Do I Need Planning Permission for a Carport in 2026? (UK)

For most 2026 UK homes a carport is permitted development under the outbuildings PD rule. The key tests: single-storey, under 2.5m to eaves within 2m of a boundary or under 3m elsewhere, footprint under 50% of curtilage, and not in front of the principal elevation (with one specific exception). Conservation areas and listed buildings always need full planning or listed building consent. A purpose-built carport attached to the front of a house counts as an extension rather than an outbuilding and follows the extension rules instead. This guide gives the full 2026 PD decision tree, what "principal elevation" really means, and the two structural choices that affect approval odds.