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heritage·Published ·Updated ·Planning Constraints

How to check if a building is listed

Three ways to find out whether a house or building is listed in England, what the grades mean, and what you need to know before making any changes.

Checking a specific site?

Check a site free: your council, whether you are in a conservation area, and a basic flood check. The £9.99 site report covers everything else we can check.

Postcode, address or grid reference. England, Wales and Scotland. Free check, then the site report is £9.99, one-off.

If you are buying an older property, planning renovation work or simply curious, it is worth checking whether the building is listed. Listed status is one of the most significant planning constraints a property can have: you need special consent for almost any alteration, inside or out.

This guide is about England. Wales (Cadw) and Scotland (Historic Environment Scotland) run their own lists and grades. Here is how to check in England.

Method 1: Check the site with Planning Constraints

Check a site free shows which council covers the address and whether it is in a conservation area, but not listed building findings. The listed building check, with the grade, distance and source record, is part of the site report (£9.99, one-off), which covers everything we can check within 500 m of your pin, for 30 days. The report link never expires.

  1. Open the site checker
  2. Search for the address or postcode
  3. Review the free result, then open the site report for the listed building check
  4. Listed buildings appear as markers on the map with their grade

Our listed building data comes from Historic England's National Heritage List for England, so it does not depend on council submissions. We show what we found, what came back clear, and where a source couldn't be checked. If the answer matters to a purchase, confirm it on the official list below.

Method 2: Search the National Heritage List

Historic England maintains the official National Heritage List for England. You can search by:

  • Address or postcode
  • Building name
  • List entry number
  • Map location

Each entry gives the grade, the date it was listed, a description of its special interest and a map showing its location. This is the definitive source.

Method 3: Local authority search

If you are buying, your solicitor's local authority search (CON29), ordered after your offer is accepted, will confirm whether a property is listed. If the answer would change your offer, check earlier. Planning Constraints is not a CON29.

What do the grades mean?

There are three grades of listing in England. Figures are from Historic England's list as at 19 October 2026, when it held around 380,000 listed building entries.

  • Grade I: buildings of exceptional interest, about 2.5% of entries. Examples are cathedrals, major country houses and the Palace of Westminster.
  • Grade II*: particularly important buildings of more than special interest, about 5.8%. Examples are significant churches and notable civic buildings.
  • Grade II: buildings of special interest, about 91.7%. This covers Georgian townhouses, Victorian villas, farmhouses, pubs, walls and street furniture.

The grade affects the level of scrutiny, but the basic legal requirement is the same for all grades: you need listed building consent (LBC) for works affecting the building's character. For Grade I and II* buildings, the council must also notify Historic England of consent applications.

What does listing mean in practice?

You need listed building consent

LBC is required for any works that affect the character of the building. This includes:

  • Internal changes: removing or altering walls, staircases, fireplaces, panelling or other historic features
  • External changes: replacing windows or doors, changing roofing materials, adding render or cladding
  • Extensions: any addition to the building
  • Demolition: total or partial

LBC is separate from planning permission. For many projects you will need both.

The whole building is protected

Listing covers the entire structure, not just the front or the parts visible from the road. Internal features, rear elevations, outbuildings within the curtilage (if built before 1 July 1948) and fixtures are all included.

The setting matters too

Development on neighbouring land that would affect the setting of a listed building can be refused on heritage grounds, even if the listed building itself is not touched.

It is a criminal offence to do works without consent

Unauthorised work to a listed building is a criminal offence under section 9 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. On conviction in a magistrates' court, the penalty can be up to six months in prison, a fine, or both. In the Crown Court it can be up to two years, a fine, or both. The council can also require you to reverse the work.

Common questions

Can I replace the windows?

You will need LBC. Most councils expect like-for-like replacement in matching materials, usually timber. Secondary glazing (an extra internal pane) is often more acceptable than replacing original windows with double-glazed units. Each case is judged on its merits.

Can I add an extension?

Yes, with LBC and usually planning permission. The extension needs to be sympathetic to the listed building in design, materials and scale.

Can I do minor maintenance?

Genuine like-for-like repairs using matching materials generally do not need LBC. Replacing a broken roof tile with an identical one, or repointing brickwork with matching mortar, is usually fine. If you are changing materials or methods, check first.

Can I get a building delisted?

Rarely. You can ask Historic England to consider removing or amending an entry, and listing decisions can be reviewed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport within 28 days of the decision letter, but the building would need to have lost its special interest. The bar is high.

Tips for listed building owners

  1. Contact your council's conservation officer early. They can give informal advice on what is likely to be acceptable before you spend money on applications
  2. Read the list entry. Historic England's description tells you what is considered special, which helps you understand what the council will want to protect
  3. Budget for traditional materials. Work on listed buildings often costs more because of the requirement to use traditional materials and techniques
  4. Get specialist help. A heritage consultant or an architect experienced with listed buildings can help design proposals that are more likely to gain consent

Summary

Three ways to check if a building is listed:

  1. Site report: check a site free, then open the £9.99 site report for the listed building check
  2. Most detail: search the National Heritage List for England
  3. During a purchase: the local authority search confirms listing status

If a building is listed, you need LBC for most alterations. That does not prevent change. It makes sure change suits the building's special interest. Listed building grades explained goes into the planning policy test.

Sources

Planning something at home?

Can you extend? Check permitted development and the rules on your street.

Check a site free for your council, whether you are in a conservation area, and a basic flood check. The site report (£9.99, one-off) adds everything else we can check within 500 m of your pin, for 30 days, with the source for each finding.

Check a site free →See a sample report

We show what we found, what came back clear, and where a source couldn’t be checked. Some councils don’t publish every dataset, so ask the council where it matters. Planning Constraints is a screening tool, not an official local authority search or professional advice.