Article 4 by council › Bolton
HMO Article 4 in Bolton
Do you need planning permission to turn a family home into a small HMO in Bolton? What the council's own direction says, with dates, the map and the source.
Yes. The whole of Bolton is covered by an HMO Article 4 direction.
whole borough In force since 13 June 2025. Converting a family home (use class C3) to a small HMO of 3 to 6 people (class C4) needs full planning permission anywhere in Bolton.
Immediate direction made and effective 13 Jun 2025; confirmed 15 Nov 2025.
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 Bolton
Mandatory HMO licence: 5 or more people forming 2 or more households sharing facilities.
Additional licensing: none found. approved, start date not yet published: borough wide additional licensing for 3 and 4 person HMOs and certain converted buildings agreed by Cabinet 17 August 2026, expected fully operational in early 2027; five-year licence fee £1,211. Council HMO licence pages still describe mandatory licensing only.
Selective licensing: could not be verified from the council page.
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: Bolton council, planning.data.gov.uk Article 4 direction areas, gov.uk HMO licensing. Indicative; confirm with the council before you offer.