How do I make a payment?

Why can’t I fill in the Address Fields on the form?

Many authorities have provided the ability for you to look up the address. This is done by putting the postcode in the Postcode field. A list will then be supplied where you can pick the property from the list. If you don’t know the Postcode, please enter N/A in the postcode field and then the other Address fields will allow you to type into them.

Why do I have to register an account?

When you are submitting a building regulation application, you are entering into a legal process, but also a two-way process. In order to validate your email address, we send you an email in order to check your email exists and that you have entered it accurately, and our emails won’t get stopped by your email provider. The benefit you will get is that your details will be entered into the form automatically, and you will be able to interact with your application afterwards to do some or all of the following:

• Add further documents requested by the authority
• Send messages to the person dealing with your application
• Request Inspections when you are ready
• View the status, or activity surrounding your application.
• Provide notice of when the work has legally commenced*
• Provide a statement when the work has completed*

* Legally required since Oct 2023.

Why can’t I upload documents as part of my application ?

Most authorities allow you to submit applications via Submitaplan with plans and documents, but some do not provide this facility. In this situation, you may want to email the documents separately. The email address can be found by using the red box on the right of this web-page. Remember to tell the authority which application it is for.

What are the Principal Designer and Principal Contractor ?

Since October 2023, there are new legal responsibilities with regard to building safety following the Grenfell disaster. It now has to be recorded, who designed the building works you are doing (Principal Designer) and who is doing the actual building work (Principal Contractor). In many cases this might be you if the works are minor on your own property, and you are doing the work yourself.

What if I don’t know who the Principal Contractor is yet?

The forms do not have to have this information supplied at the time of submission, but you must provide the details within 5 days of the Contractor being selected.

What should happen after I submit an application?

When you first submit your application it goes into a queue to be processed. Some applications are very big, so it may take a few minutes for yours to show as “Submitted to Authority”. Once the authority receives the application they should review it and make sure it is valid and that you have completed the correct form. Some authorities do that on the same day, but some due to staffing issues may take a few days. Please use the “Manage Existing Applications” area to see if anything is holding up your application. Almost all authorities will not process applications until a payment of some sort is made. Depending on the authority, you should receive some information on how to pay. Many authorities use Submitaplan/DataSpace-Live to take payments, and if this is the case, you will see this information in “Manage Existing Applications”. The process beyond that will vary from application to application.

What is Legal/Statutory Commencement?

This is not when the first spade goes into the ground, but is now considered as indicative or real work being carried out. Defined as:
Where the work consists of the construction of a building which is not complex; or horizontal extension of a building, work is to be regarded as commenced when the sub-surface structure of the building or the extension including all foundations, any basement level (if any) and the structure of the ground floor level is completed.
Where the work consists of any other building work then work is to be regarded as commenced where the work which the client considers amounts to 15% of the proposed work.

Within 5 days of this being true, you are legally required to tell the authority that this requirement has been met. This is easily done using the facilities on the “Manage Existing Applications” in the Site Information against your application.

I have forgotten my password, how can I reset it?

On the Login Page below the password box, there is a link “Forgot your password?”, use this to set a new one. If you don’t receive an email to reset it, please check your junk/spam filter. You may also like to check and see if you have used another email address if you are convinced you have an account with us, because this is the most common reason you don’t get a link to reset your password.

Is Submitaplan fee to use?

There are no charges for making an application via Submitaplan, but the authority will charge you for providing the building regulation service. The charges cover the cost of inspections, and in the case of a Full-Plans application checking the technical details of your plans and calculations, so that you don’t start constructing something that would not meet the building regulations.

I don’t have some of the Information required. What should I do ?

If you need more time to find certain bits of information out, then just click “Save and Close”, you can then come back to your form at any time, by using the “Continue with Incomplete” facility. If for instance your client doesn’t have an email address (rather than you just don’t know it) then please enter “does not have email”, but you will need to get a statement from them signed, saying that the details you have submitted are correct as legally the application is not valid without this. Providing their email address is the easiest way for this to be verified.You can upload this as an additional document here, or if not supported, email it to the authority. Their email address can be used by using the red square on the right hand side of this page.