Lawful Development Certificate (LDC): Complete Guide

A Lawful Development Certificate is issued under Section 191 or Section 192 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. It provides formal written confirmation from your local planning authority that a development is lawful.

An LDC is not planning permission. It is a certificate that confirms you do not need planning permission because the development falls within permitted development rights, or because it has become lawful through the passage of time (typically 4 years for building work, 10 years for change of use).

Once issued, an LDC is a legal document that cannot be revoked as long as the information provided in the application was accurate.

There are two types of Lawful Development Certificate:

• Proposed LDC (Section 192) — confirms that a development you are planning to carry out would be lawful. Apply before you start work to get certainty that your project is permitted development
• Existing LDC (Section 191) — confirms that a development that has already been carried out is lawful. Apply after the work is done, often when selling a property or when a solicitor raises a query about unauthorised development

For homeowners planning building work, a proposed LDC is the relevant type. It gives you formal proof before you commit to building.

An LDC is not legally required. You can carry out permitted development without one. However, an LDC is strongly recommended in these situations:

• You plan to sell the property — buyers’ solicitors will check for planning compliance. An LDC provides the proof they need
• You plan to remortgage — lenders may require evidence that building work is lawful
• Your project is close to PD limits — if there is any doubt about whether your project meets all GPDO conditions, an LDC gives you certainty before you spend money on building
• Your property is on designated land — more restrictions apply, increasing the risk of getting it wrong
• Previous owners have made alterations — an LDC confirms the cumulative position

The application process:

1. Complete the application form — use form LDCP (proposed) or LDCE (existing), available from the Planning Portal or your local council
2. Provide supporting drawings — you need a site plan, existing and proposed floor plans, and elevations showing the development
3. Write a supporting statement — explain why the development is lawful, referencing the relevant GPDO class and demonstrating that all conditions and limitations are met
4. Pay the fee
5. Submit to your local planning authority — via the Planning Portal or directly to the council

Our Permitted Development Certificate Report includes a full PD eligibility assessment, property constraints check, and application checklist tailored to your project.

The current LDC application fee in England (from 1 April 2026) is:

• Proposed LDC: £274
• Existing LDC: £309

On top of the application fee, you may need to pay for architectural drawings if you do not already have them. Architect fees for LDC drawings typically range from £300–£800.

Your local planning authority should determine an LDC application within 8 weeks. In practice, some councils are faster and some are slower.

An LDC application involves a legal assessment of whether the development meets the GPDO conditions. The council does not consult neighbours or assess the merits of the development — it simply checks whether the facts demonstrate that the development is lawful.

If your LDC application is refused, it means the council does not consider the development to be lawful under the GPDO. You have several options:

• Review the reasons — the council must explain why it was refused. The reasons may reveal a misunderstanding or a factual error that can be corrected
• Appeal — you can appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. LDC appeals are decided on the facts and the law, not on planning merit
• Modify your project — if the refusal identifies a genuine issue (e.g. exceeding a limit), you may be able to redesign to comply
• Apply for planning permission — if the project is not PD, a planning application is the alternative route

A common source of confusion is the relationship between an LDC and planning permission:

If your project is permitted development, an LDC is faster, cheaper, and cannot be refused on design or amenity grounds — only on whether it meets the GPDO conditions.

Important: An LDC confirms that your project does not need planning permission. It does not cover building regulations — most projects that are permitted development still need separate building regulations approval for structural safety, fire protection, insulation, and drainage. See our building regulations guide for details.

When you sell a property, the buyer’s solicitor will carry out searches and raise enquiries about any building work. If alterations have been made without planning permission or an LDC, the solicitor may:

• Require you to obtain a retrospective LDC (existing LDC) before completion
• Require indemnity insurance to cover the risk of enforcement action
• Negotiate a price reduction to account for the uncertainty

Having an LDC removes this issue entirely. It is formal proof from the council that the development is lawful.