HMO licensing in Birmingham: fees, additional licensing and how to apply
Written by Sam Allcock · Last updated 23 August 2026 · Facts checked against Birmingham City Council's own published pages on the date above
Birmingham runs a citywide additional HMO licensing scheme covering all 69 wards, in force from 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028, requiring a £755 licence for smaller HMOs with 3 or 4 occupants forming 2 or more households (Birmingham City Council, checked 23 August 2026).
That's on top of mandatory HMO licensing for larger properties and a separate selective licensing scheme, so Birmingham landlords have more licensing routes to check than most cities.
Short on time?Let us prepare your Birmingham HMO application - fixed fee, and we always show you the free official route first.
Get it done for you →This page sets out Birmingham's own published fees and schemes - for the wider system, see our HMO & landlord licensing hub, and for who needs a licence nationally, see do I need an HMO licence?
This is general information sourced from Birmingham City Council's own website, not legal advice - always confirm current fees and ward boundaries with the council directly before you apply.
What's different about HMO licensing in Birmingham?
Birmingham brought in additional licensing citywide - all 69 wards - from 5 June 2023, meaning smaller HMOs with just 3 or 4 occupants now need a licence across the whole city, not just in specific hotspot areas (Birmingham City Council, checked 23 August 2026). Enforcement began on 4 September 2023.
Birmingham also runs a selective licensing scheme, and the council's own pages should be checked directly for the current selective licensing ward boundaries, since summaries of Birmingham's exact selective coverage were inconsistent across sources during this research pass.
What does an HMO licence cost in Birmingham?
The council's own additional licensing page confirms a flat £755 fee per licence for smaller HMOs under the additional scheme (Birmingham City Council, checked 23 August 2026); an exact figure for the mandatory (5+ occupant) HMO licence fee wasn't independently pinned down on this pass.
Read Birmingham City Council's additional licensing page for the current fee schedule →
✓ Checked against Birmingham City Council, 23 August 2026
Does Birmingham run additional or selective licensing?
| Scheme | Status in Birmingham |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licensing | City-wide, applies to every large HMO (5+ occupants, 2+ households) |
| Additional licensing | Citywide, all 69 wards, 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028 - covers 3-4 occupant HMOs, £755 fee |
| Selective licensing | In force in Birmingham - confirm current ward boundaries on the council's own selective licensing page |
With three overlapping schemes, the safest check is always the council's own postcode-based lookup, not a general summary like this one.
How do you apply for an HMO licence in Birmingham?
You apply through Birmingham City Council's own website, which handles applications for mandatory, additional and selective licences (Birmingham City Council, checked 23 August 2026).
- Check which scheme applies to your property - occupant numbers and ward both matter in Birmingham.
- Gather your property details - room sizes, occupant and household numbers, gas and electrical safety certificates.
- Apply online through the council's licensing pages and pay the fee.
- Complete any property checks the council requires.
- Receive your licence and keep it current for your property's licensing period.
How long does a Birmingham HMO licence take?
Birmingham City Council's pages reviewed for this guide didn't set out a fixed processing timescale (checked 23 August 2026) - confirm current turnaround with the council's private housing team once you've submitted your application.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an additional HMO licence cost in Birmingham?
£755 per licence, covering HMOs with 3 or 4 occupants forming 2 or more households, under the citywide scheme running 5 June 2023 to 4 June 2028.
Does additional licensing cover my whole ward in Birmingham?
Yes - Birmingham's additional licensing scheme covers all 69 wards citywide, unlike many councils that only designate specific hotspot areas.
Does Birmingham also run selective licensing?
Yes, Birmingham runs a selective licensing scheme alongside additional and mandatory HMO licensing - confirm the current ward boundaries directly on the council's own selective licensing page, as reported coverage varies between third-party summaries.
Where do I apply for a Birmingham HMO licence?
Directly through Birmingham City Council's own website - the same licensing pages handle mandatory, additional and selective applications.
apply for licence is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Birmingham City Council, GOV.UK or any government body. This page is general information, not legal advice - for anything specific to your property, contact Birmingham City Council's private housing team directly.