Bristol Landlord Licence Fees: Full Breakdown by Scheme

Every Bristol Licence Fee in One Place

Bristol City Council charges different fees depending on which licensing scheme applies to your property. Every scheme uses a two-part payment structure: a non-refundable Part 1 fee paid at application, and a Part 2 fee invoiced after the council decides to grant the licence. You have up to 28 days to pay Part 2 once the demand notice arrives — miss that deadline and the application is invalidated, leaving the property unlicensed.

Here is the complete fee schedule for all five active schemes.

Citywide Additional HMO Licensing (2024–2029)

This covers properties with three or four occupants from two or more households, in any Bristol ward except Bedminster, Brislington West, and Horfield (which remain under the 2022 scheme until April 2027).

• New first-time licence: £1,861 total (Part 1: £1,023 / Part 2: £838)
• Renewal licence: £1,470 total (Part 1: £808 / Part 2: £662)

Central Wards Selective Licensing (2024–2029)

Covers single-household lets in Bishopston & Ashley Down, Cotham, and Easton.

• New and renewal: £912 total (Part 1: £467 / Part 2: £445)

South/North Additional HMO Licensing (2022–2027)

Covers three-or-four-person HMOs in Bedminster, Brislington West, and Horfield.

• Standard fee: £1,300 total (Part 1: £1,000 / Part 2: £300)

South Bristol Selective Licensing (2022–2027)

Covers single-household lets in Bedminster and Brislington West.

• Standard fee: £799 total (Part 1: £499 / Part 2: £300)

Mandatory HMO Licensing (National, Permanent)

Covers any property with five or more occupants from two or more households, citywide.

• New application: £1,886 total (Part 1: £1,036 / Part 2: £850)

Discounts That Cut the Part 2 Bill

Two discounts may reduce the Part 2 fee, and you can claim both:

Accredited landlord discount (£150): Available if you or your managing agent holds accredited membership with Rent with Confidence, NRLA, or another approved provider when you apply. You must provide evidence by the Part 2 payment deadline; ordinary membership alone does not qualify.

Early safety certificate discount (£150): For the 2024 schemes, granted when satisfactory Gas Safety, EICR, and EPC documents are submitted before the licence is issued. For the 2022 schemes, a £150 refund is available if satisfactory documents are submitted within three months after the full licence is issued.

Claiming both brings a citywide additional HMO licence down from £1,861 to £1,561 on a new application, or a central wards selective licence from £912 to £612. That £300 saving is more than the cost of joining an accreditation scheme.

Extra Charges to Watch For

Late-application surcharge (£140): Added to Part 1 if you apply after council enforcement has already contacted you, or after the scheme's designated deadline.

Shorter-term licences: If the council grants a one- or two-year licence instead of the standard five (common where there's a compliance history), you still pay the full fee. No pro-rata reduction.

Refunds: Essentially non-existent. Part 1 is non-refundable once processing starts. The only exceptions are applying for a property that didn't legally need a licence, or surrendering the property to the council for homelessness prevention use.

Our Bristol landlord licensing guide includes the full fee schedule, a step-by-step process for claiming both discounts, and a timeline showing exactly when each payment is due.

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