Requirements taken from official city sources, quoted and dated.
| Program | Rental Registration — Certificate of Rental Registration / Certificate Approving Rental Occupancy |
|---|---|
| Issuing department | Department of Building & Housing, Division of Records Administration |
| Renewal | Annually. Renewal applications are accepted after January 1, and all fees must be paid by March 31. New applications may be filed at any time of year, before a tenant moves in. |
All owners of residential property in which they do not themselves live (non-owner-occupied residential). Under the city's wording this also covers properties occupied by relatives or friends with no rent charged. Registration is required before a tenant moves in; the requirement is not limited to short-term rentals.
$70 per unit per year (increased from $35 effective January 1, 2020). The late penalty is $100 (increased from $50). The maximum payable by a single landlord in a calendar year is $30,000 (increased from $15,000). The figures are taken verbatim from the city's official PDF "Certificate of Rental Registration Online Instruction Guide".
No citywide periodic inspection of all units is stated on the public pages, but the certificate will not be issued without required assessments: for housing built before 1978 — a Lead Risk Assessment by an independent contractor and a Lead Safe Certificate (for 2 or 20 years), with the report filed no later than 90 days after the assessment; for buildings of 4 units or more — annual HVAC certification by a licensed contractor (where systems are individual, 10% of systems are certified, with a minimum of 5 units). In addition, the property must be free of outstanding code violations and of debts to the city, and taxes must be paid or on an approved installment plan.
Verbatim from the city page: "Failure to obtain a Certificate Approving Rental Occupancy may lead to civil or criminal enforcement action against the owner or Local-Agent-in-Charge". Plus a $100 penalty for late registration. Specific fine amounts under the code were not verified — see notes.
Source: https://www.clevelandohio.gov/city-hall/departments/building-housing/divisions/records-administration/rental-registration · checked 2026-08-14
Every page on this site is free and stays free. The paid version is for people who operate in more than one city: all of your cities in one table, and an email on the day a city changes a fee, a renewal cycle or an inspection rule.
Example City, ST raised its annual rental licence fee
Was $95 per unit, per year
Now $110 per unit, per year
| City | Licence | Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland, OH | Required | 2026-08-14 |
| San Diego, CA | Required | 2026-08-14 |
| Chicago, IL | Not required | 2026-08-14 |
| Louisville, KY | Required | 2026-08-14 |
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