Manchester selective licensing 2022 areas
Selective licensing · active · Named areas · 1 May 2022 to 30 Apr 2027
- Coverage
- Named areas
- Fee
- £798
Manchester selective licensing 2022 areas applies in named Manchester areas from 2022-05-01 to 2027-04-30.
Council licensing report
Landlord licensing in Manchester
Manchester runs at least one local property licensing scheme. Some rules apply to the whole council. Others apply only to listed streets, wards, or mapped areas, so the postcode alone does not always give a yes-or-no answer.
What landlords need to know
Status
Manchester
Selective
Mandatory HMO (national)
- Selective licensing
- 3 active
- Additional HMO licensing
- None listed
- Mandatory HMO licensing
- Applies nationally
- Local scheme coverage
- Listed streets or areas
- Active local schemes
- 3 active schemes
- Last checked
- 22 May 2026
Check a postcode and address in Manchester
Enter the postcode to confirm the council, then pick the address. If a scheme uses a street list, we check the selected street against it and give a direct yes or no.
Local schemes in Manchester
Manchester selective licensing 2023 areas
Selective licensing · active · Named areas · 9 Aug 2023 to 8 Aug 2028
- Coverage
- Named areas
- Fee
- £936
Manchester selective licensing 2023 areas applies in named Manchester areas from 2023-08-09 to 2028-08-08.
Manchester selective licensing 2025 areas
Selective licensing · active · Named areas · 24 May 2025 to 23 May 2030
- Coverage
- Named areas
- Fee
- £964
Manchester selective licensing 2025 areas applies in named Manchester areas from 2025-05-24 to 2030-05-23.
How each scheme is scoped in Manchester
A property licensing scheme is not the same everywhere. A council can designate the whole borough, a handful of wards, a list of streets, or a boundary drawn on a map. Whichever option Manchester chose changes how confident you can be from the postcode alone.
Manchester selective licensing 2022 areas
This scheme covers the areas listed on the council's designation notice.
Manchester selective licensing 2023 areas
This scheme covers the areas listed on the council's designation notice.
Manchester selective licensing 2025 areas
This scheme covers the areas listed on the council's designation notice.
Common rental setups in Manchester
The right licence depends on who lives in the property, how the household is structured, and where the property sits in the council area. These are the situations we see most often, with what Manchester's current rules say about each.
Single tenant in a flat or studio
Licence neededOne adult renting a self-contained flat or a studio with their own kitchen and bathroom.
May need a selective licence if the address sits inside Manchester's designated scheme area.
Couple renting a whole house
Licence neededTwo people from one household renting an entire house on one tenancy.
May need a selective licence if the address sits inside Manchester's designated scheme area.
Family renting a whole house
Licence neededParents and dependent children from one household renting an entire house.
May need a selective licence if the address sits inside Manchester's designated scheme area.
Three sharers from different households
Worth confirmingThree friends or three unrelated tenants on a joint tenancy, sharing a kitchen and bathroom.
Selective licensing can still catch a small HMO if the property sits inside Manchester's scheme area. Confirm with the council before letting.
Four sharers from different households
Worth confirmingFour unrelated tenants sharing a kitchen and bathroom.
Selective licensing can still catch a small HMO if the property sits inside Manchester's scheme area. Confirm with the council before letting.
Five or more sharers from different households
Licence neededFive or more unrelated tenants sharing a kitchen and bathroom.
Needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. The five-or-more, two-or-more-households test is national, not council-specific.
Lodger with a live-in landlord
No licence neededOwner-occupier letting a room to one or two lodgers in their own home.
Letting to a lodger while you live in the property is exempt from HMO licensing in most cases. Selective licensing exemptions also normally cover owner-occupier lets.
Student house of five
Licence neededFive students from at least two households sharing a converted house.
Needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. The five-or-more, two-or-more-households test is national, not council-specific.
Timing to watch in Manchester
The earliest scheme end date is 30 Apr 2027 (11 months away). If Manchester redesignates, every existing licence has to be re-applied for under the new scheme. Fees and conditions usually change between cycles.
Buying a property in Manchester
A property licence does not transfer when a property changes hands. If you buy a let property that needs a licence under Manchester's rules, the existing licence ends and you need to apply for a new one in your own name. The seller's solicitor should disclose any existing licence and any open enforcement notices.
For conveyancing in Manchester, ask three things before exchange. First, is the property inside any current selective or additional HMO scheme area. Second, is there an active licence in the seller's name and on what conditions. Third, has the council issued a civil penalty, banning order or rent repayment order against the seller in the last six years.
Owner-occupiers buying to live in the property do not need a licence. The rules only apply when a property is rented out.
Talk to Manchester directly
Anything on this page that you cannot find an answer to, the council's licensing team can confirm in minutes.
Email the licensing team
[email protected]
Phone the licensing team
0161 245 7850
Apply for a licence
Application form on Manchester's website
Public licence register
Search licensed properties in Manchester
Official licensing page
Manchester council guidance
Council postcode checker
Manchester's own street or postcode lookup