Late application for building warrant/late completion certificate submission and work that doesn't need a building warrant
It is a legal requirement for you to have a building warrant before work starts.
If you have started or finished work that needed a building warrant and you didn't apply for one first, this work is considered unauthorised.
Unauthorised work carried out after 1 May 2005
For unauthorised work you will need to apply for either:
- Late application for warrant. This is for work that has started (but is not yet finished) without a building warrant being in place.
- Late completion certificate submission. This is for work that has finished without a building warrant being in place. This only applies to work finished after 1 May 2005.
You can apply and pay online at eBuildingstandards.scot
Both late building warrant applications and late completion certificate submissions must accompanied by plans and specification details equivalent to those for building warrant applications, and a higher fee will be apply.
The timescales to process these type of application will be the same as processing a building warrant application, where a check for approval will be made within 20 working days.
Unauthorised work carried out before 1 May 2005
For unauthorised work finished before 1 May 2005, or for work carried out under a building warrant that expired before 1 May 2005 you will need to apply for a Clearance Document. To do this you need to email us the Building Standards Clearance Document application form and pay the relevant fee.
Confirm work doesn't need a building warrant
You can also submit a Clearance Document application form to ask us to confirm work you are proposing doesn't need a building warrant. To do this you need to email us the Building Standards Clearance Document application form and pay the relevant fee.
Building standards clearance document application form
In all cases where unauthorised work has been carried out, it may be necessary to carry out a disruptive survey and/or remedial work to ensure all work meets relevant standards.
This is a way of regularising the situation, but it does not remove the fact that an offence has been committed.
A building warrant does not exempt you form needing other types of consent, such as planning permission or listed building consent.
If the work has been carried out to a former council property, you must contact your local housing office to advise them of all changes.
