Do you need a landlord licence in Liverpool?

Whether you need a licence to let a property in Liverpool depends on the type of property and exactly where it is. Liverpool (North West), 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 Liverpool’s current rules.

Licensing in Liverpool as at 25 September 2026

Liverpool runs selective licensing (designated wards covering about 80% of Liverpool's privately rented homes, since 1 April 2022), on top of mandatory HMO licensing.

Selective licensing

Area: Designated wards covering about 80% of Liverpool's privately rented homes — use the council's postcode checker for your address

Scheme dates: Since 1 April 2022

Fee: £704 (£232.32 initial + £471.68 final). £486 “new rental property” fee (£233.28 + £252.72) if the property is new to the rental market and you apply before letting or within 14 days, with further reductions for EPC C or above, whole-block ownership and membership of approved landlord bodies

Additional HMO licensing
No additional HMO licensing scheme in force in Liverpool.
Mandatory HMO licensing
Applies everywhere in Liverpool, as across England, to HMOs let to five or more people forming two or more households.

The council says the current scheme is due to end in March 2027. It is consulting until 5 October 2026 on a new 2027–2032 designation (city-wide or targeted options) and says no decision has yet been made. Liverpool has no additional HMO scheme: HMO licensing is the mandatory scheme for five or more people.

Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

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

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 Liverpool's current schemes

Designations change, so always confirm the live position. Search Liverpool’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 Liverpool’s private-sector housing team before you let. The summary above was checked against Liverpool’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 Liverpool scheme doesn’t catch you out.

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Frequently asked questions

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

As at 25 September 2026, Liverpool runs selective licensing (designated wards covering about 80% of Liverpool's privately rented homes, since 1 April 2022), 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. A larger HMO (five or more people, two or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Liverpool. Check your exact address on Liverpool's licensing page before you let.

How much does a landlord licence cost in Liverpool?

Liverpool's published fees as at 25 September 2026: Selective licence: £704 (£232.32 initial + £471.68 final). £486 “new rental property” fee (£233.28 + £252.72) if the property is new to the rental market and you apply before letting or within 14 days, with further reductions for EPC C or above, whole-block ownership and membership of approved landlord bodies. 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 Liverpool?

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.