Planning – Fees and How to Pay
How much does it cost to apply for planning permission?
Download the current fees schedule here
The Planning Portal’s Fee Calculator helps you work out the cost of an application and you can apply online there through their Financial Transaction Service or directly with us.
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If you choose to apply through us:
Paying online
The council’s secure online payment system is available 24 hours a day. You’ll be taken to a secure website, to enter your credit or debit card details. To make sure the payment goes smoothly, the system checks your account details before completing your payment.
Click here to pay for your planning application – IMPORTANT: your reference is the Planning Application Reference (e.g. P24/S1234/HH).
Please note your application can’t be processed until we receive payment.
You can pay using a debit or credit card for all types of application once they have been submitted and you’ve received a Planning Application Reference (e.g. P24/S1234/HH), by calling the Customer Services Team on 01235 422600.
Other payment methods
Cheque: Send your cheque for the appropriate fee made payable to South Oxfordshire District Council to the Planning Department – address at the foot of this page.
BACS: All BACS payments must be clearly labelled with a Planning Application Reference. Please email registration@southandvale.gov.uk confirming a transfer has been made. Failure to do so may result in a delay in validating your application as we will be unable to trace the payment.
Please ensure you pay the correct Council, as Vale and South have different bank accounts. Any payments to the wrong Council will not count towards your planning fee and we will have to refund you and ask you to pay again.
Account name: South Oxfordshire DC General A/C
Sort Code: 20-01-25
Account Number: 90079472
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Invalid planning applications
The council receives a high number of invalid planning applications, and this uses a significant amount of time and resources. Legislation requires that when a planning application is submitted to the local planning authority, it includes the necessary information to be considered valid.
The council will be introducing administration charges for the process of dealing with invalid applications from 1 October 2026. This change is designed to improve the quality of planning applications and increase the number that are valid on first submission. It will help the planning team focus on assessing applications rather than resolving validation issues.
From 1 October 2026, the admin fees will be:
| Application type | Charge |
| Householder related development, advertisement consent & Prior Notification applications | £35.00 |
| All other application types with a planning fee of less than £2,000 | £70.00 |
| All other application types with a planning fee of more than £2,000 | £150.00 |
If an application is found to be invalid, we will notify you of the issues that need to be corrected. If the required information is not provided within 28 days, the application will be returned as invalid and the fee refunded minus the applicable administration charge. A longer period may be agreed in writing by the named case officer in circumstances where there is a valid and reasonable justification.
To make sure your application is valid from the outset, please look at the council’s Local List of Validation Requirements before applying. If you need further advice, we offer a planning advice service – Pre-application planning advice – South Oxfordshire District Council
Applications that have been made valid and subsequently withdrawn will not be eligible for a fee refund.
