Please see the list below for answers to frequently asked questions regarding starting an online application on the Planning Portal:
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To start a planning application on the Planning Portal you first need to register with us by clicking ‘Sign-up’ at the top of the page and entering your details.
Once you have registered please log in to the site by clicking 'Login', also located at the top of the page, and enter your chosen user name and password.
To start your application, click the green ‘Start an online planning application’ button on the home page or choose ‘Planning’ from the navigation bar at the top of the page and select the Planning Applications box.
Alternatively, you can start an online planning application by selecting one of the links below:
Start an application for an authority in England
Start an application for an authority in Wales
Start an application for an authority in Wales (in Welsh)
Step 1: Name and location
Please choose a reference for your application so you can identify it later. We suggest you choose the site address as your reference. This will help the local authority to quickly identify the application later.
You will need to enter the site location details (either with postcode, grid reference or a map search) to identify the local planning authority (LPA) which will determine your application.
Step 2: Form chooser
Once you have identified your local authority you can choose the type of application.
You will be asked if you know the type of form you need. If you know then click 'Yes' and you will be able to make your selection from a drop-down menu and start your application.
If you are not sure which form you should select 'No, I need help choosing'. You will be given brief descriptions of the forms to help you choose the correct one.
If you still aren’t sure of the form you need, please contact your local authority, which will be able to help.
Your local authority’s contact details should appear to the right of the form chooser. If they aren’t there you can search for them.
Click 'continue with application' once you have chosen your application form type.
Please be aware that once you click 'continue with application' after choosing you will be unable to change the type of your application. If it is incorrect, you will have to start the process again.
Step 3: Application overview
You have now reached your application overview page where you have access to all the parts of your application including:
If you wish to return to your application at a later date, you will be able to access it from 'My Applications'.
We have written some general guidance notes for using our planning application service:
Guidance Note for Online Applications in England
Guidance Note of Online Applications in Wales
Guidance Note of OnlineApplications in Wales (in Welsh)
If your site is not being found correctly by the 'Address Search' facility or it simply does not have a postcode, then you can still start your online application by using the 'Map Search' option to find the correct grid reference for your site.
To use the 'Map Search' tool, simply click on the ‘Map Search’ tab in the 'Application Chooser' box and then click on ‘Search by Map'.
This will launch the UK Grid Reference Finder (a third party service) in a new window or browser tab.
This service allows you to search a map of the UK manually (or by using a nearby postcode or street name) for your site.
Once you have found your site, right click on the map to display the grid reference.
Make a note of the six digit X (Easting) and Y (Northing) values.
Then on the ‘Application Chooser’, select the ‘Grid Reference’ tab and enter the Easting (X) and Northing (Y) values and click ‘Next’.
Please also note that if your postcode has not been recognised, we update our postcode data on a quarterly basis, which usually resolves this issue.
Once you start an application on the Planning Portal you will be asked a number of questions in the 'Form Chooser'.
If you aren’t sure what you need you can ask for help choosing and get a more detailed description of the forms and when they are used.
If you are still unsure, please contact your local planning authority directly, which will be able to give you a definitive answer.
Your local authority’s contact details should appear to the right of the form chooser. If they aren’t there you can search for them.
The application forms cover a range of possible consents. You can also apply for more than one type of consent.
For example, you could apply for full planning consent and listed building consent or for planning permission and conservation area consent.
You can find descriptions of each of these on the Planning Portal.
If you would like a detailed description of outline permission you can read Circular 11/95: Use of conditions in planning permission: Part 1 on the National Archives website.
A Lawful Development Certificate offers peace of mind that an existing or proposed use of a building is lawful or that the proposal doesn’t require planning permission.
You can read more about Lawful Development Certificates in our permission section.
You can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate using the Planning Portal’s application service.
Download a guidance note giving advice on applying for a Lawful Development Certificate.
If your application affects neighbouring properties (e.g. 1 - 4 High Street) then it is recommended that you use the 'Map Search' to determine the Local Planning Authority (LPA).
Click on the ‘Map Search’ tab in the 'Application Chooser' box, and then click the ‘Search by Map’ link.
Follow the instructions below when the new window opens:
Yes, you can make amendments to an application you have submitted on the Planning Portal.
View details below or download our 'amending an application' guidance note.
You can access your applications by logging into the Planning Portal. Once you have logged in, click on 'Planning' in the blue toolbar across the top. When the 'Planning' page opens, click on 'View Your Applications' in the 'Planning Applications' box.
The status of the submitted application will be either ‘Submitted’ or ‘Transferred’.
Next to the status will be a link giving you the option to ‘Amend', click this link to begin amending the application.
You now have two options.
You will either be able to make changes to the supporting documentation (which is free and you may do this more than once), or other more substantive changes to the application (charges may apply depending on the changes made).
If you are making changes to the forms section, or any details entered onto the forms, you will need to select the second option
Option 1 – Changes to documentation only
If selecting to make changes to the supporting documentation, this will change the status of your application to 'Open for amends’.
The same application reference number and version number will be retained, with the Documentation section Open for Edit.
You will not be able to amend the forms, fees or payment sections.
Option 2 – Changes to any part of the application
If making substantive changes, this will create another version of your application (i.e. PP-00123456 v2).
The status in 'My Applications' page will be Draft. Any information entered onto the original forms and supporting documentation sections will remain but these sections will be Open for Edit and further changes can then be made.
Once you have made your changes you will need to click the ‘Check’ tab to make sure the application has been completed and then Submit the application as normal.
If wish to resubmit an application that has already been determined by the local authority then the application should be copied and submitted under a new Planning Portal reference number. This will only be possible if your initial application was created and submitted through the Planning Portal.
You will need to access your application by logging into the Planning Portal.
Once you have logged in, click on 'Planning' in the blue toolbar across the top. When the 'Planning' page opens, click on 'View Your Applications' in the 'Planning Applications' box.
The submitted application will be under either the Submitted or Transferred tabs.
Once you have identified the application you want to resubmit, you can copy it and start a new application.
In the 'Copy' column is an icon (two sheets of paper) next to each application. Click this icon to start the copy process.
You will be prompted to give the application a new reference and confirm if site location, applicant and agent details need to be copied.
You will then need to confirm the local planning authority if the same site location is being used, or, if a new location is to be used then you will need to specify the site details.
In each case this functionality is the same as the standard application chooser when making an application.
Once this is completed the copied application will appear in your list of applications.
