The short answer
The council's planning fee is fixed by statute: from 1 April 2026 a householder application in England is £548, and a full application for a single new home is higher. On top of that you pay the Planning Portal service charge of about £75.83 plus VAT per submission. Most homeowners also pay for help preparing the application — a planning consultant or architect. For a straightforward householder application that typically works out at £500–£2,500, with hourly consultant work often around £40–£100 per hour. A lawful development certificate, used to confirm a project is permitted development, costs £274. The honest total depends on your project, your property and how much professional help you need.
Planning costs split into three parts: the fixed council fee, the small Portal charge, and the professional help to prepare a strong application. The figures below are typical UK ranges for general information, not quotations.
Typical UK figures
- Householder fee (England)£548 (fixed statutory)
- Planning Portal charge~£75.83 + VAT per submission
- Planning consultant£40–£100 / hr or £500–£2,500
- Lawful development certificate£274
- Full plans / drawingsvaries by project
What you pay for
- Council fee: set nationally and non-negotiable — £548 for a householder application in England from 1 April 2026, more for a new dwelling or larger schemes.
- Planning Portal charge: a separate service charge of about £75.83 plus VAT each time you submit online.
- Professional help: a planning consultant or architect to draw plans and write the application, typically £500–£2,500 for a householder scheme.
- Extras: surveys, reports or a lawful development certificate (£274) can add to the figure depending on your project.
| Item | Typical figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Householder application (England) | £548 | fixed statutory fee from 1 Apr 2026 |
| Planning Portal service charge | ~£75.83 + VAT | per online submission |
| Planning consultant | £500–£2,500 | or £40–£100 / hr |
| Lawful development certificate | £274 | confirms permitted development |
Indicative UK figures for general information. Sources: Planning Portal and GOV.UK fee schedules.
Why the professional cost varies so much
The council fee is fixed, but the help to prepare a good application is not. A simple single-storey extension on a standard house needs far less work than a two-storey rear extension on a constrained or conservation-area plot, which may need additional drawings, a design statement or specialist reports. That is why consultant costs span £500–£2,500 for householder work, and complex schemes cost more. Spending a little more on a well-prepared application can lower the risk of refusal, which is the most expensive outcome of all.
Frequently asked questions
How much does planning permission cost in the UK?
The council fee is fixed by statute — £548 for a householder application in England from 1 April 2026 — plus a Planning Portal service charge of about £75.83 plus VAT. Most homeowners also pay a planning consultant or architect, typically £500–£2,500 for a householder scheme, so the total varies by project.
How much does a planning consultant charge?
Planning consultants typically charge around £40–£100 per hour, or roughly £500–£2,500 to prepare a straightforward householder application. Complex schemes with extra drawings, reports or surveys cost more.
What is a lawful development certificate and what does it cost?
It is an optional certificate that confirms a project is permitted development and does not need planning permission. In England it costs £274 and can be useful for peace of mind or when selling a property.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific project. They are general information, not a quotation or planning advice.