Planning permission for building a house

If you want to build a house, you need to get planning permission from your local authority first. This is a legal requirement for almost every type of development.

You may not need planning permission for smaller developments and minor changes to your home. For example, you do not need planning permission for:

• A small extension to your home
• Converting your garage or shed

These developments are known as exempted developments and there are specific conditions for them.

It is illegal to do any work, if you don’t have the planning permission needed. See ‘What happens if I build without getting planning permission’ below.

Before you apply for planning permission, you should consider:

• What type of planning permission you’ll need
• If your plans fit with the local development plan for your area

Types of planning permission

There are 2 types of planning permission:

• Permission: This is when the local authority agrees to your work. It lasts for 5 years.
• Outline permission: This is when you have an initial plan and you want to see if the local authority agrees to it in principle. This lasts for 3 years. When you are ready to build you need to submit more detailed drawings and proposals, which need to be approved before you begin.

The local authority can grant permission with conditions. This means you may have to make changes to your designs to get them approved.

What work do I need planning permission for when building a house?

You need to apply for planning permission for most development work on your land or property.

This includes most:

• Building and demolition work
• Alterations to your land or buildings
• Significant changes to how you use your land or buildings, for example opening a business

However, you may not need planning permission for smaller developments and minor changes to your home.

If you are unsure about your application or the planning rules, you can contact the planning section of your local authority before you apply to ask them any questions. You can also ask to have a pre-planning consultation meeting with them.

Planning permission to clear a site

If you need to clear a site before you can begin building, you will need planning permission to:

• Make or widen access onto a public road
• Demolish a structure that was last used as a home
• Demolish a building in a terrace
• Demolish a building that is attached to another building not owned by you
• Demolish a protected structure

Your local authority's local development plan

You should review your local development plan before you apply for planning permission. A development plan describes how your local authority plans to develop particular parts of the local authority area where you live. For example, residential areas, industrial areas, agricultural areas.

Your local authority can tell you if your plans are likely to fit-in with the local development plan. You can discuss your plans with them and they can advise you on the planning permission process and any conditions for building in your area.

For example, you can only build a home in certain rural areas if you have an association with the area. This is known as ‘local needs’. The local authority will be able to advise you on these conditions.

There are 2 steps to applying for planning permission.

Step 1: Notify the public about your plans

You must notify the public about your plans before you apply for planning permission. To do this, you should:

• Place a notice in a local newspaper (your local authority can provide a list of local newspapers for your area)
• Put a site notice up at your property, which is visible and easy to read

You must put the site notice up on or before the day you apply for planning permission. The notice must stay up for at least 5 weeks.

The 9 days over Christmas, from 24 December to 1 January, are not considered when calculating the 5-week period.

Your planning application form and the OPR’s Guide to Making a Planning Application have more information about what to include in the notices.

Step 2: Send your application to your local authority

Complete and submit your planning application and supporting documents.

You can apply:

• Online on the Local Government Ireland’s website
• By post or email. Complete a planning application form and send it back to your local authority. You can get an application form from your local authority.

You will need to submit certain documents with your application form including:

• A site location map
• Your plans and drawings
• Details of the site notice and newspaper notice

The application form will list all the documents you need to send. You may need more supporting documents for certain types of developments.

Your local authority must get your planning application within 2 weeks of your notice appearing in the newspaper.

It costs €65 to apply for planning permission to build a house.

You may also have to pay to put the notice in the newspaper.

The public can view your planning application, and anyone can make a submission or observation on it for 5 weeks from when the local authority got it.

Your local authority must make a decision on your planning application within 8 weeks of getting it.

They can:

• Grant permission
• Refuse permission
• Request further information
• Extend the time period they have to make a decision, with your agreement

Your planning permission is valid for 5 years after it is granted.

If your local authority refuses your planning application, they will give you the reasons for their decision. You have 4 weeks to appeal this decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála.

You must not start building before you get planning permission.

You may be fined and imprisoned if you build without getting the required planning permission.

However, if a genuine mistake has been made, you can apply for planning permission to keep an unauthorised structure in place. But this permission is not guaranteed.

If you apply for planning permission after your building is complete and are refused, you will have to demolish the unauthorised structure.

If you think someone is building without planning permission, you can report this to your local authority. They are responsible for planning enforcement and can investigate the matter, if needed.

The Office of the Planning Regulator’s Guide to Planning Enforcement in Ireland (pdf) has more information about what can happen if you don’t get planning permission and how to report planning permission issues.

If you are considering applying for planning permission to build a house, the Office of the Planning Regulator has these information guides:

• A Guide to Doing Work around the House (pdf)
• A Guide to Planning Permission (pdf)
• A Guide to Making a Planning Application (pdf)

You can contact the planning section of your local authority for advice about planning permission in your area.

For more information on applying for planning permission, see our page on planning permission.