Bristol · 2026 fees
Landlord licence fees Bristol 2026
Every fee below is Bristol City Council's own published figure, read from the page linked beside it and checked on 20 September 2026. This page sets out which licence a Bristol property needs, what each one costs, how the payment is split between application and grant, and which discounts come off.
| Scheme | Council | Fee | Term | Notes / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO (new) | Bristol City Council | £1,886Council’s figure | 5 yrs | Two payments, £1,121 with the application and £765 on grant. A landlord accredited under the West of England Rent with Confidence scheme takes £150 off, and another £150 comes back if the gas record, EICR and EPC reach the council before the licence is issued. Council page |
| Mandatory HMO (renewal) | Bristol City Council | £1,564Council’s figure | 5 yrs | Two payments, £929 with the application and £635 on grant. Council page |
| Additional HMO (citywide) | Bristol City Council | £1,861Council’s figure | 5 yrs | The citywide scheme has run since 6 August 2024, so a smaller HMO of three or more people in two or more households needs a licence too. Paid £1,023 on application and £838 on grant, with a renewal at £1,470. The older Bedminster, Brislington West and Horfield scheme, live since 6 April 2022, charges £1,300. Council page |
| Selective licensing | Bristol City Council | £912Council’s figure | 5 yrs | Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham and Easton, since 6 August 2024: £467 on application and £445 on grant. The Bedminster and Brislington West scheme, live since 6 April 2022, charges £799. Selective licensing covers ordinary lets, so a home let to one or two people or to one family needs a licence in these wards. Council page |
How to read these Bristol licence fees
Which fee applies depends on the type of licence a property needs. Three regimes operate across England, and the schedule above covers Mandatory HMO (new), Mandatory HMO (renewal), Additional HMO (citywide) and Selective licensing in Bristol:
- Mandatory HMO licence, required for any house in multiple occupation with five or more people forming two or more households, anywhere in England.
- Additional HMO licence, which a council can extend HMO licensing to smaller shared houses inside a designated area.
- Selective licence, covering most or all privately rented homes (not just HMOs) within a specific designated zone, set in five-yearly cycles.
Fees are set per council, usually run for a five-year term and are commonly charged per property, though some authorities add a per-room element for larger HMOs. Following the Hemming and Gaskin court rulings, many councils now split the cost into a Part A application charge and a Part B grant charge, so the headline figure can be payable in two stages. Early-application and accreditation discounts are widely available and can cut the total noticeably.
Because each authority sets and reviews its own schedule independently, two neighbouring councils can differ by hundreds of pounds for the same property. Budget from the specific council’s current fee page, linked in the table, rather than a city-wide average.
FAQs: landlord licence fees in Bristol
How much does a landlord licence cost in Bristol in 2026?
Bristol City Council publishes these fees: Mandatory HMO (new) £1,886, Mandatory HMO (renewal) £1,564, Additional HMO (citywide) £1,861, and 1 more in the table above. Each covers 5 years and came straight off the council page linked beside each row, checked on 20 September 2026. The table shows how a fee splits between the application and the grant, and which discounts come off. Most councils reprice on 1 April.
Are licence fees per property or per landlord?
Per property. If you own multiple let properties in designated areas, each one typically needs its own licence and fee. Some councils run portfolio discounts for accredited landlords.
What happens if I let without a licence?
Letting a property that requires a selective or HMO licence without one is a criminal offence. Civil penalties reach £40,000 for offences from 1 May 2026, and tenants can apply for a Rent Repayment Order of up to two years’ rent. Ignorance of the scheme is not a defence.
Do licence fees change year to year?
Yes. Most councils reprice on 1 April and a new scheme cycle can move the fee further. The amounts above are Bristol City Council's published figures as at 20 September 2026; the council link beside each row is always the live position.
Can I claim licence fees as a rental expense?
HMRC generally treats landlord licence fees as a deductible rental business expense for income tax where the licence is required to let the property. If the fee covers more than one tax year you may need to apportion it. Check with your accountant for your circumstances.
Related
Other cities
