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Selective Licensing

Selective Licensing

Fee changes from 1 April 2026 - New Selective licence fees will apply from 1 April 2026. 

Apply for an individual property licence (Selective licence)

When do I apply for a new licence?

The second scheme of selective licensing started on 01 December 2023. If your licence has expired, you can apply now on the link above. If your licence has not expired yet you do not need to reapply until your licence expires, however you can apply before the licence expires.

If you wish to view the proposed designation and check if your property is within the proposed area, please click below,

or visit Nottingham Insight Mapping, under the ‘Housing and Property’ layers.

Selective Licensing scheme

Selective Licensing is a scheme that requires most private rented properties to be licensed. It means that houses need to be licensed where they have one or two tenants or a family living there.*

*Although the legislation refers to ‘houses’ this does cover a variety of housing types (for example flats); the scheme provides for the regulation of ‘houses’ as defined by section 99 of the Housing Act 2004. 

Second Selective Licensing Scheme

Licence Variation

If you have a licence in place already, but some details have changed, then you can apply for a licence variation below. Please be aware that licence holders cannot be changed.

For more information on licence variations, please click on the link below where more information can be found before applying. 

Licence Variation

What is a Selective Licence?

Selective Licensing is a licensing scheme for landlords who privately rent properties that meet the below criteria and fall within the designated areas for Selective Licensing.

Licences are for each property. A privately rented property could fall under the Selective Licensing scheme if there is:

  • One occupant
  • More than one occupant who form one household (e.g. a family) or;
  • Two unrelated individuals who form two households (e.g. two friends)

(where the property does not meet the above/ has more occupants; it is likely to fall under one of the other licensing scheme-see ‘other schemes’ below).

Designated area

The Selective Licensing scheme does not cover all areas of the city. It’s estimated to cover over 30,000 privately rented homes in a designated area. It's really important that you check if your property is in a designated area.

Some properties, such as those managed by Housing Associations and Nottingham City Housing Services properties, are exempt from licensing.

Other schemes

There are two other property licensing schemes in Nottingham affecting HMOs, Additional Licensing and Mandatory Licensing. If your property does not need a Selective Licence from 1 December 2023 it may still need one of these types of licences. If your property is already licensed under one of these schemes, you do not need the Selective Scheme.

What licensing means for tenants

If someone rents a home in Nottingham City the landlord probably needs a licence from 1 December 2023.

From 1 December 2023 Tenants in Nottingham should only be renting from a landlord who has a property licence or has applied for one. If you become aware of an unlicensed property that’s being rented out then you can report it.

Other Information

To report a landlord or unlicensed property

 

To view the following documents, please click relevant link to download / open.

Link to Video guides

Link to Documents from GOV.UK

Fees

Fees from 1 April 2026

Individual Property Licence Fees Accredited (Accredited with DASH, Unipol or ANUK) Non-accredited Less compliant*
Part A fee £290 £290 £290
Part B fee £469 £660 £1,028
Total licence fee £759 £950 £1,318
Block licence fees** Accredited (Accredited with DASH, Unipol or ANUK) Non-accredited Less Compliant*
Part A fee £470 £470 £470
Part B fee £1,403 £2,371 £2,833
Block base total £1,873 £2,841 £3,303
Per dwelling Accredited Non-accredited Less Compliant*
Part A fee £160 £160 £160
Part B fee £384 £400 £405
Per dwelling total £544 £560 £565

* Less compliant fees may apply when certain criteria is met within the fee policy.

** Block licence applications may be applied for when criteria is met within the block licence policy.

Accreditation can currently be obtained by landlords via the DASH scheme. Unipol and ANUK also offers a scheme. Both schemes provide accreditation for up to three years

For the current fees prior to 1 April 2026, please see Selective licence Fees 1 April 2025.

If you are in the process of selling your property and it falls within the designated area you can apply for a Temporary Exemption Notice (TEN).

You can only make an application if you are the owner or person in control of the property.

A temporary exemption notice lasts for three months. You can apply to extend the exemption for a further three months in special circumstances. If the property still needs a licence after this period, you must apply for a property licence straight away.

Apply for a Temporary Exemption Notice

For more information on temporary exemptions please download documents below to read.

It is against the law for any landlord to rent out a property in designated Selective Licencing areas without a licence. We will work with other partner agencies across Nottingham to find unlicensed properties and take legal action.

Landlords with unlicensed rented properties can face a financial penalty notice of up to £30,000 or an unlimited fine from the court.​ You could also have control of your unlicensed properties taken away from you, and be ordered to repay up to 12 months rent to us or your tenants.

To report a landlord or unlicensed property please click below

The 2nd licence scheme begun on 01 December 2023. The paper application form is available here. The paper application form will carry additional charges.

The Licence Holder Declaration is only required to be completed by the proposed licence holder if the applicant is different to the proposed licence holder. 

Paper Application Fee(s) (additional fee to individual property licence fee above) Fee
Application downloaded and printed from website £74
Printed paper applications £39
Total for posting and processing paper application £113

 

The 2nd licence scheme begun on 01 December 2023.

Please find below the following

Nottingham publishes UK-first social impact report on housing licensing

Nottingham City Council has published the first ever Social Impact and Social Return on Investment report into housing licensing in the private rented sector, setting a new benchmark for how the benefits of licensing are measured and understood.

The independent study assesses the impact of Nottingham’s private rented housing licensing schemes over five years (2020–2024) and shows that an investment of £24.9 million generated £114.9 million in social value – equivalent to £4.62 returned for every £1 invested.

The report demonstrates how licensing is delivering safer, warmer homes for renters, raising standards among landlords, improving neighbourhoods, and reducing pressure on public services including the NHS, police, and fire services.

Key findings include:

  • £91 million of social value created through improving renters’ health, safety, and wellbeing
  • More than 14,500 renters benefiting directly from improvements to their homes
  • Over 7,400 unlicensed landlords brought into compliance, creating a level playing field
  • 36% of landlords reporting improved knowledge of their responsibilities
  • Major reductions in anti-social behaviour (48%) and waste complaints (45%) in licensed areas
  • Reduced pressure on public services, including avoided fires, NHS savings, and carbon reduction benefits

In a foreword to the report, Councillor Jay Hayes, Nottingham City Council’s Executive Member for Housing & Planning, said:

“A safe, secure, and affordable home is the foundation on which people build their lives. It underpins health, wellbeing, education, employment, and community life. For almost a third of Nottingham’s residents, that home is in the private rented sector. 

This report marks an important moment for Nottingham, and for housing policy more widely. It is the first time in England that the social impact of private rented housing licensing has been measured using a Social Return on Investment approach. In doing so, it moves the debate beyond whether licensing works, to what difference it truly makes. 

The findings are striking. Over five years, housing licensing in Nottingham generated nearly £115 million in social value, improving lives, strengthening neighbourhoods, and reducing pressure on vital public services. Every £1 invested delivered £4.62 in value back to the city. These figures represent warmer homes, safer buildings, fewer hazards, and greater peace of mind for thousands of residents. 

This report also provides important insight for landlords. Many already strive to do the right thing, and the evidence shows that licensing supports these efforts through clearer standards, better guidance, access to training and accreditation, and greater confidence that poor practice is identified and addressed.

Licensing in Nottingham combines enforcement with engagement and works best in partnership with landlords, renters, emergency services, universities, and community organisations. Inspections and intelligence allow risks to be identified early, safeguarding concerns to be addressed, and problems to be resolved before they escalate.

Nottingham is proud to be leading the way with a report that is already informing national discussions. Ultimately, this evaluation shows that housing licensing is not just a regulatory tool, but a long-term investment in people, communities, and the future of our city."

The report has already attracted interest at national level and provides valuable insight into how housing regulation can be evaluated more meaningfully across England.

Councillor Hayes added: “This report tells a powerful story about what housing licensing actually delivers on the ground. It shows that good landlords are supported, renters are better protected, and neighbourhoods are stronger and safer as a result. What makes this report unique is that it moves the conversation beyond cost, and instead focuses on value – value for residents, for responsible landlords, for partners, and for the city as a whole.”

Document downloads:

PRS Licensing social impact - briefing

Social Impact Housing Licensing Nottingham - SROI Full report

SROI summary report

Download a copy of the foreword

For more information about the Private Rented Licensing social impact project, contact sophia.beswick@nottinghamcity.gov.uk 

You have a right to request any recorded information held by Nottingham City Council that is not personal information about yourself.

Further information on how to make an FOI request can be found here.

 

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