What is a Rental Housing Certificate? When is one needed?
In R.C.O. Chapter 38, the code establishes a requirement for anyone renting a dwelling to another person to obtain a license known as a “rental housing certificate”. A dwelling is considered rental when someone other than the owner occupies the dwelling, whether money is exchanged or not. This includes single family homes when the owner does not occupy the home, but does not include hotels, motels, rooming houses, nursing homes, and hospitals which are licensed by other agencies. Renting without a certificate is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1000 fine, 90 days in jail, or both. An inspection is completed every two years to check for compliance with the Housing Code. The certificate issued verifies the dwelling is in compliance with the Housing Code and all other applicable codes and is valid for two years. The certificate must be renewed every two years, with the renewal fee based on the number of units to be rented. Rental certificates must be transferred within 30 days after a
