South West · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Cornwall
✓ Hand-verified 18 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Cornwall does not currently operate a selective or additional licensing scheme. Here's the current position.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
One payment.
Cornwall, read 19 August 2026
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): the council HMO page states "You will need a licence if your property has: Five or more people living there, forming two or more households, and They share facilities such as a bathroom, toilet or kitchen". Despite Cornwall's very high private rented and second-home stock, its HMO hub and Cornwall Responsible Landlord Scheme pages present only the mandatory five-person regime; no s.80 designation is published and no consultation was found 2020-2026.
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): mandatory five-person threshold presented as the only licensing trigger; no s.56 designation published. Fee: "From 1 April 2025 the cost of a HMO licence is GBP 1481.04... The licence processing fee of GBP 700.00... The administration and compliance fee of GBP 781.04." Renewal GBP 1110.77. Reductions of 5 percent for Cornwall Responsible Landlord Scheme members and 2.5 percent for recognised landlord associations.
Common questions
Does Cornwall have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Cornwall does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Does Cornwall have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Cornwall does not currently operate an additional HMO licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Do I need an HMO licence in Cornwall?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Cornwall, where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Smaller shared houses may also need a licence where an additional licensing scheme applies.
- Free landlord compliance check — five questions, no account
- Tenancy agreement checker — findings cited to the Act and section
All property licensing in South West →
Source: Cornwall licensing page →
Every landlord in Cornwall also needs
A valid Gas Safety certificate (annual), an EICR (every 5 years), a valid EPC, a protected deposit, smoke & CO alarms, the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet, and a current How to Rent guide — plus the new Section 8 possession rules since Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026.
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