South East · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Dover
✓ Hand-verified 18 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Dover 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.
| Each habitable room | £72 |
Dover, read 19 August 2026
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): the council HMO pages address only mandatory HMO licensing at the five-person, two-household, shared-amenities threshold. No selective designation appears on the council domain and no consultation or committee decision was found 2020-2026.
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): only mandatory HMO licensing is published on the council domain. Fee: "For a new licence: GBP 1,298 for up to eight habitable rooms plus GBP 72 for each habitable room above eight. For a licence renewal: GBP 995 for up to eight habitable rooms plus GBP 53 for each habitable room above eight." An older application page shows GBP 1,260 new and GBP 966 renewal; the hub figures are the current ones.
Common questions
Does Dover have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Dover 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 Dover have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Dover 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 Dover?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Dover, 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 East →
Source: Dover licensing page →
Every landlord in Dover 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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