How the listed building checker works
- 01
Enter a postcode or address
Any address in England. We find the property and look it up against the National Heritage List for England, published by Historic England to the national planning data service.
- 02
See listed buildings nearby
Every list entry within 40 m of the address, with its grade and distance. Most entries are published as a single point, so we show what’s close rather than guess which building it is.
- 03
See what it changes
Conservation areas, Article 4 directions and National Landscapes are checked at the same time, and the result shows which projects still go ahead without planning permission.
Listed building grades
All three grades are protected the same way in law. The grade changes how closely the council and Historic England look at an application, not whether you need consent.
Grade I
Buildings of exceptional interest — about 2.5% of listed buildings. Cathedrals, great country houses, some medieval cottages.
Grade II*
Particularly important buildings of more than special interest — about 5.8%. Many fine town houses and churches.
Grade II
Buildings of special interest — over 90% of listed buildings, and the grade most listed homes have.
What changes if your house is listed
Needs listed building consent
- Any extension or alteration, inside or out.
- Replacing windows, doors or roof coverings.
- Removing internal walls, fireplaces or original features.
- Painting or rendering over historic brick or stone.
Permitted development you lose
- Garden rooms and outbuildings in the grounds.
- Solar panels and heat pumps, in most cases.
- Fences, walls and gates around the building.
Work without listed building consent is a criminal offence, unlike most planning breaches. Full guide to listed buildings and permitted development →
Common questions
- Is my house listed?
- Enter your postcode or address in the checker above. It looks the property up against the National Heritage List for England and shows any listed building recorded at or next to the address, with its grade. To be certain, open the list entry on Historic England’s website — it describes exactly what is listed.
- How do I find out if a building is listed?
- Search the National Heritage List for England on Historic England’s website by name or address, or enter a postcode here. Your council’s planning department can also confirm it, and the listing will show on a property search when you buy.
- Why does the checker say a listed building is nearby rather than at my house?
- Historic England publishes most list entries as a single point, not an outline of the building. We report any entry within 40 m of the address, so on a street of listed terraces you may see your neighbours’ entries as well as your own. The list entry description tells you which building it is.
- Do I need planning permission for a listed building?
- Often, and you need listed building consent for almost any work that affects its character — inside or out, including windows, doors, internal walls and fireplaces. Several permitted development rights, such as outbuildings and solar panels, don’t apply to listed buildings at all.
- Is a listed building the same as a conservation area?
- No. Listing protects one building (and structures within its grounds). A conservation area covers a whole neighbourhood and limits some permitted development there. A house can be in one, both or neither — the checker tests for both.
- Does it cover Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland?
- No — England only. Cadw, Historic Environment Scotland and the Department for Communities keep the lists for the rest of the UK.