Newcastle City Council's selective licensing scheme for Byker Old Town and the Greater High Cross area of Benwell came into force on 30 September 2026 and runs for five years, to September 2031. It extends the scheme that covered the same two areas from 2021. If your rental is inside one of these areas, letting without a licence is a criminal offence. Here's who's covered, what it costs, and how to stay on the right side of it.
Keep your licence & certs in date — free →General guidance, not legal advice · last reviewed 1 October 2026 · always verify with Newcastle City Council & GOV.UK
The scheme was designated on 24 February 2026, came into force on 30 September 2026 and runs to September 2031 — a renewal of the 2021–2026 scheme in the same areas.
Covers privately rented homes in Byker Old Town and the Greater High Cross area of Benwell — specific designated areas, not the whole city.
A five-year selective licence is reported at £1,000 per property, split into a £300 Part 1 on application and a £700 Part 2 when granted.
This page is about Newcastle specifically. For the national picture — how mandatory, additional and selective licensing differ — see our landlord licensing requirements pillar.
If you let a privately rented home inside either of these designated areas, you need a selective licence. At the time of writing the scheme covers:
Selective licensing boundaries follow specific streets, not whole electoral wards — a property on one street can be in scope while a nearby one is not. Confirm your exact address against Newcastle City Council's scheme map before you assume you're in or out. A larger HMO (5+ occupants) needs a mandatory HMO licence everywhere in England, separately from this scheme.
Fees are set by the council and can change. Confirm the current amount and any discounts (e.g. accredited-landlord or early-application rates) on Newcastle City Council's site before you pay.
The precise document list is set by Newcastle City Council — check its application guidance for the current requirements.
Related: our national licensing requirements guide, the Croydon selective & HMO licensing page, and does the PRS Database replace selective licensing? — a Newcastle licence and the forthcoming national database are separate obligations.
Operating a licensable property without a licence is a criminal offence under the Housing Act 2004. Newcastle City Council can either issue a civil penalty or prosecute:
Selective licensing also carries property-management conditions — keeping the home safe and well-maintained and taking reasonable steps on anti-social behaviour. Exact penalty figures and rules change and are set nationally — treat these as general guidance and verify the current position on GOV.UK and with Newcastle City Council. Not legal advice.
A Newcastle licence lasts five years and depends on certificates that expire sooner. LandlordProof keeps them together so nothing slips:
Honest about it: LandlordProof does not decide whether a Newcastle scheme applies to you or issue any licence — that's the council's role. It's a record-keeping and reminder tool, and it isn't legal advice. See the full picture on the compliance tracker.
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