The Approved Documents, and what each one is for
The Building Regulations 2010 set out what a building has to achieve. The Approved Documents are the free official guidance showing one way to achieve it, lettered A through T. This page lists all of them, explains how they relate to the law, and links the ones we cover in depth.
The regulations are the law, the Approved Documents are not
This distinction matters more than it sounds. Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 2010 contains the actual requirements, and they are written as outcomes: a stair must be safe to use, a building must resist moisture. The Approved Documents are statutory guidance that shows a way of satisfying those outcomes.
Following an Approved Document is evidence of compliance, and on ordinary domestic work it is by far the easiest route. But it is not the only route. You can meet a requirement another way if you can demonstrate it, which is how unusual buildings get built. What you cannot do is ignore the requirement because the Approved Document is silent on your situation.
Every Approved Document
| Part | Title | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| A | Structure | Loading, ground movement, disproportionate collapse. Span tables and foundations live here. |
| B | Fire safety | Two volumes, dwellings and other buildings. Means of escape, spread of flame, access for the fire service. |
| C | Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture | Damp proofing, radon, contaminated ground, subfloor ventilation. |
| D | Toxic substances | Cavity insulation and formaldehyde. Short and rarely an issue. |
| E | Resistance to the passage of sound | Airborne and impact sound between dwellings. Sound testing on new build and conversions. |
| F | Ventilation | Background ventilation, extract rates, purge ventilation. Two volumes since 2021. |
| G | Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency | Water efficiency targets, unvented cylinders, bathroom provision. |
| H | Drainage and waste disposal | Foul drainage, rainwater, septic tanks, building over a sewer. |
| J | Combustion appliances and fuel storage systems | Flues, hearths, air supply, carbon monoxide alarms. |
| K | Protection from falling, collision and impact | Stairs, ramps, guarding, balustrades, safety glazing. |
| L | Conservation of fuel and power | Insulation, U values, airtightness, heating efficiency. Two volumes. |
| M | Access to and use of buildings | Accessibility. Ramps, door widths, WCs, thresholds. Two volumes. |
| O | Overheating | Introduced 2021 for new residential buildings. Solar gain and removing excess heat. |
| P | Electrical safety | Dwellings only. Notifiable work and competent person schemes. |
| Q | Security | Doors and windows in new dwellings. |
| R | Infrastructure for electronic communications | Broadband connectivity in new buildings. |
| S | Infrastructure for charging electric vehicles | Charge points for new homes and those undergoing major renovation. |
| T | Toilet accommodation | Added 2024. Separate single sex and universal toilets in certain buildings. |
There is no Part I or Part N. Part N, glazing, was absorbed into Part K in 2013. The letters skip I to avoid confusion with the numeral one.
The ones we cover in detail
Building regulations approval is not planning permission
They are separate systems with separate applications, separate fees and separate decisions. Planning is about whether a building should exist in that place and what it looks like. Building regulations are about whether it is safely and properly built. You can have planning permission and still fail building control, and plenty of work needs building regulations approval while needing no planning permission at all.
There are two routes for building control: your local authority building control department, or an approved inspector. Both can issue the completion certificate.
One place for the drawings, the specs and the programme
Built Simple keeps every document on the job it belongs to, so the version on site is the current one. Free to start, and the calculators stay free.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Approved Documents? They are the official free guidance published by the government showing how to meet the Building Regulations. They run from A to T, with no I or N, and each covers one part of the regulations.
Are Approved Documents legally binding? No. The Building Regulations 2010 are the law. The Approved Documents are statutory guidance showing one way to comply. Following them is evidence of compliance, and an alternative approach is permitted if you can demonstrate it meets the requirement.
How many parts are there to the building regulations? There are 18 Approved Documents in England, lettered A to T. There is no Part I and no Part N, since glazing moved into Part K in 2013.
Where can I download the Approved Documents? From gov.uk, free, under the Open Government Licence. Always take them from the source rather than a third party copy, because editions and amendments change.
Do the Approved Documents apply in Scotland and Wales? No. They apply in England. Wales publishes its own Approved Documents, Scotland uses the Technical Handbooks, and Northern Ireland uses Technical Booklets. The figures are different.
Related calculators and guides
Sources
- Approved Documents, HM Government. Free under the Open Government Licence.
- The Building Regulations 2010, Schedule 1, legislation.gov.uk.
