Do you need a landlord licence in Brighton and Hove?

Whether you need a licence to let a property in Brighton and Hove depends on the type of property and exactly where it is. Brighton and Hove (South East), 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 Brighton and Hove’s current rules.

Licensing in Brighton and Hove as at 25 September 2026

Brighton and Hove runs selective licensing (Kemp Town, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queen's Park, and Whitehawk & Marina wards, from 2 September 2024 until 1 September 2029) and additional HMO licensing (city-wide, from 1 July 2024 until 30 June 2029), on top of mandatory HMO licensing.

Selective licensing

Area: Kemp Town, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queen's Park, and Whitehawk & Marina wards

Scheme dates: From 2 September 2024 until 1 September 2029

Fee: £740 (Part A £518 on application + Part B £222 once approved); £665 with one discount, £590 with two; £840 for a late application

Regency and Central Hove — comes into force 20 October 2026

Area: Regency and Central Hove wards

Scheme dates: From 20 October 2026 until 19 October 2031

Additional HMO licensing

Area: City-wide: HMOs of 2 or more storeys with 3 or 4 unrelated occupiers

Scheme dates: From 1 July 2024 until 30 June 2029

Fee: £883 for 3–4 occupiers on a single tenancy, or £1,127 on separate tenancies, paid in two parts (Part A on application, Part B once approved); £75 off per discount, up to two

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

Discounts (£75 each, up to two) are for accreditation or Propertymark agent membership, an EPC of C or above, or registered-charity status. Selective licensing also covers single-storey flats or bungalows with 3–4 unrelated occupiers, which the additional scheme does not.

Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Designations and fees change. Confirm your exact address and the live fee with Brighton and Hove 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 Brighton and Hove regardless of any local scheme.
  • Additional HMO licence. Brighton and Hove can extend HMO licensing to smaller HMOs in designated parts of its area.
  • Selective licence. Brighton and Hove 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 Brighton and Hove

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 Brighton and Hove's current schemes

Designations change, so always confirm the live position. Search Brighton and Hove’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 Brighton and Hove’s private-sector housing team before you let. The summary above was checked against Brighton and Hove’s own licensing page on 25 September 2026.

Never miss a licensing deadline

LandlordReady tracks the licences and certificates each of your properties needs and warns you before they lapse — so a renewal or a new Brighton and Hove scheme doesn’t catch you out.

Start with LandlordReady →

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to rent out a property in Brighton and Hove?

As at 25 September 2026, Brighton and Hove runs selective licensing (Kemp Town, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queen's Park, and Whitehawk & Marina wards, from 2 September 2024 until 1 September 2029) and additional HMO licensing (city-wide, from 1 July 2024 until 30 June 2029), 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 Brighton and Hove. A new designation — Regency and Central Hove — comes into force on 20 October 2026. Check your exact address on Brighton and Hove's licensing page before you let.

How much does a landlord licence cost in Brighton and Hove?

Brighton and Hove's published fees as at 25 September 2026: Selective licence: £740 (Part A £518 on application + Part B £222 once approved); £665 with one discount, £590 with two; £840 for a late application. Additional HMO licence: £883 for 3–4 occupiers on a single tenancy, or £1,127 on separate tenancies, paid in two parts (Part A on application, Part B once approved); £75 off per discount, up to two. 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 Brighton and Hove?

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.