Planning application fees

A fee is required for most types of planning applications and associated submissions. The fee will depend on the type and scale of the proposed development. All applications will not be considered 'valid' until the fee has been received in full. Fees will be checked at the final point of validation, rather than the point of submission, as changes during the validation process can affect fees payable.

The scale of fees for applications is set by the Scottish Government through The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025. The Scottish Government increased planning fees on 9 June 2025. The new fee scale provides information on the new fees payable. All planning and other applications that are made on or after that date incur the new fee.

If there is a requirement to advertise your application in the local newspaper, you will have to pay an additional cost.

The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications) (Scotland) Amended Regulations 2024 (at Regulation 6) allow for authorities to introduce a surcharge for applications for planning permission where the application relates to development carried out without permission (section 33 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997).

Surcharges - (introduced 1 October 2022)

Applications made in retrospect	Fee payable
Where a retrospective application for planning permission is made after the whole development being applied for has been carried out in full.	25% increase in applicable planning fee
Where a retrospective application for planning permission is made when the development being applied for has been started but not completed, including the revised design of a previously granted planning permission.	25% increase in applicable planning fee

The fee for an application, unless otherwise noted, is not refundable once the planning application has been submitted.

Service	Fee payable
Advert fee	£166
Planning applications accompanied by an EIA	£1017

Pre-application Advice, Non-Material Variations and Certificate of Compliance with Conditions

We offer a pre-application advice service, which you can use to find out if the development you're considering is likely to obtain planning permission.

To find out more go to our Pre-Application Advice webpage. 

The fees for this service, set out below, are set by Highland Council and reviewed annually. This service is not for finding out whether planning permission is required for your development; if you need information on this visit our find out if you need planning permission page.

We offer non-material variation which enables small changes that are not material to be made to a planning permission which has already been granted.

Details of the various methods of payment we accept can be found on our Planning Payment Options webpage.

Service	Fee payable There is a charge for this service which is reviewed annually with any fee increase taking effect from 1st April each year.
Development Enquiry	£72 (inclusive of VAT)
Pre-application advice	(Pre-application advice inclusive of VAT)
Local Small Scale	35% of Planning Fee, capped at £1,850
Local Medium Scale	35% of Planning Fee, capped at £2,625
Major Development Projects	7.5% of planning application fee but a minimum of fee of £5,000 and maximum fee of £10,500
Wind Farm Design Workshop only	7.5% of planning application fee but a minimum of fee of £5,000 and maximum fee of £10,500
Major Development Projects plus Wind Farm Design Workshop	7.5% of planning application fee but a minimum of fee of £5,000 and maximum fee of £10,500 for Major Pre-application Plus 7.5% of planning application fee but a minimum of fee of £3,000 and maximum fee of £6,000 for Wind Farm Design Workshop
Pre-application advice on Listed Buildings	No charge for changes to the interior of the building for example. cornices, internal doors, where planning is not required 35% of planning application fee of Householder Development for changes to the exterior of the building for example external doors, extensions, windows i.e. where planning permission is required
Non Material Variations
Householder	£60
All other Developments	£150
Major Applications including those related to MSC Applications	£230
Priority Satisfaction of Conditions	(inclusive of VAT) (timescale within 6 weeks from receipt and validation)
First Application	£10,500
Additional Applications	£5,250
Standard satisfaction of conditions	No associated fee (timescale within 3 months from receipt and validation)

• Fee calculator - A stand alone tool is available from ePlanning.scot to assist you in estimating the cost of your planning application

Your fee can be reduced under the following circumstances: 

• if the application is made by a community council, the fee will be reduced by 50%
• no fee if the application is for works to improve access for a disabled person
• no fee if the application is submitted within 12 months of the date of refusal for an application of the same description or character, if made by the same applicant; (only applies to one application following the original application)
• no fee if the application is submitted within 12 months of the date of submission of an application of the same description or character, if made by the same applicant, which is withdrawn. (Only applies to one application following the original application)

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Historic Environment Fees and Charges

The Historic Environment Team assesses the impact of a development on cultural heritage or archaeology and, where applicable, recommend appropriate conditions be applied. This assessment is covered by the initial planning fee which also supports free access for developers and their consultants to all historic environment data including sites, reports and supplementary information via the online Highland Historic Environment Record.

Other charges which are set out on our Historic Environment Fees and Charges pages may be incurred in specific circumstances. This is reviewed annually with any fee increase taking effect from 1st April each year.

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Request copies of Planning and Building Standards Documents

Service There is a charge for this service which is reviewed annually with any fee increase taking effect from 1st April each year.	Fee payable
Copies of planning documents Decision Notice Decision Notice and drawings	£140
Copies of building standards documents Building Warrant Decision notice Amendment or Stage Decision notice Approved drawings Completion Certificate	£140
Copies of planning and building standards documents Planning and building standards documents for the same development address	£280

All copies of documents will be emailed, wherever possible. Printing and postage costs may apply.

Service	Fee payable There is a charge for this service which is reviewed annually with any fee increase taking effect from 1st April each year.
Microfilm/Microfiche extraction	£32 per hour or part thereof plus VAT @ 20%
General requests for the retrieval of information *(see note 1 at end of chart)	Actual hourly rate of staff member up to a maximum of £20 per hour or part thereof plus VAT @ 20% (plus copy charges as above & postage charges at cost if relevant)

* Note 1 - Charges for environmental information under the EIRs: We do not charge for the time to determine whether we hold the information requested, nor for the time it takes to decide whether the information can be released. Charges are made for locating, retrieving and providing the information to you. We will advise you of the charge and how it has been calculated. The information will be provided to you on payment of the charge. If you decide not to proceed with the request, there will be no charge to you.