# Licensing in Wokingham > Wokingham 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: E06000041 - Web page: https://lettance.com/councils/wokingham - API: https://lettance.com/api/v1/councils/wokingham ## Licensing schemes ### Mandatory HMO licence: Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Wokingham fees) - Status: In force (`in_force`) - Area: The whole of Wokingham Borough (national scheme). - Fee: Published standard fee: £1,551. Licensing Fees and Charges 2026 to 2027 (fees from 1 April 2026; fees page last updated 29 June 2026): HMO New £1,551; HMO Renewal £1,038; copy of HMO register £77. Guidance notes (February 2026) say the fee is split into a non-refundable part for processing the application and a part for managing and enforcing the scheme that is refunded if no licence is granted; registered charities are exempt from HMO licence fees. No per-room charge is listed. - Who needs one: HMOs with five or more occupiers forming two or more households sharing amenities (toilet, bathroom and/or kitchen), as their only or main residence, where rent is payable, other than purpose-built flats in a block of three or more self-contained flats. - Exemptions: Council guidance lists statutory exemptions: two single-person households; resident landlord with up to two tenants; public body, local housing authority or registered social landlord; ancillary religious accommodation; student halls under an approved code; buildings regulated under other legislation; buildings wholly occupied by freeholders or long leaseholders. Converted self-contained flats not meeting Building Regulations are HMOs but do not need a licence. - Apply: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/sites/wokingham/files/2023-07/hmo%20licence%20application%20form%2029%20March%202022.pdf - Confidence: High - How we checked this: HMO page last updated 5 February 2026; it does not mention additional or selective licensing. The Private Housing Policy page (last updated 12 April 2024) mentions only that 'Certain larger types of Houses in Multiple Occupation must be licensed'. Application by PDF form; the public register is at https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/housing-and-tenants/private-housing/register-hmo-licences . The council inspects before issuing a licence (FOI 15046). Licence length is not stated on the pages read. The HMO page links Public Protection Partnership HHSRS guidance, but the partnership's own fees page says it 'provides chargeable services on behalf of two authorities, Bracknell Forest Council and West Berkshire Council'; Wokingham runs its own HMO licensing and fees. - Sources: https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/housing-and-tenants/private-housing/houses-multiple-occupation-hmo, https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/business-and-licensing/licensing-fees-and-payments, https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/sites/wokingham/files/2026-06/Licensing%20Fees%20and%20Charges%202026%20to%202027.pdf, https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/sites/wokingham/files/2026-02/WBC%20HMO%20Licence%20Application%20Guidance%20Notes.pdf, https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/housing-and-tenants/private-housing/private-housing-policy ## Article 4 for house shares Not yet confirmed: whether Wokingham 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 HMO page links 'decisions relating to enforcement policy': Individual Member Decision IMD 2023/03 (23 February 2023) authorising the Environment and Safety Department Enforcement Policy, including service-specific enforcement policies; the policy text was not read. The 2026-27 fees schedule (fees from 1 April 2026) still lists 'Financial Penalties (as determined by Authority having regard to enforcement policy)' for Housing Act 2004 s249A offences at '£30,000 maximum'. A committee-document search for "Renters Rights" returned no results, so no Renters' Rights Act update was found. Policy: https://wokingham.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?MId=4596&x=1 ## Consultations We found no consultations when we researched Wokingham. ## Not yet confirmed We could not settle these points when we researched Wokingham 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's HMO and private housing pages, and a committee-document search for "selective licensing" returns no results; the council does not state the absence. Web searches are dominated by Woking (Surrey), which has a borough-wide additional scheme from 5 January 2026; do not confuse the two. - Confirm licence length (not stated on pages read). - Confirm whether Wokingham has any Article 4 direction removing C3 to C4 permitted development. - Read the 2023 Environment and Safety Department Enforcement Policy (IMD 2023/03) housing appendix and confirm whether a Renters' Rights Act 2025 civil penalty policy has been adopted (fees schedule still shows £30,000 maximum). ## Landlord register The national landlord register is separate from licensing. Wokingham 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/wokingham (catalogue edition 31 October 2026). This is information, not legal advice. Check the linked sources, and the council's own pages, before you act.