Do You Need Building Regulations to Knock Down a Wall? (UK Guide)

Yes, you need building regulations to knock down a wall in most cases, particularly if the wall is load-bearing. You normally don’t need planning permission for an internal wall, unless your home is a listed building. This guide covers England and Wales.

Planning permission or building regulations?

These are two separate systems, and people often mix them up.

Planning permission is about how your home looks and what it’s used for. Taking down an internal wall doesn’t usually need it, unless the property is listed.

Building regulations are about safety and structure. They’re what apply when you remove a wall.

When you need building regulations to knock down a wall

Load-bearing walls

A load-bearing wall helps hold up the floor, roof or walls above it. If you remove one, something else, usually a steel beam, has to carry that weight instead. This always needs building regulations approval.

Non-load-bearing walls

A wall that doesn’t support anything can sometimes be removed with no approval. But there are exceptions. Some walls protect the escape route from upstairs if there’s a fire, and taking them out can break fire safety rules even though they carry no weight. Because it’s hard to know without checking, it’s safest to ask your local building control team before you start.

How to tell if a wall is load-bearing

A hollow sound when you tap a wall can suggest a lightweight partition, but never rely on that alone. Walls on the ground floor are more likely to carry weight, particularly if they sit under another wall or run across the floor joists above. Always get a structural engineer or experienced builder to confirm before you cut anything.

What the process looks like

1. Get a professional to check the wall. A structural engineer works out whether it’s load-bearing and calculates the beam you’ll need.
2. Apply to building control. You can use your local council’s building control team or an approved private inspector.
3. Do the work. Builders support the structure, install the beam and remove the wall. Electrics and pipework inside the wall usually need rerouting first. If the wall is in your kitchen, moving the sink may be part of the job, so see our guide to the cost to move a kitchen sink.
4. Get inspected and signed off. Building control checks the work and issues a completion certificate when it’s right. Keep this certificate safe.

Do you need a party wall agreement?

If the wall you’re removing is shared with a neighbour, such as the wall between two semi-detached houses, you may have to serve notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996. An ordinary internal wall inside your own home isn’t a party wall, but you should check if your work affects any structure you share.

Listed buildings and flats

If your home is listed, you may need listed building consent even for internal changes. If you live in a flat, check your lease and ask your freeholder or management company first.

What happens if you skip building regulations?

Unapproved structural work can be unsafe. It can also cause problems when you sell, because buyers’ solicitors usually ask for completion certificates, and it may affect your home insurance. The council can also require you to open up or alter the work at your own cost.

Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland and Northern Ireland have different systems, so don’t rely on this guide there. Contact your local council.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need planning permission to knock down an internal wall?

Usually no, unless your home is a listed building.

Do I need a structural engineer?

For a load-bearing wall, yes. They calculate the beam and supports. If you’re unsure whether a wall carries weight, a professional should check.

Can I remove a non-load-bearing wall without approval?

Sometimes, but not always. Fire safety rules can still apply, so check with building control first.

How do I get a completion certificate?

Building control issues it after inspecting the finished work. Your builder or engineer can usually help arrange this.

In short, you need building regulations to knock down a wall in most cases, and a structural engineer’s calculations for any load-bearing one. Check with your local building control team before you start.

Sources

This guide is based on advice from Homebuilding & Renovating and Sainsbury’s Bank’s guide to knocking down internal walls, reviewed in October 2026. It is general information, not professional advice. Last updated: 30 October 2026.