# Licensing in Test Valley

> Test Valley has no selective or additional licensing scheme in force.

- Checked 26 Oct 2026 (researched_at 2026-10-26, verified_at 2026-10-26)
- Region: South East
- ONS code: E07000093
- Web page: https://lettance.com/councils/test-valley
- API: https://lettance.com/api/v1/councils/test-valley

## Licensing schemes

### Mandatory HMO licence: Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Test Valley fees)

- Status: In force (`in_force`)
- Area: Whole Test Valley Borough Council area (national scheme).
- Fee: Published standard fee: £721. Council HMO page (last updated 06 October 2026), 2026/27: Part 1 licence application (up to 5 year licence) £466 plus £25 per room above 5 rooms; renewal Part 1 £383; Part 2 operation charge £255 payable once a licence decision is made (standard new total £721; the page does not say whether the Part 2 charge also applies to renewals). One-off supplementary operation charge for late applications £338. 2025/26 figures were £455, £374, £249 and £330. Debit card online or cheque; credit cards not accepted.
- Licence length: 5 years
- Who needs one: HMOs with five or more occupants where there are shared amenities (council guidance: 'From 1st October 2018, this covers all HMOs with 5 or more occupants where there are shared amenities'). HMOs made up entirely of fully self-contained flats do not require a licence.
- Apply: https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/housing/advise-for-professionals/houses-multiple-occupation
- Licence conditions: https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/assets/attach/7526/HMO-Guidance-on-Standards-2018.pdf
- Confidence: High
- How we checked this: Fees are labelled 'up to 5 year licence'. The council says it 'currently operate[s] the mandatory licensing scheme for HMOs'. Applications are via GOV.UK or paper form; the council publishes an HMO public register (September 2026).
- Sources: https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/housing/advise-for-professionals/houses-multiple-occupation, https://testvalley.gov.uk/assets/attach/15294/Application-guidance-notes-2022.pdf

## Article 4 for house shares

Not yet confirmed: whether Test Valley has an Article 4 direction on house shares.

Council source: https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/planning-services/planning/article-4-directions

## 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.

Council 'Civil Penalties Policy' (PDF created 1 September 2026) under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 and other housing legislation: £7,000 and £40,000 maxima, prescribed starting points with landlord-type adjustment, mitigating/aggravating factors, financial considerations and totality. Failure to obtain an HMO licence (s.72(1)) starts at £17,000 (£13,600 / £17,000 / £20,400). 15% discount for full payment within the final-notice period (normally 28 days). Adoption date not stated in the document.

Policy: https://www.testvalley.gov.uk/assets/attach/27719/civil-penalties-policy.pdf

## Consultations

We found no consultations when we researched Test Valley.

## Not yet confirmed

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

- No selective or additional licensing scheme, proposal or consultation was found on the council website (site search for 'selective licensing' returned only taxi/premises licensing); committee-document searches (democracy.testvalley.gov.uk) for "selective licensing" return no results and "multiple occupation" only a 2023 scheme of delegations. The council does not expressly state the absence.
- Confirm the adoption date of the 2026 Civil Penalties Policy; a committee-document search for "civil penalties" returns only 2026 scrutiny work-programme items.
- Article 4: whether Test Valley has an HMO (C3 to C4) Article 4 direction is not confirmed. Checked: the council's Article 4 page (16 named land parcels, whose removed rights are not described) 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. Test Valley is in South East, where registration is planned from 15 March 2027 to 14 June 2027. The regulations are still in draft. Read about the register: https://lettance.com/register

---

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