DetachedHouseExemption.ie
Add a Detached House to Your Garden — Without Planning Permission.
We check your eligibility, prepare the required drawings, and lodge your mandatory notification with the Local Authority — quickly, clearly, and fully compliant with the new exemption.
Fixed fee. No hassle. No guesswork.
Get a quick assessment & quote.
How It Works
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Get a Free Quote
Fill out our quick contact form with your property address. We'll review your situation and send you a quote within a few hours — no obligation. -
We Handle Everything
We carry out a measured site survey, prepare the required drawings, complete the statutory notification, and lodge it with your Local Authority at least 14 days before work begins. -
You're Ready to Build
Once the 14-day notice period passes, you can proceed — there's no grant of permission to wait on, because this is an exemption, not a planning application.
Since 27 July 2026, a new exemption (Class 3A) allows a detached house in the rear garden of a principal house, without planning permission, provided it meets a strict set of conditions.
Typical work which qualifies for this exemption:
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Detached, self-contained garden houses — often called granny flats or granny annexes.
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Modular homes and garden rooms intended for habitable use.
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Accommodation for family members, or for letting under licence.
Do I need planning permission for a granny flat?
Not necessarily. Since 27 July 2026, a detached house in the rear garden of a principal house can be built without planning permission — provided the site and design meet the exemption's conditions, and the council is notified in writing at least 14 days before work starts.
What are the conditions?
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Floor area of at least 32 square metres; combined with any other similar garden structures already on site, not more than 45 square metres in total.
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Height not exceeding 4m (tiled/slated pitched roof) or 3m (any other roof).
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A permanent structure — not a caravan, mobile home, or anything temporary.
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At least 0.6m from any wall or party boundary; any windows at least 0.6m from the boundary they face.
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Linked to the main house's existing water and wastewater services — no separate utility connection.
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Independent pedestrian or wheelchair access within the curtilage — but no new vehicular or pedestrian access built onto a road.
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Must not reduce the home's private open space below 25 square metres.
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Occupied only in connection with the main house — can't be sold or subdivided separately, and can't be used for short-term letting.
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Not available on a site that has already used the separate house-subdivision exemption (Class 1A), or vice versa.
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The principal house must be the owner's sole or main residence when work begins.
This exemption is time-bound — it applies only to work commenced and completed between 16 July 2026 and 31 December 2030, pending review.
We can offer a free opinion on whether your garden and plans genuinely qualify before you commit to building.
What We Do
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Feasibility check on your property and garden.
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Drawings prepared to council notification standards.
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Preparation and submission of the statutory 14-day notification, including your Eircode and stated reason for use.
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Ongoing support if the Local Authority raises a query.
You don't need to deal with the council — we take care of it.
How long does it take?
It takes us about 3 days to prepare your notification. Once submitted, the council has 14 days to raise any issue before you can begin work.
Who are we and what do we do?
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17+ years architectural experience.
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RIAI Registered Architects.
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Specialists in exempted development and planning notification.
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Based in Dublin, working with councils across Dublin.
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Professional indemnity insured.
How much does it cost?
This depends on the complexity of your site — contact us for a quick quote.
How to start?
Fill out the contact form with your property address, email address, name, and number, and we'll send you a quote within a few hours and your notification ready within a few days.
