Is photographic evidence actually required by law?

Yes — this is current law, not something arriving with the Future Homes Standard.

Since Part L 2021 took effect (building-control registrations in England from 15 June 2022), Approved Document L Volume 1 Appendix B has required, for every new dwelling:

• Geotagged, per-plot photographs across six detail categories: foundations/substructure, external walls, roof, openings, airtightness details, and building services.
• One photograph of each detail, taken before the work is closed up — once a detail is covered, the moment to photograph it has gone.
• Traceable files: geo-location enabled so location, date and time can be confirmed, with filenames coded to plot and detail (Approved Document L's example format is 'P1/3b').
• A design-stage and an as-built BREL report, with the photographs going to the energy assessor and building control, and the signed BREL plus the photographic evidence handed to the dwelling owner at completion.

Approved Document L also states that anyone may take the photographs — in practice site teams take them, and responsibility sits with the developer.

Wales has an equivalent regime under Part L 2022 (registrations from 23 November 2022), feeding the Welsh BRWL report.

The 2026 edition of Approved Document L keeps all of this and adds to it — see what the 2026 edition adds. And the requirement has teeth at EPC time: see can my assessor withhold the EPC.

Verified against primary sources 13 July 2026.