# Licensing in Halton

> Halton 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: E06000006
- Web page: https://lettance.com/councils/halton
- API: https://lettance.com/api/v1/councils/halton

## Licensing schemes

### Mandatory HMO licence: Mandatory HMO licensing (Halton)

- Status: In force (`in_force`)
- Area: Whole borough of Halton (national scheme).
- Fee: Published standard fee: £657.09. Council online payment portal (HMO payment types, read 26 October 2026, undated): 5-tenant 5-year licence £657.09; 6 tenants £703.92; 7 tenants £749.96; 10+ tenants £889.02 (8 and 9 tenant options also listed). Paid in full with the online application form.
- Licence length: 5 years
- Who needs one: HMOs with 5 or more tenants (forming two or more households and sharing facilities).
- Apply: https://webapp.halton.gov.uk/PaymentPortal/
- Licence conditions: https://www.halton.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2026-07/Halton%20Borough%20Council%20HMO%20Standards.pdf
- Confidence: Medium
- How we checked this: 'HMO licenses last for 5 years but must be renewed if there is a change in ownership.' Where the HMO is in an Article 4 area 'the council will not be able to issue a HMO license until any required planning consent has been obtained.'
- Sources: https://www.halton.gov.uk/planning-housing-your-environment/housing/private-sector-housing, https://webapp.halton.gov.uk/PaymentPortal/

## Article 4 for house shares

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

- Area: Parts of the borough. The council says the immediate C3 to C4 direction will 'impact parts of Appleton, Central & West Bank, Halebank, Mersey & Weston, Beechwood & Heath, Grange, Bridgewater, Halton Castle, Halton Lea, Norton North and Norton South & Weston Brook' (council wording; the ONS wards are 'Ditton, Hale Village & Halebank' and 'Norton South & Preston Brook'). Confirmed without modification by the Executive Board on 12 February 2026. The exact areas are on the sealed direction maps and the council's interactive Article 4 map.
- Takes effect: 24 September 2025

Council source: https://www.halton.gov.uk/planning-housing-your-environment/housing/article-4

## Civil penalty policy

Not yet confirmed: we have not found Halton's civil penalty policy yet.

## Consultations

We found no consultations when we researched Halton.

## Not yet confirmed

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

- None on discretionary licensing: the council states 'To date Halton Council has not introduced additional or selective licensing in any areas of the borough' (private sector housing page).
- No civil penalty policy was found.

## Landlord register

The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Halton 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/halton (catalogue edition 31 October 2026). This is information, not legal advice. Check the linked sources, and the council's own pages, before you act.