HMO licence fees 2026: what every council charges
Short answer: a first mandatory HMO licence for a 5-bedroom, 5-person HMO costs a median of £1,443 across the 64 councils where we confirmed the fee — from £850 in North East Lincolnshire to £2,750 in Lambeth. London councils' median is £1,633, against £1,075 elsewhere.
71 councils · fees checked on each council's own website on 14 October 2026 · Download the data (CSV)
Key findings
Mandatory HMO
£1,443
median across 64 councils · 5-bedroom HMO, 5 occupants
Range £850 – £2,750
Additional HMO
£1,406
median across 38 councils · 4-bedroom HMO, 4 occupants
Range £755 – £2,347
43 of 71 councils run an additional hmo scheme
Selective
£853
median across 41 councils · a house let to one household
Range £585 – £1,290
43 of 71 councils run a selective scheme
Most expensive mandatory HMO licences
- London Borough of Lambeth — £2,750
- London Borough of Bromley — £2,648
- Royal Borough of Greenwich — £2,639
- Arun District Council — £2,387
- London Borough of Redbridge — £2,186
Cheapest mandatory HMO licences
- North East Lincolnshire Council — £850
- Oxford City Council — £858 (1-year licence)
- Woking Borough Council — £880 (3-year licence)
- Preston City Council — £882
- Bolton Council — £894
Licence fees by council
First licence, standard fee, online application, no discounts. Select a fee to open the council's own page; select a council for our full licensing guide. No scheme means the council doesn't run that type of licensing; Not confirmed means it does, but we couldn't confirm the current fee on an official source.
How we compared the fees
- Every figure comes from the council's own website or published fee schedule — never from letting agents or other summaries — and links back to it.
- Councils price licences differently: some charge a flat fee, others per room or per occupant, and many split the fee into two parts. To compare like with like, we priced one example per scheme: mandatory HMO — 5-bedroom HMO, 5 occupants; additional HMO — 4-bedroom HMO, 4 occupants; selective — a house let to one household.
- Each figure is for a first (new) licence at the standard fee, applying online where there's a choice, with both parts of any two-part fee added together and no early-bird, accreditation or renewal discounts.
- Most licences last five years, but some councils grant a first licence for one or three years. Where a council's licence isn't five years, the table says so — a cheaper fee for a shorter licence isn't always the better deal.
- Additional and selective fees are shown only where a scheme is in force (or starts on a confirmed date before 2027). Many cover only some wards — check the council page for your street.
- Fees were checked on 14 October 2026. Councils usually change fees each April, so always confirm with your council before you apply.
HMO licence fees: common questions
How much is an HMO licence?
It depends on the council. Across the 64 councils where we confirmed the fee, a first mandatory HMO licence for a 5-bedroom, 5-person HMO costs a median of £1,443, from £850 in North East Lincolnshire to £2,750 in Lambeth. A licence usually lasts up to five years, so check whether your council charges per room or per occupant, and whether it offers discounts for early or accredited applications.
Why do some councils charge the HMO licence fee in two parts?
Because of court rulings on licence fees — notably Hemming v Westminster in the Supreme Court in 2017 — councils generally can't ask for the cost of running and enforcing a licensing scheme at the point you apply. Many therefore split the fee: a first part for processing the application, and a second part, payable once the licence is granted, for running and enforcing the scheme. The totals on this page include both parts.
What's the difference between mandatory, additional and selective licensing?
Mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere in England to HMOs with 5 or more people from 2 or more households. Additional licensing is a local scheme that extends licensing to smaller HMOs, usually 3 or 4 people. Selective licensing is a local scheme covering ordinary single-household lets in chosen areas. One property only ever needs one of these licences.
What happens if I let an HMO without a licence?
Councils can issue a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence (raised from £30,000 on 1 May 2026 by the Renters' Rights Act 2025), or prosecute. Tenants can also apply for a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
How long does an HMO licence last?
Usually up to five years. Councils can grant a shorter licence where they have concerns about the property or how it's managed. Check your council's fee schedule for what the fee covers.
Can I use these figures in an article?
Yes. You're welcome to quote the figures or download the full dataset as a CSV — please link to this page as the source. Each fee also links to the council's own page so you can check it.
Not sure your property needs a licence? Try our HMO checker, read the HMO licensing crash course, or browse HMO licence guides by council. Licence fees are usually an allowable expense against your rental income.
General information, not legal advice. Fees can change at any time; your council's published fee is the one that applies.