Bolton has one discretionary licensing scheme on our record: additional HMO licensing (starts —). Mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere in England to HMOs with 5 or more people in 2 or more households.
Selective: none foundAdditional HMO: yesMandatory HMO: alwaysChecked 28 Sep 2026
| Area covered | Whole council area |
|---|---|
| Designation made | 17 Aug 2026 |
| Fee | £1,211 5-year licence per property |
Note from our check: exact start date not published; designation_made = cabinet decision date; coverage whole per council wording (not a formal notice); selective: none
Checked 28 Sept 2026.
Whatever the local schemes, a licence is required for any house in multiple occupation let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This rule is national and has applied since 1 October 2018. Letting without a required licence is a criminal offence under section 72 of the Housing Act 2004. Read do I need an HMO licence? and how to apply.
We did not find an online public register for Bolton. Every council must keep one (Housing Act 2004, s.232) and make it available for inspection; ask the council's private sector housing team.
Bolton does not publish Article 4 data to the national planning data platform, so we cannot tell you from official data whether an HMO Article 4 direction applies. Absence of data is not absence of a direction: check the council's planning pages.
Licensing and planning are separate. A licence does not give planning permission, and planning permission does not replace a licence. See Article 4 and HMOs.
Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Bolton. They show how tenants and the council use enforcement here. Most civil penalties are paid without appeal, so they never reach the tribunal.
| Rent repayment order decisions | 0 (0 in the last 3 years) |
|---|---|
| Civil penalty appeals | 0 |
| Other Housing Act appeals (licence terms, notices, orders) | 1 |
If you have let without a licence you needed, read unlicensed property: what to do, rent repayment orders and civil penalties.
Bolton is in the North West region of the new Private Rented Sector Database. Registration opens 15 May 2027 and the deadline to register is 14 Aug 2027. The published fee is £65 per property per year. Database registration is separate from council licensing: you may need both. See register your rental property.
We can prepare a licence application for you for a fixed fee; the council's own fee is separate. See pricing for what is included and how we make money. You can also run a full address check on the postcode checker.
We found no selective licensing scheme on Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council's website as of 28 Sep 2026. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies to 5+ people in 2+ households. Confirm with the council.
Additional HMO licensing: £1,211 (5-year licence per property). Fees for mandatory HMO licences are set by the council and published on its fees page.
Bolton does not publish Article 4 data to the national planning data platform, so we cannot tell you from official data whether an HMO Article 4 direction applies. Absence of data is not absence of a direction: check the council's planning pages.
Related: selective licensing in England · additional HMO licensing · HMO licence cost · HMO rules · HMO hub
Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Information, not legal advice. Licensing schemes change often; always confirm with the council before you act.