Statutory guidance

Access to and use of buildings: Approved Document M

Building regulation in England to ensure that people are able to access and use buildings and their facilities.

Documents

Approved Document M: access to and use of buildings, volume 1: dwellings

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Corrections to Approved Document M 2015 edition with 2016 amendments volume 1: dwellings

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Approved Document M: access to and use of buildings, volume 2: buildings other than dwellings

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Amendments to Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings Volume 2 – Buildings other than dwellings

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Frequently asked questions

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If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email alternativeformats@communities.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

Building regulations for access to and use of buildings in dwellings and buildings other than dwellings and provides a baseline for accessibility in the built environment.

Volume 1

The 2015 edition with 2016 amendments of ‘Approved Document M: access to and use of buildings Volume 1: dwellings’ only covers dwellings and contains updated guidance. In particular, it introduces 3 categories of dwellings:

  • category 1: visitable dwellings
  • category 2: accessible and adaptable dwellings
  • category 3: wheelchair user dwellings
  • categories 2 and 3 apply only where required by planning permission.

The 2015 edition with 2016 amendments took effect on 1 March 2016 for use in England.

Correction to previous edition: A correction document which lists the 2016 changes made to the previous edition of ‘Approved Document M: access to and use of buildings Volume 1: dwellings’ 2015 edition has also been published

Volume 2

This 2015 edition amendments of ‘Approved Document M: access to and use of buildings Volume 2: buildings other than dwellings’ only covers buildings other than dwellings.

The 2015 edition took effect on 1 October 2015 for use in England.

2020 amendment to previous edition: The guidance in paragraphs 5.6 an 5.7 has been amended to mandate for the provision of changing places toilets within appropriately sized, publicly accessible buildings. Clarification is also provided on how the capacities should be derived in these buildings.

These approved documents give guidance for compliance with the Building Regulations for building work carried out in England. It also applies to building work carried out on excepted energy buildings in Wales as defined in the Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) (No. 2) Order 2009.

Archived versions

Archived versions of Approved Document M are available at the National Archives

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Published 1 March 2015
Last updated 7 June 2021 + show all updates
  1. Added: Version of Approved Document M, volume 2 incorporating 2020 amendments.

  2. Added: Amendments to Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings Volume 2 – Buildings other than dwellings

  3. published correction document that lists the 2016 changes to the previous edition of Approved Document M: access to and use of buildings Volume 1: dwellings 2015 edition

  4. Publication of Approved Document M Volume 1 2015 edition with 2016 amendments.

  5. First published.