Selective Licensing vs HMO Licence: Which Do You Need?

Compare selective licensing and HMO licensing in England — who each applies to, which council decides, and how to check a specific address before you let.

### Quick answer An HMO licence depends on how the property is occupied: a mandatory HMO licence is required where 5 or more people forming 2 or more households share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Selective licensing depends on where the property is: the council designates an area, and every private let inside it needs a licence regardless of occupancy. A property can need both.

### Introduction These two schemes are often confused because both are run by the local council and both make letting without a licence an offence. They are triggered by completely different things. This page separates them and shows you how to check a specific address.

### HMO licence vs Selective licence - What triggers it — HMO licence: How the property is occupied — sharing by multiple households. Selective licence: Where the property is — the council has designated the area. - Mandatory threshold — HMO licence: 5 or more people forming 2 or more households sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Selective licence: No occupancy threshold. It applies to private lets in the designated area, subject to the scheme's own exemptions. - Smaller properties — HMO licence: Many councils run additional licensing that extends HMO licensing to 3- and 4-person HMOs. Selective licence: Not applicable — the designation is geographic, not size-based. - Who decides — HMO licence: The local council for the property's address. Selective licence: The local council for the property's address, following a designation process. - Duration — HMO licence: Set by the council when the licence is granted, and renewable. Selective licence: Tied to the designation period as well as the licence term. - Can both apply? — HMO licence: Yes. A shared house inside a selective licensing area can fall under HMO licensing and the area designation. Selective licence: Yes — check both, not just the one you expect.

### Check the address, not the general rule Additional and selective schemes are designated council by council and change over time, including partway through a tenancy. The only reliable answer is the current position published by the council covering that specific address.

### Licensing is separate from PRS Database registration Registering on the Private Rented Sector Database does not replace a licence, and holding a licence does not replace registration. They are separate obligations.

### FAQ Do I need an HMO licence for a 3-bedroom shared house? Not under mandatory HMO licensing, which starts at 5 or more people forming 2 or more households. But many councils operate additional licensing that covers smaller HMOs, so you must check the council for that address.

Can a property need both a selective licence and an HMO licence? Yes. The two schemes are triggered independently — one by occupancy, one by location — so a shared property inside a designated area can fall within both.

How do I find out which schemes cover my property? Check the licensing pages of the council for the property's address. LetSentry's free postcode and HMO checks point you to the right council and its current published scheme.

Sources: - GOV.UK — House in multiple occupation licence — https://www.gov.uk/find-licences/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence - GOV.UK — Private renting: houses in multiple occupation — https://www.gov.uk/private-renting/houses-in-multiple-occupation - GOV.UK — Selective licensing in the private rented sector: guidance for local authorities — https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/selective-licensing-in-the-private-rented-sector-a-guide-for-local-authorities