Planning permission guidance

Usually, you do not need planning permission if you use only part of your home for business purposes. 

You may need to apply for planning permission to work from home if:

• your home is no longer used mainly as your private residence
• your business leads to a noticeable increase in traffic or people calling at your property
• your business involves any activities that are unusual in a residential area
• your business disturbs your neighbours at unreasonable hours or causes other nuisances such as noise or smells

The Planning Portal offers guidance on whether you need to apply for planning permission before starting a business from your home. 

If you are still unsure, you can apply for pre-application advice to discuss your plans with us. If you have read the information above and are confident that you do not need planning permission to start a business from your home, you can apply for a lawful development certificate.