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Nottingham selective licensing in 2026
If you let a house or flat in much of Nottingham City, you need a licence from the council as well as everything else a landlord has to do. A licence for one property costs £759 to £1,318 from 1 April 2026. Letting without one can cost up to £30,000.
Here is who needs a licence, what it costs, how to check your street and how it fits with the new landlord register. Checked against Nottingham City Council's own pages on 12 November 2026.
Who needs a selective licence?
Nottingham City Council's second selective licensing scheme started on 1 December 2023 and covers designated areas of the city, estimated at more than 30,000 privately rented homes. If your property is in one of those areas and is let to one person, one family or two sharers, it will usually need a licence. Each property needs its own licence.
Shared houses let to more people are covered by HMO licensing instead, either national mandatory licensing or the council's additional licensing scheme. Homes managed by housing associations are exempt. The scheme covers Nottingham City only, not neighbouring areas such as West Bridgford, Beeston, Arnold or Hucknall, which sit in other council areas.
How to check: look up the address on the council's property map, linked from its selective licensing page. Do it before you market the property, not after the tenant moves in.
How much does a Nottingham licence cost?
Fees from 1 April 2026, for one property. The fee is paid in two parts, Part A and Part B.
| Landlord | Part A | Part B | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited landlord | £290 | £469 | £759 |
| Not accredited | £290 | £660 | £950 |
| Less compliant | £290 | £1,028 | £1,318 |
Being accredited saves £191 on every property. Accreditation is available through DASH, Unipol and ANUK. The council decides who counts as less compliant under its fee policy.
Block licences
Where a building has several flats that meet the council's block policy, you can apply for a block licence: a base fee plus a fee for each flat.
| Landlord | Base fee | Per flat |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited landlord | £1,873 | £544 |
| Not accredited | £2,841 | £560 |
| Less compliant | £3,303 | £565 |
Apply online through the council's My Account service. Paper applications cost extra. Source: Nottingham City Council, selective licensing.
What if you let without a licence?
The council can issue a financial penalty of up to £30,000 or take you to court, where the fine is unlimited. You can be ordered to pay back up to 12 months' rent, and the council can take over management of the property. Selling? You can ask for a Temporary Exemption Notice, which lasts three months.
Licensing and the landlord register are separate
The national landlord database is a new duty for every landlord in England. East Midlands landlords register between 15 February and 14 May 2027. A Nottingham licence does not count as registering, and registering does not replace a licence. See our landlord register guide and the Renters' Rights Act guide.
How we handle licensing for Nottingham landlords
- We check whether the property needs a licence before we market it.
- We keep the licence and its conditions on file, alongside the gas, electrical and EPC certificates.
- We diarise every renewal and certificate expiry, so nothing lapses.
Full management is 8% of the rent, or 7% with 5 or more properties, with no VAT and no set-up fee. See letting agents in Nottingham for local rents and yields, or our fees.
Questions Nottingham landlords ask
How much is a selective licence in Nottingham?
From 1 April 2026 a licence for one property costs £759 for an accredited landlord, £950 if you are not accredited and £1,318 if the council treats you as less compliant. The fee is split into a Part A and a Part B payment.
How do I know if my property needs a licence?
The scheme covers designated areas of Nottingham City, estimated at more than 30,000 privately rented homes. Check the address on the council’s property map before you let. A home let to one person, one family or two sharers in a designated area will usually need one.
When does the Nottingham scheme end?
The current scheme started on 1 December 2023 and runs for five years, to the end of November 2028, unless the council ends or renews it.
What happens if I let without a licence?
The council can issue a financial penalty of up to £30,000 or prosecute, and you can be ordered to repay up to 12 months’ rent. It can also take over management of the property.
I am selling. Do I still need a licence?
The council can grant a Temporary Exemption Notice for a property that is being sold. It lasts three months and can be extended by another three months in special circumstances.
Is a licence the same as registering on the landlord database?
No. They are separate. The national landlord database is a new requirement for every landlord in England, with an East Midlands deadline of 14 May 2027. A Nottingham licence is extra, for properties in the designated areas.
This is general guidance, not legal advice. Fees and areas are set by Nottingham City Council and can change, so check the council's page before you apply.
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