HMO Licence Cost in Nottingham: Accredited, Standard and Less Compliant Fees
Nottingham licenses more of its private rented homes than almost any other English city. Every HMO of three or more sharers needs a licence, mandatory or additional, and a selective scheme covers an estimated 30,000 other private lets. From 1 April 2026 an HMO licence costs £1,607 for a standard landlord, £1,210 if the licence holder is accredited under the Nottingham Rental Standard and £2,180 at the less compliant rate. A selective licence is £759, £950 or £1,318 on the same three tiers. This guide sets out the fees, what each tier means and what the council asks for.
In this guide
HMO licence fees from 1 April 2026 Three schemes, one city Selective licence fees from 1 April 2026 What you need to apply Standards Penalties Worked example: a five-bed in Lenton and a flat in the selective area Frequently asked questions SourcesHMO licence fees from 1 April 2026
Nottingham uses one fee table for mandatory and additional HMO licences, priced by how the landlord is rated rather than by the size of the house, for properties of up to nine bedrooms.
| Tier | Part A, first payment | Part B, second payment | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited (Nottingham Rental Standard: Unipol, DASH or ANUK) | £697 | £513 | £1,210 |
| Standard, non-accredited | £697 | £910 | £1,607 |
| Less compliant | £697 | £1,483 | £2,180 |
| Extra bedroom fee, 10 bedrooms or more | £29 per bedroom | Added to Part A | |
| General admin fee for extra chasing correspondence or changes before determination | £47 |
Nottingham City Council mandatory and additional licensing pages, "Fee from 1 April 2026", read 3 October 2026. The council's fee policy says when the less compliant rate applies; a paper application costs extra.
The gap between tiers is large: accreditation saves £397 on a standard licence, and the less compliant rate costs £573 more than standard. Accreditation with Unipol, DASH or ANUK is the single biggest lever on the cost, which is why the council's own page advises considering it before you apply. Spread over five years the accredited fee is £242 a year. See the national HMO licence guide for how that compares.
Three schemes, one city
| Scheme | Who it covers | Area | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO | 5 or more people, 2 or more households, sharing facilities | Whole city | National rule |
| Additional HMO (third scheme) | 3 or more unrelated people, 2 or more households, sharing facilities, including purpose-built flats | Whole city | January 2024 |
| Selective (second scheme) | One person, one household, or two unrelated sharers | Designated area, about 30,000 homes | 1 December 2023 |
Nottingham City Council licensing pages, read 3 October 2026.
Because the additional scheme is citywide, any shared house or flat with three or more sharers needs a licence wherever it is. The selective scheme does not cover the whole city: use the council's MyProperty tool or the Nottingham Insight Mapping housing layers to check the address. If a property is already licensed under one scheme, it does not need another.
Selective licence fees from 1 April 2026
| Tier | Part A | Part B | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited | £290 | £469 | £759 |
| Non-accredited | £290 | £660 | £950 |
| Less compliant | £290 | £1,028 | £1,318 |
Nottingham City Council selective licensing page, individual property licence fees from 1 April 2026, read 3 October 2026. Block licence fees are also published.
The second selective scheme started on 1 December 2023. If your first-scheme licence has expired you need a new one now; if it has not expired you can wait until it does, though you may apply early. The council says the legislation's word "house" covers flats too. Housing association and Nottingham City Housing Services homes are exempt. The selective licensing guide covers how designations work.
What you need to apply
The council estimates the online HMO application takes around 90 minutes. Have these ready:
- Photo ID for the licence holder and manager.
- A gas safety certificate, an EPC and an EICR or electrical installation certificate.
- Landlord insurance evidence (see the insurance guide).
- Fire alarm and, where fitted, emergency lighting test certificates, a PAT certificate and a fire risk assessment if applicable.
- Building regulations completion certificates and planning consents where relevant.
- Contact details for interested parties such as the mortgage lender, confirmation you have served notice on them, bedroom sizes and management arrangements.
- Your accreditation number, if you have one.
If you cannot show completed landlord training, the licence will include a condition requiring an approved training course within 12 months. The certificate cost calculator prices the certificates in one go.
Standards
Licences carry amenity standards and conditions covering safety, occupancy limits, anti-social behaviour and waste. The national bedroom minimums apply to every HMO: 6.51 square metres for one adult, 10.22 for two, 4.64 for a child under 10. The council's HMO licensing handbook sets out its local amenity standards for kitchens, bathrooms and fire precautions, and is worth reading before you buy.
Penalties
Letting a licensable property without a licence is an offence under the Housing Act 2004. For offences from 1 May 2026 the maximum civil penalty is £40,000 and a rent repayment order can reach 24 months' rent. Nottingham runs a dedicated housing offences investigation service. The council's fee policy also sets out when the higher less compliant fee is charged, so a poor record costs more at the licensing stage too. The landlord fines guide has the full list, and the landlord database opens to the East Midlands on 15 February 2027.
Worked example: a five-bed in Lenton and a flat in the selective area
An accredited landlord licenses a five-bed student HMO in Lenton (£1,210) and a one-bed flat in the selective area (£759): £1,969 in total. The same two properties cost a non-accredited landlord £2,557, so accreditation saves £588 across the pair before counting any membership fee. Spread over five years, the accredited total is £394 a year. Add it to the rental yield calculator and the renewal dates to the compliance calendar.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an HMO licence in Nottingham?
From 1 April 2026: £1,607 for a standard landlord (£697 plus £910), £1,210 if the licence holder is accredited under the Nottingham Rental Standard, and £2,180 at the less compliant rate, for up to nine bedrooms. Each bedroom from the tenth adds £29.
Does a three-bed shared house in Nottingham need a licence?
Yes. Since January 2024 the additional licensing scheme covers the whole city, so any property with three or more unrelated people in two or more households sharing facilities needs an HMO licence.
How much is a selective licence in Nottingham?
£759 accredited, £950 non-accredited and £1,318 less compliant, from 1 April 2026. The scheme covers a designated area of about 30,000 homes, not the whole city.
Who counts as accredited in Nottingham?
A proposed licence holder accredited under the Nottingham Rental Standard, through Unipol, DASH or ANUK.
Do I need landlord training for a Nottingham licence?
If you cannot show completed landlord training when you apply, the licence will include a condition to complete an approved course within 12 months.
Sources
Nottingham City Council: Mandatory licensing for HMOs, Additional licensing, Selective licensing and the housing licensing fee policy, pages read 3 October 2026. Legislation: Housing Act 2004 section 72, Licensing of HMOs (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, Mandatory Conditions of Licences Regulations 2018, Renters' Rights Act 2025 Part 4 and GOV.UK on HMO licensing. See the methodology.