A Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) is the local authority's legal confirmation that your project doesn't need planning permission.
An LDC is optional but strongly recommended - it protects you if a neighbour complains or you come to sell the house.
The application fee is set nationally by gov.uk's planning fee schedule (currently £103 for a householder LDC - verify the current figure before applying).
Councils normally decide LDC applications within 8 weeks. You'll need scaled drawings and a written description of the works.
England only. Takes about a minute.
Last reviewed 2026-09-01. Guidance, not legal advice.