Selective licensing in Birmingham
Yes. Birmingham operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Common questions
Do I need a selective licence in Birmingham?
Yes. Birmingham operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Which areas of Birmingham does the scheme cover?
25 of Birmingham's 69 wards: Acocks Green, Alum Rock, Aston, Balsall Heath West, Birchfield, Bordesley Green, Bordesley and Highgate, Bournbrook and Selly Park, Edgbaston, Gravelly Hill, Handsworth, Heartlands, Holyhead, Ladywood, Lozells, North Edgbaston, Small Heath, Soho and Jewellery Quarter, South Yardley, Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath, Sparkhill, Stockland Green, Tyseley and Hay Mills, Ward End, Yardley West and Stechford. NOT city-wide. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Birmingham's scheme end?
The designation runs until 4 June 2028, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£700 per property for up to five years. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Birmingham before budgeting.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| On application | £375 |
| On grant | £325 |
| Total | £700 |
- Discount for multiple properties
Birmingham — birmingham.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
What the designation says
Birmingham operates a selective licensing scheme covering 25 of the city's 69 wards. The designation came into force on 5 June 2023 and runs for five years. Within a designated ward every privately rented home needs a licence regardless of how many people occupy it, so an ordinary flat or a house let to a single household is caught as well as shared housing. Because only 25 of 69 wards are covered, the ward is decisive: the council publishes an address checker so a landlord can confirm whether a specific property falls inside the designation rather than assuming from the postcode. The fee is £700 per property. Letting an unlicensed property inside a designated ward is a criminal offence carrying a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or prosecution, and exposes the landlord to a rent repayment order. The £40,000 ceiling applies to offences committed on or after 1 May 2026; the £30,000 ceiling still applies to offences committed before that date.
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent. Both maxima apply to conduct on or after 1 May 2026; before that date they were £30,000 and twelve months. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and possession now runs through the amended section 8 grounds. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with Birmingham before letting.