Article 4 by council › Woking
HMO Article 4 in Woking
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Woking? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Woking had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Woking, subject to HMO licensing. Checked 28 September 2026.
Read the council's HMO page and its Do I need planning permission and Check if you need planning permission pages; none mention an Article 4 direction for HMOs. The HMO page covers licensing only (an additional licensing scheme for small HMOs starts 5 January 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.
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.
Sources: Woking council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.