# Licensing in Blackburn with Darwen

> Blackburn with Darwen has no selective or additional licensing scheme in force.

- Checked 26 Oct 2026 (researched_at 2026-10-26, verified_at 2026-10-26)
- Region: North West
- ONS code: E06000008
- Web page: https://lettance.com/councils/blackburn-with-darwen
- API: https://lettance.com/api/v1/councils/blackburn-with-darwen

## Licensing schemes

### Mandatory HMO licence: Mandatory HMO licensing (Blackburn with Darwen fees)

- Status: In force (`in_force`)
- Area: Whole borough of Blackburn with Darwen (national scheme).
- Fee: Published standard fee: £950. Council page: 'HMO licences are £950 for up to 10 lets, and £50 per let after that', paid as part of the online application. No date is shown for the fee.
- Who needs one: Rented properties occupied by five or more unrelated people who share facilities such as a kitchen, toilet or bathroom (national mandatory test: two or more households).
- Apply: https://my.blackburn.gov.uk/icustomer/?cuid=2047A8D8D75F2060B591E15063F500AA8C0E5EE7&lang=en
- Confidence: High
- How we checked this: New HMOs must have applied for planning permission first (the application asks for the planning reference), reflecting the borough's urban-area Article 4 direction. Applicants must upload DBS certificates dated within the last 3 months and gas, electrical and fire safety certificates dated within 12 months. Renewals must be applied for at least 12 weeks before expiry. The page still cites a £30,000 civil penalty maximum.
- Sources: https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/licences-and-permits/licences/houses-multiple-occupation-mandatory-licensing, https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/housing/houses-multiple-occupation-hmos

## Article 4 for house shares

Blackburn with Darwen has an Article 4 direction on HMOs (shared houses). Turning a family home into a shared house may need planning permission.

- Area: All urban areas of the borough, as shown on the direction plan (C3 to C4). It replaced the 2013 direction that covered selected wards.
- Takes effect: 9 August 2023

Council source: https://democracy.blackburn.gov.uk/documents/s21212/Council%20Forum%20Report%2020.07.23%20Confirmation%20of%20A4D.pdf

## Civil penalty policy

The council's policy sets how it decides the size of a fine.

The mandatory HMO page links an 'HMO civil penalty protocol' and cites civil penalties of up to £30,000. Council news (The Shuttle, 3 September 2026) says the Housing Standards Team has a new Housing Standards Enforcement Policy covering powers 'including those introduced through the Renters' Rights Act'; the policy document itself was not retrieved (the council website was disrupted by a cyber security incident from 22 October 2026). On 26 October 2026 the linked protocol URL returned HTTP 404, so its content could not be checked.

Policy: https://www.blackburn.gov.uk/sites/default/files/media/pdfs/HMO-Civil-penalty-protocol.pdf

## Consultations

We found no consultations when we researched Blackburn with Darwen.

## Not yet confirmed

We could not settle these points when we researched Blackburn with Darwen on 26 October 2026. Check them with the council before you rely on them.

- No selective or additional licensing scheme is in force. The 2024 consultation (7 May to 26 July 2024) on a 'Hollins Bank' selective licensing area across Ewood and Mill Hill & Moorgate wards (and a small part of Blackburn Central) was postponed: Cllr Quesir Mahmood approved 'the recommendation to postpone declaring a selective licensing area' (reported 5 March 2025, Property Industry Eye). Earlier Griffin/Mill Hill and Infirmary schemes had ended before 2024. The council's former selective licensing URL now returns 'page not found'; the official decision record was not retrieved.
- The new Housing Standards Enforcement Policy (announced 3 September 2026) and any civil penalty matrix under the Renters' Rights Act were not retrieved; confirm the current penalty policy.
- The HMO licence term is not stated on the council page.
- The Article 4 effective date (9 August 2023) comes from the 20 July 2023 Council Forum report, which says the direction would become effective on that date 'subject to Council Forum approval'; the meeting's minutes and a current council Article 4 page were not retrieved.

## Landlord register

The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Blackburn with Darwen is in North West, where registration is planned from 15 May 2027 to 14 August 2027. The regulations are still in draft. Read about the register: https://lettance.com/register

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From Lettance: https://lettance.com/councils/blackburn-with-darwen (catalogue edition 31 October 2026). This is information, not legal advice. Check the linked sources, and the council's own pages, before you act.