How you apply
West Lothian Council takes applications through the national eBuilding Standards portal, as the Council’s application page explains. It says a warrant is valid for 3 years from the date it is granted. Your architect or structural engineer can prepare and submit the application for you.
Which work needs one
The do I need a building warrant page lists load-bearing walls (timber ones included), attic conversions and garage conversions, and the Council’s application page says almost all new building work, including extensions, needs one. If you are unsure, ask the Council before work starts.
How the fee is worked out
The Council’s 2026 fee scale applies from 1 April 2026. It is the national scale, so it matches the City of Edinburgh Council’s. The fee depends on the value of the works. The lowest value-band fee, for works up to £5,000, is £215. For works valued at £50,001 to £60,000 it is £1,035.
The guide to estimating the value of building work says to value the work as a contractor would price it, even if you plan to do some of it yourself. Our cost page has worked examples.
Timescales
The application page says the Council aims to assess an application within 20 working days of receiving it. Its page on what happens to an application says that if it is not resolved within 6 months of the initial assessment letter, the application is recommended for refusal. The customer charter sets out its targets. None of them is a guarantee.
Appointments and advice
The Council’s appointments page says appointments are only to discuss a registered warrant application. The customer charter says pre-application advice is offered to inward investment into West Lothian, so ask the Council before assuming it is available for a domestic job. The Council also offers a paid letter of comfort for some older unauthorised work, and says the letter is not a replacement for a warrant.
Work without a warrant
Starting work that needs a warrant before it is granted is an offence under section 8 of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003. If that has happened, see work done without a warrant.