What licensing schemes does Liverpool operate?

Liverpool operates selective licensing (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027), alongside the national mandatory HMO scheme. See the scheme details above.

Do all properties in Liverpool need a licence?

It depends on the scheme and your property. Where selective licensing applies, most privately rented homes need a licence; HMOs fall under mandatory or additional licensing depending on size and occupancy.

What if my property doesn't have a licence?

Operating a property that requires a licence without one can bring civil penalties of up to £40,000 per property. The landlord also risks a rent repayment order of up to 24 months' rent and cannot serve a Section 21 notice. A letting agent who manages the property or collects the rent commits the offence too and can be fined separately.

Can letting agents apply on behalf of landlords?

Yes. Letting agents can apply for property licences on behalf of landlords in Liverpool, and many manage the full process.

How do I apply for a Liverpool property licence?

You can apply through Liverpool Council's website ( licensing pages ), or use a managed service such as Kamma.

Why did Liverpool introduce selective licensing?

Selective licensing is used to improve housing conditions and tackle anti-social behaviour in the private rented sector.

Why did Liverpool introduce additional licensing?

Additional HMO licensing addresses overcrowding, disrepair and management standards in smaller HMOs not covered by the national mandatory scheme.

What are the conditions to obtain an HMO licence in Liverpool?

The council's HMO licence conditions set standards for fire safety, amenities, room sizes and management ( licence conditions ).

SELECTIVE LICENSING · LIVE

Liverpool Property Licensing: Do You Need a Licence?

Liverpool operates selective licensing alongside the national mandatory HMO scheme. Most privately rented homes need a licence, and enforcement is rising.

Check your portfolio for risk

Map of property licensing by ward in Liverpool. Selective licensing in 41 of the 64 wards applies now. The remaining wards have mandatory HMO licensing only, which applies nationally to larger shared homes.

Selective licensing now

Mandatory HMO licensing only (national scheme)

Part of ward only

Liverpool Council Is Moving To Data-Led Enforcement

Councils are using data to identify unlicensed properties, and agents who manage them can be fined in their own right

Up to £40k fine per unlicensed property

Rent Repayment Orders up to 24 months

£7,800 average fine for letting agents

Most enforcement activity happens within the first 3–6 months of scheme launch.

Avoid fines - check your properties now

Property Licensing Guide for Liverpool

Liverpool currently operates selective licensing; mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere. Last checked: 25 August 2026.

This free guide will provide you with the key details regarding what licensing requirements are necessary in this area and how to apply for a licence.

New to this? Read our overview: What is selective licensing?

Liverpool Property Licensing Schemes

Got questions about licensing schemes in Liverpool? We’re here to help. This free guide will provide you with the key details regarding what licensing requirements are necessary in Liverpool and how to apply for a licence.

Is manual compliance causing a headache for your agency? At Kamma, we specialise in automating licensing compliance for agents across the UK. If you need any assistance in getting your property portfolio compliant, find out how we can help letting agents here.

Not sure whether a Liverpool property needs a licence? Kamma's free checker covers selective, additional and HMO schemes.

Check a Liverpool property →

What are the licensing requirements for Liverpool?

Mandatory licensing in Liverpool

Mandatory HMO licensing applies across Liverpool (and all of England) to larger HMOs. These are properties occupied by five or more people forming more than one household, including:

Shared houses and flats occupied by students and young professionals.
Properties converted into bedsits with some shared facilities.
Properties converted into a mix of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation.

Do I need an additional property licence in Liverpool?

Additional licensing requires smaller HMOs in a designated area to be licensed. That means a privately rented property with three or more people forming more than one household.

Liverpool does not currently operate an additional HMO licensing scheme; larger HMOs are covered by the national mandatory HMO scheme.

Do I need a selective licence in Liverpool?

Selective licensing requires almost all privately rented properties in a designated area to be licensed, regardless of the number of occupants.

Liverpool operates selective licensing. The current designation is set out below.

Liverpool is consulting on changes to selective licensing, and the consultation closes on 5 October 2026. The scheme already in force is set out above and continues to apply while the consultation runs.

Selective licensing: 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027, borough-wide (all 30 wards).
Mandatory HMO licensing: in force since 2006 for HMOs of five or more people forming more than one household.

How do I apply for a licence?

You can apply for a licence via Liverpool Council’s website here. Or let Kamma’s expert team process the application for you.

How much does a licence cost?

Licence fees

Licence	Fee
Selective licence	£704 (Full property licence fee)
Mandatory HMO licence	£1,328 per property

Fees as published by the council, verified 20 July 2026; subject to change. See the council’s fee page for full schedules, payment stages and discounts.

We Handle Your Liverpool Applications End-to-End

From eligibility checks to council submission, handled correctly, first time from £295 per property.

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Full application preparation

Document review

Council liaison

Deadline tracking

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Managing Across Multiple Boroughs?

Each borough has different scheme rules, boundaries, fees and expiry dates.
Reduce risk by swapping manual tracking for our licensing compliance platform Kamma Suite.

Automated scheme detection

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Licence tracking dashboard

Borough-wide visibility

Expiry and risk alerts

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1 licensing scheme. Know exactly what you need.

Liverpool's licensing schemes are set out below. Check any Liverpool address against them.

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Liverpool Property Licensing FAQs

What licensing schemes does Liverpool operate?
Liverpool operates selective licensing (1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027), alongside the national mandatory HMO scheme. See the scheme details above.
Do all properties in Liverpool need a licence?
It depends on the scheme and your property. Where selective licensing applies, most privately rented homes need a licence; HMOs fall under mandatory or additional licensing depending on size and occupancy.
What if my property doesn't have a licence?
Operating a property that requires a licence without one can bring civil penalties of up to £40,000 per property. The landlord also risks a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent and cannot serve a Section 21 notice. A letting agent who manages the property or collects the rent commits the offence too and can be fined separately.
Can letting agents apply on behalf of landlords?
Yes. Letting agents can apply for property licences on behalf of landlords in Liverpool, and many manage the full process.
How do I apply for a Liverpool property licence?
You can apply through Liverpool Council’s website (licensing pages), or use a managed service such as Kamma.
Why did Liverpool introduce selective licensing?
Selective licensing is used to improve housing conditions and tackle anti-social behaviour in the private rented sector.
Why did Liverpool introduce additional licensing?
Additional HMO licensing addresses overcrowding, disrepair and management standards in smaller HMOs not covered by the national mandatory scheme.
What are the conditions to obtain an HMO licence in Liverpool?
The council’s HMO licence conditions set standards for fire safety, amenities, room sizes and management (licence conditions).

About Liverpool

Liverpool is a vibrant city in northwest England known for its rich maritime history, cultural heritage, and strong musical legacy, being the birthplace of The Beatles. Historically a major port and trading hub, Liverpool played a significant role in the Industrial Revolution and transatlantic trade. Today, the city boasts a diverse population, a thriving arts scene, and several UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the iconic waterfront. With renowned attractions such as the Royal Albert Dock, Liverpool Cathedral, and a variety of museums and galleries, the city blends historical charm with modern development, making it a dynamic place for both residents and visitors.

Licensing Enforcement in Liverpool

Liverpool Council enforces property licensing across its schemes. Letting a property without the required licence risks prosecution and civil penalties of up to £40,000 per property. The landlord can also face a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent. Where a letting agent manages the property or collects the rent, the agent commits the offence too and can be fined in its own right.

Tracking licensing across a managed portfolio

A single Liverpool address can be checked by hand. An agency managing several hundred properties across Liverpool and the boroughs around it cannot work that way, and designations change often enough that a check made last quarter may no longer hold.

Kamma connects to the CRM your agency already works in and reads the address and tenancy fields a licensing determination depends on. The licensing position for each property then sits beside the record your team is already looking at.

Pages covering what Kamma reads from each system and how to connect it are available for Reapit, Street.co.uk, MRI Sales and Lettings, MRI Radar, Apex27, Acquaint CRM, Jupix, iamproperty, SME Professional, Rex Software, SleekTech. Alto and agentOS also integrate. The full list is on the CRM integrations page.