# Licensing in Chesterfield > Chesterfield has no selective or additional licensing scheme in force. - Checked 26 Oct 2026 (researched_at 2026-10-26, verified_at 2026-10-26) - Region: East Midlands - ONS code: E07000034 - Web page: https://lettance.com/councils/chesterfield - API: https://lettance.com/api/v1/councils/chesterfield ## Licensing schemes ### Mandatory HMO licence: Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Chesterfield fees) - Status: In force (`in_force`) - Area: Whole of Chesterfield Borough (national scheme). - Fee: Published standard fee: £887. Council HMO page: 'The total fee for a new licence is £887', payable as £488 at application and £399 when the draft licence is sent (within 21 days). Renewal 'where there has been no significant change to the building or occupancy' £795 (£401 at application, £394 on the draft licence). - Licence length: 5 years - Who needs one: HMOs occupied by five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities, including flats in converted buildings and flats in purpose-built blocks of one or two flats that are such HMOs. The council notes that lettings whose occupants must leave their unit to use kitchen or bathroom facilities could need a licence. - Exemptions: Properties managed by local authorities and registered housing providers such as housing associations (council page). - Apply: https://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/media/xbpmutos/hmo-application-form.docx - Licence conditions: https://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/media/fp0ltay2/houses-in-multiple-occupation-hmo-amenities-and-space-standards-policy.pdf - Confidence: High - How we checked this: 'We operate a mandatory HMO licensing scheme.' Licence 'valid for up to five years'. Renewals should be submitted two months before expiry. 14-day consultation on the draft licence. HMO public register dated September 2026. The page still cites a civil penalty of up to £30,000. - Sources: https://www.chesterfield.gov.uk/housing/private-homes/houses-in-multiple-occupation/ ## Article 4 for house shares Not yet confirmed: whether Chesterfield has an Article 4 direction on house shares. ## 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. Cabinet on 28 April 2026 (minute 88) approved the Housing Service Civil Penalties Policy and an updated Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy with effect from 1 May 2026, aligned with the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and the national civil penalties framework (minutes: https://chesterfield.moderngov.co.uk/documents/g6979/Printed%20minutes%2028th-Apr-2026%2010.30%20Cabinet.pdf). The policy sets statutory maxima of £40,000 with a starting-level matrix adjusted for landlord type. The published Appendix 1 is titled 'Draft' in the committee papers. The HMO page still cites £30,000. Policy: https://chesterfield.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s56212/Appendix%201%20-%20Draft%20Civil%20Penalties%20Policy.pdf ## Consultations We found no consultations when we researched Chesterfield. ## Not yet confirmed We could not settle these points when we researched Chesterfield on 26 October 2026. Check them with the council before you rely on them. - No selective or additional licensing scheme found. Checked: the council's HMO, private landlords and landlord resources pages, a crawl of the housing section, and chesterfield.moderngov.co.uk searches for 'selective licensing' and 'additional licensing' (only 2005-2012 items, mainly the 2006 and 2012 HMO licensing reports). - Article 4: whether Chesterfield has an HMO (C3 to C4) Article 4 direction is not confirmed. Checked: a crawl of the council's planning and private homes sections and planning.data.gov.uk (no Article 4 records for the council). None was found, but absence is inferred, not stated by the council; confirm with its planning team. ## Landlord register The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Chesterfield is in East Midlands, where registration is planned from 15 February 2027 to 14 May 2027. The regulations are still in draft. Read about the register: https://lettance.com/register --- From Lettance: https://lettance.com/councils/chesterfield (catalogue edition 31 October 2026). This is information, not legal advice. Check the linked sources, and the council's own pages, before you act.