Licensing in Wirral

Selective licensing · Wirral Council

Wirral Council designation of areas for Selective Licensing, 1 October 2025 to 30 September 2030 (council name: Scheme 5, the 2025 to 2030 scheme)

Status
In force
Runs
1 October 2025 to 30 September 2030
Designated
24 June 2025
Fee
£605 per property. There's £100 off for an accredited property or landlord (Wirral's own property accreditation, the NRLA, the Guild of Residential Landlords, ARLA or NALS), £150 off for an EPC of C or above, £100 off if you apply within three months of buying a property in the area, and £25 off each property after the first. Paying in instalments costs £100 more, and so does a paper application.
Applies to
Every privately rented home in six small areas of Birkenhead, Tranmere and Wallasey: Birkenhead Central, Hamilton Square B, Lower Tranmere, Tranmere North, Tranmere Lairds and Egremont South. Smaller shared houses that don't need a mandatory HMO licence are included. Each area follows an official statistical boundary, so the council's address lists are only a guide: any rented home inside the boundary needs a licence. Exemptions include HMOs that need a mandatory licence and business lets such as tied accommodation.

Our records last verified 18 October 2026 · council designation page · licence conditions

Area covered

The designation covers a defined area of Wirral Council. Check your exact address with the checker below and against the map on the council’s designation page, because scheme boundaries are drawn street by street.

What this means for landlords

Selective licensing applies to privately rented homes of any size in the designated area, including single lets. Letting an unlicensed property inside the area can mean a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent.

Is your property inside the scheme area?

This checker reflects HouseFile’s records of council licensing designations, not the councils’ live registers. Our records indicate the position at the verification date shown on each result. Schemes are designated, renewed and revoked throughout the year, and postcode-level lookups are approximate near scheme boundaries. Always confirm with the council before letting or buying a property, using the source link on each card. This is general information, not legal advice.

If you hold a licence here, HouseFile can track its renewal date

Keep the licence with the rest of the property's certificates, and HouseFile will remind you before each one is due. It also records when your tenants open the documents you share.

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