East Midlands · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Lincoln
✓ Hand-verified 18 Aug 2026Beyond mandatory HMO licensing, Lincoln 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.
Lincoln, read 19 August 2026
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): the council housing licensing portal presents only "Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation, Part 2 Housing Act 2004", stating "Government regulations came into force in October 2018 that require Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) with five or more tenants to be licensed by the council. That means if you have a property that has five or more occupants in two or more households sharing amenities, you need a licence even if your property is only one storey." No selective designation exists on the council domain.
Evidenced negative by enumeration (first-party research 18 Aug 2026): despite very high student HMO concentration, no s.56 additional designation is in force. Lincoln controls HMO growth through PLANNING instead: an Article 4 Direction in force 1 March 2016 - "Planning permission will therefore be required for change of use from Class C3 to C4 from 1st March 2016" - plus an HMO Supplementary Planning Document. Article 4 is not licensing. Fee: "Basic fee (up to 5 bedrooms) New application GBP 1470, Renewal application GBP 1270", with 10 to 30 percent uplifts for larger properties, split 60 percent on application and 40 percent on grant.
Common questions
Does Lincoln have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Lincoln 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 Lincoln have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Lincoln 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 Lincoln?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Lincoln, 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 East Midlands →
Source: Lincoln licensing page →
Every landlord in Lincoln 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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