UK landlord licence fees by city · 2026

It depends on the property and where it is. Three schemes exist in England: mandatory HMO licensing (any HMO with five or more people in two or more households), additional HMO licensing (smaller HMOs in a designated area), and selective licensing (any private rented home in a designated area, whatever its type). Because selective and additional schemes are set street by street by each council, the only reliable check is your local authority: open the city page above, then confirm on the council’s own licensing pages.

There is no national fee, and the spread is wider than most landlords expect: a mandatory HMO licence for the same house costs £488 from Luton Borough Council and £1,886 from Bristol City Council. A selective licence runs £488 in Luton to £1,290 in Leicester. Most councils split the fee into an application stage, which you do not get back, and a grant stage paid when the licence is issued, and many take £50 to £250 off for an accredited landlord or a good EPC. Every figure on this site was read off the council's own fee page; open the city page for yours.

Most licences run for up to five years, though some councils issue shorter terms, particularly for new selective schemes or where there are compliance concerns. The exact term is on your licence and on the council’s scheme page.

Letting a property that needs a licence without one is a criminal offence. The council can prosecute (an unlimited fine on conviction) or issue a civil penalty of up to £40,000 for offences from 1 May 2026, and the tenant or council can apply for a Rent Repayment Order of up to two years’ rent. If you realise you should be licensed, apply immediately: having a valid application in is a defence to the licensing offence from the date it was made.

No. Local council licensing is separate from the national Private Rented Sector Database being introduced under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025. Depending on your property and area you may eventually need both, so treat them as two different obligations rather than one replacing the other.

Always through the local council for the property’s address, on its own licensing pages. Each city page above links directly to the relevant council schemes so you can check whether a designation covers your street and see the current fee.