Planning Portal Fee Calculator (United Kingdom 2026)
Planning Portal Fee Calculator — How It Works
Everything you need to know about calculating your UK planning application fee — updated with the latest April 2026 statutory rates for England.
If you are planning a home extension, building new properties, or changing the use of a building in England, one of the first practical steps is working out how much your planning application will cost. The Planning Portal Fee Calculator is the go-to tool for getting an instant, accurate estimate of your statutory planning application fee — and in this article we explain exactly how it works, what the current 2026 fees are, and everything else you need to know before submitting your application.
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The Planning Portal Fee Calculator is a free online tool that calculates the statutory fee payable when submitting a planning application in England. It is based on the official fee schedule set by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and applies the correct formula for each application type — whether that is a flat rate for a householder extension, a per-dwelling rate for a new residential scheme, or a floor space-based calculation for a commercial development.
The official Planning Portal at planningportal.co.uk has a built-in fee calculator as part of its application submission process. Our free tool at planningportalfeecalculator.com works in the same way — giving you an instant fee estimate before you even begin your formal application, saving you time and helping you budget accurately.
How Does the Planning Portal Fee Calculator Work?
Using the Planning Portal Fee Calculator is straightforward. You simply select your application type from the dropdown menu, enter the relevant project details (such as the number of dwellings, gross floor space in square metres, or site area in hectares depending on the type), and the calculator instantly applies the correct statutory formula to produce your fee estimate.
The calculation method varies by application type:
- Householder applications — a flat rate applies regardless of the size of the extension or alteration.
- New residential developments — the fee is calculated per dwelling, with different rates for schemes of 1–9, 10–50, and 50+ dwellings.
- Commercial buildings — the fee is based on the gross floor space to be created, calculated in bands of 75 square metres.
- Site operations — fees are calculated per 0.1 hectare of site area.
- Change of use — flat rates or per-dwelling rates apply depending on the specific route.
Our tool also accounts for exemptions and reductions — including works for disabled people, applications by Parish or Town Councils, and repeat applications submitted within 12 months of a refusal. It also shows the Planning Portal service charge (£75.83 + VAT from April 2026) so you see your complete estimated outlay in one place.
2026 Planning Application Fees in England
From 1 April 2026, planning application fees in England increased by 3.8%, in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) for September 2025. This is the second annual uplift under the indexation system introduced by the 2023 Amendment Regulations. Here are the key fees you need to know:
For larger residential schemes, the fee structure scales up significantly. Developments of 10 to 50 dwellings are charged at £659 per dwelling. For schemes of more than 50 dwellings, the fee is £32,578 plus £196 for each dwelling above 50, subject to a maximum cap of £427,537.
Commercial developments are calculated by gross floor space. For floor space up to 40 square metres, the fee is a flat £309. Between 40 and 999 square metres, the fee is £610 for each 75 square metres (or part thereof). Larger schemes attract higher per-unit rates, again subject to the £427,537 maximum.
Which Applications Are Free?
Not all planning applications attract a fee. Several important categories are entirely exempt from statutory charges:
- Listed Building Consent — no fee is payable for any listed building consent application.
- Conservation Area Demolition Consent — free to apply for.
- Tree Preservation Order (TPO) works — no fee for works to protected trees or trees in a Conservation Area.
- Works for disabled people — applications for adaptations to a home to meet the needs of a disabled occupant are exempt.
- Parish and Town Council applications — fully exempt from the planning application fee.
- Repeat applications — a free resubmission is permitted for an identical scheme within 12 months of a previous refusal or withdrawal.
The Planning Portal Service Charge
In addition to the statutory planning fee paid to your local council, applications submitted through the Planning Portal online system are subject to a separate Planning Portal service charge. From 1 April 2026, this charge is £75.83 + VAT (20%), making a total service charge of £90.996 per submission. This charge is paid directly to the Planning Portal and is separate from the fee paid to the Local Planning Authority.
Our Planning Portal Fee Calculator automatically includes this service charge in the total estimated cost shown, so you always have a complete picture of your upfront application costs.
Why Are Planning Fees Increasing Every Year?
Since April 2025, planning application fees in England have been subject to automatic annual increases under the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2023. Each year, fees rise in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) from the preceding September, subject to a maximum annual cap of 10%.
The rationale behind this change is cost recovery. Local planning authorities have historically been significantly underfunded for the planning service, with fee income covering only a fraction of the true cost of processing applications. The government estimates this funding gap at over £300 million per year nationally. Annual fee uplifts are designed to gradually close this gap and improve the resourcing — and therefore the performance — of local planning departments.
For applicants, this means it is increasingly important to factor in the cost of planning fees when budgeting for development projects, particularly as the government has also signalled its intention to consult on allowing Local Planning Authorities to set locally variable fees above the national default in the future.
Tips for Managing Your Planning Application Fee
- Calculate before you apply — use our free Planning Portal Fee Calculator to estimate your fee before starting your application, so there are no surprises.
- Check for exemptions first — if your project involves disabled access, you are a Parish Council, or you are resubmitting after a refusal, you may pay nothing at all.
- Submit before April each year — since fees increase on 1 April annually, submitting your application before this date could save you money, particularly on larger schemes.
- Confirm with your LPA — always verify the fee with your Local Planning Authority before making payment, as our tool provides guidance only and the LPA has the final say on validation.
- Consider pre-application advice — many LPAs offer a pre-application advice service (which carries its own fee) that can help ensure your application is well-prepared and less likely to be refused, avoiding the need to resubmit.
Conclusion
The Planning Portal Fee Calculator is an essential starting point for anyone navigating the UK planning system in England. Whether you are a first-time homeowner planning a modest extension or an experienced developer working on a major residential scheme, knowing your planning application fee upfront allows you to budget effectively, plan your timeline, and avoid costly validation errors.
Our free tool at planningportalfeecalculator.com is updated with the latest April 2026 statutory rates, covers all major application types, and takes just seconds to use. Give it a try today — no registration, no cost, no hassle.
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