# Building Standards in Scotland: The Technical Handbook Scotland runs its own building code — the Technical Handbook — with a deeper stair going (225 mm) and lower handrail and guarding heights than England. Here's how it differs. - Canonical HTML: https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/ - Publisher: Chippy Tools - Language: en - Updated: 2026-09-13 [Browse all topics](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/topics/)[Free web tools](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/tools/)[Printable references](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/printables/) [All countries](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [United Kingdom](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/) Topics Stairs - [Scotland Stair Going & Pitch: 225 mm Going, 42° Max](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/stair-going-and-pitch/) - [UK Stair Rules (Approved Document K): Rise, Going, Guarding](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Roofing - [Minimum Roof Pitch in England: Choose the Roof System](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/roofing/minimum-roof-pitch/) Footings - [UK Foundation Depths & Footing Widths (Doc A)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Does the UK Have a Minimum Ceiling Height?](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/rooms/minimum-ceiling-heights/) Ramps - [UK Ramp Gradients (Approved Document M)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [Wet-Room Waterproofing in England: Part C and the Project Detail](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By nation - [England](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/england/) - [N. Ireland](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/n-ireland/) - [Scotland](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/) - [Wales](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/wales/) Calculation guides - [Concrete Calculations: The Complete On-Site Guide](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-calculations-guide/) - [How to Calculate Concrete Volume for a Slab](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-volume-slab/) - [How Many Bags of Concrete Per m³? (20kg, 25kg, 40kg)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/bags-of-concrete-per-m3/) - [Concrete for Post Holes: Volume Per Hole & Bags Needed](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-post-holes/) - [Concrete Mix Ratios Explained: 1:2:3, 1:2:4 & Water-Cement Ratio](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-mix-ratios/) - [Roof Pitch to Angle: Convert Rise/Run to Degrees & Grade](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/roof-pitch-to-angle/) - [Rafter Length Calculation: Run, Rise & Overhang](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/rafter-length/) - [Stair Rise & Run Setout: Riser, Going & the 2R+G Formula](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stair-rise-and-run-setout/) - [How to Convert a Fall or Gradient: Ratio, Percentage & Degrees](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/fall-and-gradient-conversion/) - [Stud & Joist Spacing Takeoff: How Many at 400, 450 & 600 mm Centres](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stud-and-joist-spacing-takeoff/) - [Gravel & Base Volume: Compacted Depth vs Loose-Fill Order Quantity](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/gravel-and-base-volume/) In this section [Browse all topics](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/topics/)[Free web tools](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/tools/)[Printable references](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/printables/) [All countries](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [United Kingdom](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/) Topics Stairs - [Scotland Stair Going & Pitch: 225 mm Going, 42° Max](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/stair-going-and-pitch/) - [UK Stair Rules (Approved Document K): Rise, Going, Guarding](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Roofing - [Minimum Roof Pitch in England: Choose the Roof System](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/roofing/minimum-roof-pitch/) Footings - [UK Foundation Depths & Footing Widths (Doc A)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/footings/footing-sizes-and-depth/) Room heights - [Does the UK Have a Minimum Ceiling Height?](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/rooms/minimum-ceiling-heights/) Ramps - [UK Ramp Gradients (Approved Document M)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/ramps/ramp-gradients/) Wet areas - [Wet-Room Waterproofing in England: Part C and the Project Detail](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/wet-areas/waterproofing-requirements/) By nation - [England](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/england/) - [N. Ireland](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/n-ireland/) - [Scotland](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/) - [Wales](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/wales/) Calculation guides - [Concrete Calculations: The Complete On-Site Guide](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-calculations-guide/) - [How to Calculate Concrete Volume for a Slab](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-volume-slab/) - [How Many Bags of Concrete Per m³? (20kg, 25kg, 40kg)](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/bags-of-concrete-per-m3/) - [Concrete for Post Holes: Volume Per Hole & Bags Needed](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-post-holes/) - [Concrete Mix Ratios Explained: 1:2:3, 1:2:4 & Water-Cement Ratio](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/concrete-mix-ratios/) - [Roof Pitch to Angle: Convert Rise/Run to Degrees & Grade](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/roof-pitch-to-angle/) - [Rafter Length Calculation: Run, Rise & Overhang](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/rafter-length/) - [Stair Rise & Run Setout: Riser, Going & the 2R+G Formula](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stair-rise-and-run-setout/) - [How to Convert a Fall or Gradient: Ratio, Percentage & Degrees](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/fall-and-gradient-conversion/) - [Stud & Joist Spacing Takeoff: How Many at 400, 450 & 600 mm Centres](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/stud-and-joist-spacing-takeoff/) - [Gravel & Base Volume: Compacted Depth vs Loose-Fill Order Quantity](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/concrete/gravel-and-base-volume/) [Building Codes](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/) [United Kingdom](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/) Scotland # Building Standards in Scotland: The Technical Handbook Scotland runs its own building code — the Technical Handbook — with a deeper stair going (225 mm) and lower handrail and guarding heights than England. Here's how it differs. Scotland doesn’t use England’s Approved Document K. It has its own code — the **Building Standards Technical Handbook (Domestic)**, currently the **April 2026 edition** — backing the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004. Section 4 “Safety” covers stairs, ramps and barriers. For a private house stair, most numbers match England, but a few are tighter or lower: | Figure | Scotland | England | |-----------------------------------|-----------------|-------------| | Min going | **225 mm** | 220 mm | | Handrail height | **840–1000 mm** | 900–1000 mm | | Guarding on a stair within a home | **840 mm** | 900 mm | Max rise (220 mm), max pitch (42°), headroom (2 m), the 600 mm guarding trigger and the 100 mm gap all match England. Use the full [Scottish stair guide](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/stair-going-and-pitch/) and the current Technical Handbook. Width, landings and the scope of each stair type need a check too. Do not turn an English design into a Scottish one by swapping three numbers. ## Adoption status Adopted Current code in force Technical Handbook - Domestic (April 2026) Next edition — Adoption / transition Scotland has its own code, the Building Standards Technical Handbook (Domestic). It matches England on rise, pitch and headroom but requires a deeper going (225 mm) and allows lower handrails and in-dwelling stair guarding (840 mm). [Official source →](https://www.gov.scot/publications/building-standards-technical-handbook-domestic-april-2026-pdf/) Last verified 2026-07-28 ## State variations - Approved Document K Scotland's Technical Handbook requires a deeper going (225 mm) and allows lower handrails and in-dwelling stair guarding (840 mm) than England's Doc K. [Source →](https://www.gov.scot/publications/building-standards-technical-handbook-domestic-april-2026-pdf/) Related: [UK Stair Rules (Approved Document K): Rise, Going, Guarding](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/stairs/stair-and-barrier-requirements/) Verified 2026-07-28 ## Guides for this jurisdiction - [Scotland Stair Going & Pitch: 225 mm Going, 42° Max](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/stair-going-and-pitch/) Scotland's private stair numbers — 225 mm least going, 100–220 mm rise, 42° top pitch, 900 mm width, 840 mm handrail — and how they differ from England's Doc K. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. This page is general information for tradespeople and is not compliance, engineering or legal advice. Requirements are subject to state and territory variations and adoption timing. Always confirm requirements with your building certifier and relevant state authority. ## Page directory - [Scotland Stair Going & Pitch: 225 mm Going, 42° Max](https://www.chippy.tools/building-codes/uk/scotland/stair-going-and-pitch/index.md): Scotland's private stair numbers — 225 mm least going, 100–220 mm rise, 42° top pitch, 900 mm width, 840 mm handrail — and how they differ from England's Doc K.