How to make a planning application

If you want to carry out building work or change the use of a building or land, please contact us to discuss your proposal. We can tell you if you need to make a planning application and if your proposal is likely to be allowed.

You may then want to apply for full planning permission, permission in principle or a certificate of lawfulness.

How to apply

Online application

We encourage you to submit your planning application online using ePlanning Scotland - this lets you pay online too. This includes submitting applications for planning permission, advertisement consent, listed building consent and other planning related permissions.

The advantages of submitting an application via ePlanning Scotland are:

you will save time, money and paper
there is step-by-step guidance and information on how to submit your application
you can save your work and break away at any time. When you return to the application your previous entries will be waiting for you
you can upload one set of electronic drawings and supporting documents - there is no need to provide multiple paper copies to us
no printing or postage involved
you can buy a location plan online
you can use the 'Fee calculator' to work out the fee for your application
you can pay online or if you are submitting the application on behalf of someone else, you can ‘share’ the application with them and allow them to pay the fee online
as the application comes directly to us, we receive it faster and begin to check it earlier
applications are quicker and easier to validate because it ensures that all the information needed for the application is complete, is in the correct format and meets our application requirements
it reduces your carbon footprint

Paper application and forms

Or make an application on paper using:

planning application forms and guidance notes, including advertisement consent, listed building consent and other planning related permissions
you should include two copies of plans for householder applications and four copies for non-householder applications
If you want to make a hazardous substances consent application, please use these forms: hazardous substances consent and related forms
send completed forms to Planning and Building Standards office

Non-material variations

Non-material variations to existing planning permissions cannot be made via the ePlanning Scotland website. Please see making changes to plans.

Our Guide to submitting a householder planning application explains in detail how to submit an application to us, including the plans and information that you will need to provide.

How much will it cost?

there is a fee calculator on ePlanning Scotland
Payments can be made via our online payment service
You can view the legislation of The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2024

Copies of plans and decision notices

Plans and decision notices for planning applications since June 2009 can be viewed online using the planning application portal.
If you want a copy of plans or a decision notice from before this time, please send a request to us with the appropriate fee using the Planning document/plan search request form.