Kerbio

Article 4 by council › Plymouth

HMO Article 4 in Plymouth

Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Plymouth? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.

Yes, in the areas Plymouth has published.

Plymouth has published 1 Article 4 direction area to the national planning dataset, 2 of them for HMOs. A small HMO of 3 to 6 people needs full planning permission inside those areas. The postcode checker below tests the exact point against them.

National dataset1 direction area published, 2 for HMOsChecked7 September 2026

Check an exact postcode

A direction can cover part of a council, and the national dataset is incomplete. This asks the planning data service for the exact point and falls back to the council's own statement.

Licensing in Plymouth

Mandatory HMO licence: 5 or more people forming 2 or more households sharing facilities.

Additional licensing: could not be verified from the council page.

Selective licensing: could not be verified from the council page.

Full licensing detail for Plymouth

What an Article 4 direction means

HMO Article 4 directions remove the permitted-development right to convert a family home (C3) to a small HMO (C4, 3 to 6 people). Inside one, that conversion needs full planning permission. Councils may also run additional licensing (smaller HMOs) or selective licensing (all private rentals) in designated areas. Planning permission and licensing are separate: a licence does not grant planning permission, and permission does not remove the need for a licence.

See this on every listing.Kerbio puts the Article 4 answer, licensing, the council's HMO register and sold prices on the Rightmove, Zoopla or OnTheMarket page itself. Free for 7 days, then £39 a month.
Add to Chrome

Sources: planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.