Merseyside · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Wirral
✓ Hand-verified 25 Aug 2026Wirral 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.
Wirral 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.
Wirral Council operates two active Selective Licensing Schemes covering 10+ designated areas across Birkenhead and Wallasey. The 2020-25 SCHEME (1 October 2020 to 30 September 2025) has now ENDED and been replaced. The 2024-29 SCHEME runs from 1 October 2024 until 31 March 2029, covering parts of Birkenhead and Wallasey including renewals of the Bidstone & St James West and Birkenhead West areas plus new areas in Egremont North and Seacombe St Paul's. The 2025-30 SCHEME was approved by Wirral Council's Economy, Regeneration and Housing Committee on 17 June 2025 (designation made 24 June 2025) and came into force on 1 October 2025, running until 30 September 2030. Licences for the 2025 scheme were available to purchase from 16 September 2025. The 2025-30 scheme designates SIX new areas, namely parts of Birkenhead and Wallasey at Lower Super Output Area level: Area 1 Birkenhead Central (LSOA E01007128) covering streets including Beckwith Street East, Borough Road, Brookland Road, Cardigan Avenue, Carlisle Mews, Circular Road and many others; plus five further LSOA-defined areas across Birkenhead and Wallasey. A selective licence is required for any privately rented property situated within the designated LSOAs at any time during the designation period — including smaller HMOs (3-4 occupants) that fall outside mandatory licensing. The selective licence fee for the 2025-30 scheme was approved at £605 per property by the June 2025 committee decision. A £50 accreditation discount is available for landlords accredited with Wirral Council Property Accreditation, NRLA, the Guild of Residential Landlords, ARLA Fellow or other approved schemes. Paper applications attract an additional £100 administration fee. Operating an unlicensed selective property exposes the landlord to prosecution under section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004 with an unlimited fine, or to a civil penalty of up to £30,000 under section 249A, plus Rent Repayment Orders of up to 12 months rent under sections 96-97.
Areas: Multiple areas including Birkenhead South, Egerton North, Egremont South, Egremont Promenade South, Seacombe Library, Tranmere Lairds (2020-25 scheme), Bidston and St James West, Birkenhead West, Egremont North, Seacombe St Paul's (2024-29 scheme), and areas covered by 2025-2030 scheme
One payment.
- Discounts (Scheme 5): £100 accredited, £100 within 3 months of commencement or purchase, £25 multi-property, £150 EPC C+, 50 per cent in the last six months of a designation; instalments, paper or assisted application £100 each
Wirral, read 25 August 2026
Scheme runs until: 31 March 2029
Wirral Council does not currently operate any additional HMO licensing scheme. Only the national mandatory HMO licensing scheme applies to HMOs in the borough — properties occupied by 5 or more persons in 2 or more households who share amenities (WC, washing facilities, cooking facilities). However, Wirral does operate a substantial selective licensing programme covering 10+ areas in Birkenhead and Wallasey, so smaller HMOs (3-4 occupants) may still need a SELECTIVE licence if they fall within a designated selective area — the council explicitly notes this as a potential trap for smaller HMOs that don't meet the mandatory threshold. The mandatory HMO licence application fee is £840 for a three-year licence covering an HMO with up to five units of accommodation, plus £30 for each additional unit over five. A £50 discount on the initial fee is available to applicants who were accredited with Wirral Council before 28 February 2018, or who are currently accredited with the National Residential Landlords Association or (legacy) Residential Landlords Association. Paper applications attract a higher initial fee of £940 (vs £840 online) plus £30 per extra unit, due to additional administration costs. Mandatory HMO licences are issued for three years (not the typical five) under Wirral's fee structure. Operating an unlicensed mandatory HMO is a criminal offence under the Housing Act 2004 and exposes the landlord to prosecution with an unlimited fine, a civil penalty of up to £30,000, Rent Repayment Orders of up to 12 months rent, and an inability to serve a section 21 notice while the property remains unlicensed.
Common questions
Does Wirral have a selective licensing scheme?
Yes. Wirral 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 Wirral have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
No. Wirral 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 Wirral?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Wirral, 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 Wirral: areas, dates and fees →
All property licensing in Merseyside →
Source: Wirral licensing page →
Every landlord in Wirral 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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