Yorkshire and the Humber · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in York
✓ Hand-verified 25 Aug 2026York 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.
The band is set by how many people live in the property.
| 3 to 6 occupants | £1,524 |
| 7 to 9 | £1,779 |
| 10 to 14 | £1,944 |
| 15 or more | £2,186 |
- £75 discount on the second stage for a relevant HMO qualification
York — york.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
York operates no selective licensing designation under s.80. The council states its regimes in its own words: "Within City of York Council there are 2 Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing schemes in operation. These are: 1. Mandatory HMO Licensing 2. Additional HMO Licensing." That enumeration is exhaustive and contains no selective scheme. The additional designation covering eight wards including Clifton, Fishergate, Fulford and Heslington, and Guildhall from 1 April 2023 remains as recorded. Distinguished from North Yorkshire, a separate authority whose Scarborough selective designations are its own. Established 21 Aug 2026.
An additional HMO licensing scheme is in force across eight York wards: Clifton, Guildhall, Heworth, Micklegate, Fishergate, Hull Road, Fulford and Heslington, and Osbaldwick and Derwent. The designation was made on 17 August 2022 under section 56 of the Housing Act 2004, came into force on 1 April 2023 and ceases to have effect on 31 March 2028 unless the council revokes it earlier. It applies to every HMO in those wards that is not already covered by mandatory licensing, with two exceptions: buildings converted entirely into self-contained flats (section 257 HMOs, although the individual flats may still be licensable in their own right), and purpose-built student accommodation managed under a national approved code of practice. Operating an unlicensed HMO in the designated area is an offence under section 72 carrying an unlimited fine, or a civil penalty of up to £30,000, and no section 21 notice may be given while the property remains unlicensed.
Areas: Eight wards: Clifton, Fishergate, Fulford and Heslington, Guildhall, Heworth, Hull Road, Micklegate, Osbaldwick and Derwent. Designated 17 August 2022
The band is set by how many people live in the property.
| 3 to 6 | £1,524 |
| 7 to 9 | £1,779 |
| 10 to 14 | £1,944 |
- £75 off stage two for a licence holder with a relevant HMO qualification
York, read 25 August 2026
Scheme runs until: 31 March 2028
Common questions
Does York have a selective licensing scheme?
No. York 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 York have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
Yes. York operates an additional HMO 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.
Do I need an HMO licence in York?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including York, 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
Additional HMO licensing in York: areas, dates and fees →
All property licensing in Yorkshire and the Humber →
Source: York licensing page →
Every landlord in York 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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