Newcastle upon Tyne Council Is Moving To Data-Led Enforcement
Property Licensing Guide for Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne currently operates selective licensing and additional licensing in 26 wards; mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere. A new selective licensing designation (3 wards) launches on 30 September 2026. 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?
Newcastle upon Tyne Property Licensing Schemes
Got questions about licensing schemes in Newcastle upon Tyne? We’re here to help. This free guide will provide you with the key details regarding what licensing requirements are necessary in Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne property needs a licence? Kamma's free checker covers selective, additional and HMO schemes.
Check a Newcastle upon Tyne property →What are the licensing requirements for Newcastle upon Tyne?
Mandatory licensing in Newcastle upon Tyne
Mandatory HMO licensing applies across Newcastle upon Tyne (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 Newcastle upon Tyne?
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.
Newcastle upon Tyne operates additional HMO licensing. The current designation is set out below.
Do I need a selective licence in Newcastle upon Tyne?
Selective licensing requires almost all privately rented properties in a designated area to be licensed, regardless of the number of occupants.
Newcastle upon Tyne operates selective licensing. The current designation is set out below. A further selective scheme is due to begin on 30 September 2026.
Additional licensing: 5 April 2025 to 5 April 2030, covering Arthur’s Hill, Benwell & Scotswood, Blakelaw, Byker, Callerton & Throckley, Castle, Chapel, Dene & South Gosforth, Denton & Westerhope, Elswick, Fawdon & West Gosforth, Gosforth, Heaton, Kenton, Kingston Park South & Newbiggin Hall, Lemington, Manor Park, Monument, North Jesmond, Ouseburn, Parklands, South Jesmond, Walker, Walkergate, West Fenham and Wingrove.
Selective licensing: 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2026, covering Benwell & Scotswood, Byker and Elswick.
Selective licensing: 5 April 2025 to 5 April 2030, covering Arthur’s Hill, Benwell & Scotswood, Blakelaw, Elswick, Kenton, Lemington, West Fenham and Wingrove.
Selective licensing: 30 September 2026 to 29 September 2031, covering Benwell & Scotswood, Byker and Elswick.
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 Newcastle upon Tyne Council’s website here. Or let Kamma’s expert team process the application for you.
How much does a licence cost?
Newcastle City Council sets the following licence fees (Fees & Charges, June 2025):
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO | £1,100 total: Part A (application) £350 + Part B (enforcement) £750. Renewal £1,000. |
| Additional HMO | £1,100 total (Part A £350 + Part B £750). |
| Selective | £1,000 total: Part A £300 + Part B £700. |
Discounts: £100 off for accreditation (mandatory HMO only), £50 off for a valid new application within one month of purchase, and £100 off for EPC A/B/C. Fees are set by the council and can change. Check Newcastle City Council’s fees schedule for the latest figures.
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Newcastle upon Tyne Property Licensing FAQs
What licensing schemes does Newcastle upon Tyne operate?
Newcastle upon Tyne operates selective and additional licensing (1 October 2021 to 30 September 2026), alongside the national mandatory HMO scheme. See the scheme details above.
Do all properties in Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne, and many manage the full process.
How do I apply for a Newcastle upon Tyne property licence?
You can apply through Newcastle upon Tyne Council’s website (licensing pages), or use a managed service such as Kamma.
Why did Newcastle upon Tyne introduce selective licensing?
Selective licensing is used to improve housing conditions and tackle anti-social behaviour in the private rented sector.
Why did Newcastle upon Tyne 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 Newcastle upon Tyne?
The council’s HMO licence conditions set standards for fire safety, amenities, room sizes and management (licence conditions).
About Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne, commonly known as Newcastle, is a vibrant city in the northeast of England, famous for its rich industrial heritage, striking architecture, and lively cultural scene. Situated along the River Tyne, the city is known for landmarks such as the iconic Tyne Bridge and the historic Newcastle Castle. As a hub for education, business, and innovation, Newcastle offers a blend of modern amenities and historic charm. With its friendly atmosphere, dynamic nightlife, and close proximity to beautiful countryside, the city is a major destination in the North of England.
Licensing Enforcement in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne 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.
Applying for a property licence in Newcastle upon Tyne
A Newcastle upon Tyne licence application is made to the council on the council’s own form, with the documents that council asks for. Requirements differ between councils and change when a designation changes, which is most of why an application that was correct last year is not necessarily correct now.
Letting agents can have Kamma do it. We prepare and submit mandatory HMO, additional HMO and selective licence applications in Newcastle upon Tyne and in every other UK council area, collect the supporting documents from you or from your landlord, and monitor the application through to approval. The licensing application service page sets out what we need and what happens when a council rejects a submission.
Landlords should speak to their letting agent, who can instruct us directly.
Tracking licensing across a managed portfolio
A single Newcastle upon Tyne address can be checked by hand. An agency managing several hundred properties across Newcastle upon Tyne 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.
