North East · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in County Durham
✓ Hand-verified 19 Aug 2026County Durham operates discretionary property licensing. Letting an unlicensed property where a scheme applies risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000 and a rent repayment order — check whether your property is covered below.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
County Durham sets this fee under section 63(3) of the Housing Act 2004. Its current charge is not yet recorded here.
The council’s own licensing page carries the charge that applies today — confirm it there before you budget.
Not established is not the same as free.
County Durham operates a selective licensing scheme that has been in place since April 2022 and runs for five years, to March 2027. It covers 103 Lower Super Output Areas across four separate designations, taking in around 29,000 properties — roughly 42% of the county's private rented stock. Within a designated area every privately rented home needs a licence regardless of how many people occupy it. That has a particular consequence for shared housing: any house in multiple occupation inside a designated area needs a licence whatever its size, so the landlord of an HMO with fewer than five tenants needs a selective licence even though the property sits below the national mandatory threshold. Because the designations are drawn at Lower Super Output Area level rather than by ward, a landlord should check a specific address against the council's published map rather than assume from the town or postcode. The council is considering whether to continue the scheme beyond March 2027; a replacement would be smaller, covering an estimated 20,000 properties or about 27% of the county. Letting an unlicensed property inside a designated area is a criminal offence carrying a civil penalty of up to £30,000 or prosecution, and exposes the landlord to a rent repayment order.
Areas: 103 designated areas covering about 29,000 homes, roughly 42 per cent of the county private rented sector. Approved by the Secretary of State 30 November 2021
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part A | £165 |
| Part B | £270 |
| Total | £435 |
| Each property | £585 |
- £150 discount and £35 refund mechanism
County Durham — durham.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
Scheme runs until: 31 March 2027
No active additional HMO licensing scheme in Durham County Council. Only mandatory HMO licensing under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 and the 2018 Order applies — properties occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households who share basic amenities require a mandatory HMO licence. Smaller HMOs (3 or 4 occupants) do not require an HMO licence in Durham, although if they fall within the selective licensing designated area they will require a selective licence instead. The council has confirmed it is not currently planning to introduce an additional HMO licensing scheme. HMO concentration is managed through Article 4 Directions (planning controls) rather than additional licensing — these are in force in Durham City (Sept 2016), Framwellgate Moor/Newton Hall/Pity Me (May 2017), and Mount Oswald/Carrville/Belmont. A new countywide Article 4 Direction comes into force on 17 August 2026 covering the rest of the county not already designated.
Common questions
Does County Durham have a selective licensing scheme?
Yes. County Durham operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a property covered by it without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and the loss of the right to serve a section 21 notice.
Does County Durham have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. County Durham 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 County Durham?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including County Durham, 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
Selective licensing in County Durham: areas, dates and fees →
All property licensing in North East →
Source: County Durham licensing page →
Every landlord in County Durham 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.
Check your County Durham property in 30 seconds
Free, no account — see exactly what applies to your property, then let Landlord HQ track every deadline from £9.99/mo.