All planning applications must include a certificate of ownership. This confirms either that you own all the land included in the application site (shown by the red line on the Site Location Plan), or that you have formally notified anyone else who owns or occupies the land.
The ownership certificate forms part of the planning application form. By law, we cannot process a planning application unless the correct certificate has been completed.
Who counts as an owner?
For planning purposes, an owner is someone who has a freehold interest in the land, or a leasehold interest with at least seven years remaining. For mineral development, this can also include someone with rights to the minerals. This means there may be more than one owner, such as a landlord and tenant.
The four ownership certificates
When you submit your application, you must complete one of the following ownership certificates:
- Certificate A – You own all the land in the application site and there are no agricultural tenants.
- Certificate B – The land is in shared ownership or has agricultural tenants, and you know the names and addresses of all owners or tenants so you can notify them.
- Certificate C – The land is in shared ownership, but you only know the details of some of the other owners or agricultural tenants.
- Certificate D – You do not own all the land and you do not know the names or addresses of any of the other owners or agricultural tenants.
If Certificate C or D applies, you must also publish a formal notice in a local newspaper.
Templates for the required notices are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015:
- Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 - legislation.gov.uk website
Signing the certificate
If you submit a paper application, the ownership certificate must be signed by hand. For online applications, a typed signature is acceptable. Ownership certificates are also required for listed building consent applications, although an agricultural declaration is not needed.
If the wrong certificate is submitted
It is a criminal offence to knowingly or recklessly complete a false or misleading ownership certificate, with a possible fine of up to £5,000. If an incorrect certificate is submitted, we will not be able to process the application.
If planning permission is granted and the ownership certificate is later challenged, there is a risk that the permission could be overturned by the High Court. Checking land ownership with the Land Registry can help avoid problems.
Land ownership disputes
If there is a dispute about who owns the land, we may ask for evidence from the applicant or from anyone raising the concern. We cannot determine land boundaries and will normally rely on Land Registry records unless neighbouring owners provide written agreement confirming a boundary.
Applying on land you do not own
You do not need to own land to apply for planning permission. However, you must notify all relevant landowners and any agricultural tenants before submitting your application, and confirm this by completing the correct ownership certificate.
Agricultural land declarations
All agricultural tenants must be notified before a planning application is submitted. Applicants must confirm either that agricultural tenants have been notified or that there are none on the site. This declaration is required even if the land is not currently used for agriculture and is included within the ownership certificates on the application form.