Do You Need Planning Permission to Move Your Kitchen to Another Room?

Significance

• The purpose of a renovation permit is to assure that any work being done to your home meets safety codes established by your city's building department, National Association of Realtors explains. Having a permit is especially important if you decide to sell your home; you may be required to provide renovation permit records to a buyer, an appraiser or a home inspector.

Requirements

• The requirements for obtaining a renovation permit varies depending on the municipality. The National Association of Realtors states that kitchen remodels are among the larger renovation projects that require a permit in most cities or states. San Diego Development Services notes that area homeowners may be required to provide plans of a proposed renovation before a permit is granted. However, some permits could be granted "over the counter." An inspection also may be required after your kitchen renovation is complete.

Considerations

• Most licensed contractors will submit permit applications on behalf of their clients and appear at any required inspections. This may save you time during the renovation process. Depending on the specific work plan for the renovation, you may need more than one permit. For example, San Diego awards separate permits for electrical and plumbing -- which you likely need if you are moving a kitchen to a different part of your home.

Warning

• If you undertake renovations yourself, this does not excuse you from obtaining a renovation permit. If a municipal building department discovers you completed a renovation without a permit, you can be fined and required to redo the project after obtaining the correct permit. San Diego's Building Department notes that you can be fined if the completed renovation does not match the plans submitted at the time of application.