The Building Warrant process is in place to ensure that your proposal meets all of the relevant Building Standards and to ensure that your building is safe, efficient and sustainable.
Owners should not commence work until they have sight of their Building Warrant approval documents. It is an offence under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 to begin building works prior to obtaining Building Warrant Approval. You may be subject to enforcement action by the Council should unauthorised works occur.
Do I need a Building Warrant?
If you are planning to construct, extend, alter, demolish or convert a building it is likely that you will require Building Warrant approval. This includes:
- Building a new home
- Extending your home
- Building or removing load bearing walls
- Altering roofs, external walls or other structural elements
- Converting a loft or garage into a room
- Demolishing a building
Please note that you may also require planning permission.
Building Warrant Customer Journey
The Scottish Government has produced a Customer Journey document which explains the roles and responsibilities of the home owner in relation to the building standards process. This gives helpful guidance to those who intend to carry out building work and where to seek help.
Apply for a building warrant
Building warrants and associated applications should be made via the national eDevelopment Portal which now includes eBuilding standards.
If you submit planning applications using the ePlanning service, you can also submit a building warrant application with the same login.
The following applications should be made via eBuilding Standards portal
- Building Warrant
- Amendment to Building Warrant
- Extend Period of Validity of Building Warrant
- Extend Period of Use of Limited Life Building
- Temporary Occupation or Use
- Discharge or Variation of a Continuing Requirement
- Notice Regarding Start of Work
- Notice of Work Stages Complete
- Notice of Intention to Use an Approved Certifier of Construction
- Completion Certificate
- Completion Certificate where no Building Warrant obtained
What happens next?
We aim to respond within 20 working days from receipt of a valid application; this will be by either issuing the building warrant or advising of issues that require to be resolved before we can issue the building warrant.
Some applications will take longer to check and also seasonal variations in demand for our services can affect our processing times, therefore a backstop time period of 35 working days to provide a first response has been introduced.
In the unlikely event that we fail to provide a first response to your application within 35 working days, you have the right to request that we look at this and advise you how we intend to resolve the matter. This may be done in the first instance by emailing Building Standards or should you so wish you can contact the Building Standards Division of the Scottish Government.
Before you apply for a building warrant you should read the information contained in the Building Warrant Advice and fees page.
Validity
A building warrant is valid for 3 years from the date of issue and the works must be completed within this time period. In exceptional circumstances the Council may accept an Extension of Time to Building Warrant application, you can apply for an extension on the eBuilding standards portal.