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Retention planning permission in Dublin and Meath
Retention permission lets you apply to keep building work that went ahead without the planning permission it needed, or that wasn't built in line with the permission that was granted. The application goes to your council like a normal one. There are newspaper and site notices and five weeks for public submissions, and the council usually decides within eight weeks of lodging. A four-week appeal period follows. The council fee for retention is higher than for a normal application. We prepare and lodge retention applications across Dublin and Meath, often alongside an Opinion on Compliance. We also prepare and lodge new planning applications (see below).
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Tell us what was built, roughly when, and which council area you're in. If you're mid-sale, tell us your closing date.
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When you need retention, and when you might not
You usually need retention if something that needed planning permission was built without it. Common examples are:
- a rear extension over the exempt size
- an attic or dormer conversion
- a garden room or shed over the limits
- front boundary or driveway changes
- a change of use
Not everything needs permission. Since 27 July 2026, the exempt limit for a rear extension to a house is 45 m², up from 40 m². New exemptions also apply to some garden structures and dormers (Citizens Information; S.I. No. 338 of 2026). Exemptions come with conditions. Before you apply for retention, it's worth checking whether your works were exempt in the first place. Our Opinion on Compliance page explains how we assess that.
How the retention process works
- Survey and drawings. We visit, measure what was built, and prepare the drawings and forms the council needs.
- Public notices. A notice goes in an approved newspaper, and a site notice goes up at the property.
- Lodging. The application must reach the council within two weeks of the newspaper notice. The site notice stays up for at least five weeks.
- Submissions period. Anyone can make a submission on the application within five weeks.
- Decision. The council generally decides within eight weeks of receiving the application. It may ask for further information first, which adds time.
- Appeal period. You, or anyone who made a submission, have four weeks to appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála.
- Grant. If there's no appeal, the final grant issues after the appeal period.
Source: Citizens Information, Planning permission.
How long retention takes
If the council doesn't ask for further information and nobody appeals, it usually takes about 12 weeks from lodging to final grant. The days from 24 December to 1 January don't count towards the statutory periods. Before lodging, allow time for the survey, drawings and notices. We agree the timing with you when we quote.
If you're selling, talk to us early. A retention application usually can't be rushed, and your buyer's solicitor will want to see the final grant.
What retention costs
There are two parts: the council fee and our professional fee.
Council fees for retention (Planning and Development Regulations 2001, Schedule 9, current at 26 Oct 2026):
| Development | Retention fee |
|---|---|
| Extension to a house | €102 or €2.50 per m² of floor space, whichever is greater |
| A house | €195 or €2.50 per m², whichever is greater |
| Commercial | €10.80 per m², minimum €240 |
For comparison, a normal application for a house extension costs €34. Sources: South Dublin County Council, fees and advertising and Citizens Information. You'll also pay for the newspaper notice.
Our fee: Free quote. We quote each job once we've seen photos or drawings.
If retention is refused
You can appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks of the decision. If you don't appeal, or the appeal fails, the council can require the work to be removed. Citizens Information notes that unauthorised development may have to be demolished. That's why it pays to get the application right first time, and to check early whether the works were exempt.
Retention can't be considered at all where an Environmental Impact Assessment or Appropriate Assessment is or was required (Planning and Development Act 2000, s.34(12)). Works within the grounds of a house, like most extensions, are treated as not needing an EIA determination.
Retention, the 7-year rule and selling your home
After seven years, a council generally can't take enforcement action over development built without permission (s.157(4)(a)). That doesn't make the work authorised. The work is only immune from enforcement, and a buyer's solicitor can still raise it. That's why many owners apply for retention before they sell.
Buyers' solicitors often ask for an engineer's opinion that the retention drawings match what was actually built (Law Society practice note). We can provide that with an Opinion on Compliance, from €492 incl. VAT.
What retention doesn't cover: Building Regulations
Planning permission and Building Regulations are separate. A retention permission means the council accepts the development in planning terms. It says nothing about structure, fire safety or insulation. If structural work was done without calculations, we can provide structural engineer's calculations and Building Regulations certification.
New planning applications
Not built yet? We also prepare and lodge new planning applications. The work covers:
- a measured survey
- the drawing set
- forms, notices and fee calculation
- lodging the application
- liaison with the council, including responses to requests for further information
The process and periods are the same as above, and the council fee for a house extension is €34.
Planning law changes in 2026
A new Planning and Development Act 2024 is replacing the 2000 Act. The part covering planning applications, including retention, was due to start on 13 October 2026. On 9 October it was deferred, and no new date has been set. Until it starts, the current rules apply as normal. An application lodged before the changeover is decided under the current rules. We'll tell you which rules apply when we lodge yours. (Department of Housing, deferral notice, 9 Oct 2026)
FAQs
What is retention planning permission?
It's an application to keep development that was built without the planning permission it needed, or that wasn't built in line with a permission. It goes through the same public process as a normal planning application.
How much does retention cost?
For a house extension, the council fee is €102 or €2.50 per m², whichever is greater (current at 26 Oct 2026). On top of that, you pay for the newspaper notice and our professional fee. Our quote is free, and we give it once we've seen photos or drawings.
How long does retention take?
About 12 weeks from lodging to final grant if there's no request for further information and no appeal. Allow time beforehand for the survey, drawings and notices.
What happens if retention is refused?
You can appeal to An Coimisiún Pleanála within four weeks. If the refusal stands, the council can require the work to be removed.
My extension is more than seven years old. Do I still need retention?
The council generally can't take enforcement action after seven years, but the work is still unauthorised. A buyer's solicitor may ask for retention or an engineer's opinion, so check before you sell.
Can every development get retention?
No. A council can't consider retention where an Environmental Impact Assessment or Appropriate Assessment is or was required. Most domestic extensions aren't affected by this.
Does retention mean my extension meets Building Regulations?
No. Planning and Building Regulations are separate. We can assess Building Regulations compliance separately with an Opinion on Compliance.
Can you help if I'm selling?
Yes. We can prepare the retention application and, once it's granted, provide the Opinion on Compliance your buyer's solicitor is likely to ask for.
Do I need planning permission for my extension?
Some works are exempt within set limits. Since 27 July 2026, that includes a rear extension of up to 45 m², subject to conditions. Send us the details and we'll tell you whether you need to apply.
What do you need from me to quote?
A short description of the work, the address and Eircode, and any photos or existing drawings. Upload them with your enquiry.