A building warrant is required to be issued before starting any work.
Building Standards Division has published new national guidance intended to help improve the quality of building warrant applications.
The guidance is available on the Scottish Government website -
Help and advice
- Building Standards advice
- Frequently asked questions
- Call: 01546 605518
*These applications are made via the national website. You may need to register with eBuildingStandards to complete these forms.
Downloadable application forms
The information you will supply on these forms will be used for the purpose for which you have provided it, and appropriate measures are in place to protect your personal data. A full privacy notice, which provides information about your rights under current data protection legislation and details about what will happen to your personal data can be found here:
Application forms can be downloaded by clicking the links below. If you are in any doubt about which form to fill in or you require a paper copy of the application form, please contact our customer service centre on 01546 605518.
To find out how much it costs for a building warrant please see our Building Standards Fee Guidance or for other applications, please see our Non-Statutory Fee Guidance. Please note that statutory and non statutory fees have increased from 1st April 2024.
| Description | Application Form | Guidance (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| Building Warrant application form - this form should be used for works to erect, alter, extend, convert, provide services, fittings or equipment, or demolish a building. |
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The Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 apply to the construction of new buildings, alterations and extensions to existing buildings, demolition of buildings and to the conversion of buildings |
| Building Warrant amendment application form - this form should be used for any deviation to the approved Building Warrant |
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A formal amendment to your warrant can be sought at any time during the period of the validity of the warrant. An amendment application follows the same procedures as the initial application. The plans require to show the changes you wish to make. |
| Start of Works Notice - this notice should be provided to the Local Authority prior to 7 days of the work starting. |
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Immediately after the Building Warrant has been issued, you may start work. You must let the Local Authority know (in writing) when you are starting work. |
| Completion Certificate Submission - this form should be sent to the Local Authority once the works contained within the Building Warrant have been completed. |
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You should complete and return to the Local Authority a Certificate of Completion, together with a certificate of compliance for the electrical installation and/or drainage works where appropriate. You cannot occupy the building until you have the Certificate of Completion accepted by the Local Authority (except in the case of alterations). |
| Confirmation of Completion - this form should be sent to the Local Authority where the Building Warrant has expired and no Completion Certificate accepted. | Confirmation of Completion | This is similar to the Completion Certificate process, except the period of validity of the Building Warrant will have lapsed and the works not "signed off" by the Local Authority. |
| Application for Temporary Occupation - this form should be sent to the Local Authority where it is anticipated to occupy the building before all works are complete. | It is an offence to occupy a building which has not had a Completion Certificate accepted. Under exceptional circumstances the Local Authority can issue a Certificate of Temporary Occupation/Use for a limited period, for example if all the works are complete but the building still has an amendment to Warrant application still pending. | |
| Confirmation of Exempt Class of Works - this form should be used to clarify if your building proposal does not require a Building Warrant. | Confirmation of Exempt Class of Works | Certain broad categories of buildings are exempt which relate generally to minor works and service provisions (see the Building Standards Guidance webpage for further clarification) |
| Completion Certificate where no Building Warrant obtained - this form should be used where work requiring a Building Warrant has been carried out without a Building Warrant and if you are selling your property and have been asked to produce a Completion Certificate. | The Completion Certificate may only be accepted if it confirms that the work complies with the standards as they apply at the time of the submission of the Completion Certificate. Such submissions must provide plans and specification details equivalent to those for a Building Warrant application so that the Local Authority can adequately assess whether to accept the Completion Certificate. A fee will also be levied equivalent to a late application for a Building Warrant. | |
| Notice of finalisation of Design (Form Q) - this form should be used when a Certificate of Desing (Building Structures) was submitted with the Building Warrant application. | Notice of finalisation of Design (Form Q) | Form Q needs to be submitted before acceptance of your Completion Certificate if the structural engineer involved in any structural design for your Building Warrant has stated the need for such. This can be found on the Certificate of Design and is referred to as a Schedule 1 Form. |
| Application to extend period of validity - this form should be used to extend the period of validity of the Building Warrant. | A Building Warrant is valid for three years from the date of issue. If you have started but not completed the work within that time you can apply to the Local Authority for an extension to the Building Warrant period. | |
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Application for Property Record - Copy Documentation Search - this form should be used to apply for copy documents relative to your Building Warrant file. Please note that this service is only available for records less than 25 years old or 50 years for major applications |
Property Record-Copy Documentation Search | Copy Building Warrant approvals, Completion Certificates, approved plans and other documents can only be released to an "interested party" defined as "the current (or prospective) owner, occupier or tenant". Prospective owner identified as being in the legal process of purchasing the property. |
| Application for Property Inspection (Letter of Comfort) - this form should be used to apply for regularisation of works completed without the necessary Building Warrant. | Property Inspection (Letter of Comfort) | Works undertaken prior to May 1st 2005 which should have had a Building Warrant under the Building (Scotland)Act 1959 can be regularised by a 'Letter of Comfort'. As the 1959 Act varies from the 2003 Act, the exempt works allowed are dissimilar. Therefore you should contact Building Standards to ascertain if this procedure is relevant to the works undertaken. |
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Application pack for Building Standards Certificate - Raised Structures - this form should be used when applying for a license for a raised structure Please note that this application form only applies to structures over 600mm |
Section 89 Raised Structures | No person shall use or permit the use of a raised structure that does not have Local Authority approval. A raised structure is a platform, stand, staging or other similar structure. |
| Section 50 License - this form should be used when applying for a license to permit the use of the sale of alcohol. |
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The Licensing Board sits at regular intervals to consider applications mae under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. An applicant can apply for a premises license for which:
Under Section 50 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act a Building Standards Certificate of suitability is only required where the license application is for a FULL license or the confirmation of a provisional license. |