Stoke-on-Trent Additional HMO Licensing: What's Proposed and What's Active Now

Landlords searching for information on additional HMO licensing in Stoke-on-Trent are often unsure whether their smaller shared house already needs a licence. The short answer as of late 2026: it does not. The additional HMO licensing scheme is proposed, not active. Only mandatory HMO licensing is currently enforceable in Stoke-on-Trent.

What Additional HMO Licensing Would Cover

Under Section 56 of the Housing Act 2004, a local authority can designate an additional licensing scheme that brings smaller HMOs — those below the mandatory five-person threshold — into the licensing system.

In August 2026, Stoke-on-Trent City Council announced a city-wide additional HMO licensing proposal. On 11 August, Cabinet backed the proposal in principle, subject to statutory consultation and detailed design. If designated, it would require licences for properties occupied as residents' only or main home by three or four people forming two or more households who share amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom. These are properties that currently fall outside mandatory licensing because their headcount is below five.

The proposals were accompanied by a city-wide Article 4 Direction restricting C3-to-C4 conversions. That separate Direction took effect on 23 October 2026 (covered in our Article 4 planning permission post); the additional licensing scheme remains proposed.

Where the Proposal Stands

For an additional licensing scheme to become active law, the council must complete several statutory steps:

1. 10-week public consultation with affected landlords, tenants, and residents
2. Cabinet approval of the final scheme based on consultation outcomes
3. Formal designation order publishing the scheme boundaries and conditions
4. Three-month notice period before the scheme commences

As of 1 November 2026, no final designation has been made and no commencement date has been set. No application portal for additional HMO licences exists. Landlords of three- or four-person shared houses in Stoke-on-Trent do not currently need to apply for a licence under this scheme.

What IS Active Right Now

The only licensing regime currently in force in Stoke-on-Trent is mandatory HMO licensing under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004. This applies to properties occupied as the residents' only or main home by:

• Five or more persons
• Forming two or more separate households
• Sharing amenities (kitchen, bathroom, or toilet)

The three-storey rule was removed in October 2018 — the test is purely occupancy-based.

If your property meets these criteria, you need a mandatory HMO licence from Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The application goes through the council's online portal with a two-stage fee (£428 Part 1 processing fee, then £467 Part 2 enforcement fee for up to six bedrooms — £895 total).

For context, Stoke-on-Trent also previously operated a selective licensing scheme covering parts of Fenton and Cobridge, but that expired on 4 August 2019 and has not been renewed.

What Landlords of Smaller Shared Houses Should Do

If you let a property to three or four unrelated sharers in Stoke-on-Trent, you have no licensing obligation today. However, there are good reasons to prepare:

• Your property is legally an HMO even if it doesn't need a licence. Three or more unrelated people forming two or more households who use the property as their only or main residence, pay rent, and share amenities meet the standard HMO test in the Housing Act 2004. The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 still apply — you must maintain fire escapes, keep gas and electrical systems safe, and display your contact details in the property.
• There is no announced start date for additional licensing. If the council designates the scheme, the statutory three-month notice period gives landlords time to prepare an application and gather safety certificates.
• The PRS Database registration applies separately. Private landlords with occupied assured or regulated tenancies in the West Midlands must register during the regional three-month period, which ends on 14 March 2027. The annual fee is £65 per property, with a prorated charge during rollout. This is separate from local licensing.

Staying Ahead of the Change

If the additional licensing scheme is designated, its final application requirements and fees will depend on the council's designation; do not assume they will mirror the mandatory scheme. Keeping safety documents current can help if the final scheme requires them.

Our Landlord Licensing in Stoke-on-Trent guide covers the full mandatory HMO licensing process and explains how the proposed additional licensing scheme fits alongside it. If the additional scheme goes live, check the council's final guidance for its application workflow and document requirements.

See more England guides →