http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1984/55/section/47Building Act 1984 An Act to consolidate certain enactments concerning building and buildings and related matters.1984-10-31texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-03-06Expert Participation2026-01-27 Building Act 1984s. 131ABuilding Safety Act 2022s. 59s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984s. 95(5)Building Safety Act 2022s. 60(2)s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984s. 131BBuilding Safety Act 2022s. 60(3)s. 170(4)(c)Building Act 1984Sch. 1 para. 7A(4)Building Safety Act 2022Sch. 5 para. 83(5)s. 170(4)(b)(c)reg. 2(n)(xxxiii)reg. 2(d)(xi)Sch.reg. 348- 12Building Act 1984s. 44(11)Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004s. 3(8)s. 11(3)Building Act 1984ActThe Building etc. (Amendment) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2025Rheoliadau Adeiladu etc. (Diwygio) (Rhif 2) (Cymru) 2025reg. 21reg. 1(2)Building Act 1984s. 1(1A)(d)Infrastructure Act 2015s. 37(2)s. 57(5)(a)Building Act 1984Sch. 1 para. 7AInfrastructure Act 2015s. 37(4)s. 57(5)(a) Part II471If—aa notice in the prescribed form relating to work that is not higher-risk building work (called an “initial notice”) is given jointly to a local authority by a person intending to carry out the work and a person who is a registered building control approver in relation to that work,bthe initial notice is accompanied by such plans of the work as may be prescribed,c. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . anddthe initial notice is accepted by the local authority,then, so long as the initial notice continues in force, the registered building control approver by whom the notice was given shall undertake such functions as may be prescribed with respect to the inspection of plans of the work to which the notice relates, the supervision of that work and the giving and receiving of certificates and other notices.2A local authority to whom an initial notice is given—amay not reject the notice except on prescribed grounds, andbshall reject the notice if any of the prescribed grounds exists,and, in a case where the work to which an inital notice relates is work of such a description that, if plans of it had been deposited with an application for building control approval in respect of it had been made to the local authority, the authority could, under any enactment, have imposed requirements as a condition of passing the plans granting the application, the local authority may impose the like requirements as a condition of accepting the initial notice.3Unless, within the prescribed period, the local authority to whom an initial notice is given give notice of rejection, specifying the ground or grounds in question, to each of the persons by whom the initial notice was given, the authority is conclusively presumed to have accepted the initial notice and to have done so without imposing any such requirements as are referred to in subsection (2) above.3ASubsection (3) does not apply in prescribed circumstances.4An initial notice—acomes into force when it is accepted by the local authority, either by notice given within the prescribed period to each of the persons by whom it was given or by virtue of subsection (3) above, andbsubject to section 51(3) below (final certificates) and section 53A (lapse of initial notice), continues in force until—iit is cancelled by a notice under section 52 below, ...iait is cancelled, in whole or in part, by a notice under section 52A,ibit is cancelled by a notice under section 53D, oriithe occurrence of, or the expiry of a prescribed period of time beginning on the date of, such event as may be prescribed;and building regulations may empower a local authority to extend (whether before or after its expiry) any such period of time as is referred to in paragraph (ii) above.5The form prescribed for an initial notice may be such as to require—aeither or both of the persons by whom the notice is to be given to furnish information relevant for the purposes of this Act, Part II or IV of the Public Health Act 1936 or any provision of building regulations, andbthe registered building control approver by whom the notice is to be given to enter into undertakings with respect to their performance of any of the functions referred to in subsection (1) above.6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8This section is subject to sections 53 and 53B (new initial notices).S. 47 excluded (21.7.1994) by 1994 c. xv, s. 58(9)Words in s. 47(1) substituted (14.10.1996) by S.I. 1996/1905, art. 3(2)(a)1936 c. 49.Words in s. 47(1)(a) inserted (6.4.2023 for specified purposes except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. for specified purposes, 1.10.2023 in so far as not already in force except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W. in so far as not already in force) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 46(1)(a), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(u); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(x); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(l) (with regs. 4, 8); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(v) (with regs. 3-5, 8-12)Word in s. 47(1)(a) inserted (6.4.2023 for specified purposes except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. for specified purposes, 1.10.2023 in so far as not already in force except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W. in so far as not already in force) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 46(1)(b), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(u); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(x); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(l) (with regs. 4, 8); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(v) (with regs. 3-5, 8-12)S. 47(1)(c) omitted (28.7.2022) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 48(2)(a), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 4; S.I. 2022/774, reg. 2Words in s. 47(2) substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 40(2)(b); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xiii)S. 47(4)(b)(ib) inserted (6.4.2023 for specified purposes except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. for specified purposes, 6.4.2024 in force in so far as not already in force except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W. in so far as not already in force) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 51(3)(a), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(v); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xii); S.I. 2024/104, reg. 2(g) (with regs. 3, 5); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(vii) (with regs. 3, 4, 8-12)Words in s. 47(5)(b) substituted (6.4.2024 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 4 para. 4(3)(a); S.I. 2024/104, reg. 2(b) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(x) (with regs. 3, 4, 6, 8-12)Words in s. 47(1)(a) substituted (6.4.2024 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 4 para. 4(2)(a); S.I. 2024/104, reg. 2(b) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(x) (with regs. 3, 4, 6, 8-12)Words in s. 47(1) substituted (6.4.2024 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 4 para. 4(2)(b); S.I. 2024/104, reg. 2(b) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(x) (with regs. 3, 4, 6, 8-12)Words in s. 47(2) substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 40(2)(a); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xiii)Words in s. 47 cross-heading substituted (6.4.2024 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 4 para. 3; S.I. 2024/104, reg. 2(b) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(x) (with regs. 3, 4, 6, 8-12)S. 47(8) inserted (6.4.2023 for specified purposes except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. for specified purposes, 6.4.2024 in force in so far as not already in force except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W. in so far as not already in force) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 51(3)(b), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(v); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xii); S.I. 2024/104, reg. 2(g) (with regs. 3, 5); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(vii) (with regs. 3, 4, 8-12)Words in s. 47(4)(b) substituted (6.4.2023 for specified purposes except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. for specified purposes, 1.10.2023 in so far as not already in force except in relation to W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 36(3), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(o); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(iii); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(g) (with regs. 3, 5)S. 47(7) omitted (28.7.2022) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 48(2)(b), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 4; S.I. 2022/774, reg. 2Words in s. 47(1) inserted (1.2.2006) by Sustainable and Secure Buildings Act 2004 (c. 22), ss. 8(2), 11(3); S.I. 2006/224, art. 2(c)S. 47(3A) inserted (6.4.2023 except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. in so far as not already in force) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 40(3); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(w)(ii); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(xiii), Sch. para. 16Words in Pt. 2 heading substituted (1.10.2023 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 5 para. 39; S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(n)(xii) (with reg. 4); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(xi), Sch. (with regs. 3, 4, 8-12)Word in s. 47(5)(b) substituted (6.4.2024 except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W.) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), s. 170(4)(b)(c), Sch. 4 para. 4(3)(b); S.I. 2024/104, reg. 2(b) (with reg. 3); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(x) (with regs. 3, 4, 6, 8-12)S. 47(4)(b)(ia) inserted (6.4.2023 for specified purposes except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. for specified purposes, 1.10.2023 in so far as not already in force except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W. in so far as not already in force) by Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 46(4)(b), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(u); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(x); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(l) (with reg. 8); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(v) (with regs. 3-5, 8-12)Word in s. 47(4)(b) omitted (6.4.2023 for specified purposes except in relation to W., 5.9.2023 for W. for specified purposes, 1.10.2023 in so far as not already in force except in relation to W., 6.4.2024 for W. in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 46(4)(a), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2023/362, reg. 3(1)(u); S.I. 2023/914, reg. 2(b)(x); S.I. 2023/993, reg. 2(l) (with reg. 8); S.I. 2024/207, reg. 2(d)(v) (with regs. 3-5, 8-12)S. 47(6) omitted (28.7.2022) by virtue of Building Safety Act 2022 (c. 30), ss. 48(2)(b), 170(4)(b)(c); S.I. 2022/561, reg. 4; S.I. 2022/774, reg. 2