Self-certification forms

What are self-certification forms?

We have produced a number of self-certification forms that will help you decide if your proposal needs planning permission.

The self-certification forms are available as both editable Word documents and PDFs which you can print, fill in and return. The forms will ask a series of questions which you will need to answer yes or no by marking an 'x' in the relevant part of the form.

If you have answered YES to any of the questions, this means that what you want to do is not permitted development and you will need to apply for planning permission. Planning application forms are available from the Planning Portal website.

If you answer NO to all the questions then what you want to do will be permitted development.

Need a second opinion?

Once the form is completed, and you are satisfied that your answers accurately show the proposed works, if you have answered NO to all the questions and want us to check whether we agree that the works are permitted development and do not need planning permission, you can email us your completed form and any supporting information. There is a fee for this service which can be found here.

You can pay the fee over the phone on 01424 451090 or 01424 451066, or in person at the Community Contact Centre. Posted copies of the completed form will also be acceptable. The address is noted at the top of each form.

Self-certification forms

The following self-certification forms are available: 

Extensions/ external wall insulation (for houses only and not flats or maisonettes)

• House extensions/ external wall insulation self-cert Word document form
• House extensions/ external wall insulation self-cert PDF form

Dormer windows and roof extensions (for houses only and not flats or maisonettes)

• Dormer windows/ roof extensions self-cert Word document form
• Dormer windows/ roof extensions self-cert PDF form

Porch, driveway, chimneys, flue /soil and vent pipes (for houses only and not flats or maisonettes)

• Porches, driveways, chimneys, flue/ soil and vent pipes self-cert Word document form
• Porches, driveways, chimneys, flue/ soil and vent pipes self-cert PDF form

Outbuildings (for houses only and not flats or maisonettes)

• Outbuildings self-cert Word document form
• Outbuildings self-cert PDF form

Satellite dish (for houses only and not flats or maisonettes)

• Satellite dish self-cert Word document form
• Satellite dish self-cert PDF form

Solar panel

• Solar panels self-cert Word document form
• Solar panels self-cert PDF form

Renewable energy

• Renewable energy self-cert Word document form
• Renewable energy self-cert PDF form

Should you wish us to check your self-certification form, once we have received it we will do the following:

• We will run through it to make sure its complete and has all the information we need;
• We will check you have paid the correct fee;
• If there is missing information, we will contact you either in writing or by phone and give you 21 days to provide that information;
• Once all the information is provided we write to let you know the name of the person making the assessment;
• We will aim to write to you 21 days from the date the fee and all the information is received with a decision;
• If your project needs planning permission, we will explain why it's not permitted development;
• If we asked for information and didn't hear back from you within 21 days we will send you a letter saying the matter has not been determined either way.

Flats and maisonettes

The majority of these forms allow you to check whether planning permission is required in respect of development for dwelling houses. Flats and maisonettes do not normally benefit from permitted development and therefore in most instances you would need planning permission for works to flats. The only exception to this would be:

1) Renewable energy (see forms above)
2) Satellite dishes (no self-certification form available at present, please email us here with your query).
3) Loft conversion (not including extensions),
4) Painting the outside of a property (provided your property is not within an Article 4 area or the building is not listed)
5) Replacement of windows, where the replacement is identical to existing in all respects AND provided your property is not located in an Article 4 area and is not a listed building.

Instructions on completing the form as a PDF

1. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free)
2. Open the downloaded self-certification PDF and open it with Reader
3. Fill in the form
4. Save the form
5. When the form is complete, email it to us
6. In the email attach all other supporting information requested at the end of the form
7. Make sure all your contact details and the address of the property to which the proposed works relate are noted both in your form and on the email.

Instructions on completing the form in Word

1. Make sure you have Microsoft Word downloaded
2. Click on the form
3. When you have downloaded the document it will be read only
4. Save the document on your device to allow you to fill it in
5. Fill in the form
6. When the form is complete, email it to us
7. In the email attach all other supporting information requested at the end of the form
8. Make sure all your contact details and the address of the property to which the proposed works relate are noted both in your form and on the email.

Important note

The Self-Certification forms are based on current legislation which changes from time to time.

At the bottom left hand corner of your form are a series of numbers which will identify the legislation in force at the time you completed your Self-Certification form. You are strongly advised to check the website before commencing development to see whether that legislation has been amended or not. If you are unclear please email us at planning@hastings.gov.uk.

The current legislation relevant to these Self-Certification forms is:
SI 332, 391, 596, 659, 755, 756 and 1040

If these are noted at the bottom of your Self-Certification form then it has been completed based on current legislation. If you can see a change then you will to complete the forms again before you start work to check that what you propose to do is permitted development (i.e that it does not require planning permission).