Registry
Every selective licensing scheme in England and Wales
Selective licensing catches ordinary private lets — including a single family in a single house — wherever a council has designated an area. There is no national register of these schemes, so this is one, with a date on every row.
60 schemes across 317 councils, of which 48 are in force today. For 2 councils we have not established a position either way, so they are absent from this table — that means we do not know, not that they operate no scheme. Most recent record change: 25 August 2026.
| Council | In force from | Runs to | Area covered | We last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ashfield | 25 July 2022 | 24 July 2027 | Stanton Hill (Brand Lane, Institute Street, Cooperative Street, Victoria Street, Albert Street, New Lane, High Street,… | 24 August 2026 |
| Barking & Dagenham | 6 April 2025 | 5 April 2030 | Three designation areas covering 19 wards. Area 1: Alibon, Barking Riverside, Beam, Becontree, Chadwell Heath,… | 20 August 2026 |
| Bexley | 13 January 2025 | 12 January 2030 | Belvedere ward | 19 August 2026 |
| Birmingham | 5 June 2023 | 4 June 2028 | 25 of Birmingham's 69 wards: Acocks Green, Alum Rock, Aston, Balsall Heath West, Birchfield, Bordesley Green, Bordesley… | 19 August 2026 |
| Blackpool | not held | 31 March 2030 | Bloomfield, Brunswick, Claremont, Talbot, Tyldesley, Warbreck, Waterloo and Victoria wards | 24 August 2026 |
| Brent | 1 August 2023 | 31 July 2028 | Two designations. Designation 1/2023, made by Cabinet 17 April 2023, in force 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2028: Dollis… | 25 August 2026 |
| Brighton and Hove | 2 September 2024 | 1 September 2029 | Four wards in force from 2 September 2024: Kemp Town, Moulsecoomb and Bevendean, Queens Park, Whitehawk and Marina. A… | 25 August 2026 |
| Bristol | 6 August 2024 | 5 August 2029 | Ashley, Easton, Lawrence Hill, and Southmead wards | 25 August 2026 |
| Burnley | not held | 26 April 2030 | 2025 scheme areas: Trinity, Daneshouse, Gannow, Queensgate, Padiham. A separate earlier designation covering Bank Hall,… | 20 August 2026 |
| Charnwood | 1 April 2023 | 31 March 2028 | The historic Loughborough Lemyngton and Hastings wards | 25 August 2026 |
| City of Westminster | 24 November 2025 | 23 November 2030 | 15 wards: Abbey Road, Bayswater, Church Street, Harrow Road, Hyde Park, Knightsbridge and Belgravia, Lancaster Gate,… | 25 August 2026 |
| County Durham | 1 April 2022 | 31 March 2027 | 103 designated areas covering about 29,000 homes, roughly 42 per cent of the county private rented sector. Approved by… | 19 August 2026 |
| Croydon | 1 September 2026 | 1 September 2031 | 14 of Croydon's 28 wards, covering about 72.5 per cent of the private rented sector. Designated 25 March 2026,… | 19 August 2026 |
| Doncaster | 1 March 2022 | 28 February 2027 | Defined area of Hexthorpe, within the Hexthorpe and Balby North ward (a defined street-level area, not the whole ward) | 24 August 2026 |
| Ealing | not held | 31 March 2027 | not held | 19 August 2026 |
| East Staffordshire | 12 September 2022 | 11 September 2027 | not held | 24 August 2026 |
| Enfield | 1 September 2026 | 31 August 2031 | 17 wards across 2 designations. Designation 1 (13 wards): Bowes, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, Carterhatch, Edmonton Green,… | 19 August 2026 |
| Gateshead | not held | 30 September 2030 | Designated 18 February 2025, in two phases. Phase 1 from 1 June 2025 to 31 May 2030: Bensham North and Windmill Hills,… | 24 August 2026 |
| Gedling | 5 January 2025 | 4 January 2030 | Netherfield ward | 20 August 2026 |
| Great Yarmouth | not held | 31 March 2031 | Designated streets within parts of four wards: Nelson Ward, Southtown and Cobholm Ward, Central and Northgate Ward,… | 27 May 2026 |
| Greenwich | 1 October 2022 | 1 October 2027 | Five wards: Woolwich Riverside (recorded on this row previously as Woolwich Arsenal, which is not the current ward… | 19 August 2026 |
| Hackney | 1 May 2026 | 30 April 2031 | 17 wards: Brownswood, Cazenove, Clissold, Dalston, De Beauvoir, Hackney Central, Hackney Downs, Hackney Wick, Homerton,… | 19 August 2026 |
| Hammersmith & Fulham | 5 June 2022 | 4 June 2027 | Askew Road, Baron's Court Road, Bloemfontein Road, Blythe Road, Coningham Road, Crookham Road, Dalling Road, Dawes… | 19 August 2026 |
| Haringey | 17 November 2022 | 17 November 2027 | 14 wards: Bounds Green, Bruce Castle, Harringay, Hermitage and Gardens, Noel Park, Northumberland Park, Seven Sisters,… | 19 August 2026 |
| Harrow | 1 March 2018 | 31 August 2031 | Edgware, Greenhill, Marlborough, Roxeth, Wealdstone North, Wealdstone South (six wards) | 24 August 2026 |
| Havering | 18 March 2026 | 17 March 2031 | Seven wards: Beam Park, Harold Wood, Rainham and Wennington, Rush Green and Crowlands, Squirrels Heath, St Albans, St… | 25 August 2026 |
| Islington | 20 May 2024 | 19 May 2029 | Borough-wide selective licensing covering all privately rented properties | 24 August 2026 |
| Lambeth | not held | 1 September 2029 | Phase 1 from 2 September 2024: Knights Hill, Streatham Common and Vale, Streatham Hill East, Streatham St Leonard's.… | 24 August 2026 |
| Leeds | 9 February 2026 | 8 February 2031 | Parts of Armley, Beeston and Holbeck, Burmantofts and Richmond Hill, Hunslet and Riverside, Gipton and Harehills, and… | 24 August 2026 |
| Leicester | 10 October 2022 | 9 October 2027 | Parts of Braunstone Park and Rowley Fields, Fosse, Westcotes, Stoneygate and Saffron wards | 19 August 2026 |
| Lewisham | 1 July 2024 | 1 July 2029 | Three designations covering 16 wards, being all wards except Telegraph Hill and a small area of Blackheath, on pre-May… | 24 August 2026 |
| Liverpool | 1 April 2022 | 31 March 2027 | 16 of Liverpool's 30 wards, under the poor housing conditions designation | 19 August 2026 |
| Luton | 1 June 2026 | 4 February 2029 | Town Centre and Park Town areas of Luton, specified by road rather than by whole ward | 19 August 2026 |
| Manchester | 1 May 2022 | 23 May 2030 | Three cohorts. 2022 cohort, 1 May 2022 to 30 April 2027: Clayton and Openshaw; Gorton and Abbey Hey (Hyde Road); Gorton… | 19 August 2026 |
| Mansfield | not held | 10 September 2030 | Area 1: Streets within Central ward; Area 2: Streets within West Bank & Wainwright wards; Area 3: Streets within Market… | 25 August 2026 |
| Merton | 24 September 2023 | 23 September 2028 | Four wards: Figge's Marsh, Graveney, Longthornton, Pollards Hill | 25 August 2026 |
| Middlesbrough | 1 January 2016 | 22 July 2029 | {"Newport ward (Scheme 1)","Newport ward (Scheme 2/extension)","North Ormesby ward"} | 19 August 2026 |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | 1 October 2021 | 30 September 2026 | Specific wards including parts of Byker, Walker, Walkergate, and other designated areas | 25 August 2026 |
| Newham | 1 June 2023 | 31 December 2028 | Borough-wide selective licensing for all privately rented properties | 9 August 2026 |
| North East Lincolnshire | 8 April 2026 | 7 April 2031 | East Marsh ward, Grimsby | 25 August 2026 |
| North Lincolnshire | 20 March 2025 | 19 March 2030 | Designation Area 1: Crosby and Park, and Town wards, Scunthorpe. Formally designated 3 October 2024, came into effect… | 21 August 2026 |
| North Yorkshire | 1 June 2024 | 31 May 2029 | Scarborough only; no other part of North Yorkshire has ever designated a selective area. Scarborough Town, 1 June 2024… | 21 August 2026 |
| Northumberland | 14 October 2024 | 13 October 2029 | Croft Ward, Blyth: bounded by and including Hodgsons Road (B1329) to the north, Waterloo Road / Bridge Street (B1328)… | 25 August 2026 |
| Nottingham | not held | 30 November 2028 | City-wide - all privately rented properties | 19 August 2026 |
| Oadby and Wigston | 10 November 2025 | 9 November 2030 | Part of Wigston and South Wigston. Approved 6 February 2025, began 10 November 2025, runs five years. This REPLACES the… | 21 August 2026 |
| Oldham | not held | 31 July 2027 | Phase 1: five designated areas within the wards of Medlock Vale, St Mary's, Werneth, Waterhead, Alexandra, Chadderton… | 21 August 2026 |
| Oxford | 1 September 2022 | 31 August 2027 | City-wide - all privately rented properties | 25 August 2026 |
| Peterborough | 11 March 2024 | 10 March 2029 | Ten wards: Bretton, Central, East, Fletton and Stanground, Fletton and Woodston, North, Orton Waterville, Park, Paston… | 19 August 2026 |
| Redbridge | 8 April 2024 | 7 April 2029 | Two schemes. Scheme 3, 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2028: Valentines, Ilford Town. Scheme 4, 8 April 2024 to 7 April… | 25 August 2026 |
| Rotherham | not held | 14 February 2031 | Town centre / Eastwood / Clifton / Boston Castle, Masbrough / Kimberworth, Thurcroft, Dinnington, Brinsworth, Parkgate | 19 August 2026 |
| Salford | 1 September 2022 | 31 August 2027 | not held | 21 August 2026 |
| Sefton | 1 March 2023 | 29 February 2028 | Bootle: Derby, Linacre and Litherland wards | 25 August 2026 |
| Southend-on-Sea | 1 December 2021 | 30 November 2026 | Neighbourhoods within Milton, Kursaal, Victoria and Chalkwell wards. Designation made 18 March 2021 | 19 August 2026 |
| Southwark | 1 March 2022 | 28 February 2027 | Four designations. Designations 1 and 2, made 28 October 2021, in force 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2027: Champion… | 19 August 2026 |
| Stockton-on-Tees | 1 November 2024 | 31 October 2029 | Central Stockton, North Thornaby and Newtown. Approved by Cabinet 16 May 2024 | 19 August 2026 |
| Thurrock | 5 January 2026 | 4 January 2031 | Aveley and Uplands, Belhus, Chadwell St Mary, Chafford and North Stifford, Corringham and Fobbing, East Tilbury, Grays… | 19 August 2026 |
| Tower Hamlets | 1 October 2021 | 30 September 2026 | Whitechapel, Spitalfields and Banglatown, and Weavers wards. NOT borough-wide: this row previously recorded… | 19 August 2026 |
| Waltham Forest | 1 May 2025 | 30 April 2030 | Borough-wide selective licensing for all privately rented properties | 19 August 2026 |
| Wandsworth | 1 July 2025 | 30 June 2030 | Two designations. Designation 1, approved by Cabinet 3 February 2025, in force 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030: Furzedown,… | 25 August 2026 |
| Wirral | 1 July 2015 | 31 March 2029 | Multiple areas including Birkenhead South, Egerton North, Egremont South, Egremont Promenade South, Seacombe Library,… | 25 August 2026 |
How to read this
- A designation runs five years at most and does not roll over. An expiry date is not the end of the obligation — councils redesignate, often over a wider area.
- Most schemes cover part of a council's area, not all of it. The area column carries the council's own words; check your address against their ward map before concluding anything.
- A missing council is a gap in our records, not evidence of no scheme.
Check a specific address free → · Additional HMO registry → · Schemes starting soon →
What selective licensing is, and how it differs from the HMO regimes: selective licensing explained, the three regimes compared, and what happens if you let without one.