Advice
In this section find out more about how LABSS and your local authority building standards verifier can help with your project.
Whether you're a homeowner, architect, portfolio holder or developer we can help your project run seamlessly.
Applying for a Building Warrant
When you have identified the postcode for your property or for the site of your project speak to your Local Authority Building Standards Service.
Homeowners Help
If you are building your own home or carrying out alterations or an extension to your home then the building standards system can assist you in making the right decisions in getting what you want from your project, including what needs permission and what can be done without prior approval.
Your local authority building standards teams should be your first point of contact.
Your local authority building standards teams should be your first point of contact.
Are you doing building work or home improvements?
Is so this is the information you need
Is so this is the information you need
The purpose of the guidance is to help applicants and agents understand what makes a good quality building warrant application. Providing the right information with your application will help the local authority verifier to check that the proposed building work meets the building regulations and should reduce the time taken for the verifier to approve your application.
Use this link to get right to YOUR council contact
A short video to explain the relationships between planning and building standards when seeking to alter or extend your home.
How LABSS and your local building standards verifier can help your project run smoothly.
In this section find out more about how LABSS and your local authority building standards verifier can help with your project. Whether you're a homeowner, architect, portfolio holder or developer we can help your project run seamlessly.
The supervision of building work is the responsibility of the homeowner who should appoint a building professional to supervise the work to ensure the standard of workmanship is satisfactory and meets the building regulations. The purpose of the building standards system is to protect the public interest. It is not intended to provide protection to a client in a contract with a builder. The system, therefore, does not so much control building as set out the essential standards to be met when building work or a conversion takes place, and only to the extent necessary to meet the building regulations.
Building Regulations set standards for how buildings are constructed and altered in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of people using the buildings and to ensure that the buildings are energy efficient.
The property owner is legally responsible for ensuring that all work complies with the building regulations. The local authority can take enforcement action against the property owner where this is not the case. The property owner should ensure that all work requiring a building warrant is undertaken by qualified and experienced building professionals, ideally registered with a reputable trade or professional body. If in doubt, seek advice from your local authority building standards service or from a reputable building professional (such as an architect, building surveyor or structural engineer) or from your local authority building standards service.
You are the the "relevant person" under the Act, and your responsibilities as a building owner, developer or homeowner, MUST complement the verifier role.
You are the the "relevant person" under the Act, and your responsibilities as a building owner, developer or homeowner, MUST complement the verifier role.
If you disagree with the technical or procedural interpretation that the Building Standards Authority is adopting in the consideration of a building warrant or building project proposal that you have submitted or will require to submit you may request an interpretation through Local Authority Building Standards Scotland (LABSS).
OR
If you disagree with an interpretation that the Building Standards Authority is adopting in the consideration of a building warrant or a building project proposal that you have submitted or will require to submit on an alternative design approach that you are proposing which varies from the Technical Handbooks you may request an interpretation through Local Authority Building Standards Scotland (LABSS).
OR
If you disagree with an interpretation that the Building Standards Authority is adopting in the consideration of a building warrant or a building project proposal that you have submitted or will require to submit on an alternative design approach that you are proposing which varies from the Technical Handbooks you may request an interpretation through Local Authority Building Standards Scotland (LABSS).
Legislation
The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 came into force on 1 May 2005 and is the primary legislation under which the Building Standards system operates. This is supported by secondary legislation including building, procedural, fees and forms regulations.
The LABSS Technical Director Alan McAulay gives a talk on the introduction of the Amendments to the Technical Handbooks and Building Regulations which came into force on 1 June 2022
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and shall come into force on 1st May 2005.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 and shall come into force on 1st May 2005.
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 and come into force on 1 March 2021.
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 and come into force on 1 March 2021.
Citation and commencement
(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) below, these Regulations shall come into force on 1st May 2005.
(3) Part 1 of these Regulations and regulations 30, 31, 35, 36, 37 and 38 shall come into force on 4th November 2004.
(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Building (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2004.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) below, these Regulations shall come into force on 1st May 2005.
(3) Part 1 of these Regulations and regulations 30, 31, 35, 36, 37 and 38 shall come into force on 4th November 2004.
PUBLICATION - FACT SHEET
Building standards legislation
Published: 29 Jun 2017
A list of building standards legislation.
Building standards legislation
Published: 29 Jun 2017
A list of building standards legislation.
Scottish Government
The Building Standards Division frames current building standards legislation
We create the building standards regulations and technical guidance, to ensure buildings are safe, efficient and sustainable.
Local authorities are responsible for granting permission for work to be done (building warrant) and for a completed building to be occupied (completion certificate).
If you are looking for advice on a specific building project, please contact your local authority, who administer and enforce the Scottish building standards system.
Local authorities are responsible for granting permission for work to be done (building warrant) and for a completed building to be occupied (completion certificate).
If you are looking for advice on a specific building project, please contact your local authority, who administer and enforce the Scottish building standards system.
The Building Standards Division (BSD) of the Directorate for Local Government and Communities fulfils the duties placed on Scottish Ministers by the 2003 Act. The division prepares and updates building standards legislation and guidance documents, conducting any necessary research and consulting on changes as the Act requires. The division, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, gives views to help verifiers make decisions in particular cases, and deals with applications to relax standards for particular matters. It also approves verifiers, and certifiers of design and construction and it checks how local authority verifiers and certification scheme providers are operating the system.
Free access to the legislation, procedures and technical guidance can be found using the following links:
Free access to the legislation, procedures and technical guidance can be found using the following links:
The Building Standards Division publishes anonymised details of cases referred to it for a Ministerial View.
Where Scottish Ministers consider it unreasonable that the provision should apply to that building they may issue a direction.
Where Scottish Ministers consider it unreasonable that the provision should apply to that building they may issue a direction.
Scottish Ministers are responsible for creating Building Regulations and preparing technical guidance to ensure buildings are safe, efficient and sustainable for all.
e-Building Standards
eBuildingStandards is a free service that is managed by the Scottish Government in partnership with all Scottish local authorities.
The eBuildingStandards portal allows you to complete and submit building warrant applications, completion certificates and other related forms associated with the end to end process of the building standards system. You can also upload documentation you have to support your application, buy and mark up a location plan (if you don't have one), and select from several payment options - all online and from the comfort of your own home or office.