Internal vs external shop shutters

5 minute read. Last updated November 2026.

What is the difference between internal and external shop shutters?

An internal shutter sits behind the glass, and an external shutter sits in front of it. That one fact decides most of the rest: what each protects, what the street sees and what the planners think.

Do internal shutters need planning permission?

Usually not in an unlisted building, because a shutter behind the glass does not normally change the outside of the building. Planning law looks at whether works materially affect the external appearance, and councils read that in slightly different ways:

• Croydon says planning permission is not required for glazing and internal shutters within a shopfront.
• Leeds says internal open mesh grilles will not need planning permission in unlisted buildings.
• Conwy says internal grilles do not normally require planning permission.
• Newport says internal shutters may need permission if they have a material effect on the external appearance, so it advises checking first.

A solid internal curtain seen through the glass can look very like an external one from the street, so an open grille is the safer choice with planners. Listed buildings are different, because listing covers the interior as well. Newport expects internal measures to need consent, and Dumfries and Galloway makes no distinction between internal and external roller shutters. See our conservation and listed guide.

How much do internal shutters cost?

An internal shutter has a guide price of £1,395 to £3,495 plus VAT. An external solid electric shutter has a guide price of £1,450 to £1,995 plus VAT up to 3 m, rising to £2,895 to £3,995 plus VAT at 5 to 6 m.

On purchase price alone the two are close. The real difference is what you may need to spend alongside each one:

• With an internal shutter, laminated security glass has a guide price of £195 to £495 per m² plus VAT, supplied and fitted.
• With an external shutter, a box behind the fascia has a guide price of £295 to £695 plus VAT, and you may face a planning application.

What does an internal shutter not protect?

An internal shutter does not protect the glass, so a broken pane remains a cost to you. One replacement pane has a guide price of £295 to £1,495 plus VAT, and repeat vandalism adds up quickly.

Conwy's guidance treats laminated or toughened glass as the first solution to consider, and it says strengthened glass does not need planning permission. Laminated glass stays in place when it is struck, so the opening stays closed while the internal shutter holds the line behind it.

The door needs thought as well. If the shutter stops behind the door line, the entrance is still protected only by the door itself. Ask where the shutter finishes and how the entrance is secured. Check with your insurer too, because a policy written around an external shutter may not accept an internal one without being told.

What does an internal shutter look like from the street?

An open grille reads as a mesh behind the glass, and a solid curtain reads as a blank panel behind it. That is why planners tend to favour the open type, and why Leeds and Aberdeen both refer to grilles and not curtains in their internal advice.

The box, guides and motor are also on view from inside, so they need thought in a shop with a high-end fit-out. A box can often sit behind a bulkhead or a pelmet where the ceiling allows, so ask at survey. During trading hours the shutter is rolled away, and the shop looks as it did before.

Will an internal shutter fit my shop?

An internal shutter fits most shops with enough head height and a clear line behind the glass. We check these points at survey, and you can check most of them yourself first:

• Head space. The box or barrel sits above the opening, so measure from the ceiling to the top of the glass.
• Ceiling. A suspended ceiling, a beam, lights or a sprinkler pipe may be in the way.
• Depth. Allow room between the glass and the shutter to clean the inside of the window.
• Door swing. An inward-opening door must clear the shutter line, or the shutter must stop short of it.
• Display. Shelving and window beds must sit behind the shutter line, or be cut back.
• Heating and sockets. Radiators, trunking and sockets on the side walls can block the guides.

Escape routes come first. A shutter must not stop people leaving. Article 14 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which applies in England and Wales, says emergency doors must not be locked or fastened so that they cannot be easily and immediately opened. Scotland and Northern Ireland have matching rules in their own fire safety regulations. If a shutter crosses an escape route, it has to be open while people are inside, or have a suitable override. Check this against your fire risk assessment.

Which should I choose for my shop?

Start from the constraint that cannot be moved, which is usually the building or the street.

Tell us the address and we can look at both on a free survey for new work. Start at the quote tool or contact us.

Common questions

Related services

• Internal shutters
• Electric roller shutters
• Roller grilles
• Security glass

Sources

• Croydon Council: shop front security addendum
• Leeds City Council: shop front security design aid
• Conwy County Borough Council: LDP3 shop front security
• Newport City Council: security measures for shopfronts and commercial premises
• Dumfries and Galloway Council: shopfronts and security planning guidance
• Aberdeen City Council: supplementary guidance, shops and signs
• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, article 14
• Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, regulation 13
• Fire Safety Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010, regulation 13
• Town and Country Planning Act 1990, section 55

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