Home / Help / Compliance and safety
How long does selective licensing last?
By the VoxaMTD team. Last verified 31 October 2026
A selective licensing designation can be made for up to 5 years. It cannot come into force until 3 months after the council makes it, and the council can delay the start by up to a further 3 months. After that, the council must make a new designation if it wants the scheme to continue.
The 5 years is the life of the area scheme, not necessarily the term of your own licence. Your licence is issued by the council for a property inside the area, so check the length, the fee and the conditions on your council's scheme page. If your property is in a designated area, you need a licence for each privately rented property there.
Because the start date is at least 3 months after the designation, councils usually publish the dates well ahead. Watch for notices from your council, especially if you own several properties in one area, as each property needs its own licence. Diary the end date of the designation and of each of your licences so a renewal is not missed, and keep a copy of each licence with the property's compliance records.
Read next
- What is Selective licensing? →
- Landlord Compliance Checklist 2026 (UK) →
- Landlord compliance checker →
- Compliance records and reminders →