East of England
HMO licensing in Luton
Luton Borough Council requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. It also runs additional licensing, which brings smaller HMOs (typically 3 or 4 people) into licensing. The published licence fee starts at £1,554.27.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Additional
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
From £1,554.27
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Luton
Borough-wide additional licensing covers small HMOs with 3 or 4 people in 2+ households. The designation (made 25 October 2023) took legal effect on 5 February 2024 and ceases on 4 February 2029, but after the council won a legal challenge the schemes only went live in practice on 1 June 2026, with a reduced early-bird fee (£150) until 31 August 2026 and no enforcement before then. Luton also has a selective licensing scheme for the town centre and Park Town areas, ending on the same date.
- In force from
- 5 February 2024
- Scheme ends
- 4 February 2029
Verified 24 September 2026
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,554.27. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Luton charges by number of bedrooms. For 5 bedrooms the fee is £1,554.27: £932.15 Part A (application processing, non-refundable, due on application) plus £622.12 Part B (monitoring and enforcement, due before the licence is issued and refunded if the application is unsuccessful). Smaller and larger HMOs: 3 bedrooms £1,142.27, 4 bedrooms £1,348.27, 6 bedrooms £1,801.47, up to £6,343.77 for 20 bedrooms; contact the council for more than 20. Licences are generally issued for up to five years. A £124.44 discount applies where the landlord or manager belongs to a recognised trade body (such as NRLA, ARLA, ARMA, RICS, NAEA or Safeagent) or the property has an EPC of C or above; only one discount per application.
Fee source: luton.gov.uk (checked 7 October 2026). Fees change during the year, so check the council before you apply.
Additional and selective licence fees
Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.
Additional licence
No single standard fee
Full-rate fee for a new additional licence is not currently published by the council; the council states fees are being revised and will be updated on its website. The only published rate was a 3-month early-bird fee of £150 (Part A £122 + Part B £28), which ended on 31 August 2026.
Early-bird rate of £150 flat (Part A £122 non-refundable + Part B £28 refundable if unsuccessful) applied until 31 August 2026 and no discount could be combined with it. After the early-bird period, discounts for trade-body membership may apply at assessment (amount not published on the council's current pages).
Scheme: From 1 June 2026 to 4 February 2029
Checked 2 October 2026 against luton.gov.uk
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Within the last 12 months for every gas appliance on the property.
- EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report, dated within the last five years.
- EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
- Floor plan with room dimensions — To scale, showing every room and its floor area against the HMO minimums.
- Fire risk assessment — Current assessment of the property's means of escape, alarms and compartmentation.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Luton Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.