From 15 December 2026, every private landlord in England has to register themselves and each of their rental properties on a new government database. The service is called Register your rental property, it opens region by region over twelve months, and it costs £65 a year for each property.
Registration on the PRS Database is not optional paperwork. Letting or advertising a property without it can mean a civil penalty of up to £7,000, and a landlord in breach cannot get a possession order on most grounds. This guide sets out exactly when your region opens, what you need to have ready, and how to register.
Key takeaways
- Registration opens in the West Midlands on 15 December 2026, then one region a month. Every region must be registered by 14 November 2027.
- Your deadline depends on where the property is, not where you live. You can register early.
- The fee is £65 per property per year, pro-rated during the rollout. There is no fee for the landlord entry.
- You will need a GOV.UK One Login and your gas, electrical and EPC details to hand.
- Letting or advertising without registering risks a civil penalty of up to £7,000, rising to £40,000 or prosecution for repeat or serious breaches.
What the PRS Database is
The Private Rented Sector Database was created by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. It is a national register of private landlords and the homes they let, run by the government and used by councils to target enforcement. The detailed rules are in the Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026, published in draft alongside the government’s rollout announcement on 9 September 2026.
Each landlord makes a landlord entry about themselves and a dwelling entry for every property they let. Joint landlords each make their own landlord entry but share one dwelling entry for the property. Some of the information will eventually be visible to tenants; the government has not yet confirmed exactly which.
When you have to register: the regional timetable
The requirement switches on one region at a time, on the 15th of each month. From that date, landlords in the region have three months to register, with the deadline on the 14th.
| Region | Requirement starts | Deadline to register |
|---|---|---|
| West Midlands | 15 December 2026 | 14 March 2027 |
| East of England | 15 January 2027 | 14 April 2027 |
| East Midlands | 15 February 2027 | 14 May 2027 |
| South East | 15 March 2027 | 14 June 2027 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 15 April 2027 | 14 July 2027 |
| North West | 15 May 2027 | 14 August 2027 |
| North East | 15 June 2027 | 14 September 2027 |
| London | 15 July 2027 | 14 October 2027 |
| South West | 15 August 2027 | 14 November 2027 |
Two points catch people out. The deadline follows the property’s location, so a London landlord with a flat in Birmingham registers that flat in the West Midlands window. And you do not have to wait: you can register before your region’s start date, and the fee is pro-rated so early registrants do not pay more.
Who has to register
- Landlords of assured or regulated tenancies — in practice, almost every private landlord in England now that all assured shorthold tenancies have become assured periodic tenancies.
- Companies and trusts, which provide details of the organisation and the people acting for it.
- Properties that are let, or become let, during the rollout. Empty properties do not need registering yet — future legislation will require registration before an empty property is marketed.
Supported exempt accommodation under section 12 of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023 is exempt. Landlords subject to a banning order are prohibited from registering. Lodgers in your own home are not assured tenants, so a lodger arrangement on its own does not need a dwelling entry.
What you will need before you start
Gather this before you log in. Most delays will come from hunting for certificate dates.
| Section | What to have ready |
|---|---|
| Account | A GOV.UK One Login (offline registration is also available) |
| About you | Name, date of birth, residential address, phone and email. Companies and trusts add organisation, director or trustee details |
| The property | Address, ownership type, dwelling type, number of bedrooms, whether it is let, and contact details for any freeholder, superior landlord or managing agent |
| The tenancy | Number of occupants and households, any HMO, additional or selective licence, and whether it is furnished, part-furnished or unfurnished |
| Rent | Amount, how often it is paid, and whether any bills are included |
| Safety and energy | Gas safety record and issue date; EICR or EIC and expiry date; EPC details and a copy; any MEES exemption |
If any certificate has expired, renew it before you register — the database will record the dates, and councils will use them. Our guides to gas safety certificates, EICRs and EPC requirements cover the rules for each.
How to register, step by step
Registering on the PRS Database
The same identity account used across government services.
Free. Your details, or your company’s or trust’s.
Pay the £65 fee. Do this within three months of the landlord entry.
For an existing let, within 28 days of creating the dwelling entry.
Listings will need your landlord and property identifiers.
Update within 28 days of any change. Entries lapse after a year.
The order matters. You cannot create a dwelling entry without an active landlord entry, and if you do not add a dwelling entry within three months of creating your landlord entry, the landlord entry becomes inactive.
Keeping your entry up to date
Registration is not a one-off. Information must be updated within 28 days of it becoming out of date — a new tenancy, a rent increase, a renewed gas certificate or a new licence all count. Entries last a year and must then be renewed, with the fee payable again. If you have several properties, their renewal dates are synchronised so you renew them together.
The practical answer is to treat it like your certificate calendar: whenever a certificate is renewed or a tenant changes, update the database the same week.
What happens if you do not register
Councils can begin enforcing once the three-month window in your region has closed. The consequences are serious:
- Civil penalty of up to £7,000 for letting or advertising a property without the required registration.
- Civil penalty of up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution for repeat breaches or serious offences, such as giving false information.
- No possession order on any ground except Grounds 7A and 14 while you are in breach — which, with Section 21 gone, can leave you unable to recover the property for arrears, sale or your own use.
- No advertising. A property cannot be marketed or let while its landlord or dwelling entry is inactive.
Rent repayment orders are also a risk for continued breaches, and the maximum under the Renters’ Rights Act is now 24 months’ rent. If an eviction is on the horizon, the possession point alone is reason to register early — see our step-by-step guide on Section 8 grounds for possession for how the grounds work.
If you use a letting agent
An agent or managing agent can upload some of the information for you, but you must start and finish the registration yourself, and you remain legally responsible for everything on it. Government guidance for agents is due before launch. Agree now who will update the entry when tenancies or certificates change — “I thought the agent did it” is not a defence.
The database and the Landlord Ombudsman
The PRS Database is separate from the new Landlord Ombudsman, which every private landlord with assured or regulated tenancies will also have to join, including those who use an agent. The government will give notice of the sign-up date. Failing to join carries the same penalty levels of up to £7,000, and up to £40,000 or prosecution for continued breaches. We cover it in how the Landlord Ombudsman will work.
What to do now
- Find your region in the table and put the start date and deadline in your diary for each property.
- Check every gas safety record, EICR and EPC for expiry dates, and renew anything that lapses before your deadline.
- Confirm whether any property needs an HMO, additional or selective licence — the database asks.
- Set up your GOV.UK One Login.
- Budget £65 a year per property, and agree responsibilities with your agent.
For the wider changes behind the database, read our Renters’ Rights Act guide.
Written by the Landlords Portal team, drawing on hands-on experience of letting and managing property in England. This article is general information based on government guidance published as of October 2026; some details, including agent guidance and which information becomes public, are still to be confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
When do I have to register on the PRS Database?
It depends on where your property is. The West Midlands opens first on 15 December 2026, with one region following each month. Once your region opens you have three months to register. The last deadline, for the South West, is 14 November 2027.
How much does PRS Database registration cost?
£65 per property per year. The landlord entry itself is free. During the rollout the fee is pro-rated so landlords who register early do not pay more.
Can I register before my region opens?
Yes. The government’s guidance confirms you can register before your region’s start date.
Do I need to register an empty property?
Not yet. For now you only need to register properties that are let or become let during the rollout. Future legislation will require registration before an empty property is marketed for let.
What is the fine for not registering?
Councils can issue a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for letting or advertising without registering, and up to £40,000 or prosecute for repeat or serious breaches. A landlord in breach also cannot get a possession order except on Ground 7A or Ground 14.
Can my letting agent register for me?
An agent can upload some information on your behalf, but you must start and finish the registration yourself and you remain responsible for the information being complete and up to date.
Does the PRS Database apply in Wales or Scotland?
No. The PRS Database is part of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 and applies to England. Wales has Rent Smart Wales and Scotland has its own landlord registration scheme.
Sources: GOV.UK — Stronger protections and greater confidence for renters (9 September 2026); Housing Hub — Get ready to register; GOV.UK — Guide to the Renters’ Rights Act; The Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026.
