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.

• From: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (2018 to 2021) and Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
• Published: 1 March 2015
• Last updated: 1 October 2024 — See all updates

Documents

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

Ref: ISBN 978 1 85946 747 3

PDF, 1.66 MB

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

Ref: ISBN 978 1 85946 609 4

PDF, 1.4 MB, 74 pages

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May 2024 amendments to Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings Volume 2 – Buildings other than dwellings

PDF, 156 KB, 8 pages

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

PDF, 321 KB

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July 2020 amendments to Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings Volume 2 – Buildings other than dwellings

PDF, 100 KB, 4 pages

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Frequently asked questions

Ref: ISBN 978-1-4098-4808-0

PDF, 506 KB, 28 pages

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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

Order printed copies

Order printed copies from:

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0191 244 5557
Website: RIBA online bookshop

Published 1 March 2015
Last updated 1 October 2024 + show all updates

1. 1 October 2024

   Updated Approved Document M, Volume 2 incorporating 2024 amendments. Updated the May 2024 Approved Document M, Volume 2 Amendment Booklet following a minor correction.

2. 15 May 2024

   Added May 2024 amendments to Approved Document M: Access to and use of buildings Volume 2 – Buildings other than dwellings.

3. 7 June 2021

   Added: Version of Approved Document M, volume 2 incorporating 2020 amendments.

4. 19 July 2020

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

5. 9 March 2016

   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

6. 1 March 2016

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

7. 1 March 2015

   First published.