest householder extensions, but if your project is substantial, check with your council whether it applies, since it needs to be factored into your budget separately from the smaller planning application fee discussed above.

Ongoing costs beyond the application itself

Once permission is granted, some projects trigger further costs that are easy to overlook when budgeting for the application stage alone — a Section 106 agreement on larger developments, building control fees (a separate system from planning, covering structural and safety compliance), or costs associated with satisfying pre-commencement conditions attached to your approval. For a typical householder project these additional costs are usually modest or non-existent, but it's worth checking your specific decision notice for any conditions with a cost attached before finalising your overall renovation budget.