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Council licensing in South West

Licensing in the City of Bristol

The City of Bristol has selective licensing in 5 wards and additional HMO licensing across the whole council area.

Checked 15 Oct 2026

Check an address in the City of Bristol

We'll match the postcode to its ward and the schemes below.

Licensing, ward by ward

Select a ward to see its name and licensing.

  • Selective licensing area5
  • Additional HMO licensing area29

Additional HMO licensing also covers the whole council area.

Current ward boundaries from ONS. Some homes are exempt, so check your postcode and the scheme details below.

Selective licensing
5 wards
Additional HMO licensing
Yes, whole council area
Article 4 on house shares
Yes
Consultation
Awaiting decision

Licensing schemes

  • Selective licence

    In force

    Bedminster and Brislington West selective licensing (2022 designation)

    Area

    The two named electoral wards at the designation decision of 14 December 2021; Horfield is additional-HMO-only under these 2022 designations.

    2 wards named in the scheme:

    • Bedminster
    • Brislington West

    Ward boundaries: Wards designated 14 December 2021; names match current ONS wards.

    Runs
    6 April 2022 to 4 April 2027
    Fee

    Published standard fee: £799

    £499 Part 1 + £300 Part 2. Current council page offers £150 for qualifying accredited Rent with Confidence membership and £150 for satisfactory gas safety, EICR and EPC documents supplied before issue. For the 2022 schemes only, the certificate reward can also be refunded if supplied within three months after issue. Found-unlicensed charges remove discounts. Found-unlicensed surcharge £100. No overall fee update date shown.

    Who needs one
    Privately rented non-HMO houses and flats in the designated wards, including one or two occupants or a family.
    Exemptions
    HMOs already licensed under mandatory or additional licensing do not also need selective licensing. Temporary exemption notices may be available.
    Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditionsCouncil's map or designation
    How we checked this

    Notice states the scheme ceases to have effect on 5 April 2027; last day recorded as 4 April. General Approval 2015 relied on. Only one property licence is required. An existing additional licence continues until expiry, then renewal is under the citywide 2024 scheme. Applications are assessed for suitability and fit and proper management; planning consent is a separate requirement. Licences normally last up to five years, with shorter periods possible.

    Sources

  • Selective licence

    In force

    Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham and Easton selective licensing (2024 designation)

    Area

    The three electoral wards named in the 6 February 2024 designation. Use council property-licensing map for edge addresses.

    3 wards named in the scheme:

    • Bishopston and Ashley Down
    • Cotham
    • Easton

    Ward boundaries: Wards designated 6 February 2024; names match current ONS wards.

    Runs
    6 August 2024 to 4 August 2029
    Fee

    Published standard fee: £912

    £467 Part 1 + £445 Part 2. £150 accredited Rent with Confidence discount and £150 satisfactory certificate discount before issue. Found-unlicensed surcharge £140 with no discounts. No overall fee update date shown.

    Who needs one
    Privately rented non-HMO houses and flats, including one or two tenants or a family, within the designated wards.
    Exemptions
    Notice excludes HMOs required to be licensed under Part 2. Temporary exemption notices may be available.
    Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditionsCouncil's map or designation
    How we checked this

    Notice says cease to have effect on 5 August 2029; last day recorded as 4 August. Previously selectively licensed Easton properties need a new licence under this designation. Only one property licence is required. An existing additional licence continues until expiry, then renewal is under the citywide 2024 scheme. Applications are assessed for suitability and fit and proper management; planning consent is a separate requirement. Licences normally last up to five years, with shorter periods possible.

    Sources

  • Additional HMO licence

    In force

    Bedminster, Brislington West and Horfield additional HMO licensing (2022 designation)

    Area

    The three named electoral wards at the designation decision of 14 December 2021; check the council property-licensing map for a boundary address.

    3 wards named in the scheme:

    • Bedminster
    • Brislington West
    • Horfield

    Ward boundaries: Wards designated 14 December 2021; names match current ONS wards.

    Runs
    6 April 2022 to 4 April 2027
    Fee

    Published standard fee: £1,300

    £1,000 Part 1 + £300 Part 2. Current council page offers £150 for qualifying accredited Rent with Confidence membership and £150 for satisfactory gas safety, EICR and EPC documents supplied before issue. For the 2022 schemes only, the certificate reward can also be refunded if supplied within three months after issue. Found-unlicensed charges remove discounts. Found-unlicensed surcharge £100. Current fee page checked 15 October 2026; no overall update date shown.

    Who needs one
    Privately rented HMOs, normally three or four people in two or more households sharing facilities, not already subject to mandatory HMO licensing.
    Exemptions
    Designation excludes converted blocks of flats under section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 and HMOs already required to have a mandatory licence. Registered social housing providers may be exempt; temporary exemption notices are available.
    Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditionsCouncil's map or designation
    How we checked this

    Notice states both 2022 designations come into force 6 April 2022 and cease to have effect on 5 April 2027; end_date is the preceding last day in force under this dataset convention. Only one property licence is required. An existing additional licence continues until expiry, then renewal is under the citywide 2024 scheme. Applications are assessed for suitability and fit and proper management; planning consent is a separate requirement. Licences normally last up to five years, with shorter periods possible.

    Sources

  • Additional HMO licence

    In force

    Citywide additional HMO licensing (2024 designation)

    Area

    The whole City and County of Bristol. Existing 2022 additional licences remain effective until expiry; citywide coverage does not require a second concurrent licence.

    Runs
    6 August 2024 to 4 August 2029
    Fee

    Published standard fee: £1,861

    First licence £1,023 Part 1 + £838 Part 2; renewal £808 + £662 = £1,470. Current council page offers £150 for qualifying accredited Rent with Confidence membership and £150 for satisfactory gas safety, EICR and EPC documents supplied before issue. For the 2022 schemes only, the certificate reward can also be refunded if supplied within three months after issue. Found-unlicensed charges remove discounts. Found-unlicensed surcharge £140 outside the 2022 scheme. No overall fee update date shown.

    Who needs one
    Privately rented HMOs not requiring mandatory licensing, normally three or four people in two or more households sharing basic facilities.
    Exemptions
    Excludes mandatory-licensable HMOs, HMOs covered by another additional scheme already in force, section 257 converted blocks and section 233 approved-code properties (including qualifying larger student developments not managed by educational establishments).
    Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditionsCouncil's map or designation
    How we checked this

    Decision 6 February 2024. Notice says cease to have effect on 5 August 2029; last day recorded as 4 August. General Approval 2015 relied on. Only one property licence is required. An existing additional licence continues until expiry, then renewal is under the citywide 2024 scheme. Applications are assessed for suitability and fit and proper management; planning consent is a separate requirement. Licences normally last up to five years, with shorter periods possible.

    Sources

  • Mandatory HMO licence

    In force

    Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Bristol fees)

    Area

    Whole City and County of Bristol.

    Fee

    Published standard fee: £1,886

    New licence £1,121 Part 1 + £765 Part 2. Renewal £929 + £635 = £1,564. £150 accredited Rent with Confidence reward; £150 certificate refund against Part 2 for satisfactory certificates received before formal issue (applications after 6 April 2024). Unlicensed-property surcharge £140 with no discounts. No per-household surcharge from 6 April 2024. Current page does not display an overall fee update date.

    Who needs one
    HMOs occupied by five or more people in two or more households sharing toilets, bathrooms or cooking facilities.
    Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditions
    How we checked this

    National mandatory scheme; council publishes its own fee and application route. Only one property licence is required. An existing additional licence continues until expiry, then renewal is under the citywide 2024 scheme. Applications are assessed for suitability and fit and proper management; planning consent is a separate requirement. Licences normally last up to five years, with shorter periods possible.

    Sources

Article 4 for house shares

The City of Bristol has an Article 4 direction on HMOs (houses in multiple occupation, or shared houses). Turning a family home into a shared house may need planning permission.

Area
Map-defined areas, not citywide. Lawrence Hill, Ashley, Cabot, Cotham and Clifton East HMO direction effective 11 December 2011; Clifton West and Redland HMO directions effective 21 October 2012; Avonmouth Village, North Bristol, South Bristol and East Bristol HMO directions effective 29 June 2020. These are historical named map areas: use the individual plans, not current ward membership. Six further directions have been confirmed for parts of Brislington, Frome Vale, Purdown, Southmead and Horfield, St George, and Westbury Park, effective 1 January 2027; those additions are not yet in force as of research. The HMO directions remove C3-to-C4 permitted development rights. Other Article 4 directions listed on the council page concern walls, alterations or other development and are separate from HMO conversion controls; licensing is also separate.

Council source

Civil penalty policy

The council's policy sets how it decides the size of a fine. The version we found has been updated for the Renters' Rights Act.

Published final policy explicitly implements the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and applies to offences/breaches committed on or after 1 May 2026; older offences use the previous policies. Maximum £40,000 for offences and electrical-safety breaches, £7,000 for other breaches. Appendix 1 starting penalties: unlicensed mandatory or additional HMO £17,000; unlicensed selective property £12,000, before individual adjustments. The policies landing page links this final document. Consultation page claims approval 17 June 2026, but the committee decision/minutes show 17 July 2026 (effective 25 July); discrepancy retained as an open question.

The City of Bristol's civil penalty policy

Consultations

Not yet confirmed

We could not settle these points when we researched the City of Bristol on 15 October 2026. Check them with the council before you rely on them.

  • Not yet confirmed

    No separate renewal designation or licensing-area consultation for the 2022 schemes was identified in targeted current council/committee searches as of 15 October 2026. The independently fetched draft PRS strategy proposes exploring the case for further schemes where evidence demonstrates a need, but does not designate a scheme or define a new area. The research identified a 6 November 2026 forward-plan entry (https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=57508&Opt=0), but that page returned HTTP 403 during independent verification; the exact future decision date could not be reconfirmed. Watch the 2022 selective expiry in April 2027.

  • Not yet confirmed

    Article 4 effective_date is null because current directions have different dates. The six confirmed 2027 additions must be distinguished from currently effective areas; exact properties require the council plans/map.

  • Not yet confirmed

    Civil penalty consultation page says approved on 17 June 2026; the published committee decision is 17 July 2026 and effective 25 July: https://democracy.bristol.gov.uk/ieIssueDetails.aspx?IId=54823&Opt=3&PlanId=0 . The final policy itself expressly covers conduct on/after 1 May 2026.

  • Not yet confirmed

    No discretionary scheme expiring within the preceding twelve months was identified. The former central additional scheme ended in July 2024 (outside that window); individual licences can still require renewal under the citywide scheme.

  • Not yet confirmed

    Current fee pages do not identify an overall last-updated date. Registered charities operating/managing properties are fee-exempt but must still apply, per the council how-we-charge page: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ask?id=180 .

Landlord register

The national landlord register is separate from licensing. The City of Bristol is in South West, where registration is planned from 15 August 2027 to 14 November 2027. The regulations are still in draft. Read about the register