Selective licensing in Burnley

Which licences a rented house needs in Burnley, and where. England. Checked 11 October 2026.

Burnley runs selective licensing on top of mandatory licensing.

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

Additional licensing

Extends HMO licensing to smaller HMOs (typically 3 or 4 people) in a designated area.

None found

Council page states there is currently no additional HMO licensing scheme in the Borough. Source: https://burnley.gov.uk/housing/private-rented-sector/house-in-multiple-occupation-hmos/article-4-direction-and-additional-hmo-licensing/

Selective licensing

Every privately rented home in a designated area needs a licence, HMO or not.

StatusIn forceWherenamed areas: Burnley Wood with Healey Wood; Leyland Road; Gannow, Trinity, Queensgate, Padiham and Daneshouse

Schemes in force: Burnley Wood with Healey Wood and Leyland Road 21 July 2022 to 20 July 2027; Gannow, Trinity, Queensgate, Padiham and Daneshouse 27 April 2025 to 26 April 2030. Consultation 3 August to 18 October 2026 on redesignating Burnley Wood with Healey Wood and Leyland Road and a new area around Lyndhurst Road (proposal only, not yet decided or in force). Source: https://burnley.gov.uk/?p=4186

Council HMO page · Council Article 4 page · HMO Article 4 in Burnley

Check an exact postcode for Article 4

Licensing and planning are separate. The HMO Article 4 checker tells you whether a small HMO needs planning permission at the address.

Is a postcode inside an HMO Article 4 area?

See this on every Rightmove 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.

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Sources: Burnley council, gov.uk HMO licensing. Schemes change; confirm with the council before you offer.