Bristol, City of has 4 discretionary licensing schemes on our record: additional HMO licensing (in force), selective licensing (in force). Mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere in England to HMOs with 5 or more people in 2 or more households.
Selective: yesAdditional HMO: yesMandatory HMO: alwaysChecked 28 Sep 2026
| Area covered | Listed wards only (3 wards) |
|---|---|
| Runs | 6 Apr 2022 to 5 Apr 2027 |
| Fee | £1,000 new licence (council map layer attribute) |
Bedminster · Brislington West · Horfield
Ward or street lists can split a road. Use the council's own address checker or designation map before relying on this list.
Note from our check: overlaps citywide 2024 scheme
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
| Area covered | Whole council area |
|---|---|
| Runs | 6 Aug 2024 to 5 Aug 2029 |
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
| Area covered | Listed wards only (2 wards) |
|---|---|
| Runs | 6 Apr 2022 to 5 Apr 2027 |
| Fee | £499 new licence (council map layer attribute) |
Bedminster · Brislington West
Ward or street lists can split a road. Use the council's own address checker or designation map before relying on this list.
Council licensing page Council address checker
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
| Area covered | Listed wards only (3 wards) |
|---|---|
| Runs | 6 Aug 2024 to 5 Aug 2029 |
Bishopston & Ashley Down · Cotham · Easton
Ward or street lists can split a road. Use the council's own address checker or designation map before relying on this list.
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
| Date | What | Scheme | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2027 in 95 days | Article 4 (HMO) direction takes effect: Frome Vale | Frome Vale, Hillfields | Effective 01/01/2027 | Article 4 (HMO) | council |
| 1 Jan 2027 in 95 days | Article 4 (HMO) direction takes effect: Pur Down | Lockleaze, Eastville, Frome Vale | Effective 01/01/2027 | Article 4 (HMO) | council |
| 1 Jan 2027 in 95 days | Article 4 (HMO) direction takes effect: Southmead | Southmead, Horfield | Effective 01/01/2027 | Article 4 (HMO) | council |
| 1 Jan 2027 in 95 days | Article 4 (HMO) direction takes effect: St Anne's and Brislington | Knowle, Brislington East, Brislington West | Effecti | Article 4 (HMO) | council |
| 1 Jan 2027 in 95 days | Article 4 (HMO) direction takes effect: St George's | St Georges West, Easton, Eastville | Effective 01/01/2027 | Article 4 (HMO) | council |
| 1 Jan 2027 in 95 days | Article 4 (HMO) direction takes effect: Westbury Park | Westbury-On-Trym and Henleaze | Effective 01/01/2027 | Article 4 (HMO) | council |
| 5 Apr 2027 in 189 days | scheme end | Selective licensing | council |
| 5 Apr 2027 in 189 days | scheme end | Additional HMO licensing | council |
| 5 Aug 2029 in 1042 days | scheme end | Additional HMO licensing | council |
| 5 Aug 2029 estimated (start + 5 years) in 1042 days | scheme end | Selective licensing | council |
Want a reminder before a deadline? Use the form at the bottom of this page and pick "Email me before my deadlines".
Whatever the local schemes, a licence is required for any house in multiple occupation let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This rule is national and has applied since 1 October 2018. Letting without a required licence is a criminal offence under section 72 of the Housing Act 2004. Read do I need an HMO licence? and how to apply.
We did not find an online public register for Bristol, City of. Every council must keep one (Housing Act 2004, s.232) and make it available for inspection; ask the council's private sector housing team.
Official planning data lists 20 HMO Article 4 areas for Bristol, City of. Inside these areas, turning a family house (use class C3) into a small HMO (C4) needs planning permission.
| HMO Article 4 area | In effect from | Document |
|---|---|---|
| Article 4 Avonmouth Village | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Article 4 Avonmouth Village | Avonmouth Village | Effective 29/06/2020 | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Article 4 East | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Article 4 East | East Bristol | Effective 29/06/2020 | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Article 4 North | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Article 4 North | North Bristol | Effective 29/06/2020 | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Article 4 South | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Article 4 South | South Bristol | Effective 29/06/2020 | 29 Jun 2020 | view |
| Ashley Ward, Cabot Ward, Clifton East Ward, Cotham Ward and Lawrence Hill Ward (1999 ward boundary) | 11 Dec 2011 | view |
| Ashley Ward, Cabot Ward, Clifton East Ward, Cotham Ward and Lawrence Hill Ward (1999 ward boundary) | Central | Effective 11/12/2011 | 11 Dec 2011 | view |
| Clifton Ward (1999 ward boundary) | 21 Oct 2012 | view |
| Clifton Ward (1999 ward boundary) | Clifton | Effective 21/10/2012 | 21 Oct 2012 | view |
| Frome Vale | Frome Vale, Hillfields | Effective 01/01/2027 | 1 Jan 2027 | view |
| Pur Down | Lockleaze, Eastville, Frome Vale | Effective 01/01/2027 | 1 Jan 2027 | view |
| Redland Ward (1999 ward boundary) | 21 Oct 2012 | view |
Licensing and planning are separate. A licence does not give planning permission, and planning permission does not replace a licence. See Article 4 and HMOs.
Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Bristol, City of. They show how tenants and the council use enforcement here. Most civil penalties are paid without appeal, so they never reach the tribunal.
| Rent repayment order decisions | 34 (21 in the last 3 years) |
|---|---|
| Orders made | 24 (88.9% of decisions with a known outcome) |
| Median award | £1,809 (last 3 years: £2,294) |
| Total awarded | £84,429 |
| Civil penalty appeals | 2 |
| Penalty upheld (in full or reduced) | 50% · confirmed in full 0% |
| Median penalty: council's notice / after tribunal | £12,086 / £7,524 |
| Other Housing Act appeals (licence terms, notices, orders) | 8 |
| Decided | Area | Property | Offence alleged | Outcome | Amount | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Aug 2026 | BS16 | HMO | unlicensed HMO | Order made | £1,750 | GOV.UK |
| 20 Jul 2026 | BS5 | HMO | unlicensed HMO; unlawful eviction / harassment | Order made | £432 | GOV.UK |
| 10 Jul 2026 | BS4 | HMO | unlicensed HMO; unlawful eviction / harassment | Order made | £855 | GOV.UK |
| 17 Jun 2026 | R0 | HMO | unlicensed HMO | Refused | — | GOV.UK |
| 22 May 2026 | BS10 | HMO | unlicensed HMO; unlawful eviction / harassment | Order made | £3,780 | GOV.UK |
Amounts and outcomes are extracted automatically from the decision text and can be wrong; open the decision on GOV.UK for the full reasons. Party names are not shown. Information, not legal advice.
If you have let without a licence you needed, read unlicensed property: what to do, rent repayment orders and civil penalties.
Bristol, City of is in the South West region of the new Private Rented Sector Database. Registration opens 15 Aug 2027 and the deadline to register is 14 Nov 2027. The published fee is £65 per property per year. Database registration is separate from council licensing: you may need both. See register your rental property.
We can prepare a licence application for you for a fixed fee; the council's own fee is separate. See pricing for what is included and how we make money. You can also run a full address check on the postcode checker.
Yes. Bedminster & Brislington West 2022: in force until 5 Apr 2027 (part of the area); Bishopston & Ashley Down, Cotham, Easton 2024: in force until 5 Aug 2029 (part of the area). Check the council's map or address checker to confirm your street.
Additional HMO licensing: £1,000 (new licence (council map layer attribute)); Selective licensing: £499 (new licence (council map layer attribute)). Fees for mandatory HMO licences are set by the council and published on its fees page.
Official planning data lists 20 HMO Article 4 areas for Bristol, City of. Inside these areas, turning a family house (use class C3) into a small HMO (C4) needs planning permission.
The First-tier Tribunal has published 34 rent repayment order decisions for properties in Bristol, City of (24 with an order made), median award £1,809, and 2 civil penalty appeals. Most penalties are never appealed, so the true number of fines is higher.
Related: selective licensing in England · additional HMO licensing · HMO licence cost · HMO rules · HMO hub
Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Information, not legal advice. Licensing schemes change often; always confirm with the council before you act.