Independent reference · Reviewed 26 September 2026

How the planning fee calculator works

The calculator is a reference tool for estimating the statutory planning application fee in England. It does not decide whether permission is required or guarantee that an authority will accept the category you select.

Start with the application route

The fee schedule is organised by application type, not by a simple description such as “extension” or “commercial project”. Choose the route that would be submitted: householder, full permission, outline permission, prior approval, a lawful development certificate, a condition application, or another listed category.

Enter the quantity used by the schedule

Some categories are fixed fees. Others use the number of dwellinghouses, site area in hectares, gross floor space, or a capped band. The input hint beside each field explains the unit. For site area, one hectare is 10,000 square metres; enter a decimal such as 0.35 rather than 3,500.

What the result shows

The result separates the statutory application fee from the optional online submission charge and VAT where applicable. It also shows the rate or band used, reductions selected, and an explanatory note where the category needs confirmation. This distinction matters because the amount requested during online submission may not be only the fee paid to the Local Planning Authority.

Worked examples

Householder extension

Select the single-dwelling householder route. The calculator returns the fixed householder fee; the size or construction cost of the extension does not change that statutory category by itself.

New housing

Select full permission for new dwellinghouses and enter the number of homes. The result applies the relevant per-dwelling band and shows the calculation rather than only a final number.

Outline proposal

Select the outline route and enter the site area in hectares. The result applies the area band and any statutory cap shown in the methodology.

Common mistakes

Choosing a householder fee for a proposal that creates a separate dwelling.
Confusing permitted development or prior approval with a full planning application.
Entering square metres where the selected route expects hectares.
Assuming a calculator estimate replaces the authority’s validation decision.
Forgetting that drawings, surveys, professional advice, building regulations, and construction work are separate costs.

What this tool cannot decide

It cannot determine whether planning permission is required, whether permitted-development rights apply, which category an authority will accept, whether a project qualifies for an exemption, or whether a fee is refundable. Confirm the proposal and final amount with the relevant Local Planning Authority before payment.

Methodology: The rates and categories are checked against GOV.UK fees guidance, annual indexation notices, and the 2012 Regulations as amended. See the complete sources and methodology.

Before you calculate: check the route

The fee calculator starts after you have a reasonable idea of the application route. It is not a permission checker. If you are unsure, use this short triage to identify what needs checking before selecting a fee:

Existing home or extension: check permitted development and the householder route separately. A side extension, garage conversion, or larger rear extension may raise different questions.
Change to homes: record the existing use, proposed use, number of homes, and whether building operations are included. Prior approval and full permission are not interchangeable.
Existing work or a sale: consider whether the question is about an existing or proposed Lawful Development Certificate and what evidence is available.
Already submitted: use the application description, validation status, decision notice, and payment record rather than guessing from a new project description.

For the permission question, start with the GOV.UK guidance on when permission is required. The relevant Local Planning Authority decides the route for the application as submitted.

What the estimate does—and does not—include

Shown by this toolThe estimated statutory application fee for the selected England route, including the rate, quantity, reduction, or cap used.

Shown separately where relevantAn online submission charge and VAT information, so they are not confused with the statutory fee.

Outside the estimatePaid pre-application advice, council-specific administration charges, drawings, architects, consultants, surveys, structural work, building regulations, and construction.

A council’s pre-application service is not the same thing as the statutory planning application fee. Check its own published terms before paying. If an application is invalid, refused, withdrawn, delayed, or resubmitted, read the authority’s correspondence and the current official guidance rather than assuming a refund or free resubmission.

After you calculate

Save the selected route, inputs, result, date, and source links. Then identify the stage you are in: not yet submitted, awaiting validation, invalid or missing information, refused, withdrawn, or overdue. Those stages raise different questions about documents, deadlines, refunds, and a possible new fee. The refund and resubmission guide explains what to record, but the authority must apply the rules to your facts.