Liverpool has one discretionary licensing scheme on our record: selective licensing (in force). A new scheme is being consulted on or awaiting a decision. Mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere in England to HMOs with 5 or more people in 2 or more households.
Selective: yesAdditional HMO: none foundMandatory HMO: alwaysChecked 28 Sep 2026
| Area covered | Listed wards only |
|---|---|
| Runs | 1 Apr 2022 to 31 Mar 2027 |
| Fee | £704 (Part A £232 + Part B £472) full property licence |
| Discounts | new rental £486; EPC C+ £422; multi-flat; landlord membership £449; homelessness-duty landlords no fee |
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: designated wards list not captured
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
| Area covered | Area not confirmed |
|---|---|
| Consultation | 27 Jul 2026 to 5 Oct 2026 |
| Proposed fee | Not published on the council page proposed £453-£995 |
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: open date from council consultation list (27 Jul 2026) - list layout ambiguous
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
| Date | What | Scheme | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Oct 2026 in 7 days | consultation close | Selective licensing | council |
| 31 Mar 2027 estimated (start + 5 years) in 184 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 Liverpool. 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 5 HMO Article 4 areas for Liverpool. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1-3 Croxteth Road, L8 3SE | 18 Jun 2021 | view |
| 18A Florida Court, Liverpool, L19 9EF | 23 Apr 2019 | view |
| Land at the end of, Florida Court, Liverpool, L19 9EF | 7 Dec 2015 | view |
| The Dales | 19 Jul 2018 | view |
| The Liverpool (Anfield, Central, Greenbank, Kensington and Fairfield, Picton, Princess Park, Riverside, Tuebrook and Stoneycroft and Wavertr | 10 Apr 2021 | 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 Liverpool. 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 | 41 (20 in the last 3 years) |
|---|---|
| Orders made | 30 (90.9% of decisions with a known outcome) |
| Median award | £3,569 (last 3 years: £3,124) |
| Total awarded | £157,175 |
| Civil penalty appeals | 9 |
| Penalty upheld (in full or reduced) | 100% · confirmed in full 0% |
| Median penalty: council's notice / after tribunal | £3,250 / £3,010 |
| Other Housing Act appeals (licence terms, notices, orders) | 8 |
| Decided | Area | Property | Offence alleged | Outcome | Amount | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Aug 2026 | L15 | Flat | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Order made | £1,510 | GOV.UK |
| 13 Apr 2026 | — | HMO | unlicensed HMO; unlicensed (selective licensing) | Refused | — | GOV.UK |
| 24 Feb 2026 | L6 | HMO | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Order made | £1,284 | GOV.UK |
| 19 Feb 2026 | L1 | House / not stated | unlicensed (selective licensing) | See decision | — | GOV.UK |
| 6 Feb 2026 | L15 | HMO | not extracted | Order made | £227 | GOV.UK |
| Decided | Area | Offence | Outcome | Council's penalty | After tribunal | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Nov 2025 | L6 | not extracted | Penalty varied | £6,750 | £1,500 | GOV.UK |
| 1 Apr 2021 | L1 | unlicensed (selective licensing) | See decision | £3,251 | £3,825 | GOV.UK |
| 19 Mar 2021 | L4 | unlicensed (selective licensing) | See decision | — | — | GOV.UK |
| 10 Sept 2020 | L9 | breach of licence conditions | Penalty varied | — | £3,094 | GOV.UK |
| 25 Feb 2020 | L24 | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Penalty varied | £2,531 | £1,800 | GOV.UK |
| 14 May 2019 | L4 | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Penalty varied | — | £7,575 | GOV.UK |
| 3 Apr 2019 | L15 | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Penalty varied | £3,250 | £2,925 | GOV.UK |
| 3 Apr 2019 | L15 | unlicensed (selective licensing) | Penalty varied | £3,250 | £2,925 | 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.
Liverpool is in the North West region of the new Private Rented Sector Database. Registration opens 15 May 2027 and the deadline to register is 14 Aug 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. 2022 scheme: in force until 31 Mar 2027 (part of the area). Check the council's map or address checker to confirm your street.
Selective licensing: £704 (full property licence). Fees for mandatory HMO licences are set by the council and published on its fees page.
Official planning data lists 5 HMO Article 4 areas for Liverpool. Inside these areas, turning a family house (use class C3) into a small HMO (C4) needs planning permission.
The First-tier Tribunal has published 41 rent repayment order decisions for properties in Liverpool (30 with an order made), median award £3,569, and 9 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.