Do I need planning permission for a porch?
A small porch on an outside door is permitted development in England if it stays within three simple limits.
Check your own porch in about 20 seconds: we look up your postcode's official conservation area and Article 4 data and apply these rules to your home.
These are the rules for houses in England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own, similar but different. Flats and maisonettes have no householder permitted development rights.
Usually no planning permission needed if
- The floor area, measured outside, is no more than 3 square metres.
- It is no more than 3m high.
- It is more than 2m from a boundary next to a road.
You need planning permission if
- It is bigger than those limits.
- Your home is a flat or maisonette: flats have no householder permitted development rights.
- Your home is listed: you need listed building consent for most work, inside or out.
- Your permitted development rights were removed by a planning condition or an Article 4 direction (ask the council, or check the planning history of your home).
Building regulations
Usually not, if it is at ground level, under 30 square metres, and the front door between the house and the porch stays. Glazing must still be safety glass.
Planning permission and building regulations are separate: a project can need one, both or neither.
Also think about
- Where the gas or electric meter is: moving one needs the supplier.
Questions people ask
Does a porch count as an extension?
No, porches have their own permitted development rules. Within the limits they do not use up the extension allowance.
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General guidance from LocalWins, last checked October 2026. It is not legal advice or a planning decision, and every home is different: confirm anything important with your council or a qualified professional.