Licensing in Woking

• Additional HMO licence

  In force

  Woking Borough Council Designation for an Area for Additional Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation 2025

  Area

  The whole Borough of Woking, 'as delineated and edged black on the map at Annex 1' of the designation, with a list of current postcodes; new postcodes created within the borough boundary during the scheme are also covered.

  Runs

  5 January 2026 to 3 January 2031. The council notice says it ceases to have effect on 4 January 2031

  Fee

  Published standard fee: £850

  Council fees page for mandatory and additional HMO licences from 5 January 2026: new licence Part 1 £700 plus £10 per room let as a bedroom, Part 2 £130 (example: 2-bedroom property let to 3 people £850). Renewal Part 1 £500 plus £10 per bedroom, Part 2 £130 (same example £650). Discounts: £100 for accredited private landlords who are the proposed licence holder and owner and have completed accredited landlord training (companies and managing agents excluded); £200 off Part 1 for registered charities and not-for-profit organisations. Advisory inspection £179; no-access fee £102. No late fee, but late applications may get a one-year licence at the same cost. Change of licence holder needs a new application. The standard_gbp figure is the council's own two-bedroom example; the fee rises £10 per letting room. No page update date shown.

  Who needs one

  HMOs not covered by mandatory licensing: a house or flat let to three or more tenants forming more than one household who share some facilities such as a bathroom or kitchen (s.258 HMOs); a live-in landlord with 3 or more lodgers who share some or all facilities; and hostels managed by charities and domestic abuse refuges (other hostels case by case; not youth or backpacker holiday hostels). The council's licence page says small HMOs 'with 3 or 4 tenants from 2 or more households must be licensed'.

  Exemptions

  Designation paragraph 5: buildings described in Schedule 14 Housing Act 2004 (excluding Part 1); HMOs subject to an interim or final management order; HMOs with a temporary exemption notice under s.62; HMOs requiring a mandatory licence under s.55(2)(a); and a resident landlord living there as their only or main residence with two lodgers. Section 257 converted blocks are not included (the September 2025 proposal says the scheme 'applies to all HMOs, except s257 HMOs').

  Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditionsCouncil's map or designation
  ›How we checked this

  The sealed designation states: 'This designation is made on 29 September 2025 and shall come into force on 05 January 2026' and 'shall cease to have effect on 04 January 2031 or earlier if the Council or any successor body to the Council revokes the scheme under section 60 of the Act.' The Executive resolved on 11 September 2025. It was made under the 2024 General Approval. The council says licences are usually granted for three years, or one year for late applications or where there are concerns. The designation stays in force after any local government reorganisation until it ceases or is revoked. An earlier selective licensing scheme in Canalside ward (1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023) has ended and is outside the 12-month window.

  Sources

  • woking.gov.uk: additional hmo licensing scheme designation
  • woking.gov.uk: Designation for Additional Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) Licensing Scheme (PDF)
  • woking.gov.uk: additional hmo licensing scheme
  • woking.gov.uk: hmos need licence
  • woking.gov.uk: mandatory additional hmo licensing costs 5 january 2026
  • woking.moderngov.co.uk: EXE25 094 Appendix 3 Proposals for Additional Licensing Scheme Sept 2025 (PDF)

• Mandatory HMO licence

  In force

  Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Woking fees)

  Area

  The whole Borough of Woking (national scheme).

  Fee

  Published standard fee: £880

  Same two-part structure as additional licensing from 5 January 2026: new Part 1 £700 plus £10 per room let as a bedroom, Part 2 £130. The council fees page's own examples: 5-bedroom HMO £880 (£750 + £130), 6-bedroom £890, 9-bedroom £920; a live-in landlord with 4 bedrooms let to 4 people is listed as a mandatory licence at £870. Renewal Part 1 £500 plus £10 per bedroom plus £130 (5 bed £680). Accreditation discount £100; charity discount £200 off Part 1. Advisory inspection £179; no-access fee £102.

  Who needs one

  HMOs rented by 5 or more people (including children) forming more than one household who share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities, where at least one pays rent and it is their only or main residence. The council says a live-in landlord needs a mandatory licence with 4 or more lodgers.

  Exemptions

  Buildings in Schedule 14 Housing Act 2004; the council does not list them on its page.

  Apply on the council’s websiteLicence conditions
  ›How we checked this

  Licences are generally granted for three years (one year for late applications or concerns), per the council fees page and the September 2025 proposal.

  Sources

  • woking.gov.uk: hmos need licence
  • woking.gov.uk: mandatory additional hmo licensing costs 5 january 2026
  • woking.moderngov.co.uk: EXE25 094 Appendix 3 Proposals for Additional Licensing Scheme Sept 2025 (PDF)

Council source

Woking's civil penalty policy

We found no consultations when we researched Woking.

We could not settle these points when we researched Woking. Check them with the council before you rely on them.

• Not yet confirmed

  Confirm that full Council formally adopted the Version 2.0 Civil Penalty Notice Policy in April 2026; the version log reads 'Adopted by Council' with no date, and the adoption minutes were not retrieved.

• Not yet confirmed

  No Woking Article 4 direction for C3 to C4 changes of use was found (planning.data.gov.uk and committee-document searches), but no council list of Article 4 directions was located; confirm with planning policy.

• Not yet confirmed

  The licence page states no end date; the 4 January 2031 cessation comes from the sealed designation. Confirm with the council whether 4 January 2031 is itself still covered (recorded as ceases_on).

• Not yet confirmed

  No current or proposed selective licensing was found; the only selective scheme (Canalside, 2018 to 2023) ended in March 2023.

• Not yet confirmed

  Locate the council's Article 4 list and confirm whether any direction removes the C3 to C4 permitted development right.

The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Woking 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