HMO licensing in Shropshire

Shropshire Council operates the national mandatory scheme. We found no additional or selective licensing scheme in force or proposed as of September 2026. Councils can introduce one after a public consultation, so it is worth setting an alert.

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,458. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Fees from 1 April 2026 (2026/27), per the council's HMO page and the 2026/27 application form: Payment 1 (administration and processing, due with the application and all supporting documents) is £1,055.00 for up to and including five bedrooms plus £176 for each additional bedroom; Payment 2 of £403.00 is due within 28 days of the date the licence is issued. So the total for a licence of up to five bedrooms is £1,458 (£1,055 + £403), rising by £176 per extra bedroom - the fee scales with bedroom count, not occupant count. The instalments field records the two payments (£1,055 then £403) which are both mandatory stages of one fee, not an optional payment plan. The form states licences are valid for up to five years. Shropshire's page and form use one fee table for new, renewal and variation applications and publish no separate renewal fee, so renewalGbp is null. No accredited-landlord discount is published. Payment is by the council pay portal, phone (0345 678 9067) or BACS.

Check the current fee on the council website (shropshire.gov.uk) before you apply.

National minimums for licensed HMOs are 6.51 m² for one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults; councils can apply higher local standards.

• A full Fire Risk Assessment must be provided when applying for an HMO licence (the council notes that since 1 October 2023 the FRA and fire safety arrangements must be recorded in full); a copy may also be requested by Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.
• Fire precautions follow the LACORS 'Housing - Fire Safety' guidance; the council says HMOs in Shropshire generally fall under the 'Bedsit-type HMOs (lets)' classification (page 43 of the guidance).
• Fire alarm test certificate from an approved electrician or specialist fire alarm contractor, not more than 12 months old (or the installation certificate if installed within the last 12 months); emergency lighting certificate also required with the application.
• Kitchens: 30-minute fire doors with cold smoke seals, intumescent strips and a suitable self-closing device; fire blanket sited in accordance with fire guidance.
• Additional Shropshire requirement: audible carbon monoxide alarms in any room containing a gas, liquid or solid-fuel burning combustion appliance.
• Upholstered furniture supplied must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 (permanent label).
• Consult Building Control before altering or installing fire safety measures to see whether a Building Regulations application is needed.

• Bathrooms/WCs (council guidance table): 1-4 persons need at least 1 bathroom and 1 WC (may be combined); 5 persons need 1 bathroom and 1 separate WC with wash-hand basin (WC may be in a second bathroom) plus a wash-hand basin in each sleeping room where reasonably practicable; 6-10 persons need 2 bathrooms and 2 separate WCs with basins (one WC may be within a bathroom); 11-15 persons need 3 bathrooms and 3 separate WCs (two may be within bathrooms).
• Bathrooms and WCs must be not more than one floor distant from the living and sleeping accommodation; bath minimum 1700 x 700 mm or shower minimum 800 x 800 mm; bathrooms heated to 21C with mechanical extraction of at least 15 litres/second in addition to any window (or 1/20th window area / 6 l/s for separate WC compartments).
• Shared kitchen (up to 5 occupiers): one sink with drainer, one cooker (4 hobs, oven and grill), 6 sockets (3 doubles) plus dedicated cooker/fridge/washing machine sockets, 500 mm x 600 mm worktop per user (up to 2.5 m), a 500 mm floor or 1000 mm wall food cupboard per person, a 0.15 m3 fridge and a 0.11 m3 freezer. For more than five persons: one additional sink and cooker per 4 occupiers (and part thereafter), an extra double socket for each two persons over five, and worktop, storage and fridge/freezer capacity increased proportionately.
• Kitchens must have an extractor fan, refuse disposal facilities, cleansable floors and impervious splashbacks; kitchen must be no more than one floor distant from the living and sleeping accommodation. The council publishes no minimum kitchen floor area in its amenity standards.
• Units with their own kitchen facilities: cooker (at least two rings, oven and grill), sink with hot and cold water, 600 x 1000 mm worktop, 4 sockets (2 doubles) plus dedicated cooker and fridge sockets, storage cupboard, and a 0.15 m3 refrigerator.
• Heating: fixed heating appliance in all habitable rooms and bathrooms capable of maintaining 21C with occupant controls; portable paraffin and LPG heaters must not be provided.
• Gas: annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe engineer with record kept two years; electrical installation inspection (EICR, BS 7671) within the last 5 years; PAT certificate within the last 12 months where appliances are supplied (council strongly recommends PAT at least every two years).
• Licence holder must comply with the council's domestic refuse storage and disposal scheme (mandatory condition, SI 2018/616).

• Completed HMO licence application form — 2026/27 form (also used for renewals and variations), with Appendix 1 notification sent to mortgagees, owners, tenants/leaseholders with 3+ year interests, proposed licence holder and manager.
• Application fee (Payment 1) — £1,055 for up to five bedrooms plus £176 per additional bedroom, due with the complete application; Payment 2 of £403 follows within 28 days of licence issue.
• Gas safety certificate — Landlord's gas safety certificate from a Gas Safe registered contractor, dated within the last 12 months, where there is a gas supply.
• Electrical installation condition report (EICR) or EIC — EICR dated within 5 years (BS 7671), or an Electrical Installation Certificate if the installation is under 5 years old.
• Fire alarm test certificate — Not more than 12 months old, or the installation certificate if the system is under 12 months old.
• Emergency lighting certificate — Listed on the application checklist.
• Portable appliance test (PAT) certificate — Dated within the last 12 months, if electrical appliances are supplied with the tenancy.
• Current tenancy agreement — Copy of the tenancy agreement currently in use.
• Proof of identification and address — Photo driving licence or passport plus proof of address (bank/utility statement or council tax bill within 3 months).
• Plan of property — Drawing or sketch showing all rooms, communal areas and stairs, the use and approximate dimensions of each room, and the location of amenities and fire safety measures.
• Basic DBS (or Disclosure Scotland) check — Basic criminal record certificate dated within the last three years; standard or enhanced checks are not accepted.
• Fire risk assessment — Full written fire risk assessment for the property.

• shropshire.gov.uk
• next.shropshire.gov.uk
• next.shropshire.gov.uk
• next.shropshire.gov.uk
• next.shropshire.gov.uk
• legislation.gov.uk

Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with Shropshire Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.