Article 4 by council › Stoke-on-Trent
HMO Article 4 in Stoke-on-Trent
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Stoke-on-Trent? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
No. Stoke-on-Trent had no HMO Article 4 direction in force when checked.
A small HMO of 3 to 6 people is permitted development in Stoke-on-Trent, subject to HMO licensing. Note: City-wide HMO Article 4 proposed as part of a package considered by cabinet in August 2026 (with a 5% within 50m concentration rule and ward caps); no making or in-force date published as of check. Checked 8 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 Stoke-on-Trent
Mandatory HMO licence: 5 or more people forming 2 or more households sharing facilities.
Additional licensing: none found. HMO page states a 3 or 4 occupant HMO is non-licensable; council news of 2026-08-04 says an Additional Licensing Scheme is proposed subject to statutory consultation (with a citywide Article 4 direction), to be considered by cabinet
Selective licensing: none found. Private renting and landlords section lists no selective licensing scheme; only mandatory HMO licensing is described
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: Stoke-on-Trent council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.