Do you need a landlord licence in Birmingham?

Whether you need a licence to let a property in Birmingham depends on the type of property and exactly where it is. Birmingham (West Midlands), like every English council, must license larger HMOs, and it can also designate areas for additional or selective licensing. Here’s what each means, what happens if you get it wrong, and how to check Birmingham’s current rules.

Licensing in Birmingham as at 25 September 2026

Birmingham runs selective licensing (25 of Birmingham's 69 wards, from 5 June 2023 until 4 June 2028) and additional HMO licensing (city-wide, from 5 June 2023 until 4 June 2028), on top of mandatory HMO licensing.

Selective licensing

Area: 25 of Birmingham's 69 wards: Acocks Green, Alum Rock, Aston, Balsall Heath West, Birchfield, Bordesley Green, Bordesley & Highgate, Bournbrook & Selly Park, Edgbaston, Gravelly Hill, Handsworth, Heartlands, Holyhead, Ladywood, Lozells, North Edgbaston, Small Heath, Soho & Jewellery Quarter, South Yardley, Sparkbrook & Balsall Heath East, Sparkhill, Stockland Green, Tyseley & Hay Mills, Ward End, and Yardley West & Stechford

Scheme dates: From 5 June 2023 until 4 June 2028

Fee: £700 per licence (licences last up to 5 years)

Additional HMO licensing

Area: City-wide (all wards): HMOs with 3 or more people forming 2 or more households, plus section 257 converted blocks

Scheme dates: From 5 June 2023 until 4 June 2028

Fee: £755 per licence

Mandatory HMO licensing
Applies everywhere in Birmingham, as across England, to HMOs let to five or more people forming two or more households.

Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Designations and fees change. Confirm your exact address and the live fee with Birmingham before you apply.

The three types of licence

  • Mandatory HMO licence. Required across England for larger HMOs — typically a property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This applies in Birmingham regardless of any local scheme.
  • Additional HMO licence. Birmingham can extend HMO licensing to smaller HMOs in designated parts of its area.
  • Selective licence. Birmingham can require a licence for all privately rented homes — including ordinary single-family lets — within a designated area. Larger schemes need government approval, and they’re used in areas with specific housing or anti-social-behaviour concerns.

The penalties for renting unlicensed in Birmingham

Letting a property that needs a licence without one is a criminal offence. You risk an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent, and a possible banning order. (Those are the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026, when the Renters’ Rights Act raised them from £30,000 and 12 months.)

How to check Birmingham's current schemes

Designations change, so always confirm the live position. Search Birmingham’s website for “property licensing” or “landlord licensing”, check whether your postcode falls inside a designated area, and note the licence type, the boundaries and the scheme dates. If in doubt, contact Birmingham’s private-sector housing team before you let. The summary above was checked against Birmingham’s own licensing page on 25 September 2026.

Never miss a licensing deadline

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to rent out a property in Birmingham?

As at 25 September 2026, Birmingham runs selective licensing (25 of Birmingham's 69 wards, from 5 June 2023 until 4 June 2028) and additional HMO licensing (city-wide, from 5 June 2023 until 4 June 2028), on top of mandatory HMO licensing. If your property is in a selective licensing area, you need a licence for any privately rented home there — including an ordinary single let — unless it is exempt or licensed as an HMO. If you let an HMO that doesn't need a mandatory licence and falls within additional licensing (city-wide), it needs an additional HMO licence. A larger HMO (five or more people, two or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Birmingham. Check your exact address on Birmingham's licensing page before you let.

How much does a landlord licence cost in Birmingham?

Birmingham's published fees as at 25 September 2026: Selective licence: £700 per licence (licences last up to 5 years). Additional HMO licence: £755 per licence. Fees are set by the council and can change, so confirm the current figure before you apply.

What happens if I rent without a required licence in Birmingham?

Renting an unlicensed property that needs a licence is a criminal offence. You can face an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months' rent (the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026).

Check landlord licensing in other areas.