Frequently asked questions

It's a document issued by your local council confirming that a proposed (Section 192) or already-built (Section 191) development is — or would be — lawful. For permitted-development works that didn't need planning permission, an LDC is the formal way to prove it. Your buyer's solicitor, mortgage lender, or insurer may ask for one to close out the question permanently.

Indemnity insurance pays out if the council actually tries to enforce against the unauthorised work. That's rare — but the question doesn't go away. When you come to sell again, the next buyer's solicitor asks the same question, and you'll need the same indemnity or an actual LDC. Indemnity is a plaster; an LDC is a cure. See our honest comparison.

s.192 — you're about to build something and want certainty it's lawful before you start. s.191 — you already built it (or the previous owner did) and need to prove it was lawful retrospectively. s.191 usually requires the development to have been completed (or the change of use to have been ongoing) for at least 4 years (for dwellings and extensions) or 10 years (for change of use). We handle both.

The council has 8 weeks by statute. Most councils decide within that window. We monitor the case throughout and keep you updated on progress.

Class A — single-storey rear or side extension within size limits (3m attached / 4m detached rear projection, 4m height, 50% curtilage cap shared with any existing outbuildings). Class B — loft conversion or roof alteration within volume limits (40m³ terraced / 50m³ other), dormers not facing a highway. Class E — outbuildings genuinely incidental to the house (garden office, gym, workshop): WC allowed, shower/kitchen/bedroom not. The intake form walks you through every test and tells you immediately if you're outside.

You get your £349 service fee back in full. The £264 council filing fee is paid to the council at submission and the council keeps it whether they approve or refuse — that's not something we can refund. You keep all the drawings and evidence we prepared; you can use them to pursue full planning permission, an appeal, or an indemnity insurance policy as a fallback.

We cover every council in England. The GPDO rules, the £264 statutory fee, and the Planning Portal filing route are all national — so wherever your property is, the process is the same. Enter your postcode in the intake form and we auto-detect your local planning authority. The only restrictions are property type (houses only, no flats), designation (no listed buildings, conservation areas, or Article 4 zones), and project type (Classes A, B and E only).

Yes — Planning Portal is free to use and the statutory fee is the same. What we sell is the bit between "I need an LDC" and "it's done right": GPDO interpretation, precise Statement of Truth wording (the #1 reason DIY applications get refused is imprecise description), photographs and drawings to the scales councils expect, and the 8-week case monitoring.

We don't cover those. Conservation areas, National Parks, AONBs, World Heritage Sites, and Article 4 Direction zones all sit on "article 2(3) land" with restricted permitted-development rights — which makes LDC outcomes much harder to predict, and would mean we couldn't keep the refund guarantee honest. The intake form screens for this up-front.

No. LDC Express is not a law firm, and nothing on this site is legal advice. We prepare and file planning applications — that's a paperwork service, not a legal service. If you need legal advice on a sale or dispute, talk to a solicitor.

Yes. Your dashboard has a direct share link you can send your conveyancer or estate agent so they can see the application progress and (eventually) download the signed certificate without pinging you. We'll also email them the certificate on completion if you'd like.