HMO Licence in Bristol: Fee, Who Needs One and How to Apply

The fee, from Bristol’s own page

'Standard fee for a new HMO licence: The fee for a new licence is £1,886. This is split into: £1,121 for payment one, £765 for payment two. The licence lasts for 5 years.' 'Standard fee for a licence renewal: The renewal fee is £1,564. This is split into: £929 for payment one, £635 for payment two.' £150 discounts/refunds available for Rent with Confidence accreditation and for supplying gas/EICR/EPC certificates early.

Bristol's additional-licensing fees page mixes multiple wards/schemes with different totals (£1,300 vs £1,861 for 'first time licence') on the same page -- these may refer to two different additional licensing designations (an older £1,300 scheme text appears alongside a newer £1,861 total for Bedminster/Brislington West/Horfield). Article 4 not verified.

Bristol’s new-licence fee sits above the median of the 34 councils whose fee we could read from their own pages (£1,364). The cheapest verified is Islington at £288 and the dearest Lambeth at £2,530; fee structures differ — some charge per room or in occupancy bands, so a large HMO can cost far more than the headline figure above.

Who needs a licence in Bristol

The national rule is the same everywhere in England and Wales — gov.uk: “You must have a licence if you’re renting out a large HMO in England or Wales. Your property is defined as a large HMO if all of the following apply: it is rented to 5 or more people who form more than 1 household; some or all tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities; at least 1 tenant pays rent (or their employer pays it for them).” … “A licence is valid for a maximum of 5 years. You must renew your licence before it runs out. You need a separate licence for each HMO you run.” Whether a smaller shared house needs a licence depends on whether the council runs an additional or selective scheme:

Additional licensing (smaller HMOs): yes. Bedminster, Brislington West and Horfield wards; and a separate scheme for Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham, Easton wards. Scheme dates: from 2022-04-06. Fee £1,861. 'A licensing scheme came into force on 6 April 2022 for all Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) not already covered by mandatory licensing for the three wards above... Cost of the licence Total cost for a first time licence £1,861: First payment: £1,023... Second payment: £838... Cost to renew the licence Total cost for a renewal of a licence £1,470.' A second, later additional scheme: 'into force on 6 August 2024 for all private rented housing in these 3 wards: Bishopston and Ashley Down, Cotham, Easton. Cost of the licence Total cost: £912 First payment £467, Second payment £445.' (Note: this second scheme text on the page is titled around selective/additional licensing for those 3 wards -- council page structure mixes HMO-additional and selective schemes; verify scheme type before publishing.) Check the scheme map before letting to three or four sharers.

Selective licensing (all private lets in an area): yes. Selective licensing scheme area(s) referenced on the same fees page. Scheme dates: from 2022-04-06. Fee £799. 'A selective licensing scheme came into force on 6 April 2022 for all private rented housing in the area. Total cost: £799 First payment: £499... Second payment: £300... The licence lasts 5 years.' Inside a selective area every private tenancy needs a licence, HMO or not.

Article 4 direction on new HMOs: yes. Citywide (per third-party PropReady summary; Not verified against a bristol.gov.uk planning page in this pass -- flagged, do not publish without checking. Converting a family home into a small HMO in those areas needs planning permission as well as any licence.

Letting a licensable HMO without a licence is an offence; the penalties, rent repayment orders and the fee’s tax treatment are on the HMO licence in England guide.

The Bristol numbers around an HMO

• How many HMOs: the council estimated 13,349 HMOs in Bristol, of which 5,300 were mandatory-licensable and 3,668 licences had been issued (LAHS 2024-25, MHCLG) — every council’s figures.
• Rents: the average 4+-bedroom rent in Bristol is £2,542 a month (ONS, July 2026) against £1,880 across all sizes — rents, prices and yield in Bristol.
• EPC: 38% of EPCs lodged here in the last year were below band C, the level a rented home needs by 1 October 2030 (EPC ratings in Bristol).
• Council tax: Band D is £2,714 for 2026/27; in an HMO let room by room the landlord is usually the liable person.

How to apply

Applications go to the council, not to a national body. Have the floor plans, gas and electrical certificates, fire-safety details and the manager’s details ready; most councils take a non-refundable first payment on submission and the balance on grant (the quote above shows where Bristol splits its fee, if it does).

Apply or check on Bristol’s site

All councils compared · Student HMOs and Ground 4A · Renters’ Rights Act rules