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.
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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.